Foo Fighters reveal Ilan Rubin as their new drummer as Josh Freese heads to Nine Inch Nails
-
Josh Freese performing with Foo Fighters in 2024 (Image via Getty)Rock band Foo Fighters have finally revealed the name of their new drummer. As per The Hollywood Reporter, drummer Ilan Rubin will take the place of Josh Freese. This news comes a couple of months after Freese and Foo Fighters parted ways.
Incidentally, the new change in the membership of Foo Fighters is closely intertwined with the band, Nine Inch Nails. Foo Fighters’ new drummer Rubin was Nine Inch Nails’ principal drummer for 16 years. As a matter of fact, Rubin joined the band in 2009. Meanwhile, Freese previously performed alongside Nine Inch Nails, and decided to leave the band in 2008.
Freese has now rejoined Nine Inch Nails, after news broke out that the band’s principal drummer Rubin joined Foo Fighters as Freese’s replacement.
Why did Foo Fighter and Josh Freese part ways?
Foo Fighters and Josh Freese ended their professional relationship earlier this year in May. Freese performed as the band’s drummer for two years. Freese had joined the band back in 2023 after Foo Fighters’ drummer for more than two decades, Taylor Hawkins, passed away in 2022.
While there have not been confirmed reports of skirmishes between Foo Fighters and Freese over their two-year long professional relationship, Freese shared that he was ‘booted out’ from the band in a cryptic social media post shared earlier this year.
Taking to social media, Freese posted on May 16, that that the decision to part ways with Foo Fighters was not a mutual one. He expressed his shock, adding that in his career which has spanned 40 years, he was never asked to leave a band before. Freese wrote,
“The Foo Fighters called me Monday night to let me know they've decided ‘to go in a different direction with their drummer.’ No reason was given. : ( Regardless, I enjoyed the past two years with them, both on and off stage, and I support whatever they feel is best for the band. In my 40 years of drumming professionally, I've never been let go from a band, so while I'm not angry-just a bit shocked and disappointed.”
Freese maintained a positive outlook on his future, and added with a lighthearted message,
“But as most of you know I've always worked freelance and bounced between bands so, I'm fine. Stay tuned for my ‘Top 10 possible reasons Josh got booted from the Foo Fighters’ list.”
About Foo Fighter’s new drummer, Ilan Rubin
Drummer Ilan Rubin, who is 37 years of age, started his professional music career very early on in his life. At the age of nine, Rubin had become a part of professional music band named F.o.N. (Freak of Nature). F.o.N was a San Diego-based pop punk Band which also featured Rubin’s siblings.
By the age of 11, Rubin went on to perform at the Woodstock Festival, a feat for which he holds the world record for the youngest musician to ever perform at the prestigious festival, as per Guinness World Records.
Rubin had his first experience with a major music label when he joined the band Denver Harbor. With Denver Harbor, Rubin had the opportunity to perform the role of a drummer for a full-length album for the first time. Denver Harbor’s album, titled Scenic, released in 2004.
Rubin’s career grew exponentially after he joined Nine Inch Nails. The band went on to be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020. Rubin, as the band’s drummer, broke yet another record with this feat. The drummer who was 32 at the time, became the youngest ever inductee into the Hall of Fame.
TOPICS: Foo Fighters, Ilan Rubin, Josh Freese, Nine Inch Nails