Queen band legend Roger Taylor has revealed why Dave Grohl didn’t recruit his drummer son Rufus Taylor for the Foo Fighters.
Grohl had to search for a replacement drummer for his band after tragedy struck in 2022 when longtime percussionist Taylor Hawkins died at the age of 50.
Many suggested Taylor’s Godson Rufus, who plays in The Darkness, would have been the perfect fit but Grohl opted for Josh Freese instead.
Now Roger has revealed he thinks Rufus didn’t get the job because Grohl didn’t want to poach him from The Darkness.
Roger told The Telegraph newspaper, “We all [thought Rufus would get the Foo Fighters job]. He would have been a great replacement but I don’t think Dave wanted to break up The Darkness.”
Josh Freese, who had previously played with Nine Inch Nails, was drafted into Dave Grohl’s band following Taylor Hawkins’ death, but he was dismissed from the group last summer and was replaced by NIN star Ilan Rubin.
NIN front man Trent Reznor went on to bring Freese back into his band and he recently explained he decided to call the percussionist because it “just made sense.”
The musician told Consequence.net: “As soon as I heard the news [of Josh’s departure from Foo Fighters], I thought I could call Josh and he could play the show tonight, ’cause there’s no doubt about his ability.”
He continued, “And that’s essentially in a shorthand what went down. He was available and willing, and it just made sense on a number of levels.”
“Being completely honest, we’re adults and we’re professional, but we’re also people with emotional feelings and a sense of camaraderie and intent and purpose,” Reznor added.
“I thought it would feel better to play that last wave of tours with someone that wants to be there, and that’s what went down,” he further said.
It is also pertinent to mention that Freese previously revealed he was “shocked and disappointed” when told that his time touring with the Foos was coming to an end earlier this year.
He wrote on Instagram, “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…”
“In my 40 years of drumming professionally, I’ve never been let go from a band, so while I’m not angry – I’m shocked and disappointed. But as most of you know I’ve always worked freelance and bounced between bands so I’m fine,” Josh Freese clarified at that time of being let go.
