2018.03.07 - The Metalist TV - Interview with Dizzy

Transcript:

Dizzy: Hello?

Jess: Hi there. Is that Dizzy?

Dizzy: This is Dizzy yes.

Jess: This is Jess from The Metalist, South Africa. I just wanna say thank you very much for making the time to speak to me on behalf of the Metalist South Africa. We are all very excited to be having this chat with you.

Dizzy: Oh great, cool. My pleasure. Thanks for having me.

Jess: So now, I know you just returned from Australia where you were promoting your first solo album, Rock N' Rolling Ain't Easy. So I have to ask, do you have any plans to come visit us here in South Africa?

Dizzy:  Oh man. You know, I've been wanting to get down to South Africa for a long time, I've never been there. I was supposed to go there one time with Guns N' Roses and something happened and we ended up canceling the show. I would love to come down there, you know, for business or pleasure. One day I'll make it down there for sure.

Jess: Hopefully we'll see you soon. And then keeping to the topic of your album, creating a solo album is something very different when you have been part of a band for so long. What was it that appealed to you when creating your album?

Dizzy: Well, you know it was just something I wanted to take up, but I had a lot of help, I'm really into collaborating, I think, you know, a lot of times it's better to work with other people. I think I've been really lucky. I've gotten to work with a lot of very, very talented and successful people. So, you know, I'd be selling myself short if I didn't try to do that. In this case, I have a lot of songs that I believed so strongly about that I came up with the basic ideas myself, you know, but I couldn't have done it without the rest of the guys and what they added to the songs. And Del for his help and arranging the songs, Del James, who helped produce the record, [?] arranged the songs when they needed to be arranged and got the lyrics the way they sound.

Jess: Yeah, that was sort of my next question to you. As I know you had a few epic collaborations on this album, so it was just pretty much willing to know, working with them, what do you feel like they all brought to your music? Like a bit of something extra special?

Dizzy: Well, you know, it's just, most of the guys who play on the record are at the highest level, you know, they work at the highest level.

Jess: Definitely.

Dizzy: [?] a lot of the guys, like Richard Fortus and Mike Duda, who plays bass on a lot of the songs and Mike Dupke, who plays drums on a lot of them, they heard demos of the stuff that I've done and they really believed it in, they really wanted to make the service. In addition to their great performances and talent, they also had a... you know, they believed in it.

Jess: Yeah, which makes a difference I'm sure.

Dizzy: It definitely does. Also, no one was getting paid, so they had to be-

Jess: Yeah, it's gotta be something you're all passionate about. That's really awesome.

Dizzy: You know, we had no budget. Most of it was done for just the love of music. I guess they like hanging out with me, though.

Jess: That's wonderful. I feel like you managed to stay true to yourself as as a person and as your musicality in your album. Is it difficult to stay true to yourself as a musician in a world that keeps moving more and more towards a certain [?]?

Dizzy: Well, I tell you what, I enjoy all kinds of music and, you know, I think, you know, change is important and it can be scary sometimes. But you know, I'm always going to stay true to myself and what I do best. I can't pretend to be something I'm not. While I can appreciate a lot of new styles I know that that's not my thing. You know, I can't try to try to pull that off. What we did with this record was just something very [?] and something that, you know, we wanted it to sound, be like and feel like the records we liked growing up. You know, my dad always said, everything comes in cycles. So if you wait long enough, your style will come back, and I think he was probably right.

Jess: Yeah, 100%. Tell me, Dizzy, if you could do anything other than being a rock star, what would it be?

Dizzy: Oh man, that's something I haven't thought about in so long. You know. I guess, you know, something that would make a difference, I guess. You know, I always wanted to be archaeologist, but I don't know if I have the back for it.

Jess: Yeah, that's interesting.

Dizzy: You know, I wanted to be [?]. For a while I wanted to be a journalist. I wanted to write for newspapers and stuff, and I actually had a scholarship to go to University in Colorado.

Jess: Oh wow.

Dizzy: But I turned it down because I became sort of disillusioned with the way....They teach you one thing, they teach you that the our press is important to affect the 4th branch of government in America. And, you know, we would like to be able to be keep [?]. They're telling me I couldn't say certain things and basically what I had to write when I was in school and [?] I could sort of see how things were heading that way. And boy, was I right.

