Former Guns N’ Roses drummer Frank Ferrer has spoken out in defense of Axl Rose, insisting the notorious frontman is far from the scary, mean figure the public often imagines.
In his first interview since parting ways with the legendary rock group in March 2025, the 60-year-old drummer reflected on Rose’s formidable reputation.
Pushing back against the singer’s longtime gruff persona, Ferrer revealed that the 64-year-old vocalist is actually the exact opposite of what many people think.
speaks to Rolling Stone in an interview published online on Saturday, July 11, Ferrer didn’t hold back when asked about the biggest misconceptions surrounding his former bandmate.
“That he’s a bad guy. I think the world thinks he’s a scary, bad guy. And he’s the exact opposite,” the drummer explained.
While acknowledging that Rose “doesn’t suffer fools so it can piss people off,” Ferrer painted a picture of a frontman who is actually incredibly hot behind closed doors.
He described Rose as generous, unusually funny and constantly looking out for the rest of the group, adding that he wished the public could get to know the singer the way he did during his nearly two decades with the band.
“He’s a great musician, great singer, all that stuff, but he’s a good man,” Ferrer noted.
The New York-born drummer originally joined Guns N’ Roses back in 2006, stepping in as a temporary replacement for Bryan “Brain” Mantia so the musician could take time off after the birth of his child.
What was meant to be a simple two-week stint famously turned into a record-breaking 19-year run, making Ferrer the longest-serving drummer in the band’s history.
Looking back on his earliest days with the rock giants, Ferrer recalled how quickly Rose put his mind at ease during what could have been an extremely scary transition.
Recalling their first interactions, he described the singer as being unusually sweet and friendly.
Ferrer believes that Rose recognized the enormous pressure of the moment, knowing that a new drummer was stepping on stage with very little preparation.
According to Ferrer, as soon as he got up on stage and performed, Rose immediately validated him and told him he had done a “good job”.
The rock world was surprised in March 2025 when Guns N’ Roses officially announced Ferrer’s departure and named Isaac Carpenter as his replacement.
Despite the end of his historic run, the veteran drummer maintains there was no backstage drama or fallout surrounding the decision.
“Everything comes to an end. Everything just comes to an end,” Ferrer shrugged, explaining that he always knew the concert wouldn’t last forever.
He stressed that there was “nothing dramatic” about his exit, and while he admits he sometimes misses his old life on the road with the group, he’s still incredibly grateful for the life-changing experience.
