Nine Inch Nails Member Once Denied Avril Lavigne Reports

Nine Inch Nails drummer Josh Freese has earned a reputation as the go-to drummer bands call when they need a reliable pro. Best known for his work with high-profile acts including Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle, The Vandals, Devo, Sting, Guns N’ Roses, Weezer, and Foo Fighters, his resume is massive.

Over the course of his career, Freese has appeared on more than 400 albums, collaborating with artists ranging from Bruce Springsteen and Michael Bublé to Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus.

With a discography that extensive, it’s understandable that the veteran drummer can’t remember every person he’s worked with – something he openly acknowledges with his new song, “I Didn’t Know I Recorded With Avril,” from his latest solo album.

In a new interview with MusicRadar, Freese explained the inspiration behind the track.

“That’s a true story. When I worked on Avril Lavigne’s first record, I’d never heard her name before, because no one had heard her name,” he said.

“I think I was more worried about just knowing the contact name I was gonna bill on Monday at the record label, because I was like, ‘I don’t know what this music is, or who this artist is. And chances are, no one’s going to,’” Freese continued.

“Maybe the producer told me her name. He said the artist’s name, and it went in one ear and out the other. We were in the studio with a Pro Tools rig one evening. No-one else was there. They already had these tracks done, either with a drum machine or guide drums they didn’t like. And I knocked out four or five songs in an evening.”

Freese contributed to Avril Lavigne’s 2002 debut album, “Let Go,” where he is credited on five tracks. He did not, however, appear on the album’s two hit singles, “Complicated” and “Sk8er Boi.”

When the album became a success, Freese was surprised to learn he played on it.

“That was eight months later,” he said, laughing. “People were going, ‘Hey man, I saw you’re on that Avril Lavigne record.’ And at this point, I knew who she was, because everyone at this point knew who she was.

“I went, ‘Nah, I didn’t play on that record.’ They go, ‘Your name’s on it!’ So I went and looked online and I’m like, ‘Holy sh*t! My name is on it!’”

“This has happened multiple times with different artists,” Freese added. “I need to click around and see a trigger word that’s going to let me know what my connection was.”