A Rock and Roll Hall of Famer who used his illusion on the street of dreams, Dizzy Reed is out to explain why 'Rock n Roll Chose Me' with his new solo album. His second solo work is a deeply personal one, but his priority still lies with Guns n' Roses, of whom he's been a member for three and a half decades. "Number one for me is always G N' R", he clarifies; "It's because of G N 'R that I can do things like this and I've been so fortunate to be able to play rock and roll music for a living". Discussing the new album and its themes including mental health, unity, and positive change, we sat down with the multi-instrumentalist. Dust n' bones; Eamon O'Neill.
Photo; press.
Hi Dizzy, how are you doing today?
I'm doing good man. Thanks for having me on.
We're here to talk about new album, 'Rock N' Roll Chose Me', and first off, what a title.
Yeah. I mean, it's like, I didn't choose rock and roll. Rock and roll chose me. It is my second solo effort, and I am very excited. I feel sort of free and liberated now because it's finally out. It took a while to put it out for various reasons, but it's out now, so, I yeah, I'm very, very happy.
Guns n' Roses has kept you exceptionally busy in recent years, so how did you find the time to do this?
Well, we have a little bit of downtime here and there, and I'm fortunate enough to be able to do things like this. Honestly, a lot of the songs were kind of floating around in cyberspace or in my head, and I just made a list of the ten songs that I wanted to finish and put on this record. So a lot of the pre-production and stuff was done, and then it was just a matter of getting in the studio with the with the guys, and hammering it out, and then working on it when I could, here at my studio and up at Jason [Achilles Mezilis] who co-produced the record with me, up at his studio too.
So you go into your home studio, start building tracks and working on pieces of music, and then you deliver that to the band?
Yes, that's pretty much how it works. I have folders of stuff that I would love to finish one day, but it's good to focus on certain ones and just make them. It's not easy to write songs. It takes a lot of hard work. It's a craft, and I just try to do it and focus on it when I can.
Before we get to the songs, I want to talk about the album cover which features a vintage snap of a very young you.
Yeah, that's an actual photo of me. I guess I'm 11 or 12 years old there. My parents were always kind enough to let my band rehearse in the basement, and that was when we were having band practice. My mom came in, she was taking pictures, and I guess I didn't want my picture taken or something, so I flipped her the bird, and there it is.
Who'd have thought it'd appear on an album cover a number of years later?
Who would have thought! My mom, saved all. She's saved so many things like pictures and programs and stuff from all the gigs, and a lot of the gigs and stuff that I did when we were growing up. I've been doing this since I was like 11 years old, which is crazy when you think about it. But that was one of the pictures I came across. There's a few more, too, but that one just felt like it needed to be the album cover.
I'm doing good man. Thanks for having me on.
We're here to talk about new album, 'Rock N' Roll Chose Me', and first off, what a title.
Yeah. I mean, it's like, I didn't choose rock and roll. Rock and roll chose me. It is my second solo effort, and I am very excited. I feel sort of free and liberated now because it's finally out. It took a while to put it out for various reasons, but it's out now, so, I yeah, I'm very, very happy.
Guns n' Roses has kept you exceptionally busy in recent years, so how did you find the time to do this?
Well, we have a little bit of downtime here and there, and I'm fortunate enough to be able to do things like this. Honestly, a lot of the songs were kind of floating around in cyberspace or in my head, and I just made a list of the ten songs that I wanted to finish and put on this record. So a lot of the pre-production and stuff was done, and then it was just a matter of getting in the studio with the with the guys, and hammering it out, and then working on it when I could, here at my studio and up at Jason [Achilles Mezilis] who co-produced the record with me, up at his studio too.
So you go into your home studio, start building tracks and working on pieces of music, and then you deliver that to the band?
Yes, that's pretty much how it works. I have folders of stuff that I would love to finish one day, but it's good to focus on certain ones and just make them. It's not easy to write songs. It takes a lot of hard work. It's a craft, and I just try to do it and focus on it when I can.
Before we get to the songs, I want to talk about the album cover which features a vintage snap of a very young you.
Yeah, that's an actual photo of me. I guess I'm 11 or 12 years old there. My parents were always kind enough to let my band rehearse in the basement, and that was when we were having band practice. My mom came in, she was taking pictures, and I guess I didn't want my picture taken or something, so I flipped her the bird, and there it is.
