Josh Freese Reveals Bittersweet Reason He Wishes He Wasn’t Part of the Foo Fighters

Having a love for music at a young age, Josh Freese turned that love into a career that continues today. Throughout his time on the stage, the drummer not only found himself part of the rock band A Perfect Circle, but he even became a member of Guns N’ Roses. But that was just the start as Freese appeared on over 400 albums since the 1980s. He performed with Weezer, Nine Inch Nails, and Sting. In 2023, the drummer joined the Foo Fighters after drummer Taylor Hawkins passed away. And according to Freese, he wished he never had to play for the Foo Fighters. 

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Back in 2022, news broke that Hawkins passed away at the age of 50. At the time, the death sent a shockwave through the Foo Fighters. Not only did the band lose a friend but also a drummer. Needing a replacement, the band turned to Freese, who eventually joined the group. Speaking with the Daily Star, Freese admitted, “It continues to be bittersweet. Part of me wants to say like I wish I wasn’t there at all. I wish there wasn’t a reason for me to be the drummer in Foo Fighters. I was friendly acquaintances with Taylor for like 25 years and then in the last five/six years we became a lot closer, which makes the whole thing even more odd.”

[RELATED: Josh Freese Reveals His Shock When Asked To Join Foo Fighters]

Josh Freese Worried About The Foo Fighters After Taylor Hawkins Passed

While spending decades in the music industry, Freese knew the members of the Foo Fighters as friends. He explained, “I’ve known Chris Shiflett and Rami Jaffee for 30 years, well before they were in the band, and I met Dave before he was in Nirvana.. I met Dave at a concert at Cal State Long Beach in like 1990 when he was in Scream.” 

Always praising their talent, Freese worried about the band when Hawkins passed away. Knowing his personality, the drummer believed the Foo Fighters would struggle moving forward. “After Taylor’s passing, first thing I thought was how are these guys going to move on from this – Taylor was such an important component, on and off stage. And he wasn’t just a drummer, you know. He was such a big personality. [I thought] ‘Are they even going to go on…does Dave go solo now?’”

While missing their drummer and fellow friend, the Foo Fighters, with the help of Freese, continue to share their music with fans. 

(Photo by Andrew Toth/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)

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