Josh Freese
Encyclopedia
Josh Freese is an American session
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...

 drummer and songwriter. He is a permanent member of A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle is an American rock supergroup formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan. The original incarnation of the band also included Paz Lenchantin on bass, Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar, and Tim Alexander on drums...

, The Vandals
The Vandals
The Vandals are an American rock band established in 1980 in Huntington Beach, California. They have released ten full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured the world extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...

, and Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...

, having formerly played drums for Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...

 from late 2005 until late 2008, and for Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...

 from mid-1998 to 2001. Freese has appeared on close to 300 records. He is currently performing live with Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...

 and Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...

. In December 2010, Josh began touring with Paramore
Paramore
Paramore is an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, bassist Jeremy Davis, and guitarist Taylor York...

 on their South American Tour, temporarily replacing the drummer Zac Farro
Zac Farro
Zachary Wayne Farro is an American musician and drummer of the bands Novel American and Half Noise. He is best known as the former drummer of the alternative rock band Paramore from its inception until 2010...

 after he and his brother left the band earlier the same month.

Background

Josh Freese was born in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...

, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

. His father conducted the Disney World (Florida) and Disneyland (California) Band and his mother was a classical pianist. Freese began playing the drums when he was 8 years old. He started playing professionally at the age of 12 (in a primarily Top 40 band at Disneyland). As a teenager, he played electronic drums in an all-child rock band at Disneyland named Polo, which led to an endorsement deal with the Simmons
Simmons (electronic drum company)
Simmons was a pioneering British manufacturer of electronic drums that supplied electronic kits from 1980 to 1994. The drums' distinctive, electronic sound can be found on countless albums from the 1980s....

 electronic drum company. There is an old Simmons commercial (directed by Mitch Brisker), featuring Freese on the additional content section of The Vandals
The Vandals
The Vandals are an American rock band established in 1980 in Huntington Beach, California. They have released ten full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured the world extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...

' Live at the House of Blues
Live at the House of Blues (Vandals album)
Live at the House of Blues is a live album and video by the southern California punk rock band The Vandals, released in 2004 by Kung Fu Records and Kung Fu Films. It was the band's second official live album and video, the first being 1991's Sweatin' to the Oldies. It was released in 2 packages,...

DVD.
At the age of 15, Freese left high school and started touring and making records, first with Dweezil Zappa
Dweezil Zappa
Dweezil Zappa is an American rock guitarist and occasional actor.-Early life:Zappa was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of musician Frank Zappa and Adelaide Gail Sloatman, who worked in business. He is the second of four siblings: his older sister, Moon, younger sister Diva and younger...

 and then with The Vandals
The Vandals
The Vandals are an American rock band established in 1980 in Huntington Beach, California. They have released ten full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured the world extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...

. Freese has worked with many respected artists in the last 15 years, as a first call session drummer and sometimes as a temporary replacement. Josh's younger brother, Jason Freese
Jason Freese
Jason Freese is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and recording engineer. As a professional studio musician he has performed on over 50 albums by more than 35 different artists, including multiple albums by the Goo Goo Dolls, Green Day, Jewel, NOFX, and Zebrahead...

, plays keyboards in Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...

 and has also recorded and toured with the Goo Goo Dolls
Goo Goo Dolls
The Goo Goo Dolls are a Grammy-nominated American rock band formed in 1986 in Buffalo, New York, by vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik and vocalist and bass guitarist Robby Takac. Since the end of 1994, Mike Malinin has been the band's drummer, a position previously held by George Tutuska...

, Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...

, Jewel
Jewel (singer)
Jewel Kilcher , professionally known as Jewel, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress and poet...

, Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz
Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...

, Liz Phair
Liz Phair
Phair's entry into the music industry began when she met guitarist Chris Brokaw, a member of the band Come. Brokaw and Phair moved to San Francisco together, and Phair tried to become an artist there...

, Foxboro Hot Tubs
Foxboro Hot Tubs
The Foxboro Hot Tubs band is a side project of Green Day. All members of the band perform live with Green Day . Their debut album, Stop Drop and Roll!!! was released on April 22, 2008....

, Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh
Joseph Fidler "Joe" Walsh is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has been a member of three commercially successful bands, the James Gang, Barnstorm, and the Eagles, and has experienced notable success as a solo artist and prolific session musician, especially with B.B...

, and Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...

. Josh currently lives in Southern California with his wife and their four children.

Early solo releases

In 1998, Freese recorded a number of songs that he wrote and performed himself (including bass, guitar, keyboards and vocals). The result is the lo-fi, 6-song EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...

 Destroy Earth As Soon As Possible, released under the name 'Princess' by T.O.N/Stone Lizard Records.

In 2000, the songs "Caffeine and Vaseline" and "Rock N' Roll Chicken" were revived for the 12-song album The Notorious One Man Orgy, this time released under Freese's own name by Kung Fu Records
Kung Fu Records
Kung Fu Records is an American independent record label founded in 1996 by Joe Escalante and Warren Fitzgerald of the punk rock band The Vandals. Founded in order to release a record by the Riverside, California band Assorted Jelly Beans, the label soon grew to include a roster of notable artists...

. Guest appearances include Stone Gossard
Stone Gossard
Stone Carpenter Gossard is an American musician who serves as the rhythm and lead guitarist for the American rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of Pearl Jam...

, Warren Fitzgerald
Warren Fitzgerald
Warren Fitzgerald is an American punk rock musician, guitarist, songwriter, and record label owner.-Overview and business:Warren Fitzgerald is most famous for being the current guitarist of The Vandals...

, Michael Ward
Michael Ward (musician)
Michael Ward is an American guitarist who has played with the bands School of Fish and The Wallflowers. He also played on John Hiatt's album Perfectly Good Guitar.-With School of Fish:* School of Fish * Live in L.A....

, Lyle Workman
Lyle Workman
Lyle Workman is an American guitarist, composer, session musician and music producer. His music has been widely distributed since his debut on the eponymous Bourgeois Tagg album in 1986, and is currently best known for his work as composer and bandleader for the Superbad soundtrack.Workman is also...

, and Freese's brother Jason.

Since 1972 (2009)

Josh released his second solo album, Since 1972
Since 1972
-Personnel:*Josh Freese - all instruments and vocals Additional musicians*Warren Fitzgerald - guitar solo on "Blood On Your Knuckles"*Jason Freese - saxophone solo on "It's Fucked Up"...

, via his website on March 24, 2009. Since 1972 was distributed similarly to the value-added packages offered by Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...

's recent releases. Freese's album was offered as a $7 digital download, and a $15 CD/DVD on his website.http://joshfreese.com/buynow/ As a marketing stunt, the website offers unique incentive packages at prices up to $75,000. Publications covering the offer include Suicide Girls, The UK's Guardian, NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...

, and The Boston Herald.

Freese states on his purchase page for the album: "I'm not expecting to sell any of those ridiculously priced packages but I sure did get a lot of good press and attention to the fact that I'm putting out a record because of it! Mission accomplished."

Work history

Freese started his drumming career in a Top-40 cover band at the Tomorrowland Terrace Stage
Tomorrowland Terrace
Tomorrowland Terrace is a restaurant located in Tomorrowland at Disneyland in Anaheim, California that is notable for its unique concert stage, which hydraulically rises out of the ground. It opened with the new Tomorrowland in 1967...

 at Disneyland from 1985-1988. Freese has since been a member of punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...

 band The Vandals
The Vandals
The Vandals are an American rock band established in 1980 in Huntington Beach, California. They have released ten full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured the world extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...

 since 1989, and has played on all the band's albums since then, with the exception of 2000's Look What I Almost Stepped In..., on which current Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...

 drummer Brooks Wackerman
Brooks Wackerman
Brooks Wackerman is the current drummer for the American punk band Bad Religion and the younger brother of Chad Wackerman, formerly a member of Frank Zappa's band.-Career:...

 deputised due to Freese's commitments with A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle is an American rock supergroup formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan. The original incarnation of the band also included Paz Lenchantin on bass, Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar, and Tim Alexander on drums...

. In 2004, The Vandals
The Vandals
The Vandals are an American rock band established in 1980 in Huntington Beach, California. They have released ten full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured the world extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...

 released a live DVD as part of Kung Fu Records
Kung Fu Records
Kung Fu Records is an American independent record label founded in 1996 by Joe Escalante and Warren Fitzgerald of the punk rock band The Vandals. Founded in order to release a record by the Riverside, California band Assorted Jelly Beans, the label soon grew to include a roster of notable artists...