Who'd have thought it'd appear on an album cover a number of years later?
Who would have thought! My mom, saved all. She's saved so many things like pictures and programs and stuff from all the gigs, and a lot of the gigs and stuff that I did when we were growing up. I've been doing this since I was like 11 years old, which is crazy when you think about it. But that was one of the pictures I came across. There's a few more, too, but that one just felt like it needed to be the album cover.
There's a great quote in the press release where you speak of the influence of Deep Purple's Jon Lord.
He was the greatest. I can't say it enough. He was amazing. He was a pioneer in a lot of ways. I know he comes from the old school, but he was there. The thing about the Hammond is. if you put it in the room, you can play with the big boys. I mean, sometimes it's too loud, and I hate to say that because it can really be loud. I remember seeing Uriah Heep, and at one point, I was like; "dude, you've got to turn that down!". I mean, I was in high school, but yeah, Jon Lord was a big influence on me and a lot of other people, and it's such an integral part of the Deep Purple sound. I take a lot of inspiration from him others as well, but definitely Jon Lord.
Did you learn all those tracks growing up, like 'Burn' and 'Child in Time'?
Yeah, 'Highway Star' and all that. You had to. I mean, we wanted to play those songs. There's certain solos, whether it's on the guitar, the organ, or whatever, where you can get away with just jamming, if you can do that. I prefer that, but then there's certain solos that are compositions, and you've got to play those exactly. People expect to hear those notes, that those parts, those hooks, so with his stuff, it's definitely a composition, and you have to play them like that, and you have to learn a lot. We used to do Stones' songs when we were kids, and we would just jam out, because it lends itself to that.
One of the first songs people will have heard from the album is 'Earn it 2 Burn it'; why was that a choice for a single for you?
I think I just I wanted people to hear it. I was excited for people to hear it. I'm super happy with the music, and I just thought what I'm singing about, I think it's always going to be timely, but especially right now. I just really wanted to get that message out there and get that music out there. I was very excited about, I think it's something that people can listen to, and it's a cool song, and if they want to read along to the lyrics or listen to what's happening, hopefully it'll make them think about what's going on in the world, and about making changes for the better for all of us. I think that's kind of the general message of the whole album, really, that we can do things together, and we can make changes together. We can't do it if we're divided. So, you know, stop giving into the hype and start to love one another, and I think that through music, that's possible.
It's a very upbeat, very positive album in general, musically.
Well, I definitely hit on some dark things, but again, it's just to make people think, so there's a few different subjects that I tackle on this. There's something for everybody. The title track, that's just a story about my adventures, but it's also a tribute to everyone who works their ass off, and what it's worth for them at the end of the day, whether that's your accomplishment, and the camaraderie of accomplishing things together, and me, it's like, no matter what I've been through, all the crazy shit I've been through my whole life, when we're together, when I'm on stage and the crowd's there and we're getting into it, it's all worth it. It's all worth it, man, because people come from different places and you have different views, but when we're there together, it's just proof that we can do it.
That kind of upbeat energy is really apparent in the first couple of tracks; 'Revolution L.A.', and 'D.I.B'; does that come from feeding off the band?
Really, those songs, I worked on. I like to work on stuff myself. I write a lot on the guitar, and sometimes certain things will be an inspiration, whether it's a riff, a beat, or a programmed sequence, because we have all this at our at our disposal now. So I just try to get things to a point where I think it's presentable and now it needs other input, and that how the music happens. Like, I bring in Jeff Duncan and Alex [Grossi] and all the great guitar players on this, and I'll run it by them and see where they can take it, add to the arrangement. So musically, I get everything as far as I can take it, and then lyrically, I like to bounce things off my friend Del James, and we'll go back and forth a little bit with the lyrics. I sometimes have nothing, and he'll say something out of the blue, and; "oh, yeah, that's it!". Other times I'll just say; "hey, can you look this over?" and; "does this read cool?" It's in all points in between.
The lyrical side then, is something that's clearly really important to you.
For sure. And again, there's a whole underlying theme for this, just to get people to think about those around them and themselves as well.
