Foo Fighters announce replacement drummer after Taylor Hawkins' death

The Foo Fighters have revealed their new drummer in the wake of Taylor Hawkins tragic death last year.

The Foo Fighters drummer died in his hotel room in Bogota, Colombia at age 50, just hours before the band were due to play.

The iconic band, headed up by Dave Grohl, officially revealed that renowned drummer Josh Freese will join the band full time.

The band revealed their big news during the Preparing Music for Concerts livestream on Sunday (May 21), ending months of speculation that Freese would take up the twin sticks after he joined the lineup of all-star drummers to perform during the Foo Fighters' two Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts in London and Los Angeles.

Grohl and his bandmates had promised a 'few surprises' would be coming during the livestream and, naturally, they delivered the news in their typical cheeky way.

Freese was introduced in a humorous clip in which Foo Fighters were seen being courted by a slew of A-list drummers, including Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, Motley Crue’s Tommy Lee and Tool’s Danny Carey.

The video ultimately revealed the seat behind Hawkins' iconic kit belonged to Freese.

Freese performed with the band during the band's two Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts shows, and in a social media post, he revealed he had requested to play oncHawkins’ own set.

"Without hesitation I said, ‘Taylor’s drums need to be up there and I want to play on his exact set up," he wrote.

"I want THAT energy to be up on THAT stage. I want to sweat all over the same drums he was sweating all over every night...don’t change a thing."

Freese then admitted that he didn't know Hawkins when growing up in California, but said they had a connection as a pair of guys from Orange County.

"We always had that funny little bond and he'd always remind me that he was tired of hearing about 'that other young guy from OC who was already making records and touring' when he was a teenager," Freese said.

"I'd then ask him if he wanted to trade bank accounts with me."

He then added: "F**k man, the whole thing sucks."

As well as the addition of Freese, the Foo Fighters revealed a new track from the band’s upcoming LP 'But Here We Are'.

The LP drops on June 2 and will represent 'the first chapter of the band’s new life'.

The Foo Fighters will tour across North America and Europe this summer, with the tour kicking off on May 24 in New Hampshire.