In a unique moment in drumming history, two bands at the top of their popularity and success have swapped drummers. The Foo Fighters have hired Nine Inch Nails drummer Ilan Rubin to occupy their coveted drumming throne, and ex-Foo Fighters drummer Josh Freese has taken Rubin’s place with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross in the band Nine Inch Nails. However, some might remember that this type of switch is not totally unprecedented. In 2024, the bands Slipknot, Suicidal Tendencies, and Sepultura did an amazing three-way switch of drummers Eloy Casagrande, Jay Weinberg, and Greyson Nekrutman.

But with this most recent news, the story goes even deeper. In 2009, at the age of 20, it was Ilan Rubin who replaced Freese in Nine Inch Nails after Freese had played with them from 2005 to 2008. Now Freese is rejoining Nine Inch Nails while Rubin’s big groove has moved on to drive the biggest rock band in the world, the Foo Fighters.

Both drummers are well-versed in getting new gigs. Freese is a well-known session drummer who has performed with Guns ‘n’ Roses, Michael Buble, Devo, A Perfect Circle, Sting, The Vandals, and has released several eclectic recordings under his own name. Advertisement

Rubin is a young veteran of the drumming scene having spent time playing with Paramore, Angels & Airwaves, soundtrack composer and punk pioneer Danny Elfman, leads his own project called New Regime (with four recordings of their own,) and has recently released an instructional drum book called Start Somewhere to Go Somewhere.

In a 2011 Modern Drummer interview Josh Freese states that “I think a lot of musicians, especially rock musicians do have that not-wanting-to-grow-up thing. The only part that has made me grow up is that I have to answer to my kids. I can’t just be a complete freak, I’ve had to tone down some of my creative traits.” So why did Freese leave NIN in the first place? He explains that leaving NIN in 2008 was, “One of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make.” Explaining that, at the time, he and his wife were expecting their third child and he knew he had to step away from touring to be with his family.

In his own cover interview with Modern Drummer Magazine in 2015, Rubin states, “If I don’t feel like I’m putting my all into a performance, I feel like I’m short-changing the audience.” He continued, “The more music I get under my belt, the more I find little spots to showcase my drumming. But I’m very conscious of doing it in the most tasteful way that I can.” What does Rubin bring to the biggest drum gig in the world? In our opinion he is a unique blend of the three drummers who have played with the Foo Fighters. Ilan Rubin brings the raw drumming power of Dave Grohl, the progressive drumming skills of Taylor Hawkins, and the professionalism and musicality of Josh Freese. Advertisement

It will be fun to see both bands on tour this year to see and hear how their music has evolved with their new, and new-old, drummers on their respective drum thrones. The beat goes on…

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