He was the greatest. I can't say it enough. He was amazing. He was a pioneer in a lot of ways. I know he comes from the old school, but he was there. The thing about the Hammond is. if you put it in the room, you can play with the big boys. I mean, sometimes it's too loud, and I hate to say that because it can really be loud. I remember seeing Uriah Heep, and at one point, I was like; "dude, you've got to turn that down!". I mean, I was in high school, but yeah, Jon Lord was a big influence on me and a lot of other people, and it's such an integral part of the Deep Purple sound. I take a lot of inspiration from him others as well, but definitely Jon Lord.
Did you learn all those tracks growing up, like 'Burn' and 'Child in Time'?
Yeah, 'Highway Star' and all that. You had to. I mean, we wanted to play those songs. There's certain solos, whether it's on the guitar, the organ, or whatever, where you can get away with just jamming, if you can do that. I prefer that, but then there's certain solos that are compositions, and you've got to play those exactly. People expect to hear those notes, that those parts, those hooks, so with his stuff, it's definitely a composition, and you have to play them like that, and you have to learn a lot. We used to do Stones' songs when we were kids, and we would just jam out, because it lends itself to that.
One of the first songs people will have heard from the album is 'Earn it 2 Burn it'; why was that a choice for a single for you?
I think I just I wanted people to hear it. I was excited for people to hear it. I'm super happy with the music, and I just thought what I'm singing about, I think it's always going to be timely, but especially right now. I just really wanted to get that message out there and get that music out there. I was very excited about, I think it's something that people can listen to, and it's a cool song, and if they want to read along to the lyrics or listen to what's happening, hopefully it'll make them think about what's going on in the world, and about making changes for the better for all of us. I think that's kind of the general message of the whole album, really, that we can do things together, and we can make changes together. We can't do it if we're divided. So, you know, stop giving into the hype and start to love one another, and I think that through music, that's possible.
It's a very upbeat, very positive album in general, musically.
Well, I definitely hit on some dark things, but again, it's just to make people think, so there's a few different subjects that I tackle on this. There's something for everybody. The title track, that's just a story about my adventures, but it's also a tribute to everyone who works their ass off, and what it's worth for them at the end of the day, whether that's your accomplishment, and the camaraderie of accomplishing things together, and me, it's like, no matter what I've been through, all the crazy shit I've been through my whole life, when we're together, when I'm on stage and the crowd's there and we're getting into it, it's all worth it. It's all worth it, man, because people come from different places and you have different views, but when we're there together, it's just proof that we can do it.
That kind of upbeat energy is really apparent in the first couple of tracks; 'Revolution L.A.', and 'D.I.B'; does that come from feeding off the band?
Really, those songs, I worked on. I like to work on stuff myself. I write a lot on the guitar, and sometimes certain things will be an inspiration, whether it's a riff, a beat, or a programmed sequence, because we have all this at our at our disposal now. So I just try to get things to a point where I think it's presentable and now it needs other input, and that how the music happens. Like, I bring in Jeff Duncan and Alex [Grossi] and all the great guitar players on this, and I'll run it by them and see where they can take it, add to the arrangement. So musically, I get everything as far as I can take it, and then lyrically, I like to bounce things off my friend Del James, and we'll go back and forth a little bit with the lyrics. I sometimes have nothing, and he'll say something out of the blue, and; "oh, yeah, that's it!". Other times I'll just say; "hey, can you look this over?" and; "does this read cool?" It's in all points in between.
The lyrical side then, is something that's clearly really important to you.
For sure. And again, there's a whole underlying theme for this, just to get people to think about those around them and themselves as well.
You mentioned some of the guitar players that you've worked with on the album, and I was blown away by the guitar solo first on 'D.I.B' and also 'Born a Number'.
We recorded 'D.I.B', and I had Alex Grossi, my good friend who I play with in Hookers & Blow, I had him do the guitars on it. So he came in, and basically we just get the guys when they're in town to come in and record, and we picked out certain songs that maybe we thought they should play on, so Alex is on 'D.I.B', and we realised the next day that we forgot to get the guitar solo. Jeff Duncan was coming in to do some other songs, and we said; "hey, while you're here, can you just play a solo on this?", and that dude, that was his first take, and we just kind of look at each other and we go; "okay, thank you. We got it!"