Jess: Yeah. But you can actually get your message through with your music.

Dizzy: Yeah, well, you know, I'm not sure what the message is sometimes. I just wanted to sort of relay feelings that other people might feel, so people can take out whatever you want. There's no big message, I think. There's a lot of imagery and, you know, there's obviously there was some things and personal experiences that maybe were sparks for some of the songs or, you know., [?]. You know, we could be changing them so they wouldn't be quite so personal. I think sometimes if you really lay your guts out there and it becomes a successful song you're kind of in trouble because in the end you have to play it every night, and I didn't want to do that.

Jess: Yeah, I think you're very right there.

Dizzy: A lot of it, too, are sort of tongue-in-cheek, I'm not that kind of person [?] and I hope that comes across. But if people are, you know, there's a song, Forgotten Cases, for instance, where, you know.... That song [?], I was on your with my band Hookers & Blow one time and after the show, we were in Cincinnati, OH, and we went to McDonald's and they didn't have any cheeseburgers. And I thought to myself, "That's ridiculous. This is the America. There's no cheeseburger at McDonald's?" So I called [?]. [?] number from the information here and they'll put you through to the White House., you know, just a secretary [?] answering the phone. I complained and wanted to talk to the president, and she laughed and said [?]. I got home I told my daughter [?] about that and she looked at me, "So what would you have said if you got through to the president?" So that's how I came up with Forgotten Cases.

Jess: Oh, that's very interesting. Thank you for sharing that with us.

Dizzy: Yeah, but it started off with a [?] drunken adventure [?] in Ohio [?].

Jess: Very cool. Tell me, what place in the world are you surprised that enjoys your music?

Dizzy: You know, anywhere.

[laughs]

Dizzy: I just... I think honestly... We started recording that record that 10 years ago. I ran into so many barriers and so many obstacles and basically didn't really have time to pursue what I needed to do and come up with the financing for it and everything. I gave up on it so many times. And I don't think I ever did have expectations for it, I just wanted to do it, get it out of my head. [?] thought people should hear it. So I didn't really have any expectations. I'm getting a lot of positive feedback and that's good. But at the same time, a little surprising because I never really thought about it.

Jess: Yeah. So it's always nice to see when it does actually get all over the world and people are enjoying it.

Dizzy: Yeah. And that's what it's for. When it comes down to it [?].

Jess: Exactly.

Dizzy: [?] you know, so that's great that's happening.

Jess: Wonderful. And then tell me, do you have any strange or interesting hobbies that you'd like to share with us?

Dizzy: Strange or interesting hobbies? How are you? [laughs] Well, I played ball, that's not really strange or interesting, but I'm really bad at it. [?]

Jess: Yes, that is interesting. I think it's a bit unexpected.

Dizzy: You know, I'm pretty boring.

Jess: You don't really have time for hobbies.

Dizzy: Yeah. You know, I read books and watch movies. I like to watch comedies over and over again.

Jess: To relax yourself. What I can tell you're very down to earth person. What would you say keeps you grounded as a person and as a musician?

Dizzy: Oh. Well, I tell you, I think that's just how I am. I was raised in a very good environment, my parents are really cool, they're still around. I started working for my dad when I was like 10 years old. Which is right about the same time that I started my first band. It started by the time I was 11 or 12 year old. I've seen a lot. I've been around a lot. And you know, I think I just found its important to be humble and work hard and good things will happen.

Jess: Very true.

Dizzy: That's kind of the big picture, you know, Obviously I have bad days and there's times when, you know, people probably don't wanna be around me. But I [?] that really quickly. I know that everybody works hard for what they do, most people, and it's just, you know, if our paths cross or if we are working together, I can appreciate that. You know, I think a lot of it, too, was when I first joined Guns N' Roses. They were like the biggest band in the world, I guess, but they taught me a lot about humility and how to act, you know, what's cool and what's not cool. And, you know, that helped a lot. And at the end of the day I'm just really appreciative that Axl gave me this opportunity, you know, to play with them all these years. And I think it's important, especially in music, but in life, to not lose sight of the big picture and what's going on around you. You know, if you're nice to people and help them out, [?].

Jess: Yeah, it's amazing what can come from it.

Dizzy: [?] and it will come back your way just because.

