Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl recently discussed how the band’s new drummer Ilan Rubin has found creative freedom after leaving Nine Inch Nails. He shared his insights in an interview with Studio Brussel.
Grohl explained the stark difference between Rubin’s previous experience with Nine Inch Nails and his current role with Foo Fighters. He highlighted how the change has allowed the drummer to showcase his full capabilities.
“You know with Nine Inch Nails, what’s their music is like it requires this like very sort of pattern specific grooves and rhythms and the drumming is like you know it has to be very linked up and click track and everything like that and just has to be like mechanical right,” Grohl said. “So when he joined our band it was the first time that he hadn’t played live with a click track in 17 years.”
The Foo Fighters leader described how he encouraged Rubin to break free from his previous constraints. He wanted him to embrace a more spontaneous approach to drumming.
“So he starts playing with us and he still had this mindset that it has to be sort of like patterned and sound like the record,” Grohl continued. “And you know, I’m a drummer, too. And he would do something and I’d go, ‘Ilan, do that. Keep doing that.’ And he’s like, ‘Are you sure?’ I’m like, ‘F*ck yes.’ Like, ‘Go crazy. Just go crazy.'”
Grohl expressed his amazement at witnessing Rubin’s transformation. He praised the drummer’s exceptional skills when given the freedom to improvise.
“And you could see like he’s started spreading his wings and now it’s like he’s such a phenomenal drummer,” he said. “His capabilities are off the charts. And he’ll do drum solos sometimes during shows and I’m just laughing like how the did you just do that? It’s unbelievable. So yeah, he has this new sort of liberation and freedom with us that he’s just shining, you know? He’s incredible.”
Rubin’s transition from Nine Inch Nails to Foo Fighters represents a significant shift in his musical career. It marks the end of a long chapter with Trent Reznor’s industrial rock outfit.
Vice reported that Rubin joined Nine Inch Nails in February 2009 after Josh Freese’s departure. He remained with the band for over 16 years before leaving in May 2025 following a European tour. His tenure with Nine Inch Nails spanned multiple albums and countless performances, establishing him as a key member of the industrial rock act.
The drummer’s move to Foo Fighters became official when Blabbermouth confirmed that the band announced Rubin as their new drummer in July 2025. He joined Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett and Rami Jaffree. This announcement came after the band needed to fill the drummer position following previous lineup changes.
Rubin made his live debut with Foo Fighters on September 14 at the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, California. WMMR documented this milestone performance. The performance marked the beginning of a new era for both the drummer and the band, as Rubin adapted to the more spontaneous and improvisational style that Foo Fighters are known for.
Interestingly, Parade noted that both Rubin and his predecessor Josh Freese have connections to Nine Inch Nails. This creates an unusual musical connection between the two bands. This shared history adds another layer to the drummer transition story within the rock music community.
