Peculiar storylines and confounding coincidences inevitably emerge from the daily news cycle. We even have a year-end article series, “Strange Sagas,” that looks back on the bizarre narratives in music news that present themselves over the course of a given year. But in recent months, one particular “strange saga” has already become glaringly apparent, so much so that we couldn’t wait until December to talk about it: Have you noticed that a lot of bands are breaking up with their drummers?
Yeah, us too… like, so many that it’s getting hard to remember them all. Plus, while none of the now-former drummers have fallen victim to a bizarre gardening accident or spontaneous combustion, many of the splits have spawned interesting tangential narratives of their own.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled this roundup of notable band/drummer breakups over the past few months—and the similarly “strange sagas” that have sprung from each switch-up. Use the table of contents below to jump directly to a specific band. And go hug a drummer or something, I guess. It’s a stressful time for them.
The strange saga of Primus’ new drummer began on October 30th, 2024 when Les Claypool and Larry “Ler” LaLonde announced that Tim “Herb” Alexander had quit the band, effective immediately. It ended on the other side of an “Interstellar Drum Derby” that put out a call to drummers everywhere, narrowed down the best of the best, and put them through the ringer as part of an all-star, reality show-style audition process before revealing relative unknown John Hoffman as the heir apparent to the Primus drum throne. But let’s rewind…
“It came as a complete shock to all of us here in the Primus camp,” the remaining members wrote when Alexander quit in late 2024. “On the heels of a wonderful Spring & Summer of touring and some fabulous plans ahead, it has been a bit bewildering for us that Herb would so abruptly opt out. After several attempts to communicate with Herb, his only response was another email stating that he has ‘lost his passion for playing.’”
Tim “Herb” Alexander later clarified his “lost passion” comment in a Rolling Stone interview, noting, “I did say that. But I also said: ‘All of these tours left me feeling empty. My body hurts constantly.’ This context is important. I also told them they deserve someone who wants to be there. And I meant it. As far as ‘abruptly’ goes, I suppose there’s never the perfect time to leave something you’ve been a part of for so long. Bands have their own inner workings and are a relationship. Sometimes it doesn’t feel balanced, and sometimes it doesn’t work out.” Read Herb’s complete reflections here.
This marked the third Herb/Primus split over the course of three decades. From the band’s inception in 1984 by Claypool, guitarist Todd Huth, and drummer Vince “Perm” Parker until the formation of the band’s most well-known lineup (Les/Ler/Herb) in 1989, the Primus drum stool operated like a revolving door. During that time, the band cycled through Peter Libby, Robbie Bean, Tim Wright, Jay Lane, and Bryan Mantia on drums before finally landing on Herb.
Herb first left Primus in 1996. After Primus returned from a hiatus in 2003, Herb once again joined the band. In 2010, Herb was replaced by Jay Lane when the latter left Grateful Dead offshoot Furthur to rejoin Primus. In 2013, Lane departed Primus to focus on touring with Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir’s band, RatDog. Herb rejoined the band for the second time on New Year’s Eve 2013 and played his last gig with the group in August 2024.
Les and Ler were quick to pivot, putting out an open call for applications to be the new Primus drummer in late November of 2024. “We are currently taking submissions from all points in the universe for the position of Primus drummer/percussionist,” the job posting read. “Seeking a well-mannered, affable individual with original sensibility and aesthetic, possessing a desire to open new doors in the creative world. Flashy chops are wonderful, but groove, pocket, and the ability to listen, react, and contribute to the musical conversation is a must.”
While submissions rolled in, Primus’ 2024 New Year’s Eve run in Oakland was re-branded as Claypool Gold and went on to feature members of other Claypool projects on drums including The Holy Mackerel’s Brain and The Fearless Flying Frog Brigade’s Paolo Baldi.
By late December, Primus had narrowed down the list of applicants and invited a select few out to California to take part in an audition/documentary dubbed the “Primus Interstellar Drum Derby.” After auditioning Rory Dolan (lespecial), Thomas Pridgen (The Mars Volta), Mike Stone, Stan Bicknell (Kimbra), Sam Groverman (Delvon LAmarr Organ Trio), Nikki Glaspie (The Nth Power), Gergo Borlai, Thomas Lang (stOrk), and more—plus cameo entrants Stewart Copeland (The Police, Oysterhead), Danny Carey (Tool), and a guy named Michael Plopnik who looked a lot like Fred Armisen, Primus revealed that John Hoffman had gotten the gig.
