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Dave Grohl on Foo Fighters’ Split With Josh Freese: ‘Continuing on After Taylor Was Really Complicated’
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Dave Grohl on Foo Fighters’ Split With Josh Freese: ‘Continuing on After Taylor Was Really Complicated’

#Foo Fighters #Dave Grohl #Josh Freese #Taylor Hawkins #Drummer replacement #Band split #Musical direction

📌 Key Takeaways

  • Dave Grohl revealed Foo Fighters' split with Josh Freese wasn't made hastily
  • The band found it complicated to continue after Taylor Hawkins' death
  • Freese, a professional drummer, joined in 2023 and was let go in 2025
  • The band took a 6-7 month break to discuss their musical direction before making the decision
  • All band members informed Freese together and expressed gratitude for their time together

📖 Full Retelling

Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl revealed in a recent interview with Zane Lowe that the band's decision to part ways with drummer Josh Freese 'didn't happen overnight,' explaining that continuing after the death of their previous drummer Taylor Hawkins made finding the right replacement complicated. Freese had joined the band in May 2023 following Hawkins' tragic death in March 2022, but in May 2025, the drummer announced his departure, noting the band wanted to go in 'a different direction' without providing specific reasons. Grohl detailed the emotional complexity of replacing Hawkins, who had been the band's drummer for 25 of their 30-year existence, making any successor face the daunting challenge of filling such substantial shoes. The frontman praised Freese as a 'consummate professional' with an impressive career spanning thousands of studio recordings and collaborations with artists from Michael Bublé to the Offspring, noting they enjoyed a successful 18-month touring period together before taking a break. During this hiatus, the band engaged in extensive discussions for six to seven months before collectively deciding to move forward with a different drummer, with all members participating in the conversation informing Freese of their decision while expressing gratitude for their time together.

🏷️ Themes

Band transitions, Music industry, Personal legacy

📚 Related People & Topics

Taylor Hawkins

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American drummer (1972–2022)

Oliver Taylor Hawkins (February 17, 1972 – March 25, 2022) was an American musician who was the drummer and a vocalist of the rock band Foo Fighters, sharing vocals with Dave Grohl. He joined the band in 1997, and remained the band's drummer until his death in March 2022. He recorded eight studio al...

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Josh Freese

Josh Freese

American drummer (born 1972)

Joshua Ryan Freese (born December 25, 1972) is an American drummer. Freese has been a member of punk rock band the Vandals since 1989, new wave band Devo since 1996 and alternative rock band A Perfect Circle since 2024, the last of which he previously played in from 1999 to 2012. A prolific session ...

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Mentioned Entities

Taylor Hawkins

Taylor Hawkins

American drummer (1972–2022)

 Dave Grohl

Dave Grohl

American rock musician (born 1969)

 Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters

American rock band

 Josh Freese

Josh Freese

American drummer (born 1972)

Deep Analysis

Why It Matters

The Foo Fighters’ decision to replace drummer Josh Freese after the death of long‑time drummer Taylor Hawkins signals a significant lineup change for a major rock band, affecting future tours and recordings.

Context & Background

  • Taylor Hawkins passed away in March 2022
  • Josh Freese joined as drummer in May 2023
  • Band announced split with Freese in May 2025

What Happens Next

The Foo Fighters are now searching for a new drummer while continuing to tour and record. Fans can expect updates on the lineup in upcoming press releases.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did the Foo Fighters decide to part ways with Josh Freese?

The band felt they needed a different direction after the death of Taylor Hawkins and after discussing internally for several months.

Will the split affect upcoming tours?

The band will continue touring with a temporary drummer while they search for a permanent replacement.

Did the band give a public statement?

No official press release was issued; the decision was communicated privately to Freese.

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Original Source
'A New Direction' Dave Grohl on Foo Fighters’ Split With Josh Freese: ‘Continuing on After Taylor Was Really Complicated’ The decision “didn’t happen overnight,” the frontman told Zane Lowe in a new interview By Althea Legaspi Althea Legaspi Contact Althea Legaspi on X View all posts by Althea Legaspi February 22, 2026 Dave Grohl discussed Foo Fighters parting ways with Josh Freese for the first time, saying that their decision to split from the drummer “didn’t happen overnight.” Freese joined the band as their drummer in May 2023 following the death of Taylor Hawkins in March 2022. In May 2025, Freese announced he had been let go by the Foo Fighters . The band decided “to go in a different direction with their drummer,” Freese wrote on Instagram at the time, and added that “no reason was given.” In a new interview with Zane Lowe , Grohl discussed the Foo Fighters’ switching drummers following Hawkins’ death, giving some context from a drummer’s perspective. He explained how Nirvana had five drummers, and he was their fifth, and that while Foo Fighters has had four drummers, Hawkins was their drummer for 25 of the 30 years they’ve been a band. “So continuing on after Taylor was really complicated, not just for us, but for any drummer that was going to come in to like, you know, fill his shoes,” Grohl said. “And so with Josh Freese, Josh is a consummate professional. He has a storied career of playing with everyone from Michael Bublé to the Offspring … He’s had thousands of studio recordings.” Then they went on tour “and we had such a blast, we had such a great time,” he added. After about a year and a half of that tour run with Freese, the band took a break and during that time, the group discussed their next moves for around half a year before finalizing their decision. “In those six or seven months, as a band, we talked about what to do next, a new direction, and we thought, ‘OK, let’s call Josh and let him know that we are going to move on with a different drumme...
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