Then, on 'Born a Number', the ending of that, I kind of wanted to have my own little 'Free Bird' jam, so I had my friend Forrest Goss, who plays a guitar on a few of the songs, do some stuff. Then I had Mark Zavon. I just gave him the tracks, and I just said; "Lynyrd Skynyrd", basically. When he sent them back to me, I was like; "oh my god, this is it. We got it!" It's just so over the top, it's amazing.
One of my favourite tracks is actually the instrumental 'Intro Thru the Outro"; it sounds like you were having a lot of fun soloing on that one.
Keyboard wise, I'm trying to pay tribute to Booker T who was another one of my favourite players, Joh Lord as we already said, and also Edgar Winter. I did have fun with that. You know, originally that was all one song. There was a big intro I had for 'Earn it 2 Burn it', and everyone kind of convinced me that that was probably too long. So I wanted it to be like a double play, like [ZZ Top's] 'Jesus just left Chicago' and 'Waiting for the Bus', or [Journey's] 'Anytime', and 'Feeling that Way'; you know, one goes into the next thing. So that was a better idea. But yeah, it sets up the second side of the record really well.
We've talked about the title track, and there's some great lyrics on there; "I shoot lasers straight eight days a week with strict no refund policy".
That part refers to when you're first starting out, and you're always at the disposal of the people who run the bar, or the people that are running the party that you're playing at, and it's like they have no problem not paying you. They have no problem ripping you off, and when you get to a certain point, the way I like to do it is they send half the money in advance, and when I get there, they pay me the rest. They do that, then we'll have a great show, and everything else is up to them. I don't live in Toledo, I don't live in Anchorage, so it's your job to promote the show, and if no one shows up, it's not my fault, it's not on me. You need to work hard too, and then we're all happy. I have no problem thinking in that way because of all the times I've gotten ripped off, so I've got a 'no refund' policy. Man, that's works, and it is a lot of hard work. It's fun, yes, but to get to a certain level, whether it's writing songs, recording or performing, you have to put in the work. You absolutely have to. It doesn't just happen overnight. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you're not ready to bust your ass all the time, you're probably not going to be too successful.
We recorded 'D.I.B', and I had Alex Grossi, my good friend who I play with in Hookers & Blow, I had him do the guitars on it. So he came in, and basically we just get the guys when they're in town to come in and record, and we picked out certain songs that maybe we thought they should play on, so Alex is on 'D.I.B', and we realised the next day that we forgot to get the guitar solo. Jeff Duncan was coming in to do some other songs, and we said; "hey, while you're here, can you just play a solo on this?", and that dude, that was his first take, and we just kind of look at each other and we go; "okay, thank you. We got it!"
Then, on 'Born a Number', the ending of that, I kind of wanted to have my own little 'Free Bird' jam, so I had my friend Forrest Goss, who plays a guitar on a few of the songs, do some stuff. Then I had Mark Zavon. I just gave him the tracks, and I just said; "Lynyrd Skynyrd", basically. When he sent them back to me, I was like; "oh my god, this is it. We got it!" It's just so over the top, it's amazing.
One of my favourite tracks is actually the instrumental 'Intro Thru the Outro"; it sounds like you were having a lot of fun soloing on that one.
Keyboard wise, I'm trying to pay tribute to Booker T who was another one of my favourite players, Joh Lord as we already said, and also Edgar Winter. I did have fun with that. You know, originally that was all one song. There was a big intro I had for 'Earn it 2 Burn it', and everyone kind of convinced me that that was probably too long. So I wanted it to be like a double play, like [ZZ Top's] 'Jesus just left Chicago' and 'Waiting for the Bus', or [Journey's] 'Anytime', and 'Feeling that Way'; you know, one goes into the next thing. So that was a better idea. But yeah, it sets up the second side of the record really well.
We've talked about the title track, and there's some great lyrics on there; "I shoot lasers straight eight days a week with strict no refund policy".
That part refers to when you're first starting out, and you're always at the disposal of the people who run the bar, or the people that are running the party that you're playing at, and it's like they have no problem not paying you. They have no problem ripping you off, and when you get to a certain point, the way I like to do it is they send half the money in advance, and when I get there, they pay me the rest. They do that, then we'll have a great show, and everything else is up to them. I don't live in Toledo, I don't live in Anchorage, so it's your job to promote the show, and if no one shows up, it's not my fault, it's not on me. You need to work hard too, and then we're all happy. I have no problem thinking in that way because of all the times I've gotten ripped off, so I've got a 'no refund' policy. Man, that's works, and it is a lot of hard work. It's fun, yes, but to get to a certain level, whether it's writing songs, recording or performing, you have to put in the work. You absolutely have to. It doesn't just happen overnight. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you're not ready to bust your ass all the time, you're probably not going to be too successful.
