Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Getty Images
To be clear, Josh Freese is thriving. Following the great drummer trade war of summer 2025, Freese, who was unexpectedly fired from the Foo Fighters after two years of service, quickly got hammered into the Nine Inch Nails as their newest kitman. At the time, Freese said he was given the “different direction” excuse from Dave Grohl. Now, the ever-versatile drummer says he still doesn’t have much clarity as to what transpired or why. “I think I have a pretty good read on people, and I did not see that coming,” Freese told Modern Drummer in a new interview. “One day it was nothing but laughs, we’re onstage, and Dave’s looking at me every night like, ‘You’re killing it dude.’ And then it was just … over.” Freese has a “couple small theories” for the reason behind his dismissal, but he insists that he “can’t really go into them right now.” He has his ongoing tour with Nine Inch Nails to keep him busy, anyway. “I did really enjoy the two years I spent with those guys, however, and they were good to me until they weren’t. I liked playing with them,” he added. “I loved having Dave Grohl as a bandleader. I truly respect him so much as a drummer first and foremost. To me, he’s a drummer first and everything else is second. I’ve listened to him on all the great records he’s played drums on more than I’ve listened to any Foo Fighters stuff.” Yeah, In Your Honor isn’t for everybody.
Related