Josh Freese recently shared a Spin magazine review of his return to Nine Inch Nails on his Instagram account. He endorsed a fan comment comparing Foo Fighters and Nine Inch Nails, as reported on Instagram.
The drummer shared Spin magazine’s review titled “Josh Freese reclaims throne as Nine Inch Nails’ drummer.” He liked a fan’s comment that made a direct comparison between the two bands.
“Foo Fighters are dad rock,” the fan commented. “NIN is still cool and relevant this far into their career, which says something about Trent Reznor and the people he works with.”
The fan concluded their statement by praising Freese directly.
“Just sayin. You’re a legend, Josh!” they added.
By liking this comment, Freese appeared to endorse the fan’s assessment. The assessment positioned Nine Inch Nails as more culturally relevant compared to Foo Fighters’ classification as “dad rock.”
This endorsement carries particular weight given Freese’s unique position bridging both musical worlds. His extensive history with Nine Inch Nails spans nearly two decades.
NIN Wiki documented that Freese’s connection to Nine Inch Nails dates back to 2005. He initially joined the band, replacing Jerome Dillon, during the Live: With Teeth tour. After a brief departure, he officially became the drummer by the end of the 2005 fall tour. He played on significant Nine Inch Nails albums, including Year Zero (2007) and The Slip (2008), before leaving to focus on family and other projects.
His recent return to Nine Inch Nails happened after Ilan Rubin left to join Foo Fighters. This created an ironic twist where Vinyl Me Please reported that the same band that had released Freese earlier in 2025 became the destination for his replacement. This musical chairs scenario adds another layer to the cultural commentary embedded in the fan’s comment.
Throughout his career, Wikipedia described Freese as “one of the most in-demand session drummers in the business.” He is known for his work across multiple influential bands such as Devo, A Perfect Circle, Sublime with Rome, and Guns N’ Roses. His versatility and prolific output have established him as a respected figure in rock music. This makes his apparent endorsement of the cultural significance contrast between Nine Inch Nails and Foo Fighters particularly noteworthy.
The timing of this social media interaction coincides with renewed interest in Nine Inch Nails’ continued relevance in contemporary music. The “dad rock” label for Foo Fighters reflects broader discussions about legacy acts and their cultural positioning in modern rock music.
You can see the fan’s comment Josh Freese liked via Instagram below.
