The members of Guns N’ Roses are speaking out after dropping some big, lineup-changing band news. – Author: Charles Ken, Photo via Guns N Roses
Guns N’ Roses are speaking out about the band’s latest, lineup-changing announcement. On Wednesday, March 19, the longtime hard rock band dropped the news that they’re parting ways with longtime drummer Frank Ferrer.
While the move might seem surprising to followers of the band, since Ferrer has been in the fold for nearly 20 years, one never knows what’s going on behind closed doors, as they say. Following the split, the members of Guns N’ Roses released a collective statement saying that the change was “an amicable exit” and shared some additional information in a press statement.
Official Statement from Guns N’ Roses
In the official statement from Guns N’ Roses’ camp on the breakup, band members state, “Guns N’ Roses announce the amicable exit of Frank Ferrer, the longest-serving drummer in their storied run. The band thanks Frank for his friendship, creativity, and sturdy presence over the past 19 years, and they wish him success in the next chapter of his musical journey.”
They add that Ferrer first became a member of the band during a concert in June 2006, “helping anchor the rhythm section during subsequent tours, including their recent outings featuring the reunited trio of Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff McKagan.” His final show with Guns N’ Roses was on November 5, 2023, in Mexico, so it doesn’t appear fans will be able to see him play one more, final show with the group.
So, that’s the full official statement from Guns N’ Roses. They didn’t elaborate on why Ferrer was leaving, but it’s possible the band is gearing up for another tour, and perhaps Ferrer didn’t want to make the run this time around.
Guns N’ Roses also didn’t announce a replacement for Ferrer in the statement. As of right now, no details have been released on who will sit behind the kid for future GN’R shows or where Ferrer will play next.
Before joining Guns N’ Roses, Ferrer played with a handful of bands, including New York group The Beautiful and Psychedelic Furs side project Love Spit Love. While in Guns N’ Roses, Ferrer also stayed active in the New York band The Compulsions, which got started back in 2004. He also served as the touring drummer for The Dead Daisies and formed the group PSSR in 2019.
Frank Ferrer Called Being in Guns N’ Roses an ‘Out-of-Body Experience’
Back in 2020, Ferrer appeared on “The Eddie Trunk Podcast” and talked about joining the band and what that first gig was like.
When asked about that first performance with the chart-topping rock band, he said, “I believe we were definitely doing a European tour. I remember that Alice in Chains played right before us, and I adore Alice in Chains. I’ve seen them every single time they played in New York.”
He continued, “I actually went to their first gig in New York, and it was surreal standing there, getting the drums set up and having a curtain in front of our stage, and having Alice in Chains playing in front of the stage and playing all my favorite songs. So I do remember, it was like an out-of-body experience, and that’s when it really hit me, ‘Oh, this … is coming down right now, this is some real stuff.’”
Meet the expert – Charles Ken is a graduate of Michigan State University where he studied writing and history. He’s a longtime music buff and covers classic rock for Audio Ink Radio. Contact him at ken@audioinkradio.com.
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