Frank Ferrer, the longest-serving drummer in Guns N' Roses history, has given his first interview since leaving the band, speaking warmly about frontman Axl Rose and reflecting on his 19-year tenure. Ferrer, who joined almost by accident in 2006 as a two-week stand-in, went on to outlast the combined stints of predecessors Steven Adler and Matt Sorum, before the band announced his departure in March 2025. His candid, gratitude-filled remarks are notable partly because he pushes back on Rose's public reputation, insisting the singer is "the complete opposite" of the "scary, mean guy" many imagine.

Ferrer's arrival came when he received a call from friend and then-Guns bassist Tommy Stinson while at his daughter's talent show, asking him to cover for drummer Brian "Brain" Mantia during his paternity leave. He remained through the release of Chinese Democracy and multiple line-up changes, kept on even when Slash and Duff McKagan returned, until he was replaced by Isaac Carpenter. He is now playing in two new outfits — the Slax and One Night Only — featuring musicians linked to Band of Skulls, Hanoi Rocks and Slash's Snakepit, performing a mix of covers and originals for European audiences and planning to record a few tracks, though not a full album.