Josh Freese had joined Foo Fighters following the death of Taylor Hawkins in 2022, and back in May he revealed he was “shocked and disappointed” to have been “booted” from the band. The drummer shake up continues, as he’s announced he’ll rejoin Nine Inch Nails for the North American leg of their tour, which starts in a little less than a week. Freese had previously drummed in NIN from 2005 through 2008, and wrote in a statement on social media, “Leaving Nine Inch Nails at the end of 2008 was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. My wife and I were expecting our third child, and I knew I needed to step away from life on the road to be home with my family.”
“NIN was a band that left me walking off stage every single night thinking, ‘That was incredible. We absolutely crushed it,'” Freese continued. “And it wasn’t just a feeling, it was a certainty. That level of intensity, pride, and satisfaction after each show is something I’ve rarely experienced anywhere else. Now, being back on tour with Trent and the crew — helping them do what they do best night after night — is something I’m incredibly excited about. To be part of that energy again feels amazing. If you get a chance to catch one of these shows over the next six weeks, I promise, they’re going to be absolutely unforgettable. Hope to see you out there.”
As Josh rejoins NIN, Ilan Rubin, who has toured with NIN since 2009, will join Foo Fighters, sources confirm to The Hollywood Reporter. He’ll play with Foos at their upcoming shows in Asia and Mexico City this fall. Whether he’ll stay with them beyond that we don’t know yet. Here’s more from The Hollywood Reporter:
It’s unclear at press time whether Rubin joins Foo Fighters as a full-time member or as a touring drummer for the band. According to a source, Rubin had committed to Nine Inch Nails through this year and informed band frontman Trent Reznor last week that he had “accepted a job with another band.” A rep for the Foo Fighters declined to comment.
Stay tuned.
Nine Inch Nails shared “As Alive As You Need Me To Be,” their first new music in five years, a couple weeks ago, and their tour includes NYC shows at Barclays Center on September 2 and 3. See all dates below.
Foo Fighters released their first new music since 2023, new single “Today’s Song,” earlier this month.
NINE INCH NAILS: 2025 TOUR DATES
Wed Aug 06 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena
Fri Aug 08 – Portland, OR – Moda Center
Sun Aug 10 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
Tue Aug 12 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Thu Aug 14 – West Valley City, UT – Maverik Center
Fri Aug 15 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
Sun Aug 17 – Saint Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
Tue Aug 19 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Wed Aug 20 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Fri Aug 22 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Sat Aug 23 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Tue Aug 26 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
Wed Aug 27 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
Fri Aug 29 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Sun Aug 31 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
Tue Sep 02 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
Wed Sep 3 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
Fri Sep 05 – Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center
Sat Sep 06 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
Tue Sep 09 – Duluth, GA – Gas South Arena
Wed Sep 10 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena
Fri Sep 12 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
Sat Sep 13 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
Tue Sep 16 – Phoenix, AZ – PHX Arena
Thu Sep 18 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
Fri Sep 19 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum