2013.11.18 - Noise 11 - Interview with Dizzy

Dizzy Reed, The Dead Daisies

by Paul Cashmere

The keyboard sound from Guns N’ Roses Use Your Illusion belonged to Dizzy Reed. Reed joined Guns N’ Roses in 1990 and he is now part of The Dead Daisies line-up.

The Dead Daisies is the Australian supergroup founded by David Lowy and Jon Stevens and featuring the cream of rock musicians from around the world.

Dizzy Reed sat down with Noise11’s Paul Cashmere to talk all things The Dead Daisies and a bit about Guns N’ Roses on the eve of their UK tour with Black Star Riders.



Transcript:

Dizzy Reed: Hey, how you doing? This is Dizzy Reed from The Dead Daisies and you're watching Noise11.

Paul Cashmere: Noise11.com welcomes again Dizzy Reed from The Dead Daisies. I can say The Dead Daisies? I mean, there's been numerous other credits to your name over the years.

DR: Yes, it's one of them.

PC: It's good to have you back in Australia again.

DR: And it's good to be back. Albeit quite briefly.

PC: And the call to join an Australian super group, tell me how that came about.

DR: Well, I heard about this group when Guns N' Roses were here last time. Now, Richard was, on our off days, playing with this band called The Dead Daisies, and I was like, "Hmm, why the Dead Daisies?" They were opening for ZZ Top, who was opening for Guns N' Roses on off days. And then he told me he was in the band. And Jon Stevens, who I have known for a while, and Marco Mendoza was playing bass at the time, who I've known for a while. And it sounded very, very enticing. Just with Richard and Marco and Jon alone. It sounded like something else I might be interested in, so I said, "Do you guys need a keyboard player?" They said, "Well, we have one," you know. But when they got to the States, Richard gave me call, said, "Hey, they wanna have you play," and I said, "Absolutely I'm in, count me in." And I hadn't even really heard the music yet, and then I heard it and it was even better because the music's great. It's just good straight up rock'n'roll. So I jumped in.

PC: So the Alice In Chains, Jane's Addiction tour just happened in the states. That was part with you?

DR: The Uproar Tour, yes.

PC: Yeah.

DR: Yes. It was so much fun doing that tour because, you know, Duff Mckagan's band was playing, Danko Jones were playing and Alice In Chains and, you know, I've just been friends with those guys for a long time and it was just great. It was a great hang, basically, you know, every day seeing everybody and seeing everybody play and, I mean, for the rock and roll concert fan, what a great ticket! It was so much fun, I really look back on that with fond memories.

PC: And then over to the UK with Black Star Riders who-

DR: Right.

PC: -is the extension of Thin Lizzy.

DR: Extension of Thin Lizzy. And again, you know, it's Ricky who's singing for them now is... I've been friends with him for years and he's perfect for that gig. I mean, there's nobody else really that can really step in and do it like he does it with, you know, with the conviction and stuff that he's done it. And I've seen him play, they opened for Guns over there, and so [I'm] looking forward to that, too. It's going to be great, what a great show.

PC: And handing back Marco Mendoza back into Black Star Riders-

DR: Yes.

PC: Ex-Thin Lizzy and then [?]-

DR: Marco's everywhere, man.

PC: Yeah, it really is a case of musical chairs, isn't it?

DR: Yes, it is.

PC: Yeah. And how are you juggling your time for 2014? What's it looking like? I mean, Richard has been talking about, you know, the potential new Guns N' Roses record. You've been working on that?

DR: Yes. You know, it's in the works and, you know, right now things are kind of on hold for a little bit as far as playing while I think they're getting tracks together. And so I'm out here doing this.

PC: So The Dead Daisies is the [?] of the moment?

DR: Yes, indeed. And loving it, man. It's sounding great in there.

PC: Fantastic. Alright, well, Dizzy Reed, joining us here at noise11.com.

DR: Rock and roll.

Transcribed excerpt from mygnrforum:
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Noise11: Richard's been talking about the potential new Guns N' Roses record, you've been working on that.

Dizzy Reed: You know, it's in the works. Right now, things are on hold a little bit as far as playing. I think they're getting tracks together.

Transcribed all of it.