Foo Fighters announce new drummer to replace Taylor Hawkins
Josh Freese has been a member of punk rock band The Vandals since 1989 and was even a member of Guns N' Roses from 1997 to 2000.
Pat Smear, from left, Chris Shiflett, Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffee, and Nate Mendel of the Foo Fighters accept the global icon award at the MTV Video Music Awards at Barclays Center on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Over a year after the death of Taylor Hawkins, rock band Foo Fighters has finally found a new drummer to fill his shoes. Josh Freese, 50, will join the Grammy Award-winning band as Hawkins’ replacement.
This was announced on Sunday (May 21) during the band’s livestream session, Foo Fighters: Preparing Music For Concerts, which was recorded in California.
A familiar name in the rock scene, Freese has been a member of punk rock band The Vandals since 1989 and was even a member of Guns N' Roses from 1997 to 2000. In his more than 30 years as a drummer, Freese has also played on albums and tours from the likes of Lana Del Rey, Danny Elfman, Seo Taiji and Boys, Nine Inch Nails and Weezer.
Following Hawkins’ death last year in Colombia, Foo Fighters cancelled the remaining shows on their tour and performed two tribute shows for Hawkins where Freese stepped in as a drummer.
In an Instagram post last September, Freese reflected on his friendship with Hawkins, saying: “We always had that funny little bond and he'd always remind me that he was tired of hearing about ‘that other young guy from OC who was already making records and touring’ when he was a teenager. I'd then ask him if he wanted to trade bank accounts with me.”
In March 2022, Colombia's attorney general announced that Hawkins had 10 different substances in his system when he died. It was later reported that Hawkins suffered from a sudden cardiac arrest.
Foo Fighters are due release their new album But Here We Are on Jun 2 and will go on tour from May 24.
