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DIZZY REED: 'I Know What My Role Is With GUNS N' ROSES'


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GUNS N' ROSES keyboardist Dizzy Reed was recently interviewed by the "Nothing Shocking" podcast. The full conversation can be streamed below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On how important it is for him to have an extra outlet, like his solo band and HOOKERS & BLOW, to play with when GUNS N' ROSES is off the road:

Dizzy: "I know what my role is with GUNS N' ROSES, and I'm very content and happy with that, and I'm very grateful and thankful that I've had that opportunity, over the years, to be a part of that, but as a musician and as an artist, I think it's important to have an outlet to go… There's other things that I can do and there's songs that I wanna sing and other things that I wanna do, and it gives me an outlet to do that, and that's great. But my number one priority is always with GUNS N' ROSES, and I'm always ready to do that when they need me. And I'm thankful and grateful that they are cool with me doing other things, like I [have been] doing."

On his preference for touring in terms of where he plays and how much time he spends on the road:

Dizzy: "Endless touring — that's my preference. That's how I roll. I'll take it whenever I can get it, 'cause there's been times in my life and my career where there was nothing. So if it's available, I'm gonna do it. That's what I prefer."

One how he keeps from being burnt out on touring after spending months on the road:

Dizzy: "Jägermeister. Actually, the real answer to that question is it's all I know how to do; it's my job and I'm way past the point of no return — like, way past. There's nothing else I can really do. And these days you don't make a lot of money selling records — if any at all, really. You've gotta go out and play in front of people. And I feel like that's what I was born to do — I've been doing it my whole life, since I was 10 years old. So that's how I do it. And if I start to get burnt out sometimes, and I do — we all do; the traveling really starts to take a lot out of you when you get older — but when it gets to that point, I just think about people that are busting their hump in a coalmine or working at a convenience store, or whatever the hell, and I think, 'I don't have it so bad, man.' And that's what keeps me going."

Reed's debut solo album, "Rock 'N Roll Ain't Easy", was released in February by Golden Robot Records. The disc features guest appearances by musicians from W.A.S.P., QUIET RIOT, PSYCHEDELIC FURS, THIN LIZZY, NO DOUBT, THE REPLACEMENTS, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, and more.

Reed is the longest-serving member of GN'R after singer Axl Rose. He joined the band as a touring member in 1990, during the "Use Your Illusion" era, and has played with most of the original members as well as in all the later editions of the group and the current "reunion" lineup.

In 2012, Dizzy was inducted into the the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a member of GUNS N' ROSES.

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dizzy-reed-i-know-what-my-role-is-with-guns-n-roses/

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8 hours ago, killuridols said:

How so? :question:

There are 7 fans present when the band (minus Axl, Slash and Duff) arrive at the hotel and are only standing about 5 m away. 2 of them call out his name and ask him specifically for an autograph. He just pretends that nobody is there, doesn't even turn around and just stands there for a couple of minutes before entering the hotel, ignoring the fans. That was this year, when I was at the band's hotel. Last year, they were about to leave, came out of the hotel and walked to the car. Again one fan, out of a group of fans, standing between hotel exit and car, called out his name and asked for an autograph. Again, he just totally ignores the request and rather stands in front of the car for another couple of minutes, instead of spending 5 seconds to honor that fans' request,  before driving off. I didn't like the guy before and I can't stand him even less, after I witnessed this behavior twice. On one hand you have nobodies like him, acting like a total ass and on the other hand you have people like Johnny Deep, signing autographs for 20 minutes after a concert. Or the Dead Daisies, who met up with the band later and actually did step outside l to pose for photos with fans and gave autographs. And of course, when that happened, Dizzzy pretended to embrace the fans too. The very same ones he first ignored.

Edited by PatrickS77
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13 hours ago, Sosso said:

Reed's debut solo album, "Rock 'N Roll Ain't Easy", was released in February by Golden Robot Records. The disc features guest appearances by musicians from W.A.S.P., QUIET RIOT, PSYCHEDELIC FURS, THIN LIZZY, NO DOUBT, THE REPLACEMENTS, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, and more.

so who from Thin Lizzy is playing in Dizzy album?

Scott?

Downey?

Robbo?

Eric?

Snowy?

Sykes?

it may as well have been Phil Lynott or Gary Moore!

because I am pretty sure none of the surviving members has anything to do with that crap!

now thanks for that fake news Dizzy!

good thing about it is that this blatant lie has reminded me that it's been a damn long time since i listened to robbo solo album, so let me go back to that!

 

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6 hours ago, PatrickS77 said:

There are 7 fans present when the band (minus Axl, Slash and Duff) arrive at the hotel and are only standing about 5 m away. 2 of them call out his name and ask him specifically for an autograph. He just pretends that nobody is there, doesn't even turn around and just stands there for a couple of minutes before entering the hotel, ignoring the fans. That was this year, when I was at the band's hotel. Last year, they were about to leave, came out of the hotel and walked to the car. Again one fan, out of a group of fans, standing between hotel exit and car, called out his name and asked for an autograph. Again, he just totally ignores the request and rather stands in front of the car for another couple of minutes, instead of spending 5 seconds to honor that fans' request,  before driving off. I didn't like the guy before and I can't stand him even less, after I witnessed this behavior twice. On one hand you have nobodies like him, acting like a total ass and on the other hand you have people like Johnny Deep, signing autographs for 20 minutes after a concert. Or the Dead Daisies, who met up with the band later and actually did step outside l to pose for photos with fans and gave autographs. And of course, when that happened, Dizzzy pretended to embrace the fans too. The very same ones he first ignored.