One of my other favourite tracks on the album is the last song 'My Wounds Don't Bleed'. It's really anthemic, and it has some beautiful harmonies.
That one is a very special song for me. I had the music, and Nadja [Reed] and I were talking about how I knew I wanted to make the song about mental health, just so people could hear the song and would know that; "hey, you're not alone. You can get help", and also for people who don't have mental health issues, but know somebody who has mental health issues, or you know someone who's very close to them, to help them try to understand a little bit about what it's like.
That's a very positive thing you're doing.
The craziest thing is, I think that night, or the next night, my daughter came over to visit, and I've worked on some songs with her, and she's a great singer, and she goes; "I've got these lyrics, this poem", and just handed it to me. It was the weirdest thing, and she was just pouring her guts out about the things that she suffers from, and it was just kind of like; "okay, well, now it's now it's happening". It's just so strange, but so cool at the same time, and beautiful that she was really willing to do that and handed that to me. So I guess it was fate, but her and Nadja both sing on that song with me, and yes, I'm very happy with the harmonies. It was something. It wasn't easy pouring your guts out like that, but hopefully people will hear that, and it will help them in some way, understand things, or to know that you can get help and you're not alone, that it works and you can do it. It's not like when I was a kid; there was nothing like that, man. People just didn't accept it. It was; "oh, he'll get over it, he's just sad", and then you don't understand it, and you start thinking; "well, maybe I'm just nuts", and unfortunately, it can still be like that today. So we want people to know that you can get help. There's medications that do work, and now psychotherapy does work, and if people aren't on board with it, at least know that you can get help. And if they are, that's even better.
You're obviously very passionate about that.
That's not to mention the fact that, even more importantly, we've lost a lot of people because of that. That's just incredibly tragic, and it's happening every day, so there's got to be a way to let people know that they can get help, and I don't know, just really try to get to them and reach them and hope that we can prevent that from happening.
It sounds like that's an incredible amount of emotions to going into one song. Obviously, you're trying to help people, but you're also trying to do the song justice, and then you're reading your daughter's lyrics as well. How do you do that?
Well, she handed me that, and I just kind of shaped them and filled in the blanks here and there and made it right. As always, I had help from my lovely wife, Nadja, who I bounced things off. She's the first person I bounce things off of. She can see things and hear things that I don't, and especially if you're wrapped up in the song for a long time. But yeah, we saved that one for last to do the vocals, because I knew that I was going to be spent after singing, so that was the last song we recorded. My daughter, she does such a great job, and she's got a beautiful voice, and Nadja and I, we've been singing together in Hookers & Blow for a long time, so it all worked really well. I think it definitely captures the feelings, the emotions and the heaviness of the of the subject in the song without being too much.
That one is a very special song for me. I had the music, and Nadja [Reed] and I were talking about how I knew I wanted to make the song about mental health, just so people could hear the song and would know that; "hey, you're not alone. You can get help", and also for people who don't have mental health issues, but know somebody who has mental health issues, or you know someone who's very close to them, to help them try to understand a little bit about what it's like.
That's a very positive thing you're doing.
The craziest thing is, I think that night, or the next night, my daughter came over to visit, and I've worked on some songs with her, and she's a great singer, and she goes; "I've got these lyrics, this poem", and just handed it to me. It was the weirdest thing, and she was just pouring her guts out about the things that she suffers from, and it was just kind of like; "okay, well, now it's now it's happening". It's just so strange, but so cool at the same time, and beautiful that she was really willing to do that and handed that to me. So I guess it was fate, but her and Nadja both sing on that song with me, and yes, I'm very happy with the harmonies. It was something. It wasn't easy pouring your guts out like that, but hopefully people will hear that, and it will help them in some way, understand things, or to know that you can get help and you're not alone, that it works and you can do it. It's not like when I was a kid; there was nothing like that, man. People just didn't accept it. It was; "oh, he'll get over it, he's just sad", and then you don't understand it, and you start thinking; "well, maybe I'm just nuts", and unfortunately, it can still be like that today. So we want people to know that you can get help. There's medications that do work, and now psychotherapy does work, and if people aren't on board with it, at least know that you can get help. And if they are, that's even better.
