Josh Freese pays tribute to Taylor Hawkins

Taylor Hawkins and Josh Freese playing the drums onstage

(Image credit: Taylor Hawkins: Kevin Nixon | Josh Freese: Harry Durrant via Getty Images)

A year ago today, Foo Fighters announced that Josh Freese would be joining them behind the drum kit, in place of the late Taylor Hawkins. The news was revealed during a streaming event, Foo Fighters: Preparing Music For Concerts

The new man was introduced as the band were filmed chatting, their conversation interrupted as a trio of well-known drummers – Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith, Motley Crue's Tommy Lee, and Tool's Danny Carey – appeared onscreen, before the camera cut to Freese. And now he's taken to social media to remember the broadcast, and to pay tribute to the man he replaced.

"A year ago today this aired," says Freese, "and I got to stop keeping quiet about what had been referred to as 'the worst kept secret in the music business' at the time (though I thought we did a pretty good job on our end.). Foo Fighters released an hour-long special of us playing some songs at rehearsal.

"I love the way it came out and am proud of it. I joked that all we really needed was All My Life and then move on (because it's so goddamn good.) That being said, I continue to miss Taylor as does the band, his family, friends and the rest of the world. We also continue to try and make the most of the situation by moving forward and doing what we love doing... playing music, honouring Taylor and staying positive."

Freese has since played nearly 70 shows with Foo Fighters, and his previous work with the likes Devo and Nine Inch Nails is often recognised in a mid-set medley. The band's UK tour begins in Manchester on June 13. Full dates below.

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Foo Fighters: Everything or Nothing at All tour 2024

Jun 13: Manchester Emirates Old Trafford Stadium, UK
Jun 15: Manchester Emirates Old Trafford Stadium, UK
Jun 17: Glasgow Hampden Stadium, UK
Jun 20: London Stadium, UK
Jun 22: London Stadium, UK
Jun 25: Cardiff Principality Stadium, UK
Jun 27: Birmingham Villa Park Stadium, UK

Jun 30: Clisson Hellfest, FR
Jul 03: Gydnia Open'Er Festival, PL
Jul 05: Roskilde Festival, DK
Jul 07: Rock Werchter Festival, BE

Jul 17: New York Citi Field, NY *
Jul 19: New York Citi Field, NY #
Jul 21: Boston Fenway Park, MA #
Jul 23: Hershey Hersheypark Stadium, PA #
Jul 25: Cincinnati Great American Ballpark, OH *
Jul 28: Minneapolis Target Field, MN ^
Aug 03: Denver Empower Field at Mile High, CO *
Aug 07: San Diego Petco Park, CA $
Aug 09: Los Angeles BMO Stadium, CA #
Aug 11: Los Angeles BMO Stadium, CA %
Aug 13: Concord Toyota Pavillian, CA
Aug 16: Portland Providence Park Soccer Stadium, OR %
Aug 18: Seattle T-Mobile Park, WA %
Sep 29: Bridgeport Soundscape Festival, CT

* with Pretenders & Mammoth WVH
^ with Pretenders & L7
# with The Hives & Amyl and The Sniffers
$ with The Hives & Alex G
% with Pretenders & Alex G

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Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 40 years in music industry, online for 27. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.