He seems like a crummy person all around. There was a story here awhile ago about a groupie that got pregnant by Dizzy and he basically treated her like trash and tried to get out of any responsibility iirc. 

I get that his loyalties are to Axl and Duff/Slash weren't always the nicest of people to him - but the guy is basically an obsequious lap dog and nothing more. What I can't figure out about Dizzy is what are his actual compositions/contributions to GnR? From earlier discussions, it appears that Axl wrote the piano melodies in UYI entirely? I used to attribute those largely to Dizzy - but if Axl wrote them - what did this dude do? Just play what Axl wrote for UYI? Going by GnR's crediting, it seems like Paul Huge and even Pitman were far more valuable to the band.

Hell, I'd even say Melissa brings more to the table than Dizzy.

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6 hours ago, PatrickS77 said:

There are 7 fans present when the band (minus Axl, Slash and Duff) arrive at the hotel and are only standing about 5 m away. 2 of them call out his name and ask him specifically for an autograph. He just pretends that nobody is there, doesn't even turn around and just stands there for a couple of minutes before entering the hotel, ignoring the fans. That was this year, when I was at the band's hotel. Last year, they were about to leave, came out of the hotel and walked to the car. Again one fan, out of a group of fans, standing between hotel exit and car, called out his name and asked for an autograph. Again, he just totally ignores the request and rather stands in front of the car for another couple of minutes, instead of spending 5 seconds to honor that fans' request,  before driving off. I didn't like the guy before and I can't stand him even less, after I witnessed this behavior twice. On one hand you have nobodies like him, acting like a total ass and on the other hand you have people like Johnny Deep, signing autographs for 20 minutes after a concert. Or the Dead Daisies, who met up with the band later and actually did step outside l to pose for photos with fans and gave autographs. And of course, when that happened, Dizzzy pretended to embrace the fans too. The very same ones he first ignored.

He was really cool towards me. I saw him standing outside after a show talking to Fernando. I asked if I could get a picture and Fernando told me to leave and that I couldn’t be there, dizzy told him to hang on and said yeah man come on over. He made sure I got a good picture, and asked how I liked the show. He even asked me where I was from and had a few minute conversation about some of his travels through my city. Seemed like a down to earth guy. 

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2 hours ago, ludurigan said:

so who from Thin Lizzy is playing in Dizzy album?

Scott?

Downey?

Robbo?

Eric?

Snowy?

Sykes?

it may as well have been Phil Lynott or Gary Moore!

because I am pretty sure none of the surviving members has anything to do with that crap!

now thanks for that fake news Dizzy!

 

Ricky Warwick is the name that comes up. he's been in Thin Lizzy since 2010 it looks like. He plays on the album and co-wrote the title track

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1 hour ago, History2010 said:

Ricky Warwick is the name that comes up. he's been in Thin Lizzy since 2010 it looks like. He plays on the album and co-wrote the title track

thanks for the answer

not sure if you are aware that there is "Thin Lizzy" and there is "The people who present themselves (and sell live tours) as Thin Lizzy"

that kinda shit is sorta familiar, huh?

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8 hours ago, mikeman5150 said:

He was really cool towards me. I saw him standing outside after a show talking to Fernando. I asked if I could get a picture and Fernando told me to leave and that I couldn’t be there, dizzy told him to hang on and said yeah man come on over. He made sure I got a good picture, and asked how I liked the show. He even asked me where I was from and had a few minute conversation about some of his travels through my city. Seemed like a down to earth guy. 

Hmm. Maybe he just got a raise from Fernando? Or he transferred his asshole of the day quota to Fernando? The times I saw Fernando he was the one that kinda was cool.

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10 hours ago, RONIN said:

He seems like a crummy person all around. There was a story here awhile ago about a groupie that got pregnant by Dizzy and he basically treated her like trash and tried to get out of any responsibility iirc. 

I get that his loyalties are to Axl and Duff/Slash weren't always the nicest of people to him - but the guy is basically an obsequious lap dog and nothing more. What I can't figure out about Dizzy is what are his actual compositions/contributions to GnR? From earlier discussions, it appears that Axl wrote the piano melodies in UYI entirely? I used to attribute those largely to Dizzy - but if Axl wrote them - what did this dude do? Just play what Axl wrote for UYI? Going by GnR's crediting, it seems like Paul Huge and even Pitman were far more valuable to the band.

Hell, I'd even say Melissa brings more to the table than Dizzy.

Pretty much this ronin. Axl did play the piano on november rain on the illusions recording and composing and coming up with the melodies. I dont know why he didnt do it play on all of the songs, and just have dizzy learn and play them for the tour except November rain. I really thought axl would play all of the songs on illusions so he would get more royalties and credits  for playing and composing.....if royalties work that way. I believe all melodies would be him. Was bringing dizzy into the band an axl decision?. 

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10 hours ago, mikeman5150 said:

He was really cool towards me. I saw him standing outside after a show talking to Fernando. I asked if I could get a picture and Fernando told me to leave and that I couldn’t be there, dizzy told him to hang on and said yeah man come on over. He made sure I got a good picture, and asked how I liked the show. He even asked me where I was from and had a few minute conversation about some of his travels through my city. Seemed like a down to earth guy. 

My favorite Dizzy Reed story is that I saw him play in Raleigh, NC when I wasn’t living down there in 2004 or 2005.  I was directly in front of him for the whole show which was great. After he was done he hung around for a while.  I walked into the bathroom to take a piss and in walks Dizzy after me.  So we’re standing next to each other pissing and I say sarcastically (I was pretty drunk and 23 years old) “so when is Chinese Democracy coming out?”.  Without even turning to look at me Dizzy says “Fuuuuucccckkkk you”.  I cracked up and walked out after washing my hands. 

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