Soundwave 2009’s star booking Nine Inch Nails will be coming to Australia with a new powerhouse behind the kit – Ilan Rubin. Currently drumming for Welsh band the Lostprophets, Rubin is a very green 20 years of age. He’s got what it takes, though, to turn Trent Reznor’s head.

In a post on the NIN website, the formidable frontman writes: “With great pride and excitement I announce the addition of Ilan Rubin to the lineup beginning next year. I had the chance to see Ilan playing his ass off at Reading and Leeds a couple summers ago and he blew me away. We recently invited him out to rehearse with us and he blew us away – the perfect guy to pick up the sticks after Josh [Freese] leaves us at the end of the year.”

Here’s one for the trivia hounds: Ilan Rubin is in the Guiness Book of World Records as the youngest performer to play Woodstock. At age 11, he opened proceedings at the disastrous 1999 reincarnation of the legendary festival. Woodstock never happened again after that, but it’s fair to say it wasn’t his fault.

Nine Inch Nails recently played a blistering set at Voodoo Music Festival in New Orleans. Check out all the photos.