Have you ever heard of Yayo Sanchez, better known as KISS Guy? If not, get ready for an amazing story! On April 18, 2018, rock legend Dave Grohl gave him that nickname, and for good reason. KISS Guy is probably the best fan ever to be invited onstage to play with the Foo Fighters. Even Grohl himself said so!
So, why is he called KISS Guy? Well, Sanchez showed up at a Foo Fighters concert in Austin, Texas, wearing the iconic face paint of Gene Simmons’ KISS character, The Demon. He had a bright yellow sign asking to play the song “Monkey Wrench.” But standing near the stage, he lowered it when someone shouted at him to put it down.
A few songs later, Dave Grohl noticed him. Squinting at him from the stage, Grohl asked, “Is that a mask or paint?”
“Paint!” Sanchez shouted back.
Grohl grinned and said, “Hell yeah, I can f#ck with you, KISS Guy!”
Even Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett joined in, saying he actually preferred KISS guitarist Ace Frehley.
Seeing his chance, Sanchez quickly held up his sign again. After a couple more songs, Grohl called out, “Hey, KISS Guy!” Then, in front of thousands of screaming fans, he finally invited Sanchez onstage.
The moment Sanchez grabbed his guitar, something incredible happened. He played with so much energy that even Dave Grohl forgot the lyrics for a moment! It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment, and KISS Guy absolutely nailed it.
So, who is Yayo Sanchez? Just four days after his unforgettable performance, Metal Nexus shared some cool facts about him. It turns out that when Sanchez was nine years old, his dad bought him a guitar and introduced him to KISS. From there, he never looked back. He’s already jammed with some of the biggest names in rock, including Slash, Roger Daltrey, Billy Gibbons, and Paul Stanley!
How did he get so good? Well, 11 years before the Foo Fighters show, a 14-year-old Sanchez went to Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp in London. Music journalist Scott Rowley, who attended the camp, explained how it worked:
“You pay your money, and you get to rock ’n’ roll with the stars. A group of rock legends act as ‘counselors,’ coaching you for five days before a grand Battle of the Bands.”
Rowley even described Sanchez as a “teenage rock genius.”
But KISS Guy wasn’t just playing with famous rockers—he was making his own music, too. When he played with the Foo Fighters, he already had two songs ready to release, “Mothership” and “The Call.” With his band Y, he had even opened for rock legends like Quiet Riot and L.A. Guns!
Of course, whenever a fan plays this well onstage, people start wondering if it was planned. But Dave Grohl made it very clear—this was NOT a setup. KISS Guy was the real deal!
It’s no surprise that Grohl connected with him. As a kid, Grohl was a massive KISS fan, too. Back in 1976, he bought their album “Destroyer” and had a life-changing moment:
“I dropped the needle, and ‘Detroit Rock City’ blasted out. It filled my speakers and my imagination. Thirty-four minutes and 27 seconds later, KISS had filled my soul. I was now a member of the infamous KISS army. Before long, my room had become a f#cking shrine.”
No wonder Grohl immediately loved KISS Guy when he spotted him in the audience!
Want to see more from Yayo Sanchez? You can subscribe to his YouTube channel or follow him on Facebook and Instagram. You can also check out his official website for the latest updates. Keep rocking, KISS Guy!
