Interview New interview w/Dizzy Reed [Sight of Sound]

[Lim666]

HOF was about 1985-1993 GN'R, not about one single person but about a group of people who created AFD and UYI leading to be of the biggest bands in 1992. and those once were to be celebrated, not any hired follower afterwards. Axl didnt go because of his Slash psychosis and fucked it all up again.

[RandallFlagg]

I agree that Axl shouldn't have been allowed to play with the current band, they haven't even done 5% enough to warrant performing at a ceremony celebrating Guns N' Roses despite being together for years. If Bucket and Finck were still in the band and had released a follow up to CD then maybe but even then it's sketchy. I don't particularly agree with Kennedy singing either, the fans wanted a performance from someone and they got it though. Would've preferred no performance and no one attending lol. At least Slash, Duff, Sorum and Adler were there and had played on the records. Axl had plenty of time before then to make sure his GNR vision was recognized as a legit attempt with solid music even if people didn't agree with it. CD is a great record but half these guys weren't even involved in it, just barely except Stinson... that's not enough and instead of that letter Axl should've just said 'focusing on putting new music out to keep the band relevant and honouring the name' not ignoring the RRHOF to go touring again with the same thing.

[MYWIFEMYLIFE]

What about Izzy? More than %50 of the band's creative minde were not there. Izzy knew RRHOF was a joke and it only served as Slash's PR.

[Lim666]

Izzy doesnt like spotlight and trouble. it's reported that he tried talking Axl into attending. after it was clear he didnt come, Izzy backed out aswell.
Not to cool neither, but Izzy already wasnt in the Dont Cry video, so we're kinda used to it for ages

[RandallFlagg]

I'd have preferred Izzy there and them doing Dust N' Bones and 14 Years with Adler on backing vocals than Myles or newGNR being there lol and I like Democracy and think the current band is a solid band with tons of potential for records.

[maxpax]

yeah, dizzy....tommy stinson is 16 years in that band but he is not responsible for that introduction into the hall of fame. is it really that hard to understand? NuGnR is not GNR. Its 2 different bands under the same name.

Regarding whether he regretted the fact that he didn't go to GUNS N' ROSES' Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, Dizzy said: "No, I don't regret it. You know, myself and Axl and Izzy [Stradlin, guitar], we made a decision. There's still some things I don't understand about it. There was opposition regarding a performance and having the current lineup perform, which to me was just ridiculous because Tommy Stinson has been in the band for, like, sixteen years. And Richard Fortus has been in the band for twelve years. Basically, most of those guys have been a member of GUNS N' ROSES longer than the guys who were there. So that didn't make any sense to me. I didn't understand who was behind that or why that had to be like that.
Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/guns-n-roses-keyboardist-dizzy-reed-interviewed-by-sight-of-sound-audio/#dujKx0ZIsDXvkeOyeah, dizzy.....

Edited May 12, 2014 by maxpax

[maynard]

yeah, dizzy....tommy stinson is 16 years in that band but he is not responsible for that introduction into the hall of fame. is it really that hard to understand? NuGnR is not GNR. Its 2 different bands under the same name.

Regarding whether he regretted the fact that he didn't go to GUNS N' ROSES' Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, Dizzy said: "No, I don't regret it. You know, myself and Axl and Izzy [Stradlin, guitar], we made a decision. There's still some things I don't understand about it. There was opposition regarding a performance and having the current lineup perform, which to me was just ridiculous because Tommy Stinson has been in the band for, like, sixteen years. And Richard Fortus has been in the band for twelve years. Basically, most of those guys have been a member of GUNS N' ROSES longer than the guys who were there. So that didn't make any sense to me. I didn't understand who was behind that or why that had to be like that.

Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/guns-n-roses-keyboardist-dizzy-reed-interviewed-by-sight-of-sound-audio/#dujKx0ZIsDXvkeOyeah, dizzy.....

And yet I'm the cupcake. If asking questions which I know the answers for is trolling, what about Dizzy and his inability to understand why Tommy and Richard were not invited?

[Apollo]

*IF* Rock and Roll Hall of Fame agreed with the new lineup perfomance, *MAYBE* it could happened a reunion perfomance also.

Exactly. At the end of the day, Axl just wanted the new band to be treated with respect. Had the organizers made a slight compromise, and allowed modern GNR to perform, they would have made Axl more amenable to doing something with the old band.

Life is all about reaching a middle ground.

Wow. You should share all the details of that info. All I've seen is the "letter" from Axl, I didn't know that people had actually tracked down the specifics of what actually went on behind the scenes. Do you have a link for that? Thanks.

[gunnari]

WHERE IS IZZY???????

[SlashisGOD]

I personally can't see why the new band would even be considered for playing that night. They haven't done jack shit and certainly don't deserve to be regarded in the same league as Slash and co. If Axl seriously thought his band could play that night, then he is more insane than I thought. This topic will never die though, all the "what could have been" talk will always exist. His unhealthy obsession with Slash is disturbing. Seriously, let the hate go. Slash doesn't give two shits.

[Lim666]

and now we have the proof from Dizzy that Axl, Izzy and Dizzy agreed together not to go to the HOF.
can someone dig out the Dizzy interviews a few weeks before that? wasnt he totally cool about all guys hanging together there and stuff?

[SlashisGOD]

I think he basically said he didn't know what was going to happen. I think he did, however, say he'd like to go. Can't remember really.

[Lim666]

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/506144/all-original-guns-n-roses-members-will-be-at-rock-hall-induction#/news/all-original-guns-n-roses-members-will-be-1006185362.story

"I know that all the original band is going to be there," keyboardist Dizzy Reed, the longest-standing member of the current GNR and an inductee that night, tells Billboard.com. "I don't know exactly what's going to go down. It's one of those things I'm sure will all come together and be really cool. I'm just going to go in with a good attitude and a clear head and a grateful heart."

here ya go, this is from February 12, 2012........what a man of his words, bah!!

Edited May 12, 2014 by Lim666

[Crash Diet]

I don't understand how Axl's wishes are more important than the others.

That's because you're a cupcake. Your purpose is to raise questions that have very apparent answers.

Again, whether you agree with it or not, Axl is the most sought after member of the old band. He draws bigger crowds than any of the other four (even when not performing to a particularly good level). And when you're in that sort of position, you have superior negotiation leverage.

Can you explain something: Given that Duff performed as GNR's bassist for 5 shows in April, can you explain why he would object to the new band being visibly present at the Hall of Fame ceremony? Duff McKagan is a pragmatic person; I don't see why he would protest about something that would:

A. Make sure Axl is present

B. Get Axl and Slash in the same room together

C. Open up the possibilility of the old band reconciling live

D. Make GNR's induction more historic

Edit: Try actually countering my post for a change.

Fair points but pragmacy dictates a reunion

Sorry

(for the record: i do NOT want to that happen. Not with this Axl. He is so embarassing)

[Crash Diet]

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/506144/all-original-guns-n-roses-members-will-be-at-rock-hall-induction#/news/all-original-guns-n-roses-members-will-be-1006185362.story

"I know that all the original band is going to be there," keyboardist Dizzy Reed, the longest-standing member of the current GNR and an inductee that night, tells Billboard.com. "I don't know exactly what's going to go down. It's one of those things I'm sure will all come together and be really cool. I'm just going to go in with a good attitude and a clear head and a grateful heart."

here ya go, this is from February 12, 2012........what a man of his words, bah!!

So Dizzy is just a liar, like DJ

I think doesn't deserve to tour with the UYI line up

[SlashisGOD]

Axl probably threatened to fire Dizzy after he gave that interview, thus Dizzy did not attend.

[DR DOOM]

Dizzy hasn't gotten this far by rocking the good ship Axl, we all know that.

I like Chinese Democracy just fine, but having DJ and the current "new" GNR onstage at the RNRHOF would have sucked.

I'm not a M.K. fan either, but the performance they put on was amazing- didn't need 3 guitarists and 2 keyboards, bongos, maracas or a triangle...

[SlashisGOD]

If anything, Slash/Duff/Steven proved they are the real GN'R that night. I'd welcome an album with those three plus Gilby.

[John Bonham]

If anything, Slash/Duff/Steven proved they are the real GN'R that night. I'd welcome an album with those three plus Gilby.

Agreed.

The Real GN'R showed-up and rocked-out.

Fake GN'R wrote letters and complained about the money.

[niceguy]

yeah, dizzy....tommy stinson is 16 years in that band but he is not responsible for that introduction into the hall of fame. is it really that hard to understand? NuGnR is not GNR. Its 2 different bands under the same name.

Regarding whether he regretted the fact that he didn't go to GUNS N' ROSES' Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, Dizzy said: "No, I don't regret it. You know, myself and Axl and Izzy [Stradlin, guitar], we made a decision. There's still some things I don't understand about it. There was opposition regarding a performance and having the current lineup perform, which to me was just ridiculous because Tommy Stinson has been in the band for, like, sixteen years. And Richard Fortus has been in the band for twelve years. Basically, most of those guys have been a member of GUNS N' ROSES longer than the guys who were there. So that didn't make any sense to me. I didn't understand who was behind that or why that had to be like that.Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/guns-n-roses-keyboardist-dizzy-reed-interviewed-by-sight-of-sound-audio/#dujKx0ZIsDXvkeOyeah, dizzy.....

Hahaha this is priceless!

Yes, Tommy is why the world loved GNR. After all, Tommy has been Axl's employee for 15 years and one totally crappy record!

Hahaha

[T-Minus]

At the end of the day, the guys that turned up, thanked the fans and put on a great show were the winners. Bitter Axl with his holier than thou crap lost out. Not only that, the fans lost out because of his stubborness and self importance. It's done now anyway.

[dalsh327]

Most induction performances aren't all that memorable, maybe a small handful.

Rod Stewart even gave Axl crap about being a no-show, then he got sick, making that his second no-show.

I'm sure Axl left it up to Dizzy whether he wanted to go or not, he said he wasn't stopping anyone from attending, and I really doubt he would have fired him, but it's just knowing that not everyone was going to be there and it would have bummed his "boss" out. I doubt Izzy cared about it either way, he just didn't want to spend money is probably why.

[Lim666]

I'm sure Axl left it up to Dizzy whether he wanted to go or not, he said he wasn't stopping anyone from attending, and I really doubt he would have fired him, but it's just knowing that not everyone was going to be there and it would have bummed his "boss" out. I doubt Izzy cared about it either way, he just didn't want to spend money is probably why.

Dude, just read what Dizzy said in this interview. he said that Axl, Izzy and himself made the no-going-decision together.

Edited May 13, 2014 by Lim666

[downzy]

*IF* Rock and Roll Hall of Fame agreed with the new lineup perfomance, *MAYBE* it could happened a reunion perfomance also.

Exactly. At the end of the day, Axl just wanted the new band to be treated with respect. Had the organizers made a slight compromise, and allowed modern GNR to perform, they would have made Axl more amenable to doing something with the old band.

Life is all about reaching a middle ground.

Under what grounds does the "new" band deserved to be treated with respect? Have they done anything to warrant anything other than the opportunity to buy a visitors ticket at the gala?

We're talking about "middle ground" with a guy who felt slighted because his "new" band, which has done almost shit all for over fifteen years, was suppose to be given equal consideration to one of the greatest bands ever to exist. Myself, and most of sane minded public have one response to that kind of consideration:

Axl continued on with the name and acknowledges that it's a completely different band. So if it's a completely different band, what standing does that band have to show up to the R&RHOF? None. He can't have it both ways. If he wants to continue with the name, he can't consider the work of the new band as significant as the old band since the new band hasn't done much of anything.

I'm not arguing that the new band deserve your respect. My point is that if the Hall of Fame organizers were pragnatic, they would have heeded Axl's wishes in order to create a truly historic night. Whether you agree with it or not, Axl was the person that most people were excited about turning up. The Hall of Fame botched that possibility by trying to force an arrangement that was never going to satisfy Axl. If you have two conflicting camps, one camp is not going to participate if the terms are greatly favouring the other.

I'm not sure why you feel the new band performing a song equates to 'equal consideration'. I never mentioned them being inducted, did I? If the new band performing is the way to get Axl involved; so be it. Be pragmatic.

In relation to your last point, are you aware that Chinese Democracy was part of the honoured discography?

Last paragraph: There is nothing for you to argue here. I'm simply pointing out that Axl being at the ceremony would have been exponentially better for the fans than Axl not being there. In the end, the Hall of Fame operated out of a sense of principle, instead of being pragmatic.

Who gives a shit about a camp that had nothing to do with why the band was being inducted?

In what fantasy world should the terms not favour the classic line versus the new lineup? And what other role would there be for the new band other than to play a song? Is Tommy going to make a speech about all of his accomplishments while in GNR?

Chinese Democracy was listed in the discography; it wasn't a reason why GNR was being inducted. Bit of a difference.

It wasn't the R&R HOF that made Axl's decision not to attend, it was Axl's. By virtue of demanding equal (or even somewhat less than) consideration for his new act, Axl's making his decision known. If someone demands x, y, and z, it's not the organization that has to warp reality to meet those demands that's forcing a person's decision. The night was meant to celebrate the band that made amazing music 25 years ago, not some band that's been a little more than a joke for the last fifteen.

Edited May 13, 2014 by downzy

[maynard]

Great post downzy. Lol @ Axl for demanding his band to be there like the manchild that he is.