' The Show Must Go Off! series. The DVD is of particular interest to Josh Freese fans thanks to the inclusion of the Josh Freese-cam, a camera focused on Freese for the entire duration of the show, also including a picture-in-picture of Freese's kick drum pedal. The band starting work on a new album for a release in 2007.

Freese played on the Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...

 album, The Art of Rebellion in 1992.

Freese played on the Korean group Seo Taiji and Boys' 1996 album Come Back Home.

Freese was a member of Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...

 from 1997 to 2000, replacing Matt Sorum
Matt Sorum
Matthew William Sorum is an American rock drummer and percussionist. Sorum is most famous for his 7-year stint in Guns N' Roses and supergroup Velvet Revolver , which is comprised in part of former Guns N' Roses members Duff McKagan and Slash .-Early career :Matt Sorum was born Matthew William...

 and signing a 2-year contract. He recorded the song "Oh My God" for the End of Days
End of Days
End of Days is a 1999 American action horror thriller film directed by Peter Hyams starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robin Tunney, Rod Steiger, Kevin Pollak, CCH Pounder, Udo Kier and Gabriel Byrne as Satan...

soundtrack and pieces for the Chinese Democracy album, having co-written the music to the title track. He left the band in 2000 to launch A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle is an American rock supergroup formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan. The original incarnation of the band also included Paz Lenchantin on bass, Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar, and Tim Alexander on drums...

 with Maynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan is an American rock singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, winemaker, and actor. Originally from Ohio, Keenan spent his high school and college years in Michigan. After serving in the Army in the early 1980s, he attended Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids...

 and Billy Howerdel
Billy Howerdel
Billy Howerdel is the founding member, guitarist, songwriter, and producer for the bands A Perfect Circle and Ashes Divide. He has recorded three acclaimed studio albums with the former, and in 2008, Ashes Divide released their debut album, Keep Telling Myself It's Alright.-Early life:Howerdel was...

.

Freese played bass guitar on the Calm Down Juanita
Calm Down Juanita
Calm Down Juanita is a Seattle, Washington studio band writing partnership between vocalist Tyler Willman and drummer Kevin Guess, catalyzed and engineered by Steve Wilmans, that has featured several other notable players. Their sound is progressive psychedelic alternative rock...

 song Touchin' Myself, for that band's eponymous 1998 debut studio album Calm Down Juanita; a song on which also Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...

 guitarist Stone Gossard
Stone Gossard
Stone Carpenter Gossard is an American musician who serves as the rhythm and lead guitarist for the American rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of Pearl Jam...

 played drums, while regular band drummer, songwriter Kevin Guess sung vocals and regular band guitarist Tyler Willman
Tyler Willman
Tyler Willman, also known as Ty Willman, is an American guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter who lives in Seattle, Washington. He is probably best known for his work with the Seattle-based band Green Apple Quick Step...

 played guitar.

Freese contributed drum tracks to the Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin...

 album "The Young and the Hopeless
The Young and the Hopeless
The Young and the Hopeless is the second studio album by Good Charlotte, released on October 1, 2002. It was well received and contained their popular songs "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," "The Anthem," and "Girls and Boys." It had sold 3,464,000 copies in the US up to October, 2010.The album...

" in 2001 while the band searched for a permanent replacement drummer.

He has drummed for A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle is an American rock supergroup formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan. The original incarnation of the band also included Paz Lenchantin on bass, Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar, and Tim Alexander on drums...

 since their first album, and is considered one of the core members. As of 2006, the band is "on hiatus". Since then, founder Billy Howerdel
Billy Howerdel
Billy Howerdel is the founding member, guitarist, songwriter, and producer for the bands A Perfect Circle and Ashes Divide. He has recorded three acclaimed studio albums with the former, and in 2008, Ashes Divide released their debut album, Keep Telling Myself It's Alright.-Early life:Howerdel was...

 has started up a new band (Ashes Divide
Ashes Divide
Ashes Divide is an American rock band formed by guitarist Billy Howerdel, who had also formed A Perfect Circle. Howerdel is the primary songwriter, musician, producer, and vocalist for the band....

) with drums contributed by Freese.

Freese took over from drummer Ron Welty
Ron Welty
Ronald "Ron" Welty is the former drummer for the American punk rock band The Offspring. Of all the band's drummers, Welty's tenure was the longest, as he was in the band from July 1987 to March 2003. He had replaced their original drummer James Lilja, and was only 16 at the time of his joining...

 for the recording of the The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...

's 2003 album "Splinter
Splinter (The Offspring album)
-Enhanced version:The Enhanced CD portion of the CD contains the following:* Da Hui Video* Da Hui Video * Demo Studio Tour* 4 wallpapers* 2 MP3 tracks:*"The Kids Aren't Alright" *"When You're in Prison"...

" after Welty's departure from the band. Freese is credited for playing drums on the album, but Atom Willard
Atom Willard
Adam David Willard , known professionally by the pseudonym Atom, is an American drummer who has been a member of several notable musical acts. Willard's drumming career began in 1990 when he joined Rocket from the Crypt, whom he remained with until 2000...

 later took on the position as the band's fulltime drummer. In August 2007, Atom
Atom Willard
Adam David Willard , known professionally by the pseudonym Atom, is an American drummer who has been a member of several notable musical acts. Willard's drumming career began in 1990 when he joined Rocket from the Crypt, whom he remained with until 2000...

 left the band. He would eventually be replaced by Pete Parada
Pete Parada
Peter "Pete" Parada is an American drummer who has been a member of several notable musical acts. Parada's drumming career began in 1996 when he joined Steel Prophet and recorded one album with them a year later. Subsequently he joined Face to Face and Saves the Day, and in 2007 became the new...

. In the meantime, Freese was called upon to record the new Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...

 album, "Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace". In January 2011, Freese mentioned on his website that he was working with The Offspring again on their next album.

Freese participated in Sting's "Broken Music Tour" in April 2005 with guitarist Dominic Miller
Dominic Miller
Dominic Miller is an Argentine-English guitarist who toured and recorded with World Party and King Swamp, worked on Phil Collins' solo album ...But Seriously and played guitar on every Sting album and tour since 1990...

 and guitarist Shane Fontayne
Shane Fontayne
Shane Fontayne is the professional name of English rock guitarist Mick Barakan. Active since the 1970s, he was the guitarist for Bruce Springsteen during the 1992-1993 "Other Band" Tour, as Springsteen had disbanded his own E Street Band three years earlier...

. The tour kicked off April 1 in San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...

 and ended on May 14 in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

. Josh also appeared with Sting during the record breaking 'Live 8
Live 8
Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 Conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from 6–8 July 2005; they also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid...

' concert in London's Hyde Park on July 2, 2005. In fall of 2005 he recorded new material with Sting in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 at the singer's Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....

 estate but plans for release have yet to be set.

Josh Freese has recently contributed drum tracks for Lostprophets
Lostprophets
Lostprophets is a Welsh rock band from Pontypridd, formed in 1997. Founded by vocalist Ian Watkins, bassist Mike Lewis, drummer Mike Chiplin and guitarist Lee Gaze, they were originally a side-project to hardcore punk band Public Disturbance. To date, Lostprophets have released four studio...

' third album, Liberation Transmission
Liberation Transmission
Liberation Transmission is the third studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Lostprophets. The album was released in June 2006 and became the first Lostprophets album to enter the UK album chart at number one . The album peaked at number thirty three on the Billboard 200 album chart with 27,000...

, recording all his parts in two days. Travis Barker
Travis Barker
Travis Landon Barker is an American musician, producer and entrepreneur, most noted as the drummer for the American pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the alternative rock band +44, the rap rock band The Transplants, and the alternative rock band Box Car Racer. He was a frequent collaborator with...

 was originally earmarked as the session drummer of choice for the album, but producer Bob Rock
Bob Rock
Robert Jens Rock, , is a Canadian musician, sound engineer, and record producer best known for producing bands such as Aerosmith, The Cult, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, 311, Metallica, Our Lady Peace, The Offspring and most recently Bush.-Payola$ and Rock and Hyde:Rock began his music career in Langford,...

, who had worked with Freese before, wanted him instead.

Freese has worked on and off with Paul Westerberg since 1992 and provided the drums on two new Replacements tracks, that appear on their greatest-hits package, "Don't You Know Who I Think I Was".

Freese toured with Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...

 on their 2005-2006 With Teeth
With Teeth
With Teeth is the fourth studio album by American industrial rock act Nine Inch Nails, released on May 3, 2005, by Interscope Records. The album was produced by Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor and long-time collaborator Alan Moulder. It was Reznor's first original studio album since The...

