FRANK FERRER On His Exit From GUNS N' ROSES: 'I Will Have Immense Gratitude And Love For The Band'

Former GUNS N' ROSES drummer Frank Ferrer has commented on his exit from the band.

On Thursday (March 20),Frank took to his Instagram to share the following statement: "The outpouring of love I have felt from the incredible fans of GUNS N' ROSES and my peers over the past 24 hours has been tremendous.

"I will have immense gratitude and love always for Axl and the band while at the same time, disappointment that this chapter came to an end.

"It has been an incredible 19 years. GUNS N' ROSES has given me life-changing memories and experiences.

"A huge thanks to management, the crew, and fans for giving me memories that I will cherish for my lifetime.

"I hope I see you all again soon!"

Frank, the longest-serving drummer in the band's storied run, first joined GUNS N' ROSES during a show in June 2006, helping anchor the rhythm section during subsequent tours, including their recent outings featuring the reunited trio of singer Axl Rose, guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan. Ferrer's last show with the band took place November 5, 2023 in Mexico.

Ferrer laid down drums tracks on five songs on GUNS N' ROSES' most recent studio album, 2008's "Chinese Democracy". He also appeared on the live portion of 2022's "Hard Skool" EP, with former drummer Bryan "Brain" Mantia appearing on the studio tracks and GUNS' ROSES' 2023 singles "Perhaps" and "The General".

During a May 2020 appearance on the "Appetite For Distortion" podcast, Ferrer was asked to name "the most challenging song to play" in GUNS N' ROSES' live set. He responded: "That's a really good question, because there's three eras in GUNS — there's the 'Appetite [For Destruction]' [era] with Steven [Adler], there's the '[Use Your] Illusion' [period] with Matt [Sorum], and then there's the Brain [Bryan Mantia]- Josh Freese 'Chinese Democracy' [era]. And all three eras are really unique. The 'Appetite' songs don't sound like the 'Illusion' songs — they don't have the same feel. So, the toughest part… I mean, in a weird way, it's almost kind of like all of 'em, especially from the Sorum-Adler era. And what I try to do as a groove drummer is try to sit somewhere in between both drummers, so you still have a punk rocky, off-the-rails kind of feel, but then a nice, solid, dependable foundation, like Sorum gives you. So, it's kind of challenging. Now, the 'Chinese Democracy' stuff is more straight ahead. The challenges I have with that is playing it more like Brain played them, even though I was able to add some stuff myself later on, once I joined the band."

He continued: "The toughest part is finding the right groove in between those two eras — the first two eras — I think. And I think especially with Slash [guitar] and Duff [McKagan, bass] in the band now, because it was their era — they wrote that stuff; it's their music — I'm able to find a nice spot where those guys are really comfortable playing the songs, but I'm also comfortable playing from my heart without being cerebral and having to think too much about the parts. So, I would say somewhere in between those two drummers."

Ferrer joined GUNS N' ROSES in 2006 as a temporary fill-in for Mantia. Before he knew it, Ferrer was a permanent member of GN'R, contributing to the "Chinese Democracy" album.

When not touring with GN'R, Ferrer played with a couple of side projects, THE COMPULSIONS and his personal band PISSER.

In 2016, Ferrer spoke to Music Radar about his approach to playing some of GUNS N' ROSES' classic songs. He said: "I really try to keep the spirit of the way the song was played. When we play the 'Appetite…' stuff, I try to have the push and pulls. Steven's [Adler] punk rock bits are great.

"Adler's playing was one of the greatest rock drumming performances in the history of music," he continued. "You can put it in the top ten. His playing on 'Appetite…' is perfect. Then with [Matt] Sorum, it's a little more tight and more reserved kind of playing. I do try to keep that spirit, though.

"I have tremendous respect for the drummers in GUNS N' ROSES. I love Brain [Bryan Mantia] so much. What Brain told me was to try and make the songs my own. I never forget that. Obviously my own personality comes through, especially on some of the funkier stuff. I might give a more New York hip-hop kind of feel to it."

On Thursday, GUNS N' ROSES announced the arrival of Isaac Carpenter, its newest drummer who will hit the road with the band throughout their 2025 European, Asian, and Middle East tour, headlining stadiums and festivals throughout the spring and summer.

Carpenter, born in Washington's Tri-Cities, is an accomplished American drummer and songwriter known for his dynamic contributions to alternative, hard rock, and beyond. He rose to prominence in 1995 by co-founding LOUDERMILK while in high school, only to be signed to Rick Rubin's label American. Carpenter's career spans an impressive roster of acts, including live and studio work with Duff McKagan's LOADED, AWOLNATION, Adam Lambert, the hardcore metal outfit BARBARIANS OF CALIFORNIA, A PERFECT CIRCLE, THE EXIES, OURS and BLACK LAB, in addition to his large session film and TV roster. Carpenter has made a name for himself by uniquely blending versatility and groove with crushing force and technical skill, cementing his reputation as a multifaceted drummer in the industry.

GUNS N' ROSES will launch the "Because What You Want & What You Get Are Two Completely Different Things" tour on May 1 in South Korea. The trek will hit the Middle East and Europe in late spring and early summer, concluding on July 31 in Germany.