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Re: My Pow-Wow with Dizzy Reed of Guns N’ Roses Connie Hall-Scott )
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Dizzy Reed is coming to Georgia this Saturday. Best known for his tenure as the keyboardist for Guns N’ Roses, with whom he has played, toured, and recorded since 1990, Dizzy will be at Wild Bill’s in Atlanta playing all your favorite Guns N’ Roses (GNR) tunes, along with some new stuff from his upcoming CD, titled “Rock N Roll Ain’t Easy.”
Apart from Axl Rose, Dizzy is the longest standing member of GNR. Because GNR’s “Appetite for Destruction” is my all-time-favorite-Get-Motivated-CD, I was beside myself when the opportunity to chat with Dizzy presented itself last week.
Here’s how that went:
“Why do they call you Dizzy?” I wanted to know.
“That’s my name,” he answered. “My real name is Dizwald.”
“Really?” I asked, hoping disappointment wasn’t evident in my voice. I mean, come on, what kind of rock star name is Dizwald?
“No,” he chuckled. “My parents weren’t that cool. It’s a long sort-of thing I grew into. When I was with my former band, The Wild, I used to go by ‘DZ’ and just to mess with me they used to call me Dizzy. I started answering to it just to keep them from messing with me. As it turns out, it’s probably the most appropriate nickname for me.”
His “real name” is Darren Reed.
It is well known that musicians, especially when on the road, get a kick out of playing practical jokes on each other. I asked Dizzy if he was prone to prank.
“I’ve always just, after the show, gone back to my hotel to read a book and go to sleep,” he answered angelically. “It keeps me out of trouble.”
“Really?” I asked.
“Of course not,” he replied. “But I usually put my energy elsewhere. We play a lot of Poker and race Hot Wheels on the road.”
“Did you say Hot Wheels,” I asked. “As in, the little cars?”
Dizzy explained that Tommy Stinson, GNR’s bassist, brought Hot Wheels cars on the tour bus once. With the hours and hours the guys had to entertain themselves, they put the cars down at one end of the bus. When the driver shifted gears, or went around a curve, the cars would move a little. Victory went to the first car to reach the finish line.
“Sometimes the cars won’t move for 30 minutes,” he said. “It’s like a horse race. You put a little money down … the issue comes when some of the guys are in their bunks, trying to sleep, and you’re yelling for your car to win.”
The key, Dizzy explained, is finding a good car. When he was on tour in Paris, France, he went to the Ferrari dealership and bought some official Ferrari Hot Wheels.
“Those things are bad ass,” he relayed. “They weren’t cheap.”
“Do you win a lot?” I quizzed.
“I never lose,” he said.
“I heard you were in the recording studio yesterday,” I told him. “What’s going on? Can we expect a follow-up to ‘Chinese Democracy’ any time soon?”
“Most days off I’m in one studio or another,” Dizzy shared. “But no, GNR is taking some time off right now. Yesterday I was working on a concept album, still in its infantile stage, nothing worth talking about yet.”
As far as a follow-up to “Chinese Democracy,” GNR’s last album, released in 2008, goes, Dizzy is hopeful.
“You knew Axl Rose and the original line-up of GNR before they became huge,” I said. “Did you, at that time, have any idea you’d someday join them?”
“The first time I saw them I said to myself, ‘this band is going to be huge,’” Dizzy shared. “They had all the great elements on stage. They were doing something that seemed important. They had the right songs, a great frontman, and character. I wanted to be in that band.”
In the 80s GNR practiced in a warehouse next to where Dizzy’s band “The Wild” practiced. That’s how he first met the original Guns.
“Axl had a plan in place,” Dizzy said. “He wanted to add a keyboard and when he met me he decided I would be that guy. People sit around, drinking beers, and everybody’s got ideas and plans. Ninety-nine percent of those plans never happen. I was hoping Axl’s would, but I wasn’t counting on it. They’d come back to town, I’d run into them, and they’d say ‘We’re going to need you soon.’”
Then one day they called.
“It didn’t hit me until I read something in LA Weekly that said ‘Izzy, Dizzy, and Slash in the same band,” Dizzy recalled.
“Well, that didn’t last long!”
Slash, GNR’s original lead guitarist, and Izzy Stradlin, GNR’s original rhythm guitarist, left GNR after Dizzy joined the band.
“What has kept you with Guns this long?” I asked.
“I believe in what we’re doing,” he answered. “At the end of the day my loyalty is with Axl and GNR. When someone has left, we’ve brought in someone just as good or better. The lineup we have now is the best we’ve ever had.*** In the studio there’s a lot of energy.**** There’s no reason to leave. Guns is still my number one priority.”
Dizzy will be bringing his own band, DFR, with him to Atlanta on Saturday. In addition to GNR hits, they will perform songs from Dizzy’s forthcoming CD, “Rock n Roll Ain’t Easy.”
“We’ve been playing these songs around the world,” Dizzy said. “A lot of people are waiting for my record. These things take time, sometimes a couple of years, sometimes 16 years.”
I laughed at Dizzy’s good-natured reference to the 16-year time span between GNR’s “The Spaghetti Incident?” and the long-awaited release of “Chinese Democracy.”
Dizzy expects “Rock n’ Roll Ain’t Easy” to come out this summer. On it he plays with a variety of musicians, including Richard Fortus and Todd Youth (both of GNR), Mike Duda and Mike Dupke (W.A.S.P), Frankie Banali (Quiet Riot), Ricky Warwick (Thin Lizzy), and a host of others.
“All self-respecting rockers have tattoos,” I declared. “What kind of ink do you have?”
“I’ve got a few different things,” he said. “I have a lot of naked girls, beer bottles, the moon, stars, dragons, different animals … I have a buffalo, in homage to my hometown of Bolder, Colorado. All of my stuff kind-of means something to me.”
My 13 year-old son, Adam Scott, is in love with his electric guitar. I asked Dizzy what advice he could offer my own budding rock star.
“It’s practice, practice, practice, practice, and more practice,” Dizzy said. “And school. When you’re 13, you don’t see how important school is, but you find out later. At the end of the day, Rock n’ Roll is a dream but if you decide you want to do it, it’s still a job. For anybody who has had success, they have worked really, really hard. It’s the people who work the hardest who go the furthest.”
Finally, I asked Dizzy what the future holds for Dizzy Reed.
“Well, I bought a lottery ticket so I’m hoping …” he laughed. “No, I’ve been very, very fortunate in my life to have been given a talent and to be able to use it. I’m just hoping to be doing this as long as I can and that people will still enjoy it and want to come out and be a part of it. I want to keep Rock n’ Roll alive. If I can keep young bands alive, that’s what it’s all about.”
You can keep up with Dizzy’s comings and goings online at dizzyreedmusic on Facebook and at dizwaldmusic on MySpace.
On Saturday, Dizzy and DFR will headline for the up-and-coming band, Years of Sorrow, and Years of Sorrow’s CD release party. Wild Bill’s is located at 2075 Market Street, in Duluth. For more information, call (678) 473-1000. Tickets can be purchased online at Etix.com.
Contributing writer Connie Hall-Scott lives in Whitfield County.
Re: My Pow-Wow with Dizzy Reed of Guns N’ Roses Connie Hall-Scott )
Other than the claims that the lineup is the best they ever had, it was an interesting read. The saying shit because you have to say it has to stop. It just makes them look bad. This isn't even the best new band lineup.
Re: My Pow-Wow with Dizzy Reed of Guns N’ Roses Connie Hall-Scott )
Lmao, the best band they've ever had. Yeah, like what the fuck ever Dizwild. Maybe in chemistry, but like my main man Buzz said - 2011 isn't even the best new era band. One could argue they're stronger than the 2006 version right now, but not by any kind of lead. Plus the 2006 band seemed to have more energy.
Other than that really stupid, "Mr. Rose is my boss" comment, this is pretty decent Dizzy interview, seeing how I don't think he's said/or been asked much in quite a while.
Re: My Pow-Wow with Dizzy Reed of Guns N’ Roses Connie Hall-Scott )
Oh yeah, and this is another confirmation that DJ is full of shit about them writing a new album.
Considering Axl's boys have been Dizzy & Chris on the new era recordings since about '98 or so, I highly doubt Axl's working new material without them.
Re: My Pow-Wow with Dizzy Reed of Guns N’ Roses Connie Hall-Scott )
Oh yeah, and this is another confirmation that DJ is full of shit about them writing a new album.
Considering Axl's boys have been Dizzy & Chris on the new era recordings since about '98 or so, I highly doubt Axl's working new material without them.
I don't remember DJ ever saying the band was all writing new music together. People have inferred that from his comments. But working on new music could easily mean tweaking stuff that's in the vault, it'd be new to us and the rest of the world, even if it isn't really new. And because he's said he's heard some amazing stuff Axl has written, doesn't mean it's NEW stuff written by the whole band either. I think people are making DJ's comments look worse than they are.
