The Rise of KISS Guy: Yayo Sanchez’s Unforgettable Night with Foo Fighters

Are you familiar with Yayo Sanchez, known as “KISS Guy,” a nickname given to him by Dave Grohl on April 18, 2018? If not, you’re in for a treat. Dubbed by Grohl as the ultimate guest to join Foo Fighters on stage, KISS Guy’s story is truly intriguing. But what led Grohl to nickname Sanchez this way? It all started when Sanchez attended a Foo Fighters show in Austin, Texas, sporting the iconic Gene Simmons makeup from KISS. Initially just another fan in the crowd, he held a sign begging for a chance to play “Monkeywrench.”

As the show went on, Sanchez caught Grohl’s eye. After being asked to lower his sign, Grohl eventually interacted with him, asking if he was wearing a mask or face paint. When Sanchez confirmed it was face paint, Grohl enthusiastically responded, “Hell yeah, I can f#ck with you, KISS Guy!” Onstage, the banter continued, with Chris Shiflett favoring Ace Frehley, another KISS member. Taking the opportunity, Sanchez raised his sign again, and soon Grohl called him onstage, saying, “Hey, KISS Guy.” Check it out:

KISS Guy’s performance was so electrifying that Grohl momentarily lost track of the lyrics. This wasn’t just luck for Sanchez; he’d been gearing up for moments like this. Just four days later, Metal Nexus revealed that Sanchez’s musical journey began at age nine when his dad introduced him to KISS and bought him a guitar. Since then, Sanchez has played with music legends like Slash, Roger Daltrey, Billy Gibbons, and Paul Stanley.

Sanchez’s road to the Foo Fighters stage goes back even further, to when he was 14 and attended the Rock’N’Roll Fantasy Camp in London, where participants get to play with rock stars. Scott Rowley from Classic Rock, who attended the camp, called Sanchez a “teenage rock genius.” Here’s more on KISS Guy’s story:

By the time Sanchez joined Foo Fighters onstage, he was already seasoned in the music scene, with two singles ready to release and experience opening for bands like Quiet Riot and LA Guns. While some might suspect these on-stage invitations are pre-planned, Grohl’s videos highlight the genuine spontaneity of these moments.

Grohl himself has been deeply inspired by KISS, ever since he bought their “Destroyer” album in 1976. The influence of KISS on Grohl’s music career is clear, making his connection with KISS Guy during the Austin show even more special. To wrap it up, here’s a fun clip from Austin’s KLBJ 93.7: