The Foo Fighters had a literal motley crew of cameos in their livestream, “Foo Fighters: Preparing Music for Concerts,” before announcing a new addition to the band: drummer Josh Freese.
In the wake of the tragic passing of Taylor Hawkins last March, the band enlisted the help of other famous drummers, including Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, Mötley Crüe’s Tommy Lee and Tool’s Danny Carey, to tease the ultimate arrival of Freese.
Each musician was welcomed into the studio by the band, only to deliver a funny remark like, “There’s a white Mercedes blocking me,” “I got the P.F. Chang’s” and “I groomed your poodles for you.”
With multiple interruptions, an agitated voice off camera can be heard yelling, “Excuse me,” before cutting to Freese behind the drums. “Guys, can we just, I don’t know, play a song, or two? Something,” he asks, before the Foo Fighters start playing new music from their upcoming album “But Here We Are.”
FOO FIGHTERS ADDRESS FUTURE AS A BAND WITHOUT TAYLOR HAWKINS AFTER HIS TRAGIC DEATH
The Foo Fighters teased fans with cameos from several famous drummers before revealing their new guy, Josh Freese. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images for American Museum of Natural History)
The reception to Freese was overwhelmingly positive, with fans taking to social media to celebrate the announcement.
“Absolutely phenomenal. Josh Freese is a beast on drums. I, like millions of others, have wondered how things would play out after Taylor’s passing. He would be so proud of how FF has handled things. Thank you @joshfreese for your talent and stepping up to the plate,” one fan wrote.
“Thanks for coming back,” another person added. “A new era has Begun, and Taylor, hope you are smiling from wherever you are,” they noted of Hawkins. “Thanks for choosing Josh, it was the right thing to do”
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“OMG!! You guys did not disappoint – that was just BRILLIANT! I laughed, I cried and I sang my heart out with you. Way to go Josh! Loved every second of this and cannot wait for the UK tour dates to be announced when we can do it all again together,” another user shared.
The Foo Fighters were initially created by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, who would later recruit Hawkins to the band.
Famed drummer Taylor Hawkins passed away last March. He was just 50 years old. (Mauricio Santana)
Hawkins was found dead on March 25 in a hotel room in Chaperino, Colombia, during the South American leg of the Foo Fighters’ tour. Hawkins, 50, died ahead of a concert in Bogotá.
The District Secretary of Health in Colombia also confirmed the situation in which Hawkins passed, stating in a press release translated to English, “The city’s Emergency and Emergency Regulatory Center received a report about a patient with chest pain in a hotel located north of the city. An ambulance was dispatched to attend to the case.”
A day after his passing, the office of the Colombian attorney general released an initial toxicology report that revealed the drummer had 10 different psychoactive substances in his body, including “THX (Marijuana), tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and opioids, among others.”
Josh Freese has played with a plethora of successful bands. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Coachella)
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Hawkins’ replacement, Freese, is an established musician in his own right, having played the drums for Guns N’ Roses, Paramore and Nine Inch Nails, among others.
As they resume touring, the Foo Fighters have already sold out their upcoming show in New Hampshire on May 24, the first time Freese will play in front of an audience with the band.