New Foo Fighters drummer Ilan Rubin speaks out after first show replacing Josh Freese

16 September 2025, 15:46

Ilan Rubin performs with Nine Inch Nails in 2022. Picture: Amy Harris/Invision/AP/Alamy

By Jenny Mensah

The percussionist has thanked fans for their "positivity and support" following the band's pop-up surprise shows.

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Foo Fighters made a return to the live stage over the weekend, playing their first live shows in over a year.

Their 900 capacity surprise gig - which took place at Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, California on Saturday (13th September) - also marked the first since Ilan Rubin took over duties from Josh Freese as the band's new drummer and he's finally broken his silence about it.

Taking to Instagram, while sharing an image of himself on the stage the sticksman began: "Last night with @foofighters could not have been a better time.

"After keeping my head down for a couple wild months and throwing myself into the material, that first show was such an incredible release of energy. I’ve been taken aback by all the positivity and support, and I just wanted to say thanks! Excited for all the volume and sweat that lies ahead."

See his post below:

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A post shared by Ilan Rubin (@ilanrubin)

Foo Fighters also shared the moment they returned to the stage and frontman Dave Grohl addressed the crowd, shouting: "Oh my f**king god! It's been a while. It's f**king been a while, huh? It's been a while," before launching into their All My Life anthem.

They captioned the post: "DO YOU LOVE ROCK AND ROLL??? BECAUSE WE LOVE ROCK AND ROLL!!!"

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A post shared by Foo Fighters (@foofighters)

The band - completed by Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett and Rami Jaffee - went on to play a full 25-song-set, including their first performances of Alone + Easy Target, Have It All, Winnebago and Exhausted - for the first time in well over 10 years.

A second show saw the band play another last minute gig at The Observatory in in Santa Ana, California on Monday (15th September), which fans could buy tickets for at an in person-only box office.

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Meanwhile Josh Freese, who was let go from the band without warning and for "no reason", looked back over his time with the band and explained why the believed Rubin would be a better fit.

"Looking back, it was probably more an issue with their management," he told the New York Times.

Freese was enlisted as Foo Fighters' first drummer after the tragic death of their beloved sticksman Taylor Hawkins in 2022 and he talked about the extra burden he carried having to fill his shoes.

“I’m coming in as Dave Grohl’s drummer, and the guy that’s supposed to save the day after the beloved Taylor Hawkins died,” he said, adding that he felt “like I had to be firing on all cylinders all the time.”

Asked about his feelings about the band now, he said: "It wasn't music that I really resonated with."

In a strange twist, Freese - who played with Nine Inch Nails from 2005 - 2008 - has now swapped places with Rubin, who drummed with the industrial rockers until recently, but he believes the switch will be great because Rubin is "perfect for the gig" with Foo Fighters.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Freese said of the strange swap. “But Ilan’s a phenomenal drummer, a phenomenal musician.

"He’ll be perfect for the gig.”