"I've got to be careful about what I say about it. But I've got a lot to say." Superstar drummer Josh Freese on his enforced "mystery" exit from Foo Fighters

Josh Freese has reflected on his surprise firing from Foo Fighters, while admitting that he has to be "careful" about what he reveals about his enforced exit.

The 53-year-old Orlando-born drummer admitted last year that he was "shocked and disappointed" to be told that his services were no longer required by Dave Grohl's band, two years after he was recruited to replace the late Taylor Hawkins.

Sharing the news on Instagram, he wrote, "The Foo Fighters called me Monday night to let me know they’ve decided ‘to go in a different direction with their drummer’. No reason was given : (. Regardless, I enjoyed the past two years with them, both on and off stage and I support whatever they feel is best for the band.

“In my 40 years of drumming professionally, I’ve never been let go from a band, so while I’m not angry – I’m shocked and disappointed. But as most of you know I’ve always worked freelance and bounced between bands so I’m fine. Stay tuned for my ‘top 10 possible reasons Josh got booted from the Foo Fighters’ list."

In a new interview with Modern Drummer, Freese chose not to divulge his personal theories as to why he was let go in May last year.

"The Foo Fighters are such a big, mainstream band that everything I say gets taken out of context, reposted, and blown out of proportion," he says, warily. "People created headlines from one quick, simple comment I made on a podcast not long ago, it's crazy. I've got to be careful about what I say about it. But I've got a lot to say about it and I've been just trying to figure out how and when, to go about really articulating it.

"I have a couple small theories [as to why I was let go]," he continues, "but I can't really go into them right now. I did really enjoy the two years I spent with those guys however, and they were good to me… until they weren't."

Freese went on to expression his admiration and respect for Dave Grohl as a drummer, and adds, "I loved having Dave as a bandleader."

"I enjoyed being around those guys," he continues, "they were generous and good to me… and that's what makes the whole thing even more of a mystery. I think I'm a pretty good read on people, and I did not see that coming. One day it was nothing but laughs, we're on stage and Dave's looking at me every night like, 'You're killing it, dude!!!' And then it was just - over."

Freese, who has also played with The Vandals, Guns N’ Roses, A Perfect Circle and more, is now playing once again with Nine Inch Nails, filling the vacancy left when former drummer Ilan Rubin took his spot in the Foo Fighters.

Dave Grohl's band will play a couple of US festivals in May before embarking upon a European tour in the summer.

Artists

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.

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