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Val Barone is a journalist working remotely and specializing in music features. A passionate music lover, she keeps up to date on the latest developments in the entertainment world, and in the past five years, she's written for several sites, including ScreenRant, MovieWeb, TheThings, and Far Out Magazine. She covers breaking news in the music world and loves sharing stories about the classic rock musicians she grew up listening to. As a Gen Z writer, she offers a fresh perspective on the events that change music history.
The Foo Fighters have gone through a lot of changes in the past few years. Since drummer Taylor Hawkins' death in 2022, their lineup has been changing. Last year, they parted ways with the drummer who had replaced Hawkins, Nine Inch Nails' drummer Josh Freese, and replaced him with Ilan Rubin. They closed the year with an Asian tour with their new lineup, and shortly after, announced their 2026 Take Cover tour. However, a new development has caused yet another unexpected, temporary change in their lineup. Guitarist Pat Smear has suffered a "bizarre" accident that, while not life-threatening, will need time to recover, and will be replaced by another guitarist.
Pat Smear Will Miss Upcoming Foo Fighters Tour to Recover From an Accident
Leave it to the Foo Fighters to announce a freak accident with a healthy dose of ridiculousness and sense of humor. Apparently, guitarist Pat Smear went a little overboard with his New Year's celebration, and it ended with him suffering a "bizarre gardening accident" that, while not extreme, has left him unable to go on tour. At least temporarily. The band posted the announcement on Instagram with a mock magazine cover that shared "news" such as "Aliens spotted warming up for Spring training!" and "2026 fried chicken & champagne diet tips." The main announcement showed Smear laughing while being carried out on a stretcher, giving the camera the middle finger.
"BREAKING NEWS!," the caption reads. "In the classic tradition of rockstars having bizarre gardening accidents, Pat Smear has apparently rung in the new year by smashing the s*** out of his left foot. This means he’ll unfortunately be missing a few shows while the multiple broken bones in his foot heal. We’ll miss our beloved Pat as much as you will, but we want him fully healed and back on his feet as soon as possible."
The Foo Fighters are set to start their Take Cover tour in Guanajuato, Mexico, in just a few days. They have three dates in January before going on a break until May. It's safe to say that Smear will miss at least the first leg of the tour while he recuperates. But fear not, the fans are in good hands. Dave Grohl has brought "Beck and St. Vincent guitar wizard Jason Falkner" on board, who "will be filling in for Pat while he’s on the mend."
Fans have wished Pat Smear a speedy recovery in the comments and joked that Grohl should give him the throne he used when he played with a broken leg. Hopefully, Smear will get better soon for the second leg of the tour in May.
English (US) ·