At Tool Live in the Sand in March, Primus started its first proper gig since Herb’s departure with Danny Carey on drums, then welcomed Hoffman to the stage for his official debut. The band soon shared a number of new 2025 tour dates and released its first new song with Hoffman on drums, “Little Lord Fentanyl“, featuring a guest spot by Maynard James Keenan (drums).
Watch all 13 episodes of the “Primus Interstellar Drum Derby” documentary via the video playlist below. Find tickets up upcoming Primus tour dates here.
Primus Interstellar Drum Derby – Episodes 1–13
This has been a weird one: While aging British rock institution The Who is getting ready to head out on its North America farewell tour in August and September, much of the chatter surrounding Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend‘s last hurrah has focused on the band’s longtime touring drummer, Zak Starkey, and the general state of confusion surrounding his recent firing from the group.
Zak Starkey—the son of another notable drummer, The Beatles’ Ringo Starr—has been drumming for The How since the mid-’90s. In April, during a gig at the Royal Albert Hall in late March, the notoriously curmudgeonly Daltrey reportedly complained to the audience about the drumming. Per a review of the show in Metro, “After a few frustrated arm gestures and comments, on the final track of the evening, the emotional The Song Is Over, Roger had to stop the concert, explaining: ‘To sing that song I do need to hear the key, and I can’t. All I’ve got is drums going boom, boom, boom. I can’t sing to that. I’m sorry guys.’”
Weeks later, The Who announced that it had parted ways with Zak Starkey. “The band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak after this round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall,” a representative for the band said in a statement published by Rolling Stone. “They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future.”
That same day, Starkey spoke to People about his firing. “I’m very proud of my near 30 years with The Who,” he said. “Filling the shoes of my Godfather, ‘uncle Keith [Moon]’ has been the biggest honor and I remain their biggest fan. They’ve been like family to me.” He added, ” “In January, I suffered a serious medical emergency with blood clots in my right bass drum calf. This is now completely healed and does not affect my drumming or running.”
“After playing those songs with the band for so many decades, I’m surprised and saddened anyone would have an issue with my performance that night,” Starkey also said, referencing the aforementioned Royal Albert Hall gig, “but what can you do?”
“The band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak after this round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall,” a representative for The Who told The Independent in response. “They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future.”
End of story? Not quite. Three days later, Pete Townshend made a post on Instagram and the official The Who news page seemingly retracting Starkey’s firing. The image, which featured text over a selfie of Townshend, read, “News Flash! Who Back Zak! There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides that needed to be dealt with. Thes [sic] have all been aired happily. More posts coming.”
“V grateful to be a part of the who family Thanks Roger and Pete xx,” Starkey wrote in a repost of Townshend’s message on his own feed.
View this post on Instagram
Okay, so Zak Starkey hasn’t been fired by The Who? Well…
Cut to two weeks later, and it looks like The Who have retracted the retraction of the drummer’s firing (lol): In a new Instagram post on Sunday, May 18th using the same selfie he used for his post to say Starkey wasn’t fired, Pete Townshend fired Starkey for a second time: “After many years of great work on drums from Zak the time has come for a change. A poignant time. Zak has lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best.”
In turn, Starkey once again took to Instagram to air his grievances and suggest that he was asked to frame his dismissal as a mutual decision. “I was fired two weeks after reinstatement and asked to make a statement saying I had quit the who to pursue my other musical endevours this would be a lie,” he wrote. “I love the who and would never had quit. So I didn’t make the statement ….quitting the who would also have let down the countless amazing people who stood up for me (thank you all a million times over and more) thru the weeks of mayhem of me going ‘in an out an in an out an in an out like a bleedin squeezebox.”
To Townshend’s point about Starkey’s “other projects in hand,” Zak added, “To clarify ‘other projects’ yes I do have other projects and always have. The Who have been sporadic or minimalist in touring most years apart from a two extensive tours in 2000 and 2006/7.”
