Drummer Ilan Rubin explained how he joined the Foo Fightersafter 's departure Josh Freese in 2025. The musician also commented on the drummer change involving Nine Inch Nails.
podcast Go With Elmo, Rubin revealed that he received a call from Dave Grohl. At the time, he was nearing the end of his commitments with Nine Inch Nails, which facilitated the move.
“Well, at some point I got a call from Dave [Grohl]. We talked about a few things. He knew my touring commitments [with Nine Inch Nails] were coming to an end at the time, and I would be available after that. I know that’s a bit of a vague way of putting it, but there’s a certain delicacy here. Because I left a band I’d played with for almost 17 years. So, it was the end of a long and extensive era for me. And this new chapter has been incredible,” he said [transcription via Blabbermouth].
The drummer emphasized that the transition happened naturally. According to him, there was no complex negotiation or prior planning. Joining the Foo Fighters came about when the band needed a new member for upcoming shows.
“[…] I haven’t really talked about this whole chapter, so this is news to me. Not that I have anything to hide, but it was like, ‘Hey, you probably weren’t expecting to hear from me, but there are some things happening, and I saw that your last date is’ — whenever that is; time is a big mess, regardless of bands and tours,” Ilan revealed.
The drummer swap between Foo Fighters and Nine Inch Nails
Rubin also commented on the so-called "swap" of drummers between the bands. He denied any conspiracy or agreement between the groups. For the musician, the situation was simply a logical sequence of events.
“There’s no story, honestly. I think it’s very logical. There was nothing behind it. And it’s very logical in the sense that Josh played with NIN from 2005 until the end of 2008. I auditioned in 2008, took on the following shows, and stayed with the band until last summer. And as I said before, when they contacted me, everyone was very aware that I had a commitment until that point, and they asked if I would do anything afterward,” he said.
With his departure, Nine Inch Nails brought back Josh Freese, who had previously played with the group. Rubin explained that this choice made sense, since Freese already knew the repertoire and wouldn't need to go through a long adaptation period.
“At some point, for some reason, Josh left the Foo Fighters. It’s not like Josh was already out of the band and they were already talking about it. None of that happened. They resolved their issues. They needed a drummer. And when the situation got a little delicate regarding the shows that were going to happen in a few months, they contacted me. As a result of me taking the opportunity, obviously Nine Inch Nails needed a drummer. Besides, Josh already had experience, so it was very logical,” he concluded.
Currently, Foo Fighters are preparing for the release of their 12th studio album, titled Your Favorite Toy, scheduled for April 24th. The band will also perform at Rock In Rio 2026 as a headliner on the Palco Mundo stage on September 4th.
READ ALSO: Dave Grohl explains Josh Freese's departure from the Foo Fighters: "Moving on"