You're obviously very passionate about that.
That's not to mention the fact that, even more importantly, we've lost a lot of people because of that. That's just incredibly tragic, and it's happening every day, so there's got to be a way to let people know that they can get help, and I don't know, just really try to get to them and reach them and hope that we can prevent that from happening.
It sounds like that's an incredible amount of emotions to going into one song. Obviously, you're trying to help people, but you're also trying to do the song justice, and then you're reading your daughter's lyrics as well. How do you do that?
Well, she handed me that, and I just kind of shaped them and filled in the blanks here and there and made it right. As always, I had help from my lovely wife, Nadja, who I bounced things off. She's the first person I bounce things off of. She can see things and hear things that I don't, and especially if you're wrapped up in the song for a long time. But yeah, we saved that one for last to do the vocals, because I knew that I was going to be spent after singing, so that was the last song we recorded. My daughter, she does such a great job, and she's got a beautiful voice, and Nadja and I, we've been singing together in Hookers & Blow for a long time, so it all worked really well. I think it definitely captures the feelings, the emotions and the heaviness of the of the subject in the song without being too much.
Photo; press.
As well as being released digitally, the album is actually getting a vinyl release, which is really cool.
When I'm putting an album together, I still think in terms of an album with two sides. That's just what I grew up on. That's the format that appeals to me the most, and that's the way I think. I know it's not totally necessary, but I wanted to do that with with this. So it's very, very exciting that it's coming out on vinyl. I don't know, it's just holding it in my hand, it's just a really cool feeling because I've held so many of those records in my hand when I was younger. My last album came out on vinyl too, and yeah, it just feels right. I know not everybody's into it, but they should be. And by the way, you can still order the special edition vinyl. It's on translucent orange, and it's autographed by me, and there's a poster, there's a sticker, and it's a limited edition. If anybody wants to do that, they can go to the bio page on my Instagram, Dizzy F'n Reed, and there's a link to click on to do that. They can also go to the 50q Records website to order it. It's pretty special.
You mentioned Jeff Duncan earlier; that's Jeff from Armored Saint, right? Didn't you play on their excellent 2020 release 'Punching the Sky'?
That's correct, yeah. Yeah, I did. That was very cool. Jeff's a great friend, and Armored Saint, I've just mad respect for those guys. They're metal pioneers. They're still doing it, and they don't fuck around. They're great. I'm friends with their producer too, Bill Metoyer, who produced some great records, and I've worked with him a lot. So and Jeff and I are old, old friends from way, way, back, and it's cool that we're still doing it, and still around. He's one of my favourite guitar players. He's a metal king, but he's so well rounded, and people should know that about him. When you sit and you start talking music with Jeff, it's going to go way beyond metal; it's going to go deep. And he understands song writing and performing. He could sell anything, and I've done a lot of shows with Jeff. When I was out touring around, before my first record came out, I was playing those songs and doing a lot of shows around the states, and Jeff was my guitar player. I always feel comfortable with him on stage. I feel like, if something goes wrong with my voice or whatever, Jeff's there. He's amazing, and he's a great friend. He's a cool cat, and we have a lot of laughs together too.
That's probably the most important part, right?
It's one of them for sure, man. Yeah, have a laugh at other people and yourselves. While you're driving around in a van, things are going to get tense pretty quick.
What's happening for you going forward? I'm guessing you're out with G N' R again soon, but have you got any solo dates happening?
Well, number one for me is always G N' R. It's because of G N' R that I can do things like this and I've been so fortunate to be able to play rock and roll music for a living for the last forty-five, fifty years. Yeah, we start rehearsals next week. We'll be in South America coming up, and then after that, I'm trying to get some shows in around Christmas time, probably with Hookers & Blow, and we'll be doing some songs off this new record. Then I would like to get out there and play it in its entirety to anybody who wants to hear it.
You're the second longest serving member in Guns n' Roses. Does that blow your mind? You've been that band thirty-five years.
