Guns N’ Roses have announced the departure of their long-term drummer Frank Ferrer after 19 years.
Ferrer is the longest serving sticksman in the band after joining them in 2006 replacing Bryan Mantia, years before frontman Axl Rose was reunited with Slash and bassist Duff McKagan. Their previous drummers included Steve Adler and Matt Sorum.
In a statement on social media, the band said: “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.
“Frank first joined GNR during a show 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 last show with the band took place November 5, 2023 in Mexico.”
No information on who will replace Ferrer has yet been announced by the band.
His departure comes just months after Matt Sorum shared his thoughts on being excluded from the band’s reunion, admitting he’s “much more at peace” with it now than he was at the beginning.
“I’ll be honest in the beginning, it was a little weird,” Sorum said. “I’m, like, ‘OK, well, it’s a reunion. OK, well, make it a reunion.’ But it didn’t go that way. So, I’m much more at peace with it than I was in the very beginning.”
He also revealed that Ringo Starr of The Beatles called him to ask about being excluded from the reunion. “A guy that called me and actually talked to me about it was Ringo [Starr],” he said. “And he said, ‘You didn’t get invited to the party.’ I said, ‘No, I didn’t get invited to the party.’ And you’ll know this, being a person, if you don’t get invited to a party, I mean, come on – it’s gonna sting a little bit. It’s like I didn’t get invited to the party.”
Sorum continued: “But he told me a story about him and John [Lennon] and Paul McCartney. And I’m, like, ‘Is he actually saying…? He’s talking about John Lennon. This is crazy.’ That right there said to me, the universe is on my side. I’m on the phone with Ringo talking about not being invited to the party. That shit, I’m, like, bing!”
Elsewhere, GNR were recently added to the line-up for Black Sabbath‘s final reunion gig.
The iconic heavy metal band will return for one last concert at Villa Park in their hometown of Birmingham on Saturday, July 5.
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