Early Career and Breakthrough
Born on December 25, 1972, in Orlando, Florida, Josh Freese grew up in a musical family. His father, Stan Freese, was a renowned tuba player and Disney music director. Josh began playing drums at an early age, showing prodigious talent that led to his first professional gig at age 12 with a Top 40 band at Disneyland. Freese’s professional career accelerated dramatically when he joined punk rock band The Vandals as a teenager. Shortly thereafter, he became the drummer for Devo, beginning a pattern of juggling multiple significant bands that would become his trademark. His technical ability, combined with an intuitive feel for diverse musical styles, quickly made him valuable beyond the punk scene.
Session Career and Major Collaborations
Freese’s reputation as a session drummer grew exponentially throughout the 1990s and 2000s. His discography reads like a who’s who of alternative, rock, and pop music, having recorded with artists including Paul Westerberg, Sting, Guns N’ Roses, The Offspring, Nine Inch Nails, Weezer, A Perfect Circle, Paramore, and countless others. His versatility is perhaps best exemplified by his ability to handle the mathematical precision required for A Perfect Circle and Nine Inch Nails while also delivering the raw energy needed for punk projects. This chameleonic quality made him one of the music industry’s most recorded drummers, appearing on hundreds of albums across multiple genres.
Band Memberships
While maintaining his prolific session work, Freese has also been a core member of several influential bands. Beyond his ongoing membership in The Vandals, he served as a key member of A Perfect Circle, played with Nine Inch Nails during multiple eras, and toured extensively with Devo. In 2023, following the tragic death of Taylor Hawkins, Freese joined Foo Fighters as their new permanent drummer. This high-profile position came after decades of establishing himself as the industry’s premier replacement drummer, reflecting both his technical ability and his adaptability to different band dynamics.
Solo Work and Entrepreneurship
Freese has also pursued solo projects, releasing albums including “Since 1972” and “My New Friends.” His 2009 album release was accompanied by an innovative tiered marketing campaign offering increasingly elaborate fan experiences at different price points, from signed CDs to personal drum lessons and even the opportunity to go on a mini-golf outing with Freese. This entrepreneurial spirit, combined with his unmatched versatility behind the kit, has cemented Josh Freese’s status as not just a drummer’s drummer, but as one of the most important percussionists of his generation—a true musical chameleon whose influence extends far beyond any single band or genre.
