The Foo Fighters seem to have found a new drummer to replace Josh Freese who left earlier this year. According to the Hollywood Reporter, he’s Ilan Rubin, who’s best known for his work with Nine Inch Nails.
Rubin served on Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s crew between 2008 and 2009 and again from 2013 and can boast of being the youngest musician to be inducted into the Rock N’ Roll Hall Of Fame, when he and the rest of NIN were inducted in 2020.
He’s also had a stint in Tom DeLonge’s ‘other’ band Angels And Airwaves.
It’s still unclear whether Rubin is a permanent member of the band or just a touring drummer. There has been no official word yet on this from the Foo's camp.
Meanwhile going the other way is Freese who left Dave Grohl’s merry men in May, having replaced the late Taylor Hawkins in 2022.
He returns to NIN having played with the band between 2005 and 2008, as well as stints in an array of bands, including A Perfect Circle, The Offspring and Weezer.
Freese confirmed the switch ahead of the band’s upcoming North American tour, writing on Instagram yesterday: “Leaving Nine Inch Nails at the end of 2008 was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. My wife and I were expecting our third child, and I knew I needed to step away from life on the road to be home with my family.”
He continued: “NIN was a band that left me walking off stage every single night thinking, ‘That was incredible. We absolutely crushed it.’ And it wasn’t just a feeling, it was a certainty. That level of intensity, pride, and satisfaction after each show is something I’ve rarely experienced anywhere.
“Now, being back on tour with Trent and the crew - helping them do what they do best night after night - is something I’m incredibly excited about. To be part of that energy again feels amazing.
“If you get a chance to catch one of these shows over the next six weeks, I promise, they’re going to be absolutely unforgettable.”
Safe to say he’s pleased then.
Nine Inch Nails meanwhile announced the news in a more succinct manner, merely posting: “Let’s f***ing go @Josh Freese on their Instagram page.
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