Foo Fighters Reveal New Drummer 3 Years After Taylor Hawkins Death originally appeared on Parade.
The Foo Fighters have officially welcomed a new drummer to the band, three years after the tragic death of Taylor Hawkins.
Sources confirmed to The Hollywood Reporterin an article shared on Wednesday, July 30, that Ilan Rubin is stepping into the role, and he’s no stranger to the rock world. A longtime touring member of Nine Inch Nails since 2009, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the band in 2020, making history as the youngest-ever inductee at age 32. He also plays drums for Angels & Airwaves and has worked alongside composer Danny Elfman.
Rubin’s addition comes just two months after the Foo Fighters parted ways with Josh Freese, who joined the group in 2023 as Hawkins’ successor. Freese confirmed his departure in May, writing on Instagram that the band had chosen “to go in a different direction with their drummer,” and added, “I’m not angry—just a bit shocked and disappointed.”
🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
As Rubin joins the Foo Fighters, Freese will be returning to Nine Inch Nails, a reunion the band confirmed by tagging him in an Instagram story that read, “let’s f**king go.” Freese previously served as their live drummer from 2005 to 2008, before stepping away to focus on his family.
While it’s unclear whether Rubin is joining Foo Fighters as a permanent member or on a touring basis, sources say he informed Trent Reznor last week that he had “accepted a job with another band.” The timing of the announcement aligns with Foo Fighters’ upcoming international tour, which kicks off October 2 in Jakarta, followed by stops in Singapore, Tokyo, Osaka, and Mexico City. Earlier this month, the band released “Today’s Song” to celebrate their 30th anniversary. In a heartfelt letter to fans, frontman Dave Grohl paid tribute to Hawkins, writing, “you are still in everything we do, everywhere we go, forever,” and thanked Freese, calling his time with the band “thunderous wizardry.”
The band’s announcement and new song also follows headlines last year surrounding Grohl’s personal life. In September 2024, the frontman publicly admitted on Instagram to being unfaithful to his wife, Jordyn Blum, and revealed that he had fathered a child outside their marriage.
Foo Fighters Reveal New Drummer 3 Years After Taylor Hawkins Death first appeared on Parade on Jul 31, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
