Dave Grohl opens up on Foo Fighters drummer swap: ‘This didn’t happen overnight’

Dave Grohl has shared his perspective on Foo Fighters’ decision to part ways with drummer Josh Freese in 2025.

Freese joined the Foos in 2023 following the 2022 death of Taylor Hawkins. In an interview Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, Grohl calls Freese a “consummate professional” and says the band had “such a blast” touring with him. 

After finishing their last tour with Freese in 2024, Grohl says he and the rest of the Foos took a few months away from the band. During that time, he says he and his bandmates made the decision to bring in a different drummer.

“This didn’t happen overnight, it was six or seven months,” Grohl says. “In those six or seven months, we, as a band, talked about what to do next and new direction. We thought, ‘OK, let’s call Josh and let him know that we’re gonna move on with a different drummer.'”

“All of us called, it wasn’t just me,” the “Everlong” rocker continues. “We called Josh, and we were like, ‘Hey man, that was awesome, that was such a blast, thank you so much, but we’re gonna move on and find another drummer.'”

Grohl doesn’t give an exact reason as to why he and the Foos felt it necessary to move on from Freese, but refers to a comment Freese made in an interview with The New York Times.

“I think Josh said it best when he was, like, he didn’t feel like our music really resonated with him,” Grohl says. “And that’s really important.”

He adds, “We found that now with [new Foo Fighters drummer] Ilan [Rubin], and it’s like, we feel like a band again.”

Foo Fighters will release a new album called Your Favorite Toy, their first with Rubin, on April 24.