Drummers Rolled: Foos, Who Fire Skinsmen

May’s a tough month for rock drummers.

The Foo Fighters have parted ways with Josh Freese, the drummer who replaced the late Taylor Hawkins in 2023 after Hawkins’ death in 2022. And Zak Starkey, who has been behind the set for The Who since 1996, has been let go by the legendary English band for the second time in a month.

Freese, a prolific and respected drummer who has also worked with Devo, Guns N’ Roses and Nine Inch Nails, shared the news of his termination on social media May 16.

“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,” he wrote. “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. 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.”

Freese later posted a (largely joking, maybe) Top 10 list of reasons he was fired, which included things like “Could only name one Fugazi song” and “polyrhythms.”

The Foos have not announced who will replace Freese; the band is scheduled to play the Singapore Grand Prix in October.

As for Starkey, he was first fired from The Who in April. He claimed on social media Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend had let him go due to “overperforming” during shows at Royal Albert Hall. That trial separation only lasted a few days, as Townshend announced shortly thereafter “communication issues, personal and private on all sides” were addressed and Starkey was back. Now it seems the song really is over, with Townshend writing May 18  “After many years of great work on drums from Zak the time has come for a change. A poignant time. Zak has lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best.”

Starkey later said Townshend had asked him to announce that he was leaving of his own accord, but Starkey refused.

“I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit the Who to pursue my other musical endeavors, this would be a lie,” he wrote. “I love the Who and would never had quit. So I didn’t make the statement … quitting the Who would also have let down the countless amazing people who stood up for me thank you all a million times over and more through the weeks of mayhem of me going ‘in an out an in an out an in an out’ like a bleedin’ squeezebox.”

Scott Devours, who drums for Daltrey’s solo performances, will replace Starkey on the Who’s upcoming North American dates.