Longtime Guns N’ Roses Member Leaving Band: Drummer Frank Ferrer Exits After 19 Years

Guns N’ Roses drummer Frank Ferrer has taken his final encore with the band after nearly 20 years.

The “Welcome to the Jungle” band announced on Wednesday, March 19, that Ferrer, 58, would be stepping back after his tenure as the group’s longest-acting drummer.

“Guns N’ Roses announce the amicable exit of Frank Ferrer,” the statement, shared on Instagram, read. “The band thanks Frank for his friendship, creativity and sturdy presence over the past 19 years, and wish him success in the next chapter of his musical journey.”

The band’s statement continued, “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.”

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The post, which also included photos of Ferrer with the band’s current lineup of Axl Rose, Duff McKagan, Slash, Dizzy Reed, Richard Fortus and Melissa Reese, was captioned, “Thank you, Frank. For the friendship, creativity and sturdy presence over the last 19 years.”

Ferrer initially joined Guns N’ Roses as a temporary replacement for Bryan “Brain” Mantia, but what was meant to be a two-week stint behind the drums turned into nearly two decades. Ferrer most recently was behind the kit on the band’s international tour in 2023, performing from June until November all over the world.

In January, Ferrer spoke about his time with Guns N’ Roses to the hard rock and metal music magazine My Global Mind, recalling his first-ever performance with the band nearly 20 years ago.

“I’m trying to keep it all inside, but in my mind, it’s like, bing, bing, bing, bing, bing, and exploding, of course,” Ferrer remembered. “It was initially only going to be a temporary thing. It was only going to be for two weeks.

“But in my heart, I felt like, if I could really do well on this, even if it’s just for two weeks, then it could open up a lot of doors,” he continued. “So, I didn’t have any fear. A matter of fact, it was the complete opposite. I felt like, okay, I’m ready for this.”