After listing out various sporadic runs with other acts through the years, Zak argued, “None of this has ever interfered with The Who and was never a problem for them. The lie is or would have been that I quit the who- i didn’t. I love the who and everyone in it.”
Scott Devours, who has worked with Roger Daltrey’s solo band, is now due to play with The Who on the group’s upcoming farewell tour. Find tickets to the final North American tour by The Who here.
Decorated drummer Josh Freese announced last Friday, May 16th that he had been let go by Foo Fighters.
Freese had been the drummer for the Dave Grohl-led rock juggernaut since May 2023, when he was revealed as the replacement for the late Taylor Hawkins. His first show came on May 24th, 2023 in Gilford, NH. He went on to perform with Foo Fighters through the end of its 2024 stadium tour. His last full show with Foo Fighters came on August 14th, 2024 in Seattle, while his final gig—a brief private show at L.A.’s House of Blues for Anaheim Ducks owner Henry Samueli’s birthday party—came the following month.
In a social media post captioned, “Well, there it is,” Freese explained, “The Foo Fighters called me Monday night to let me know they’ve decided ‘to go in a different direction with their drummer.’ No reason was given. Regardless, I enjoyed the past two years with them, both on and off stage, and I support whatever they feel is best for the band.”
“In my 40 years of drumming professionally,” he went on, “I’ve never been let go from a band, so … I’m not angry—just a bit shocked and disappointed. But as most of you know I’ve always worked freelance and bounced between bands so, I’m fine.”
Josh Freese is among the most prolific touring and session drummers in the rock and roll world, with credits including the Vandals, Devo, Guns N’ Roses, A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails, Weezer, Sublime with Rome, Sting, and more. During Freese’s tenure with Foo Fighters, Grohl would often introduce him onstage by covering snippets of the various famous songs and artists on his CV including Devo’s “Whip It”, Nine Inch Nails’ “March of the Pigs”, and even Michael Buble’s “Haven’t Met You Yet”.
Foo Fighters – Josh Freese Introduction Medley – June 2023
Freese ended his announcement with what appeared to be a tongue-in-cheek joke: “Stay tuned for my ‘Top 10 possible reasons Josh got booted from the Foo Fighters’ list.” Turns out, he wasn’t joking—not entirely, anyway. The decorated rock journeyman made good on his promise on Monday, publishing a list of the “Top 10 possible reasons Freese got booted from the Foos” on his Instagram feed.
For what it’s worth, he’s clearly maintaining a sense of humor about the situation: The list is mostly comprised of good-natured jokes—”10) Once whistled ‘My Hero’ for a week solid on tour; 5) Never even once tried growing a beard; etc.—and the post came affixed with hashtags “lol,” “peaceoutrainbowtrout,” and “byefelicia.” Read the full Top 10 possible reasons Josh Freese got booted from the Foo Fighters list by Josh Freese here.
Foo Fighters have not performed live since Dave Grohl in early September 2024 broke the news that he had fathered a daughter outside of his marriage. While the band has remained unusually quiet since then, both the lineup adjustment and the recent announcement of an early-October run of Asian shows indicate that Foo Fighters are ramping things back up.
The band has not yet referenced Freese’s dismissal publicly. Various outlets have speculated that Foo Fighters may pick up 18-year-old Shane Hawkins, the son of late drummer Taylor Hawkins, who just announced that he’ll fill his father’s shoes on a Chevy Metal tour this summer. The younger Hawkins previously performed with Foo Fighters during
This one’s not quite a “breakup” but it but it feels on-brand here, so we may as well: Back in March, Texas blues-rock staple ZZ Top announced that longtime drummer Frank Beard, the least-bearded member of the beautifully bearded band, has “temporarily stepped away from the current tour to attend to a health issue requiring his focus in the near term.” Details of that health issue have remained unspecified.
John Douglas, a “fellow Texan and longtime tech member, percussionist, and drummer,” has been behind the drum kit for ZZ Top ever since. This is not his first time filling in with the band. As noted in the initial announcement, “Mr. Douglas has maintained a close relationship with Beard and the bandmates, having served with the group in the past. … Douglas actually filled in when Frank underwent an emergency appendectomy in Paris, back in 2002.” Of note (maybe?), the Beard’s stand-in is similarly unbearded, maintaining the winning 2-1 beard ratio that has (probably) been the source of ZZ Top’s success for decades.
