Meet Yayo Sanchez, or as Dave Grohl famously dubbed him, KISS Guy, during a Foo Fighters concert in Austin, Texas, on April 18, 2018. If you haven’t yet come across KISS Guy, you’re in for quite the spectacle. According to Grohl himself, Sanchez ranks as the top fan ever to share the stage with the legendary band. But what led Grohl to bestow such a unique nickname on Sanchez? Picture this: Sanchez shows up at the concert decked out in Gene Simmons’ iconic The Demon makeup, clutching a yellow poster sign, pleading for a chance to play Monkey Wrench, one of Foo Fighters’ best hits.
Being close to the stage, Sanchez was told to lower his sign at one point. However, it wasn’t long before Grohl noticed him, and the lead singer suddenly got intrigued. He asked from the stage whether Sanchez was wearing a mask or face paint. “Paint,” came Sanchez’s reply, to which Grohl enthusiastically responded, “Hell yeah, I can f#ck with you Kiss Guy!”.
Amidst the interaction, Chris Shiflett, the band’s guitarist, said he preferred Ace Frehley, another KISS member. Seizing the moment, Sanchez lifted his sign again, and soon after, Grohl called him up to the stage with a friendly, “Hey Kiss Guy.” It was an epic moment for Sanchez, and you can watch the footage here:
And to many’s surprise, KISS Guy’s performance was so stellar that even Grohl momentarily forgot his lyrics. Yayo Sanchez seized his spotlight moment with gusto. However, this wasn’t the first time KISS Guy got to perform on stage with another famous metal band.
Just four days after his unforgettable appearance with the Foo Fighters, Metal Nexus revealed that Sanchez’s passion for KISS began at nine, thanks to his father gifting him a guitar and introducing him to the band. Sanchez has since shared the stage with music legends such as Slash, Roger Daltrey, Billy Gibbons, and Paul Stanley, marking his name known throughout the music world.
Can you believe it? A whole 11 years before the KISS Guy incident, Yayo Sanchez was just a 14-year-old kid rocking out at the Rock’N’Roll Fantasy Camp in London. It was an experience where you pay up, and you get the chance to jam with rock legends. These icons serve as mentors, guiding their groups for five days, all leading up to a grand “Battle Of The Bands.” Sanchez, even then, was hailed as a “teenage rock prodigy.” Here is one of the articles about him:
By the time Sanchez shared the stage with the Foo Fighters, he was on the verge of releasing two tracks, “Mothership” and “The Call,” with his band Y, having already riled up the crowd in events like Quiet Riot and LA Guns.
When a fan as skilled as KISS Guy gets called up on stage, eyebrows raise, as some fans believed it was a set up by the organizers. However, Dave Grohl has been vocal in dismissing such speculation:
Dave Grohl himself was also significantly influenced by KISS in his youth. Purchasing KISS’s “Destroyer” album in 1976, the vocalist recalls, ““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.” It’s no surprise then that Grohl felt an instant connection with Sanchez in the crowd in Austin, Texas, as they all share the same idol. For a bit of fun, check out this clip from Austin’s KLBJ 93.7:
For those who want to dive deeper into Yayo Sanchez’s world, feel free to subscribe to his YouTube channel, or follow him on Facebook and Instagram. His official website is also a great place to stay updated.