Jess: Definitely, you [?]. Now, why rock'n'roll? What is it about this specific genre that you feel speaks to you?

Dizzy: It's just exciting. You know, I grew up in a house where no one else in my house really played an instrument, but they loved music, there was always music on. My parents, you know, my parents, grew up in the 50s, 1950s. And I think a lot of rock'n'roll was brand new at that point. When I was growing up, it was still new. It was still something that people thought would just go away. My folks, a lot of people they grew up with, they eventually outgrew rock, like they had not listened to it anymore. But my folks never stopped exploring and listening to musing, it was always around, it was always on. And I think because it was so new and [?] that hadn't been [?] yet, yeah. But it's exciting. And it's also very accessible, jazz or classical music is not so much. But rock'n'roll, you can start a band and you can have one in your your basement or your garage. And like I said, my band started playing when I was 11 or 12, we were touring around and playing for money. Because you could. I don't know, it's very exciting to me. It's something about it. And now I can't really do anything else.

Jess: Well, we are happy for that. And tell me, when the writers block hits you, what do you do to get those creative juices flowing again?

Dizzy: Well, I'll tell you. [?] for anyone who has [?] creativity for living, you're running to some some downs. And I think it's important if you have an idea that, you know, you jot it down, [?] force anything out. But the main thing for me is like, the song Rock N' Rolling Ain't Easy, there was a time in my life [?] previous record, not really planning it to be in title track. [?] full circle, you know, my first marriage was broken up and I had all my stuff in my truck and I was living in a shitty apartment, it was raining outside and I was like, "God, what the hell happened?" And I thought, "You know what? I'm gonna take this moment. I'm gonna put it to work for me". I got my guitar, sat down, and out came that song. So it's important to [?] capture that moment and and just immerse yourself into creativity. Even when you have those dry spells. [...] I could have sat there and just, you know, felt sorry for myself. I turned it into a song.

Jess: Yeah, that's wonderful. And it actually makes you, you know, relatable as a human being. I think to all of us, we have those moments where we just look at our lives and we're like, "What has happened?"

Dizzy: You know, life's full of ups and downs. Happiness and heartbreak. Success and failure. And you have to learn from the bad things to be stronger and then move on to the good things.

Jess: Now, on the topic of success, every person that's successful has what seems to be a secret to success. What would you say has been the secret to success in your life?

Dizzy: Oh. Axl and Guns N' Roses. I gotta give them all the credit for, you know, and Axl especially, again, for, you know, inviting me to be a part of this. He didn't have to do that. But I'm a strong believer in there are situations where I think, you know, you create your own luck. Like a lot of people say, "Yeah, you were lucky" but I knew those guys like five years before that. I could have been a dick to them. But I saw them playing like, "God, I want to be in that band." So I did whatever I had to do to make that, you know, remote possibility [?]. And that's, you know, that's how you gotta [?] up and it's pretty simple, really. You know, there's a lot of talent[?] and hard work involved. Hard work is very important. [?] music and I wanted to pursue being in a rock band so I wouldn't have to work, so I wouldn't have to go [?]. And I probably work more now than I would have been doing something else. I'm working right now. I have a [?] at 10:00 at night [?].

Jess: Alright, and the last question I have for you is, what is the world got installed for Dizzy Reed for the year ahead? Aside from I'm sure a much needed vacation?

Dizzy: Man, a vacation would be great. I don't see that happen. You know, I wanted to take some time off but I got some offers to do some shows here in the next couple of weeks, [?] More touring with Guns N' Roses which I'm very excited about it. And, you know, if I can, and when I can, where I can, I'm gonna go out and try to promote my record and do some shows playing those songs. And, you know, I'll find some time just to relax and hang out and [?] bands out there and say hi. [?] write some more songs.

Jess: Hopefully so. And then once again, I just want to say thank you for taking the time to come chat with me today. I wish you all the success with your album going forward and I really hope we'll be seeing you in South Africa sometime soon.

Dizzy: Yes, me too. And thank you.

Jess: Thank you so much. Dizzy, once again. Appreciate it so much. I hope you get some rest tonight.

Dizzy: Thank you very much and yes, i hope to see you soon.

Jess: OK, thanks, cheers, bye, bye.

Translated this. It was hard to hear so missed quite a bit, but nothing important I am sure.