Foo Fighters replacement rumour swirls after drummer’s shock firing

Rumours suggest Shane Hawkins might replace Josh Freese as the drummer. Photo / Getty Images

A rumour has emerged about who the Foo Fighters intend to hire to replace their axed drummer.

Two years after joining the Foo Fighters as their drummer following the death of Taylor Hawkins, Josh Freese, 52, announced at the weekend that he was let go from the rock band without warning.

Just days after the news hit the headlines, rumours of who will replace Freese have emerged, and the name being touted will no doubt be popular among the band’s diehard fans.

Stan Bicknell, a New Zealand-based drummer, shared on Instagram Stories on Tuesday: “I’ve just been informed, they’ve gone with Shane … but you didn’t hear it from here.”

Shane Hawkins is the son of late Foo Fighters star, Taylor Hawkins, and has already performed with the band a handful of times, most notably in 2022 during the tribute concert held for his dad.

The new rumour emerged just days after Freese revealed news of his firing on social media.

Freese shared in a statement: “The Foo Fighters called me Monday night to let me know they’ve decided ‘to go in a different direction with their drummer.’ No reason was given. : Regardless, I enjoyed the past two years with them, both on and off stage, and I support whatever they feel is best for the band.”

He added: “In my 40 years of drumming professionally, I’ve never been let go from a band, so while I’m not angry - just a bit shocked and disappointed. But as most of you know, I’ve always worked freelance and bounced between bands, so I’m fine.”

He later went on to share a list of comical reasons as to why he may have been fired from the band, which ranged from “Once whistled [the Foo Fighters’ hit] My Hero for a week solid on tour,” “Never even once tried growing a beard,” and that he could only name one song by Grohl’s hometown heroes, Fugazi.

Freese has been a drummer in the punk rock band the Vandals since 1989 and is also a member of the new wave band Devo, which he joined in 1996.

The rocker is no stranger to iconic bands as he has also worked with Guns N’ Roses, Nine Inch Nails and A Perfect Circle.

He took over on the drums for The Foo Fighters one year after Hawkins died unexpectedly while on tour in Colombia at age 50.

Hawkins was found dead in a hotel room at the Four Seasons Casa Medina in Bogota, with authorities discovering “at least 10 different substances” in the room, according to a report that cited Fiscalia Colombia, the national lawyer general’s office.