Foo Fighters have announced that their new drummer is Josh Freese. Freese, former drummer with the Offspring who played in Danny Elfman’s band, follows in the footsteps of the band’s beloved late percussionist Taylor Hawkins, who died last year. The band revealed the news on Sunday (May 21) during their livestream Foo Fighters: Preparing Music For Concerts, a studio session recorded at the group’s 606 studios in Northridge, California.
Not including Dave Grohl, Freese is the third drummer to join Foo Fighters; before Hawkins, William Goldsmith performed on the band’s 1997 album The Colour and Shape.
Hawkins died at age 50 while on tour with Foo Fighters last year in Bogotá, Colombia. They canceled their remaining shows. The band returned to the stage for two all-star Hawkins tribute shows at the end of 2022.