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The band is set to launch a massive tour - their first without drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died tragically in Colombia last year - in New Hampshire on May 24, reports Variety.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]While the band announced its intention to continue late last year, they went to great lengths to not reveal the identity of their new drummer. They played into this during the opening moments of the livestream, called "Foo Fighters: Preparing Music for Concerts," which featured all of the members joking around with each other in their rehearsal room, with their guitars on.
As per Variety, in succession, three top-notch drummers knocked on the door - Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, Motley Crue's Tommy Lee, and Tool's Danny Carey - saying things like: "There's a white Mercedes blocking my car" or "Hey I got the PF Changs!" or "I groomed your poodles for you" while the band members said: "We'll be right there!" or the like.
Finally, a voice can be heard shouting, "Uma EXCUSE ME?!" The band members turn and look at Freese, who is sitting behind a drum kit but had been off-camera up to that point. He says: "Can we play a song or something?!" and then the band launches into songs from their new album, 'But Here We Are', which drops on June 2.
Variety further states that amid the songs, there was much typical rock-band-at-rehearsal banter, recalling their early days as musicians - Freese talks at length about a band he played with at Disneyland when he was 12 that was apparently called Polo; "LaCoste opened for you!" one band member quipped. Later, we see Grohl and Freese going over a part in a universal musician-ese: "It goes adiggy-diggy-diggity baw-baw-baw,'" etc. The band also roared through a couple of past hits, including a blazing version of 'Monkey Wrench' that found Freese bringing an even punkier energy to the song.
The pre-recorded special may have been a sort of public rehearsal or sound check, but clearly no further rehearsing is needed: The performances were air-tight, with the band discussing only a couple of minor refinements.
Freese, one of the best, most versatile and most experienced rock drummers working today, shows why he's got the chops to fill the shoes of both Hawkins and Grohl (himself one of the greatest drummers in rock history, although he's the Foos' lead singer and rhythm guitarist), playing with just the right amount of steadiness, power and flash. If it was a live streamed audition for fans, it's safe to say he passed with flying colours.