Winter arena
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...

 and Summer amphitheater tours after the illness of drummer Jerome Dillon
Jerome Dillon
Jerome Dillon is a professional musician, best known for his tenure as drummer with industrial rock group Nine Inch Nails from 1999-2005. After his departure, his own project, Nearly, released its debut album reminder in December 2005, along with a cd maxi-single for the song Straight to...

. Freese contributed live drum tracks to the songs "Hyperpower!" and "Capital G
Capital G
"Capital G" is a single by Nine Inch Nails, the second from their 2007 album Year Zero. A promo CD of the track was released through Interscope Records on April 2, 2007, and a vinyl was later released through What Records on June 11...

" on the Nine Inch Nails album Year Zero
Year Zero (album)
Year Zero is the fifth studio album by American industrial rock act Nine Inch Nails, released on April 17, 2007, by Interscope Records. Frontman Trent Reznor wrote the album's music and lyrics while touring in support of the group's previous release, With Teeth...

, which was released in 2007. Freese continued touring with Nine Inch Nails throughout 2007 in support of Year Zero, mainly outside of the U.S. In 2008 he worked with Reznor in the studio on The Slip
The Slip (album)
The Slip is the seventh studio album by American industrial rock act Nine Inch Nails, released on July 22, 2008. It was the fourth consecutive Nine Inch Nails release to be produced by frontman Trent Reznor with collaborators Atticus Ross and Alan Moulder...

and signed on for more extensive North American and overseas touring with the band through 2008 on their "Lights In The Sky" 2008 tour. Freese left the tour at the end of 2008 in order to spend more time with his family and long-time girlfriend, who was pregnant with the couple's third child at the time.

Freese also completed drum tracks for the band Black Light Burns
Black Light Burns
Black Light Burns are a rock band fronted by Wes Borland, of Limp Bizkit. The band's original studio lineup consisted of Borland, Danny Lohner, Josh Eustis and Josh Freese. Their debut album Cruel Melody, was released on June 5, 2007. The band released a covers and b-sides CD/DVD combo package in...

, which consists of Wes Borland (Limp Bizkit, Big Dumb Face, From First to Last), Danny Lohner (Nine Inch Nails) and Josh Eustis (Telefon Tel Aviv).

Josh also played on Rebel Hiss which is the first single from Jubilee
Jubilee (band)
Jubilee is an Indie rock band from Hollywood, California. The band was started in late 2007 by Aaron North who is the chief songwriter, and singer in the band. He plays guitar as well. Also on guitar, is Tony Bevilacqua...

 headed by ex-bandmate (and ex lead guitarist for Nine Inch Nails) Aaron North
Aaron North
Aaron Wright North, born March 22, 1979 is the co-founder and former guitarist of punk band The Icarus Line, the former lead guitarist of the industrial rock group Nine Inch Nails and currently the vocalist and guitarist of the band Jubilee...

 on guitar and vocals.

He co-wrote the song Chinese Democracy
Chinese Democracy
Chinese Democracy is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, released in November 2008 on Geffen Records. It is the band's first studio album since "The Spaghetti Incident?" , released exactly 15 years before Chinese Democracy, and their first album of original studio...

 with Axl Rose
Axl Rose
W. Axl Rose is an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is the lead vocalist and only remaining original member of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he enjoyed great success and recognition in the late 1980s and early 1990s, before disappearing from the public eye for several years...

 as well as songs by Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. The band's line-up has always included founding member Josh Homme , with the current line-up including longtime members Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo , alongside Michael Shuman and...

, The Vandals
The Vandals
The Vandals are an American rock band established in 1980 in Huntington Beach, California. They have released ten full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured the world extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...

, A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle is an American rock supergroup formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan. The original incarnation of the band also included Paz Lenchantin on bass, Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar, and Tim Alexander on drums...

, The Dwarves and Goon Moon
Goon Moon
Goon Moon is an American rock band composed of Jeordie White and Chris Goss. The band released a mini-LP called I Got a Brand New Egg-Layin' Machine and have since recorded a full-length album Licker's Last Leg, which was released on May 8, 2007...

.

