'KISS guy' went viral after Foo Fighters invited him to play in Austin. Where is he now?

Yayo Sanchez went to the Foo Fighters concert by himself in 2018.

"I've been in a million bands that no one's ever heard of," Sanchez told the Austin American-Statesman.

By the end of that night, everyone knew his name or at least the persona that Dave Grohl assigned to him: "KISS Guy."

Fans' recordings of Sanchez playing "Monkey Wrench" with the Foo Fighters have been viewed millions of times on YouTube and beyond. Recounting the self-described "surreal" experience before the Foo Fighters first concert in Austin since the viral moment took place, the musician/producer/sound engineer recalled vivid details about that April evening.

Before 'KISS Guy,' Yayo Sanchez drew inspiration from fan at Foo Fighters concert in Australia

Before going viral, Sanchez says he first caught a glimpse of the band live as a teen when they played at the 2008 Austin City Limits Music Festival. But shortly after their opening, the Austin native had to head to band practice. He caught the band's full performance in 2015, but to the side of stage.

Fast forward to 2018 when his mother surprised him with a general admission ticket to see the concert for his 25th birthday. Before the concert, Sanchez said he saw videos on YouTube of a fan in Australia joining the band on stage to play "Monkey Wrench" just months earlier.

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"Watching that, I was like, I want to do that. So, I made my sign and I was honestly surprised that I was the only one out there that had a sign that day," Sanchez said. "You know, it's Austin. Somebody else is going to do it, there's a million better guitar players than me in this town."

Sanchez says that he and that fan, Joey McClennan, still communicate online today. He credits him with having the guts to get the band's attention and pull off the performance.

"He really did it without without knowing if it was going to work or not," Sanchez said. "I saw it work. I'm like, 'OK, maybe they do it again in Austin."

Dave Grohl asked 'KISS Guy' on stage after seeing 'Monkey Wrench' sign for hours

So, why the KISS makeup? Besides growing up with their music and KISS being Sanchez's first concert, he told the Statesman he was "cracking a joke on myself" and "feeling funny."

He drew reactions from fans at the concert, including those who asked for pictures and others who he said were "weirded out" by his look. The look got the attention of the band, too, with Grohl and other members talking from the stage about the guy in the crowd looking like a member of KISS.

Following the lead of McClennan, Sanchez followed up by holding a sign with the same language, requesting to play the single from the Foo Fighters second album, "The Color and the Shape."

"I knew they saw it," Sanchez said of the sign. "So, I was like, 'Sign is done, they saw it. Whatever happens happens, I'm wearing KISS make up, this is crazy.' "

In a previous interview with the Statesman, Grohl said he "had to give it to him" after seeing him hold up the sign and his makeup starting to come off during the concert.

"I just thought, this could either be the greatest thing that's ever happened or a total train wreck." Grohl told then Statesman music writer Peter Blackstock in a 2021 video interview.

'Only Grohl would let something like that happen'

At the time, rumors spread that the stunt was staged, but Sanchez was quick to dismiss that idea, citing the talent of late-Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.

"That whole thing being a success was our boy Taylor Hawkins, you know, he was dialed in," Sanchez said. "That's why it looked 'fake,' because Hawkins is so pro."

Grohl also noted he had never met Sanchez before and would go on to praise Sanchez's performance, something Sanchez says he has barely any memory of doing after jamming with the band.

"It's always been important to me that there is a connection with the audience and each audience member every night," Grohl said in 2021, noting that growing up, he always had a "twisted fantasy" around joining his favorite bands on stage and playing alongside them.

"Every time I bring up one of those people on stage, I have to think that they've had that same fantasy, too, "Grohl said. "It not only brings them joy but it brings the audience and me a lot of (expletive) joy."

"It wouldn't have happened with any other band," Sanchez said." I mean, only Grohl would let something like that happen."

Despite feeling nervous as he approached the stage, and Grohl handing him his guitar in what he felt like a slow motion scene from a movie, Sanchez said his experience took over when he played with the band.

"It's like jumping out of an airplane, like, once you jump, you're like 'Oh I'm good, got it,' but leading up to it's just nerve city," Sanchez said.

Where is Yayo Sanchez now? He's still making music in Austin.

More than five years later, Sanchez says the reward was just getting to play with the Foo Fighters. But the attention that followed the viral clips was a bigger "dream come true" for the longtime musician with his social media profiles drawing thousands of new fans.

"Imagine releasing music that you make and there's people waiting," Sanchez said. "I come from like, nobody cares about your band to, you know, over a thousand people all over the world ready to hear something you're about to release ... you know, that's a dream come true."

Sanchez' own music today comes from his new band "Y," an exploration of his rock background that weaves in elements of EDM throughout the production. Among those songs was "Mothership," a piece Sanchez wrote years ago but performed in the new style live on his YouTube channel earlier this year.

The band hopes to play some live shows in 2024, too.

Would 'KISS Guy' join Foo Fighters again at ACL Fest?

Sanchez told the Statesman he was not planning on attending ACL Fest when the Foo Fighters returned to town, but didn't rule out the possibility either. The Foo Fighters play at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 and 14, at ACL Fest.

When asked if he would join the Foo Fighters on stage if given the opportunity, he said he wouldn't decline.

"If God wants us to rock, then we're going to rock, but if not dude, it's totally cool, you know?" Sanchez said. "You can't replicate what happened. I don't know if I'd want to play 'Monkey Wrench' again, you know, because it's just going to dilute the original, you know, the lightning that happened, the magic. But of course, you know, of course I'm down."

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: How Yayo Sanchez got to play 'Monkey Wrench' with Foo Fighters in Austin