ZZ Top—which also features founding guitarist/vocalist Billy F. Gibbons and bassist Elwood Francis, another former tech who joined the band following Dusty Hill‘s passing in 2021—has continued its 2025 tour schedule with Douglas on drums since then, including a run of April shows in the U.S. and a tour of Australia and New Zealand in May. The band is due to return to North America beginning in early June to kick off a busy summer and fall on the road. Find tickets to upcoming ZZ Top tour dates here.
The band has yet to specify a timeline for drummer Frank Beard’s return. We’re wishing him a speedy recovery.
Legacy rockers Guns N’ Roses made minimal fanfare over their recent drummer swap: On March 19th, a note appeared on the band’s social media pages announcing “the amicable exit of [longtime Guns N’ Roses drummer] Frank Ferrer.”
In classic “serious-announcement white text on black background” style, it read, “The band thanks Frank for his friendship, creativity, and sturdy presence over the past 19 years, and wish him success in the next chapter of his musical journey. Frank first joined GNR during a show in June 2006, helping anchor the rhythm section during subsequent tours including their recent outings featuring the reunited trio of Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff McKagan. His last show with the band took place November 5, 2023 in Mexico.
The following day, a photo appeared on the band’s social media pages with the caption, “Welcoming Isaac Carpenter as the new drummer of Guns N’ Roses.”
View this post on Instagram
Guns N’ Roses hit the road with Carpenter behind the kit earlier this month in Asia, and it seems like he, uh, may be getting off to a rocky start. In a clip making the rounds from a recent show in Yokohama, Japan, you can hear Axl Rose get frustrated toward Carpenter for playing the wrong song. Here’s hoping they get things sorted out and we don’t need to add an update to this article any time soon.
@saint_xero Axl Rose tells Isaac Carpenter to play correct song(🇯🇵 Yokohama, Japan 2025) #gunsnroses #axlrose #slash #90s #80s #rock #gnr #fyp #short #shorts #music ♬ original sound – Saint Xero
Goose’s percussion section has evolved periodically for years. From the early days of the CT indie-jam outfit’s run (circa 2014) through 2020, it was a four-piece featuring Ben Atkind behind the drum kit. During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, percussionist/multi-instrumentalist Jeffrey Arevalo began to appear with Goose, and the band’s official size soon grew to five. Goose and Atkind parted ways in late 2023, with Arevalo remaining on alongside new drummer Cotter Ellis to preserve the five-piece formation.
Then, in February 2025, Goose’s social media accounts shared a message from Arevalo. “After much reflection,” it read, “I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from current touring to focus on my mental health and personal issues. As much as I love making music and being on stage, I’ve come to realize that in order to continue giving my best to loved ones, to the band and to all of you, I need to take this time to reset, heal, and prioritize my well-being. I truly appreciate your understandaing and support.”
“Everyone’s well-being is the most important thing right now,” Goose’s Ellis, Rick Mitarotonda, Peter Anspach, and Trevor Weekz wrote in the post’s caption. “We are grateful for the community’s understanding as Jeff takes time for himself. We appreciate the support and ask that you respect his privacy.”
With Arevalo temporarily sidelined, Goose set out on its early-2025 tour as a four-piece (Rick, Peter, Trevor, Cotter). The run was generally well-received despite the lineup adjustment. Maybe that helped soften the blow to Goose’s fans when the posted yet another drummer-focused announcement to its social media. Still, it was hard not to cringe:
“We have been made aware of behavior in Jeff’s personal life that does not align with the band’s core values,” Goose posted on Sunday, March 23rd. “As a result, Jeff will no longer be a part of the Goose organization.” The band did not go into detail about what behavior led to the split.
“This is an incredibly unfortunate, unexpected situation, and we did not anticipate having to make another painful change to the band,” the statement continued. “However, it is clear that this is the only way forward as we remain committed to upholding the values that define our community, particularly when it comes to respecting others and creating a safe environment.” Arevalo acknowledged the official split in a statement of his own posted to social media.
Related: Goose’s Bold New Chapter Begins In Baja With Viva El Gonzo [Photos/Videos]
In the time since, the band has kept busy with a special pop-up spectacle at Luna Luna in New York, the high-profile release of new album Everything Must Go, a whirlwind trip to New Orleans for Jazz Fest, and the inaugural running of Viva El Gonzo, the first Goose-curated festival, in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico.
Goose w/ Dawes – “Atlas Dogs” > “Rockdale” [Pro-Shot] – Viva El Gonzo – 5/9/25
Goose, now a full-time four-piece once again, will head out on its biggest tour to date this summer featuring notable stops at Greenwood Village, CO’s Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre (6/6, 6/7), Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival (6/13), All Good Now Music Festival (6/15), Mountain Jam Festival (6/22), and more, plus the band’s debut headlining concert at New York, NY’s Madison Square Garden (6/28). Find tickets to upcoming Goose tour dates here.
This one’s tough to swallow: After more than two decades behind the kit, drummer Kris Myers recently resigned his seat as the drummer for Umphrey’s McGee, marking the end of a 22-year chapter with the long-running progressive jam band.
“After long talks and deep consideration, I have made the difficult decision to resign as the drummer of Umphrey’s McGee,” Myers wrote in a heartfelt message to fans on May 13th. “This decision wasn’t easy, but the biggest ones seldom are.”
“I will deeply miss all the amazing and professional aspects of Umphrey’s organization,” he continued, “especially the time with my brothers Jake [Cinninger], Joel [Cummins], Andy [Farag], Brendan [Bayliss] and Ryan [Stasik], growing from vans to tour buses, clubs to theaters, to where we are now. We collectively felt it was time for me to pursue other elements of my musical creativity that have been calling to me.”
Myers also expressed gratitude to the devoted UM fanbase, saying the community has been instrumental in his personal and professional development.
“The amazing and loyal UM community has been an integral part of my growth as a person, a professional, a philanthropist, and a performer, and I will forever be grateful. It has been an inspiration and a joy to have shared so many amazing experiences with such a loyal and exuberant fanbase—altogether enough to last for a lifetime.”
Despite stepping away from “an incredible journey with my longtime band of brothers,” Myers assured fans that his musical journey is far from over: “Please know that I will still be out there performing, and I sincerely hope to see you on my new path down the road. For now, I look forward to what’s next and am gearing up for great things to come!”
In a separate statement, Umphrey’s McGee expressed full support for Myers’ decision and appreciation for the years they shared together on and off the stage. “We are immensely grateful for the music, heart, and energy he brought to this band over the years, both on stage and off,” the band wrote. “It’s been an unforgettable ride filled with adventure, growth, and brotherhood, and we’ll always cherish the journey we’ve shared.”
The band acknowledged the gravity of the moment while embracing the opportunity for renewal. “Transitions create space for new beginnings,” the note continued. “While it’s impossible not to feel the weight of this moment, we’re going to harness the opportunity that comes with change and continue the journey—full speed ahead.”
The following day, the band revealed just how it would be hitting the proverbial gas once again: with Duane Trucks of Widespread Panic manning the throne for an upcoming run of Florida shows and Scotty Zwang (SunSquabi, Ghost Light) for the rest of the band’s scheduled 2025 shows.
“Playing with Duane is always an honor and our time connecting with Scotty last fall uncovered something special—an intangible spark we’re excited to explore further,” Umphrey’s McGee concluded. “We’re energized by what’s to come and can’t wait to share the journey with you.” Find tickets to upcoming Umphrey’s McGee shows here.
Myers joined Umphrey’s McGee in 2002, replacing original drummer Mike Mirro, who sadly passed away in 2014. Since then, he has been a rhythmic cornerstone of the band’s sound, contributing to over a dozen studio albums and thousands of live performances. His last concert with Umphrey’s McGee occurred at the Daze Between New Orleans festival late last month, featuring an original set with Jeff Coffin and Jennifer Hartswick plus a Led Zeppelin tribute set with Jason Bonham. The final song he played with the band’s longtime six-piece lineup ahead of the parade of special guests that night was a powerful “JaJunk”. Watch pro-shot video of the song below.
Umphrey’s McGee – “JaJunk” [Pro-Shot] – Daze Between New Orleans – 4/29/25