Foo Fighters drummer Josh Freese said on Friday the band unexpectedly cut him loose for reasons he can only imagine.
The 52-year-old percussionist said he was notified on Monday that the rock act, headed by Dave Grohl, planned to “go in a different direction” two years after hiring him to replace longtime drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died in 2022 with multiple drugs in his system.
“No reason was given” for the firing, according to Freese, who added that he’s “not angry” but shocked and disappointed” by the decision.
He wished his former bandmates well and assured fans he’d be fine. He even showed good humor at the close of his statement, telling followers to stay tuned for his “Top 10 possible reasons Josh got booted from the Foo Fighters list.”
The band didn’t immediately address Freese’s claims.
Hawkins was with the Foo Fighters from 1997 until his death, which occurred while he was on tour with the band. Grohl, who kept time for the iconic grunge band Nirvana, also drummed for the Foo Fighter when he launched the band in 1994. The Foo Fighters were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with an introduction from Paul McCartney in 2021.
Freese, meanwhile, has been a member of bans including the Vandals, Devo and Guns ‘n Roses. As a freelance session and touring drummer, he’s also performed live with acts like Nine Inch Nails, Weezer, The Offspring and String.
He noted that he’s “never been let go” from any band in the past.
