When Kurt Cobain tragically committed suicide in 1994, many thought that would be the last the music industry would see of the remaining members, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic. After all, Nirvana was the biggest band in the world at the time, and Cobain was the face of the band.
For bassist Novoselic, they were right. For drummer Dave Grohl, he went on to form a little band called the Foo Fighters, and the rest is rock and roll history.
The Foo Fighters have been a force since their debut album, 1995s “Foo Fighters.” On that album, Grohl played all of the instruments and did all of the singing. But after 1997s “The Colour and the Shape,” the band added a young, talented drummer named Taylor Hawkins, who would go on to record the next eight studio albums between 1999 and 2021.
Sadly, Hawkins had mental health issues as Cobain did, and he took his own life in 2022. Once again, many thought that would spell the end of Dave Grohl. Then, quietly and seemingly out of nowhere, the band dropped a new single and announced a new album titled “But Here We Are,” set to drop on June 2, 2023.
The Foo Fighters officially have a new drummer @joshfreese @StoolBackstage pic.twitter.com/euEuzcGYPF
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) May 21, 2023
In a live stream on Sunday, the band finally released who the new drummer will be, but not before teasing some very big names first. Check this out.
The livestream opened with an extended bit where Foo Fighters teased that famous drummers would join the lineup. Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers (a friend of the late Hawkins) showed up to say he was being blocked in by a different car outside the studio. Mötley Crüe’s Tommy Lee popped in to deliver some takeout for the band. Tool’s Danny Carey showed up to drop off some dogs he apparently groomed for the group.
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After a bit of misdirection, the camera panned to legendary session drummer Josh Freese.
Over the past decade, he’s contributed to new records by Lana Del Rey, Rob Zombie, Bruce Springsteen, A Perfect Circle, Sting (with Shaggy), and many more. He’s toured and recorded with Danny Elfman, was a member of Devo’s recent live lineups, and, in the past, has been a member of Guns N’ Roses, Nine Inch Nails, the Vandals, Weezer, and Sublime With Rome. His credits include the Evanescence hit “Bring Me to Life,” Meredith Brooks’ “Bitch,” Good Charlotte’s “The Anthem,” and Puddle of Mudd’s “She Hates Me.”
That is indeed an impressive resume’, and Freese is the consummate professional, able to adapt to and play whatever is in front of him. While he may not have the flash and bombast that Grohl or Hawkins did behind the kit, his body of work suggests that he is more than up to the task.
It should come as little surprise that Freese got the gig. he drummed on Hawkins’s kit for the tribute shows the band did at the end of 2022.
“Without hesitation I said ‘Taylor’s drums need to be up there and I want to play on his exact set up,” he wrote. “I want THAT energy to be up on THAT stage. I want to sweat all over the same drums he was sweating all over every night…don’t change a thing.”
Freese will be more than adequate behind the kit. in fact, while Hawkins can never be replaced, the Foo Fighters should be able to carry on indefinitely with a seasoned veteran like Freese in place. Tommy Lee would’ve been an interesting choice, but for now, let him focus on keeping Motley together and let Josh Freese do his thing with the Foo Fighters.