Josh Freese (born December 25, 1972) is a long time drummer for Orange County punk outfit The Vandals and currently member of A Perfect Circle, as well as a professional studio drummer. Consistently rated as one of the "top two" drummers in the world by the American press, Josh Freese is considered by many to be among the best drummers in the world. He's been hailed "The Bruce Lee Of Drums" and was recently presented with the key to Los Angeles when the Mayor declared
Josh Freese was born on Christmas Day, 1972 in Orlando, Florida but has lived in Southern California since he was 6 months old. Having been brought up in a musical family (father conducted the Disneyland Band and mother was a classical pianist) he was surrounded by music from an early age and began playing the drums around the time he was 7 or 8 years old. He started playing professionally at the age of 12 (in a Top 40 band at Disneyland) and starting touring and making records at the age of 15. First with Dweezil Zappa and then the Vandals. Currently still a member of the 'Vandals', 'Devo' and 'A Perfect Circle', Josh Freese has also worked with many respected artists in the last 10 years perpetually filling in as session drummer and sometimes as a temporary replacement.
Aside from being a permanent member for A Perfect Circle, The Vandals, and Devo, Josh Freese is primarily a professional studio drummer, appearing on more than 2,500 records, including but not limited to: Paul Westerberg, Chris Cornell, Suicidal Tendencies, Juliana Hatfield, Mike Ness, Tracy Bonham, and Guns and Roses. (See Discography for a more current listing.)
In 1998, Freese went solo by recording a number of songs that he wrote and performed himself (including bass, guitar, keyboards and vocals) Resulting in the 6 song EP entitled Destroy The Earth As Soon As Possible, released under the name 'Princess' on T.O.N/Stone Lizard records. In 2000, the songs 'Caffiene and Vaseline' and 'Rock N' Roll Chicken' were revived for the full length album 'The Notorious One Man Orgy', this time released under Freese's own name. Kung Fu Records contributed in the 2000 release of this 12-song album of straight pop-punk. With guest appearances by the likes of Stone Gossard, Warren Fitzgerald, Michael Ward, Lyle Workman, and Jason Freese, the N.O.M.O. offers a hard driving pop-punk musical insight into what it's like to be Josh Freese on a daily basis. Evidently it's not easyAside from being an L.A. studio musician in which he calls his "day job", the whereabouts of Josh Freese are currently unknown. However, it has been recently announced that Josh will join Sting's "Broken Music Tour" in April 2005 with guitarist Dominic Miller and guitarist Shane Fontayne. The tour kicks off April 1 in San Jose, California and ends on April 30 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Josh also appeared with Sting during the record breaking 'Live 8' concert.
Freese was a member of Guns N' Roses from 1997 to 2000, replacing Matt Sorum. He recorded the song Oh My God for the End of Days Soundtrack and recorded pieces for the still unreleased Chinese Democracy album. He left the band in 2000 and was replaced by Brian Mantia. Some people argue that Freese was not an official member and that he was only a studio musician. However, he did sign a contract with the band.
Freese has been a member of punk rock band The Vandals 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 drummer Brooks Wackerman deputised due to Freese's commitments with A Perfect Circle. In 2003, The Vandals released a live DVD as part of Kung Fu Records' 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.
He has been a member of the band A Perfect Circle since their first album, and is considered one of the three core members alongside Maynard James Keenan and Billy Howerdel. The band is currently on hiatus while Keenan works with one of his other bands, Tool.
During October 2005, Josh performed as drummer for the fall Nine Inch Nails tour due to the health problems of Jerome Dillon, although the position was soon filled by Alex Carapetis.