I just try not to think about it. It's always been, there's ups and downs, as there is with everything, but so many great shows, so many great memories, and you know, most of the guys who've come in and out of the band, we're still good friends, so most other guys, yeah [laughing].
You've got a an Irish passport holder in the band, in Mr. Duff McKagan.
And, you know, just for the record, my mother's side is Irish, so the McMasters. I looked that up the first time I went to Ireland, the family, so I've got to Irish in me too, and it's genuine
That's really great, but every time you come to Ireland, you must have a guest list the length of your arm!
You know, Vegas is the worst now because everybody's in Vegas. You go to Vegas and it's like, everybody's hitting you up. I just block everything.
Dizzy F'n Reed's 'Rock n Roll Chose Me' is available digitally, now. For limited edition vinyl, click here.
When I'm putting an album together, I still think in terms of an album with two sides. That's just what I grew up on. That's the format that appeals to me the most, and that's the way I think. I know it's not totally necessary, but I wanted to do that with with this. So it's very, very exciting that it's coming out on vinyl. I don't know, it's just holding it in my hand, it's just a really cool feeling because I've held so many of those records in my hand when I was younger. My last album came out on vinyl too, and yeah, it just feels right. I know not everybody's into it, but they should be. And by the way, you can still order the special edition vinyl. It's on translucent orange, and it's autographed by me, and there's a poster, there's a sticker, and it's a limited edition. If anybody wants to do that, they can go to the bio page on my Instagram, Dizzy F'n Reed, and there's a link to click on to do that. They can also go to the 50q Records website to order it. It's pretty special.
You mentioned Jeff Duncan earlier; that's Jeff from Armored Saint, right? Didn't you play on their excellent 2020 release 'Punching the Sky'?
That's correct, yeah. Yeah, I did. That was very cool. Jeff's a great friend, and Armored Saint, I've just mad respect for those guys. They're metal pioneers. They're still doing it, and they don't fuck around. They're great. I'm friends with their producer too, Bill Metoyer, who produced some great records, and I've worked with him a lot. So and Jeff and I are old, old friends from way, way, back, and it's cool that we're still doing it, and still around. He's one of my favourite guitar players. He's a metal king, but he's so well rounded, and people should know that about him. When you sit and you start talking music with Jeff, it's going to go way beyond metal; it's going to go deep. And he understands song writing and performing. He could sell anything, and I've done a lot of shows with Jeff. When I was out touring around, before my first record came out, I was playing those songs and doing a lot of shows around the states, and Jeff was my guitar player. I always feel comfortable with him on stage. I feel like, if something goes wrong with my voice or whatever, Jeff's there. He's amazing, and he's a great friend. He's a cool cat, and we have a lot of laughs together too.
That's probably the most important part, right?
It's one of them for sure, man. Yeah, have a laugh at other people and yourselves. While you're driving around in a van, things are going to get tense pretty quick.
What's happening for you going forward? I'm guessing you're out with G N' R again soon, but have you got any solo dates happening?
Well, number one for me is always G N' R. It's because of G N' R that I can do things like this and I've been so fortunate to be able to play rock and roll music for a living for the last forty-five, fifty years. Yeah, we start rehearsals next week. We'll be in South America coming up, and then after that, I'm trying to get some shows in around Christmas time, probably with Hookers & Blow, and we'll be doing some songs off this new record. Then I would like to get out there and play it in its entirety to anybody who wants to hear it.
You're the second longest serving member in Guns n' Roses. Does that blow your mind? You've been that band thirty-five years.
I just try not to think about it. It's always been, there's ups and downs, as there is with everything, but so many great shows, so many great memories, and you know, most of the guys who've come in and out of the band, we're still good friends, so most other guys, yeah [laughing].
You've got a an Irish passport holder in the band, in Mr. Duff McKagan.
And, you know, just for the record, my mother's side is Irish, so the McMasters. I looked that up the first time I went to Ireland, the family, so I've got to Irish in me too, and it's genuine
That's really great, but every time you come to Ireland, you must have a guest list the length of your arm!
You know, Vegas is the worst now because everybody's in Vegas. You go to Vegas and it's like, everybody's hitting you up. I just block everything.
Dizzy F'n Reed's 'Rock n Roll Chose Me' is available digitally, now. For limited edition vinyl, click here.
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