On March 19, 2025, Guns N’ Roses announced the “amicable exit” of drummer Frank Ferrer, who had played with the band for 19 years.
“The band thanks Frank for his friendship, creativity and sturdy presence over the past 19 years,” a spokesperson for the LA hard rock giants posted on social media, “and wish him success in the next chapter of his musical journey.”
One year on, the 60-year-old New York drummer has given his first interview about his time in Gn’R, and he only has positive things to say about his former boss Axl Rose, and his experiences with the band.
“Everything just comes to an end,” Ferrer tells Rolling Stone. “And I’ve said this before, I knew this thing wasn’t gonna be forever. I was just so happy I got to do it when I got to do it, and now I’m doing other stuff. It’s really that simple… We didn’t get into a fight or anything.”
Originally, Ferrer was hired to play with Guns N’ Roses for just two weeks, deputising for Bryan ‘Brain’ Mantia on a European tour while the former Primus drummer returned to the US to be with his wife for the birth of their daughter. But after Mantia decided to sit out the group’s next North American tour, Ferrer’s services were retained, right through to November 5, 2023 when he played his last show with the band in Mexico. He has since been replaced by Isaac Carpenter, formerly the drummer for Awolnation.
In his interview with Rolling Stone, Ferrer expresses nothing but gratitude for the opportunity to play in Axl Rose’s band, and has only good things to say about his former boss.
“I think the world thinks that he’s a scary, mean guy,” he reflects. “And he’s the complete opposite. He doesn’t suffer fools, so that might piss people off. But he’s generous and super funny, and worried about us all the time, worried about, ‘Hey, you guys, how you guys doing? Hey, is Frank OK? Hey, Frank, are you OK?’ I’m doing fine. He’s, ‘Oh, OK, cool.’ It’s that kind of stuff constantly. I wish they could know him the way I know him. That’s the only way I could say it. He’s a great musician, great singer, all that stuff that goes in the pot, but he’s a good man… He’s out there busting his ass, trying to make everything sound great, be great every night. He’s under immense pressure, and he delivers. He would lead the way.”
Ferrer is now playing in two bands, One Night Only, with Hanoi Rocks and Electric Boys guitarist Conny Bloom) and the Slax.
