2019.12.07 - Rock Talk with Mitch Lafon - Interview with Dizzy

Excerpts from Ultimate Guitar:
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During an appearance on Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon, longtime Guns N' Roses keyboardist Dizzy Reed talked about spending 30 years in the group as its second-longest-serving member.

Dizzy performed on all GN'R records since 1991's "Use Your Illusion." Asked if he expected to stay in the fold for so long when he joined the band in 1990, he replied (transcribed by UG):

"You know, when you're in your early 20s, as I was back then, and you're playing rock 'n' roll, I wasn't thinking about what I was going to be doing 30 years from then, you know? In my wildest imagination, I thought maybe I'd be retired, I don't know, living on an island somewhere or something, but I didn't really think about it. But that being said, I can't be more grateful and more thankful and happy that I've been able to do it for this long and hope that I will continue to get to do it for as long as I possibly can, as long as we possibly can."

We do have this GN'R headline show coming up in January for the Bud Light Superbowl Music fest. Is that one of many? Do you see the band gearing up for the whole run in 2020 or will you do a couple of off-dates and then [side project] Hooker & Blow? What do you sort of see going forward, or is it just, like, 'Hey, when the phone rings, I'll just show up'?

"I hate to say it, but that's how it works for me. I'll get that e-mail, I'll get that phone call, and I'm ready to go. If I know that there's time off, then that's when I schedule Hookers & Blow, that's when I get this done. But when the phone rings, when GN'R calls, I follow, I go."

How has that been musically over the years? Do you think it has limited your playing, or should have you been out there joining other bands and creating new music or are you, like, 'No, I'm perfectly fine here'?

"I'm cool with it because I do get opportunities to do other things, and just being around those guys... they work really, really hard, and that work ethic has definitely rubbed off on me. Just watching them over the years, working studio and you know, and rehearsal and everything, it definitely put me in a good spot, and I'm really happy with the way things are."

Richard Fortus, I don't think people give him enough credit...

"He's probably the most versatile guitar player, most versatile musician that I know. He can do it all, and he does it all. He works really hard too, man, and it works. Everything sort of gels together. We got Frank on drums who's amazing, and Melissa who's also incredible. It's a blast, man. "

There's one guest appearance you made years ago on the Motorhead album called 'Hammered' [2002]. Talk to me about having a track ['Mine All Mine'] with Lemmy and the guys.

"You know, it was one of those things. I was sitting at home watching something on TV, I don't remember - it was later, it was 9 o'clock in the evening - I got a phone call, they asked me if I can come to track some stuff for Motorhead. And I said, 'Yes, I'll drop whatever I'm doing and I'll come to do it right now,' and I ended going up to a house up at Hollywood Hill and laid it down with Lemmy. We hung out in the kitchen, drank some Jack for about two hours afterward and just talked. It was a great experience, and I was kind of pinching myself, really, because it really came out of the left field, but it was great to be a part of that, Lemmy was so cool. He's very missed, he definitely left his mark on music and certainly on this town, so he's missed. But that was a great experience, I'm so lucky that things like that can happen."

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/dizzy_reed_answers_if_limited_creative_role_in_gnr_bothers_him_calls_richard_fortus_most_versatile_guitarist.html