Re: My Pow-Wow with Dizzy Reed of Guns N’ Roses Connie Hall-Scott )
No they aren't. He said it, he inferred it.
The guy has been associated with Crue for years, he's IN Sixx:AM AND Guns N' Roses.
He's not a baby. He knows what those comments will do with the media, and he runs with it, because he knows it's the only way people will pay enough attention to him for him to pimp his stuff.
Notice he drops plugs in just about every interview he does.
He's a playah, don't even worry about it.
Re: My Pow-Wow with Dizzy Reed of Guns N’ Roses Connie Hall-Scott )
DJ's going to pimp his stuff whether he talks about GNR or not. The man is excited to be a part of GNR, he's thankful for the opportunity, and you're damn right he's going to take advantage of it while he can. Who hasn't? Tommy's taking advantage of it, Dizzy is, Frank is, Richard is, Ron is, Chris is. They're all doing it at different levels. DJ is just more fearless to open his mouth about GNR. The guy hasn't promised one god damn thing GNR related, he's just speaking positively about the situation. Have we become so jilted and jaded that we have to vilify band members for giving us SOMETHING to look forward to?
Re: My Pow-Wow with Dizzy Reed of Guns N’ Roses Connie Hall-Scott )
jsut cuz a guy tells you he has stuff for sale doesnt mean you have to buy it
we live in a world of commercialization its how people make money...DJ has worked from obscurity to as point where he has managed to get involved with 2 of the biggest 80-90's rockstars ion the world, i doubt he did it by sitting around in his appt..hes a go-getter and he has multiple things happening at all times...he is a muscian, a graphic designer, a producer and he happens to sell merch on the side....you wanna become known you gotta let people know you are there..hell Axl talked about similar stuff in his online chats
Re: My Pow-Wow with Dizzy Reed of Guns N’ Roses Connie Hall-Scott )
DJ's going to pimp his stuff whether he talks about GNR or not.
But the media is ONLY gonna talk to him if he has something GN'R-related to deliver. Even if it's made up gossip.
The man is excited to be a part of GNR, he's thankful for the opportunity, and you're damn right he's going to take advantage of it while he can. Who hasn't?
Robin Finck, Brian Carroll, Tommy Stinson (you're wrong), Brain...
Tommy's taking advantage of it,
When? I don't ever EVER remember Tommy playing up being in Guns. Mats & Soul Asylum, yeah, but GN'R - no. I think that's pretty telling, considering even new Guns is more known that the other two. Respected... that's a different story.
Dizzy is, Frank is, Richard is, Ron is, Chris is. They're all doing it at different levels.
You're right, they did.
DJ is just more fearless to open his mouth about GNR.
"Shame"less is different than fearless.
The guy hasn't promised one god damn thing GNR related, he's just speaking positively about the situation. Have we become so jilted and jaded that we have to vilify band members for giving us SOMETHING to look forward to?
Look forward to fucking what? DJ HIMSELF said it wouldn't see the light of day.
Re: My Pow-Wow with Dizzy Reed of Guns N’ Roses Connie Hall-Scott )
First off, media types are not talking to DJ just because he's in GNR. And they certainly wouldn't avoid talking to him if he didn't discuss GNR. If you listen or read ALL of his interviews, GNR is only part of the equation. His work in SixxAM is far more relevant at this stage than his work in GNR. At least he's appeared on two of their albums to this point.
And Tommy uses GNR to his advantage in the respect that he's gained fans from simply being in GNR. I had no clue who Tommy was before he joined GNR. I'd have no interest in him, wouldn't follow him on twitter, etc. if he wasn't in GNR. Same with the rest of the members. I said, they all do it on different levels, and obviously DJ pimps himself far more than others. But the same goes for him. He's opened to a whole different, and larger fanbase just by being a part of GNR.
And again, I look forward to WHATEVER may come. We haven't heard the last of GNR. They're due to perform at RIR. That, we know. Aside from that, who knows. They could play that show and call it a day. They could springboard off that show and launch another tour, release more music. We just don't know. Nobody does at this point. DJ said Axl's got all these songs, but most of them will probably never be heard (or something to that effect). That doesn't mean that it will go down like that, but I've been quite vocal lately about my increasingly low expectations for this band. Yet, I'm still here, hopeful that they'll bring something worthwhile to the table.
