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“Can we play a opus oregon something?” With those words, Josh Freese became the antheral to beryllium down the drumkit for the Foo Fighters, picking up the sticks a twelvemonth aft the beloved set lost their founding member, friend, and longtime drummer, Taylor Hawkins. During the May 21 Livestream event, the Foo Fighters announced introduced Josh, 50, arsenic the caller summation to the band, joining Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, and Rami Jaffe.
Thanks for joining us. It volition beryllium streaming connected @Veeps for 72 hours connected request if you missed it: https://t.co/hzz5G9mOKy
We'll spot you each soon. pic.twitter.com/c7NATC6lzD
— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) May 21, 2023
The instauration was done playfully, with 3 legendary drummers archetypal vying for the position. Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith appeared astatine the band’s rehearsal country to kick astir a “white Mercedes blocking my car.” Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe fame said helium “got the PF Changs!” Meanwhile, Danny Carey of Tool stopped by to accidental helium “groomed your poodles for you.” Ultimately, Josh interrupted each the sound to inquire if the set wanted to jam.
From there, the radical debuted “Nothing At All,” a caller opus from their upcoming album, But Here We Are. The LP is acceptable for a June 2 merchandise via Roswell Records/Columbia Records. The set released “Under You” past week. The radical besides announced a tally of circuit dates, kicking disconnected connected May 24 successful New Hampshire.
As the satellite prepares to invited Josh arsenic the newest Foo, here’s what you request to cognize astir him.
Josh Freese Has Been Drumming For Decades.
Josh Freese (b. Dec. 25, 1972) has been playing the drums since helium was 8 years old. “My dada conducted the Disneyland set since I was born, and I was astir large set euphony a lot,” Josh said successful a 2014 interrogation with Vice. “There was ever a clump of instruments astir our house, and I noticed determination was a drum acceptable up successful our attic. I thought determination was nary accidental successful hellhole my parents would fto maine instrumentality it down and acceptable it up for me, but someway they went for it. My dada played maine the astir simple Rock ‘n’ Roll 101 beat, and I sat down and instantly played it. I fell successful emotion instantly.”
Josh performing with Sting successful 2016 (Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock)
Around 8, helium started “taking lessons astir that time,” helium said successful a 2007 interrogation with GuitarCenter.com. “For a twelvemonth oregon truthful anterior to taking lessons, I’d been practicing to records. When I was 8 years old, it was Van Halen, Devo, Queen, Journey, and The Police…..shortly aft that came Missing Persons, The Ramones, and my immense Frank Zappa signifier that I went through. Then, of course, jazz fusion signifier and past landed connected punk stone erstwhile I was astir 16.”
He Got His Start As A Pre-Teen.
“In 1985, erstwhile I was 12, I got a occupation playing successful a Top 40 set retired astatine Disneyland,” Josh told Vice. For the adjacent 38+ years, Josh has worked arsenic a nonrecreational drummer. “Other than a insubstantial way I had for astir six weeks erstwhile I was 10, this is the lone occupation I’ve ever had.”
Josh Has Played With His Heroes…
“I grew up a immense Devo fan,” Josh told Modern Drummer in 2005, “but by the clip I was eleven oregon twelve, I had work galore articles successful Modern Drummer with Terry Bozzio, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Chad Wackerman, wherever they were saying, ‘Playing with Frank Zappa was truthful challenging – playing with Frank was truthful this – playing with Frank was truthful that.'” Josh bought each the Zappa records helium could, and it seems that helium was mounting up immoderate kismet. He would person a accidental gathering with Ahmet Zappa, Frank’s son, who introduced him to his brother, Dweezil Zappa. Josh began touring and signaling with Dweezil.
In 1989, Josh – afloat into his punk operation – met up with SoCal punkers The Vandals. They were successful request of a drummer, and Josh slid successful down the kit. He’s played with them ever since and has been connected each of their albums, but for Look What I Almost Stepped In, due to the fact that Josh had different commitments.
In 1995, Josh became a imperishable subordinate of the reformed DEVO, playing with different set that inspired him. “[Freedom of Choice] was the archetypal medium I got erstwhile I was 8 years old,” helium told SPIN. “I sat successful my basement and played on to it each the time, truthful it was brainsick erstwhile we did that circuit past twelvemonth wherever we played it apical to bottom. It’s amusive successful the mode that it’s precise metronomic and the patterns are precise deliberate and benignant of nursery rhyme. A batch of radical deliberation that it’s a drum instrumentality connected ‘Whip It.’ But that’s Alan Myers.”
…And All Of Your Favorite Bands.
Josh calls himself a “freelance drummer to the stars,” and helium has the resume to backmost it up. “Freese ….has racked up much than 500 full signaling credits and countless shows—by his ain estimate—working with everyone from the Offspring to Paramore to Weezer to Avril Lavigne,” wrote Vice in 2014. His AllMusic leafage shows that he’s worked with bands and artists similar Mike Ness, Chris Cornell, A Perfect Circle, Rob Zombie, 3 Doors Down, Unwritten Law, Guns N’ Roses, Ween, Static-X, Kelly Clarkson, Monster Magnet, Steve Vai, The Replacements, and countless others.
Sipa/Shutterstock
“I ever archer people, ‘Play with arsenic galore radical arsenic you tin play with, without burning each bridges oregon fucking things up for yourself,'” helium told Vice. “You’ve got to beryllium delicate to people’s schedules and dainty them each similar they’re the astir important one. Get retired determination and play with whoever you can. You’ve got to play for free; you can’t request money. Play with everyone for escaped and conscionable get retired determination due to the fact that you ne'er cognize betwixt making connections with others—not conscionable musically but personally.”
Peers & Fans Praised Him Being Picked For The Foo Fighters Gig.
Josh Freese was a person of the Foo Fighters earlier helium joined the set successful 2023. After the satellite mislaid Taylor Hawkins, Josh partook successful the tribute shows, performing alongside The Darkness’ Justin Hawkins and Wolfgang Van Halen for a show of “All My Life,” per Loudwire.
When the Foos announced that Josh would articulation them connected the roadworthy arsenic their drummer, the determination was universally praised. “My biggest drumming inspiration and astir apt the main crushed I didn’t springiness up erstwhile my archetypal set stopped touring,” tweeted Dashboard Confessional drummer Chris Kamrada. “He’s surviving impervious of what it takes to grip playing for truthful galore antithetic respectable artists. good done, Foo Fighters.”
“Foo Fighters could not person made a amended decision,” added Steve Stevens, guitarist for Billy Idol. “[Josh Freese] is the champion of the best.”
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