Drummer Josh Freese has commented on his surprising return to active duty in Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame-inducted industrial metal outfit Nine Inch Nails. In an unexpected turn of events, Freese was announced as Nine Inch Nails‘s new drummer tonight, July 30th, replacing Ilan Rubin.
Freese, who is known for his work with The Vandals, A Perfect Circle and more, previously handled the drumming for Nine Inch Nails from 2005 to 2008. Interestingly, Freese even complimented Rubin‘s playing with NIN some three weeks ago on social media.
The shocking twist here however is that Rubin appears to have exited Nine Inch Nails to get behind the drum kit in chart-topping hard rock outfit Foo Fighters. Freese himself was the last person to hold that role in Foo Fighters, until being dismissed by the group this past May. At the time, Foo Fighters allegedly told Freese they’ve decided, “to go in a different direction with their drummer.” If that all wasn’t cyclical enough, Rubin actually replaced Freese in Nine Inch Nails back in late 2008.
Confirming the reports of his return to Nine Inch Nails, Freese offered up the following statement on his social media tonight, July 30th:
“Leaving Nine Inch Nails at the end of 2008 was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. 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.
NIN was a band that left me walking off stage every single night thinking, “That was incredible. We absolutely crushed it.” And it wasn’t just a feeling, it was a certainty. That level of intensity, pride, and satisfaction after each show is something I’ve rarely experienced anywhere
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 sic weeks, I promise, they’re going to be absolutely unforgettable.
Hope to see you out there.
—Josh“
Nine Inch Nails‘s North American tour will be firing up in early August with the below shows booked:
08/06 Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena
08/08 Portland, OR – Moda Center
08/10 Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
08/12 Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
08/14 West Valley City, UT – Maverik Center
08/15 Denver, CO – Ball Arena
08/17 Saint Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
08/19 Chicago, IL – United Center
08/20 Chicago, IL – United Center
08/22 Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
08/23 Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
08/26 Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
08/27 Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
08/29 Boston, MA – TD Garden
08/31 Cleveland, OH – Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
09/02 Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
09/03 Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
09/05 Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center
09/06 Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
09/09 Duluth, GA – Gas South Arena
09/10 Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena
09/12 Houston, TX – Toyota Center
09/13 Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
09/16 Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center
09/18 Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
09/19 Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