He played on drums for a small selection of Hollywood Undead
Hollywood Undead
Hollywood Undead is an American rap rock band from Los Angeles, California. They released their debut album, Swan Songs, on September 2, 2008, and their live CD/DVD Desperate Measures, on November 10, 2009. Their second studio album, American Tragedy, was released April 5, 2011...

 songs on their debut album, Swan Songs
Swan Songs (Hollywood Undead album)
Swan Songs is the debut album by Hollywood Undead, released through Octone Records. The album was released on September 2, 2008. "Everywhere I Go" was the first single to be released, it was a web single and was available for download only on iTunes...

.

According to his website's "True or False?" section of facts about Josh, it is revealed that he "Played on a Courtney Love record but then had his name removed after realizing that he was a jerk and a phoney for taking the blood money.

Josh also played some shows in early 1998 with the band 311 as a fill-in drummer. Chad Sexton, 311's drummer had broken a hand just before a show on 1-31-98 in Honolulu, HI. Josh performed in Chad's place on stage.

Freese performed the drums on Daughtry's debut album by the same title, Daughtry
Daughtry (album)
Daughtry is the debut album of the American rock band Daughtry, the band formed and fronted by American Idol Season 5 finalist Chris Daughtry...

.

Freese performed with Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...

 in their support of Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...

's 2009 tour, as Weezer drummer Patrick Wilson played guitar for 90% of Weezer's set. He continues to tour with Weezer in 2010 as well as appearing live with Sting, The Vandals
The Vandals
The Vandals are an American rock band established in 1980 in Huntington Beach, California. They have released ten full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured the world extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...

 and Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...

.

Josh has also recently played drums on Japanese Mega-star Ayumi Hamasaki
Ayumi Hamasaki
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, record producer, model, lyricist, and actress. Also called "Ayu" by her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the "Empress of Pop" because of her popularity and widespread influence in Japan and throughout Asia. Born and raised in Fukuoka, she moved to Tokyo at fourteen to...

's 2009 album NEXT LEVEL
Next Level
- Credits :* Mixed by: George Acosta* "Resurrection" Remixed by: Wellenrausch * "The Sound of Goodbye" Remixed by: Above and Beyond* "Revelation" Remixed by: Airwave a.k.a. Laurent Véronnez...

, which can be heard on the track "identity".

He can also be heard on the Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...

 release Raditude
Raditude
Raditude is the seventh studio album by American alternative rock band Weezer, released on November 3, 2009 and is their final album on DGC Records, Geffen Records and Interscope Records...

, the most recent Michael Bublé
Michael Bublé
Michael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer. He has won several awards, including three Grammy Awards and multiple Juno Awards. His first album reached the top ten in Canada and the UK. He found worldwide commercial success with his 2005 album It's Time, and his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible was...

 record (both on the title track Crazy Love
Crazy Love
"Crazy Love" is a romantic ballad written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and included on his 1970 album, Moondance. The song was released as a single in May 1970 with "Come Running" as the A side, and again in Holland with "Come Running" as the B side. The cover of the single...

 and the first single Haven't Met You Yet
Haven't Met You Yet
"Haven’t Met You Yet" is the first single from Canadian singer Michael Bublé's fourth album Crazy Love, released on August 31, 2009. According to Bublé, the single and its official music video are "about everyone's dream of finding a relationship and love." Bublé co-wrote "Haven’t Met You Yet" with...

.)

It is reported that in 2010 he's been in the studio for upcoming releases with Social Distortion
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness , Jonny Wickersham , Brent Harding and David Hidalgo, Jr...

, Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...

, Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...

, Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...

, Katy Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...

, The Vandals
The Vandals
The Vandals are an American rock band established in 1980 in Huntington Beach, California. They have released ten full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured the world extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...

, Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...

, Gavin Rossdale
Gavin Rossdale
Gavin McGregor Rossdale is an English musician, known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Bush as well as an actor. Following Bush's separation in 2002, which lasted for eight years, he was the lead singer and guitarist for Institute, and later began a solo career. He...

, Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne
Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more...

, among others.

On August 3, 2010, Josh Freese posted via Facebook "I'm happy to report that A Perfect Circle is waking up from its 6 year slumber...and we're going to be "doing stuff" soon."

From February 16, 2011 Josh will be filling in on the South America tour for ex-Paramore drummer Zac Farro.

Freese concluded the South American Tour on March 6, 2011 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. After the show ended, he tweeted "Fantastic South American tour w/@paramore. Couldn't have asked for a nicer group of talented/musical people. Thx guys!

Session kit

  • Drums - DW
    Drum Workshop
    Drum Workshop is a drum and hardware manufacturing company based in Oxnard, California. Their slogan is "The Drummer's Choice".-History:...

