In a full-circle moment straight out of rock history's strangest playbook, celebrated drummer Josh Freese has officially rejoined Nine Inch Nails, replacing Ilan Rubin… who, in a shock twist, appears to have taken over Freese's recently vacated spot behind the kit for the Foo Fighters.
Freese, whose résumé includes stints with The Vandals, A Perfect Circle, and numerous other iconic acts, originally served as Nine Inch Nails' live drummer from 2005 to 2008. Rubin succeeded him in that role following his departure to focus on family life. Fast forward to this week, and the baton has passed once again. This time in reverse.
"Leaving Nine Inch Nails at the end of 2008 was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make," said Freese. "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."
Now, after being let go from Foo Fighters this past May — reportedly told the band was "going in a different direction with their drummer" — Freese finds himself returning to one of the most intense live outfits of his career.
"Nine Inch Nails was a band that left me walking off stage every single night thinking, ‘That was incredible. We absolutely crushed it.' … That level of intensity, pride, and satisfaction after each show is something I've rarely experienced anywhere."
He continued: "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."
The switch comes just days before Nine Inch Nails kick off the North American leg of their Peel It Back Tour, beginning August 6 in Oakland, CA. The band has already sold out most of the tour's arena dates, and with Freese back in the fold, anticipation for these shows is at an all-time high.
Freese's return also completes a bizarre game of musical chairs: Rubin, who took his place in Nine Inch Nails in 2008, now steps into Freese's old role with Foo Fighters. Meanwhile, Rubin's own future with Nine Inch Nails appears to have ended quietly, despite a long-standing tenure that saw him inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside the band in 2020.
Nine Inch Nails is about to kick off their North American Peel It Back Tour come August 6. Get your tickets here!
8/6 Oakland, CA Oakland Arena
8/8 Portland, OR Moda Center
8/10 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
8/12 Seattle, WA Climate Pledge Arena
8/14 West Valley City, UT Maverik Center
8/15 Denver, CO Ball Arena
8/17 Saint Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
8/19 Chicago, IL United Center
8/20 Chicago, IL United Center
8/22 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena
8/23 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
8/26 Baltimore, MD CFG Bank Arena
8/27 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
8/29 Boston, MA TD Garden
8/31 Cleveland, OH Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
9/2 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center
9/3 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center
9/5 Raleigh, NC Lenovo Center
9/6 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
9/9 Duluth, GA Gas South Arena
9/10 Tampa, FL Amalie Arena
9/12 Houston, TX Toyota Center
9/13 Fort Worth, TX Dickies Arena
9/16 Phoenix, AZ PHX Arena
9/18 Los Angeles, CA Kia Forum
9/19 Los Angeles, CA Kia Forum
