Two months after parting ways with Josh Freese, Foo Fighters have announced their new drummer, Ilan Rubin. Rubin is leaving Nine Inch Nails after a 16-year stint, and he will join the band for their upcoming North American tour.
Nine Inch Nails recently hired Freese as a replacement for their drummer, marking a convenient solution to the prospect of an imminent drummerless tour. The move has sparked speculation about whether Rubin’s departure from Foo Fighters is temporary or permanent.
Foo Fighters have yet to officially confirm their new drummer, but Nine Inch Nails posted an Instagram story picturing Freese with the caption “Let’s fucking go.” The band kick off their North American tour on August 6 at Oakland Arena, and they will also embark on a tour of Asia in October.
Rubin has been touring with Nine Inch Nails since 2009 and has also drummed for other notable bands, including Paramore and Angels & Airwaves. He recently told Trent Reznor that he had accepted another job opportunity, citing “accepted a job with another band” as the reason for his departure from Nine Inch Nails.
Foo Fighters brought in Freese as their drummer in 2023 after the passing of longtime drummer Taylor Hawkins. The band has released new music since Freese’s departure, including the track “Today’s Song,” which thanked him for his time and said the band’s story would be incomplete without him.
Freese, who previously drummed for Nine Inch Nails from 2005 to 2008, spoke out about his decision to leave the band in a recent Instagram post. He expressed excitement to rejoin the tour with Nine Inch Nails and promised that the upcoming shows will be unforgettable.
Source: https://pitchfork.com/news/foo-fighters-and-nine-inch-nails-swap-drummers-switching-josh-freese-for-ilan-rubin