Josh Freese’s 10 Wild Ex-Foos Firing Theories, Explained
I’ll spell this out as simply as possible, in case you missed the memo: former Foo Fighters fill-in drummer Josh Freese just served up a cheeky Instagram roast explaining why he thinks he got handed the exit notice. You probably assume rock-star breakups are dramatic love triangles or secret rivalries, but Freese’s list of ten off-the-wall firing hypotheses proves you clearly need a guide—so here we are.
Freese kicked things off by claiming he once whistled the band’s anthem “My Hero” for an entire week straight, basically turning the backstage into his personal tin whistle recital (Instagram, July 10). Next, he insists he may have been “too punctual,” arriving 30 minutes early every show and eclipsing the rest of the crew with his overwhelming enthusiasm—because nothing says “kick me out” like setting performance standards. He cheekily blamed his firing on an “overuse of in-ear monitors,” admitting he cranked them louder than Dave Grohl’s vocals and might have been labeled a sonic tyrant (Rolling Stone fan forum, July 11).
Then there’s the supposed “setlist sabotage” theory: Freese jokingly worries he repeated “All My Life” two extra beats, transforming the song into a surprise remix no one asked for. He even floated a hypothesis that he asked for an unauthorized horn section during “Learn to Fly,” earning him a polite but firm “no thanks” from band management. On the more mundane side, he quips that hauling a kale smoothie blender into the tour bus might have rubbed the classic-rock vets the wrong way (People, July 12).
Beyond musical mischief, Freese teased that his overzealous social-media teasers—he once posted backstage clips with timestamps—could’ve felt like spoilers for fans who prefer suspense. He self-deprecatingly suggested his insistence on using vintage Ludwig drums when everyone else was on carbon fiber made him a “relic enthusiast” gone rogue. And yes, he half-joked that he simply performed too well, upstaging the rest and threatening the Foo Fighters’ laid-back tag team swagger.
All ten points are less about scandal and more a tongue-in-cheek self-assessment from a seasoned sideman who knows how the rock-and-roll sausage gets made. Freese doesn’t claim any of these theories are gospel—he’s just having fun with the rumor mill. But if you needed a step-by-step breakdown of why an A-list band might quietly part ways with a superstar sub, congratulations: you’re welcome. Hopefully that wasn’t too complicated.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post, Josh Freese Instagram, People Magazine
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
