A Conversation With Dizzy Reed

TDD PRSHOTInterview
Dizzy Reed
Guns ‘N’ Roses
Dead Daisies
By: Joseph Suto

 

 

 

We recently had the opportunity to talk to Guns N’ Roses and Dead Daisies keyboardist Dizzy Reed. Reed was able to fill us in on everything he is currently up to with both bands and gave us an inside look on all his other projects. The Dead Daisies were on the road opening the Kiss/Def Leppard tour this August as well as played some dates opening for Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bad Company earlier this summer.

Reed called his recruitment into The Dead Daisies as kind of a hand down, word of mouth situation. He and current G ‘N” R bandmate Richard Fortus were in Australia on tour and Fortus mentioned to him how he was playing with this band on off dates. So Reed decided to join up with The Dead Daisies and the rest is history.

The Dead Daisies of course were formed by vocalist Jon Stevens (INXS) and guitarist David Lowy in 2012. The band have been joined by a rotating selection of musicians during their history. Currently joining the band alongside Stevens, Lowy, Fortus and Reed are drummer Brian Tichy (Foreigner/Whitesnake) and bassist Marco Mendoza (Thin Lizzy/Whitesnake).

They were one of the acts on the 2013 edition of Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival where they kind of hid in the weeds by playing the second stage. The band has since released their first album last year as well as an EP Face I Love in 2014.

Reed of course, is best known for being with Guns N’ Roses during the Use Your Illusion era. When comparing that version of GNR and the current version Reed offered “I’ve been on the inside the whole time so to me its been a steady natural evolution for the band to get to where it is now. Obviously back in the Use Your Illusion days we were younger a little more immortal and to be honest we are all lucky to be alive. The new band is kind of where any band would be at this point in their career. We’re used to touring, we know what to do and we know how to do it.”

The band has gone through many personnel where only singer Axl Rose and Reed are left from the Use Your Illusion days. Reed said “As people quit, they were replaced and between Axl and whoever else was in the band and myself sort of handpicked who was gonna come in next, so we ended up putting together probably one of the best bands I ever played with.

“Going back to the Use Your Illusion days, that band was what it was. It was a huge ball of energy and they were hitting on all cylinders when I joined. I was happy to be a part of that and I’m still happy to be a part of it.

Make no mistake while Reed enjoys playing with the Dead Daisies and would like to play with them for as long as he can, his first priority is with G’N’R and when they call that’s where he will be.

Reed put together Hookers N’ Blow a cover band with Alex Grossi from Quiet Riot ten years ago. Reed and Grossi are celebrating that band’s ten year anniversary by touring this fall with shows in Los Angeles, Vegas and some select east coast dates, which they are currently in the midst of.

About six years ago Reed wrote and laid down twelve songs with friend Del James and those recordings may finally be coming to life as Reed found the right personnel to mix the songs and should be out soon. Reed stated “I just had to put it on the back-burner but its a passion of mine to finally put out some songs that I wrote and sang.”

He’s also working with his daughter Shade on an album. He’s showing the up and comer singer-songwriter the ropes. Reed said “She’s got a great voice and she’s got some great ideas. No timeline on that yet but I think when she’s ready it will come out”.

Reed says if you get to this point of your career you have to live music 24/7. He says if you have any success it has to be that way. He said he enjoys writing songs and considers himself very fortunate and lucky to be able to have made a career out of this.

He jokingly added that he manages to squeeze in a little golf as well and even manages to catch a game on television every now and then. Reed said “My brain’s gonna explode cause I’ve too many things going on”.

About Joseph Suto

Location: Buffalo, NY Photographer/Reviewer
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