     Collector's Series
    • 10x8" Tom
    • 13x10" Tom
    • 16x14" Floor Tom
    • 18x16" Floor Tom
    • 22x18" Bass Drum
    • 14x5" DW Aluminum Shell Snare
      Drum Workshop
      Drum Workshop is a drum and hardware manufacturing company based in Oxnard, California. Their slogan is "The Drummer's Choice".-History:...

    • 14x6" Paiste Spirit of 2002 Snare
      Paiste
      Paiste, a Swiss manufacturer and designer, is the world's third largest manufacturer of cymbals, gongs, and metal percussion. Paiste is an Estonian/Finnish word which means "shine"...


  • Cymbals - Paiste
    Paiste
    Paiste, a Swiss manufacturer and designer, is the world's third largest manufacturer of cymbals, gongs, and metal percussion. Paiste is an Estonian/Finnish word which means "shine"...

    • 14" Signature Reflector Heavy Full Hi-Hats
    • 21" Signature Dark Energy Ride Mark II
    • 19" Signature Reflector Heavy Full Crash

  • Drum Heads - Remo
    Remo
    Remo is a male given name of Latin origin - see Romulus and Remus.Remo may also refer to:* Remo, an American drum skin company* Remo , another name for the German wine grape Riesling* Remo language, a Panoan language of Brazil and Peru...

    • Toms: (10", 13", 16", 18") Clear Emperors (top), Clear Ambassadors (bottom)
    • Bass Drum: (24") Clear Powerstroke 3 (batter), Powerstroke 3 (or standard DW logo head (resonant)
    • Snares : (14") Coated CS Controlled Sound with Black Dot reverse (top), Clear Ambassador (bottom)

  • Sticks - Vater
    Vater
    Vater Percussion is an American drumstick and percussion accessory manufacturing company. It was founded by Clarence Vater, and is currently run by his two grandsons Alan and Ron Vater. Although the company began producing sticks in 1956, it did not officially become Vater Percussion until much later...

    • Vater
      Vater
      Vater Percussion is an American drumstick and percussion accessory manufacturing company. It was founded by Clarence Vater, and is currently run by his two grandsons Alan and Ron Vater. Although the company began producing sticks in 1956, it did not officially become Vater Percussion until much later...

       Josh Freese H-220 Signature Drumsticks

  • Josh also uses DW
    Drum Workshop
    Drum Workshop is a drum and hardware manufacturing company based in Oxnard, California. Their slogan is "The Drummer's Choice".-History:...

     Hardware and Pintech Electronics.

Live equipment

From a 2007 Guitar Center
Guitar Center
Guitar Center is the largest chain of musical instrument retailers in the world with 223 locations throughout the United States. Its headquarters is in Westlake Village, California....

 interview:


GC: What are the differences, if any, between your live setup and your studio setup?



Josh Freese: It depends on the studio situation or the live situation but my set up never gets that crazy or out of the ordinary I don't think. You can pretty much always count on starting off with the basic Ringo 4 piece set up and add from there. With the Vandals that's all I use. With Devo add a second rack tom. With NIN keep only 1 rack but have 2 floors and a 3rd floor off to the left of my hi-hat (with NIN the drums are all about 2 inches bigger than I normally would use.....14 rack. 24 kick, 18 and 20 inch floors.....16 off the side of my hihat. With A Perfect Circle 2 racks and 2 floors, 2nd snare off the left of my hihat....more cymbals with APC too. With Sting there are 3 racks but smaller sizes and only 1 floor. Never too many cymbals (except with APC I guess). In the studio my drums are usually something really basic a 4, 5, or 6 piece kit with lots of snare and cymbal choices.

Discography

Solo discography
  • Destroy Earth As Soon As Possible (1998, as "Princess")
  • The Notorious One Man Orgy (2000)
  • Since 1972
    Since 1972
    -Personnel:*Josh Freese - all instruments and vocals Additional musicians*Warren Fitzgerald - guitar solo on "Blood On Your Knuckles"*Jason Freese - saxophone solo on "It's Fucked Up"...

    (2009)
  • My New Friends
    My New Friends
    My New Friends is the third solo release by drummer Josh Freese. The EP consisted of songs written about the people Freese met by way of the price packages on his previous release.-Track listing:...

    (2011)

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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