The Foo Fighters have officially introduced Ilan Rubin as their new drummer, replacing Josh Freese. The news first broke in late July, but fans got their first real confirmation during a surprise pop-up show at the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo on September 13.
Foo Fighter’s new drummer Ilan Rubin
A clip of Dave Grohl introducing Rubin on stage spread like wildfire on social media. The video, shared on Reddit, has received millions of views. See the video on Reddit here.
Rubin, 36, has toured with Nine Inch Nails since 2009 and built a reputation as a versatile, hard-hitting drummer. He’s also played with Angels & Airwaves, Paramore, and fronts his own project, The New Regime. In 2020, he made history as the youngest musician inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as reported by The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Foo Fighters are headed out for shows in Jakarta, Singapore, and Mexico City this October. Whether Rubin is staying long-term or just filling in for the tour hasn’t been made clear.
Foo Fighter’s ex drummer Josh Freese
Freese, who joined Foo Fighters in 2023 after Taylor Hawkins’ death, was fired back in May. In an Instagram post, he admitted being “shocked and disappointed,” saying: “In my 40 years of drumming professionally, I’ve never been let go from a band.”
He added that he supported the band’s decision and valued his two years on and off stage with them.
Days later, he poked fun at the situation with a “Top 10 reasons Josh got booted from the Foo Fighters” list, joking that he once whistled “My Hero” for a week on tour and “never even tried growing a beard.”
In a twist, Freese will now replace Rubin as the touring drummer for Nine Inch Nails’ “Peel It Back” tour. Rubin had initially been slated to play, but stepped down after committing to Foo Fighters. NIN confirmed Freese’s return with a post on X, completing the unexpected drummer swap.
As the band heads into their fall tour, fans will be eager to see how Rubin settles into one of rock’s most scrutinized and celebrated gigs.
