Here Today... Gone To Hell!

http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/local/ci_3042759

http://www.thenewguns.com

Gun N'Roses bandmate leaves fast lane behind but still rocking
By Emily Young

Dizzy Reed wasn't up and at 'em until 1 p.m. Friday.

The keyboardist of Guns N'Roses is touring the East Coast with his cover band, Hookers & Blow, and had a late-night show Thursday in Burlington, Vt.

The band will be here in Fitchburg tonight at the Compound.

"Put your drinking shoes on and come out to rock and roll," Reed said.

The band's name was "an idea that's been floating around for awhile," and took root after Reed rejected the idea of naming it after himself, he said.

"Basically, there are a bunch of guys from Hollywood who play in the clubs together," Reed said. "Hookers & Blow have come through this area six, seven times. A lot of times, it's a different line-up. We're not trying to get a record deal or anything. We just want people to come out and party."

Reed first befriended Guns N'Roses lead singer Axl Rose in Hollywood during the 1980s.

"Early on, Axl (Rose) said they were planning on adding keys and he wanted me to join the band," said Reed, who joined Guns N'Roses in 1990.

Reed resisted relating tales of back-stage insanity, but noted it was a signature part of the Hollywood scene.

"Hollywood in general at that time was nuts. When I joined the band, they were already pretty big. But we drank milk every night, tucked ourselves into bed, and got up for church in the morning," Reed joked.

The now 42-year-old rock star has changed his ways with the passing of time.

"I've mellowed out quite a bit. There are more important things in life than partying all the time. But we manage to have fun still," Reed said.

Reed noted that Rose has altered his lifestyle, too.

"He's just healthier, in a better space," Reed said.

Reed is the only original member of Guns N'Roses to stick by the band's frontman.

"I believe in Axl. We have three CDs worth of songs. Everyone contributed and it all goes into the mill," Reed said. "We did some touring about three years ago, but things are on hold for now. (Rose is) working hard to finish our first record in quite awhile."

Reed has not talked to the other former Guns N'Roses members since they quit during the 1990s.

"People don't realize that (the original band members) quit over time. That one person quit at one time and then the other guy quit. It was a gradual thing," Reed said. "I think no matter what, situations are hard. It's a little like being married to three, four other guys. A lot of musicians have big egos. Early on things are easier and then problems grow over time. But people were so (expletive) up back then that people didn't notice."

Reed considers himself from Colorado, even though his family moved to Boulder, Colo., from Chicago when he was 8 years old.

He first began playing keyboards as a young child.

"I started playing when I was really young, like 6 or 7. My grandma had an organ which I started playing on, and soon after I realized that the instrument was very cool in rock and roll," Reed said. "I was 11 or 12 when I formed my first band. It was called 'Hairy Bananas.' Yeah, from 'Hairy Bananas' to 'Hookers & Blow.'

Thanks rey!  : ok:

Hmmm... So, it's 3 cds worth of songs? Maybe the thrilogy stuff is still possible (not at the same time, of course).  :drool:

He's lying....burn him at the stake....crucify him.......he's a WITCH........ :rofl:

I wouldn't put any stock whatsoever in anything Reed says about GNR.  If they had 3 albums worth of material that was decent in any way we would have had CD a long time ago.  He is just saying shit to keep people interested in the project.  I find it funny that he says that the project is on hold for now.  To me that is the mor telling statement.

i agree, Charity Case. that statement is very telling.

it's also interesting that after months of hearing nothing (and some desperation/declining interest on all gnr boards), we suddenly get statements from two different members.  ::)

i hate to make assumptions, and i hope i'm wrong, but it seems like they release these statements just to keep somewhat of a buzz going among the die-hards. so now they keep us hanging on for another 4-6 months (since it's pretty obvious there's little or no chance of it being relased this year).

Yeah, isn't it great?




/jarmo

Oh no of corse we can't believe someone who is actually in the band and who knows about this kind of stuff. No thats a crime to believe those guys. Instead we have to believe some random internet boob about whats going on in GUNS.

yes it is.

NOVEMBER !!!  :)

So true.

BTW Dizzy said that CD isn't finished. So 2005 is not the year, I have serious doubts about even 2006... Well, 2007 is very likely. Now.

He only said that GNR have 3 CD's worth of material.  He mentioned nothing of them actually releasing 3 CDs.

And Axl said that they had 3 albums worth of material back in 1999.

No, in 1999 he said they were working on roughly 70 songs and that he had two albums of solidly recorded material. In 2002, Axl mentioned the three album plan. And another fucking thing-the fact that Axl has chosen not to release anything has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE QUALITY OF THE MATERIAL! :rant: We know nothing-good or bad. To the rest of the band members, the project is on hold. They have completed their parts and put the ball in Axl's court. It is his record/records to complete-not their responsibility. I really wish I could reach through the computer some times and just smack the hell out of some of you. Argghhhhhhh. So jaded and negative.

If Axl had been satisfied with the product, he would have released it. Don't you think? I agree that CD can be great, but I'm sure that Axl wasn't satisfied with that. C'mon, it's been 6 years since we know the title of the album... they had 70 songs/ideas in 1999.

Axl's crazy as a fruit fly.....that's my rationale. He certainly travels to the beat of a different drummer...and guitarist..and bassist! The fact that he is not satisfied with it, doesn't mean it is not good. It simply means HE isn't satisfied with it. Tommy or me or you may think it is the best thing ever recorded. But, it is Axl's project and HE has to be satisfied with it. Get my drift? :-\

My thoughts exactly.  :peace: I've never said that CD can't be fantastic, but Axl's surely insecure about the product. He can be right and can be wrong.

I don't even think "Chinese Democracy" will be the title of the album anymore, if it comes out.

If they had three albums of material Geffen/Interscope would force a release - its not concievable an artists could fail to honour his contract, have material available and for the record company to stand idly by when it owns those tapes and legally has every right to take them.....

More crap from Mr Reed....

Three albums worth of material doesn't mean three complete albums. It's probably mostly unfinished songs without voice...

Well if u include unfinished material then ''three albums'' is still rubbish as he has music from 1994 onwards, thats got to be scores of albums worth of 'incomplete' stuff - including tracks with Izzy and Slash

it pays to be very good friends with Merck doesnt it?


Isnt it logical to think that the reason Axl isnt releasing yet is because he isnt ready? By him releasing an album, doing promo, and probably a tour would mean he would have to be committed to doing something that big. you people take for granted that Axl wants the spotlight again. He might not. His actions show that he is quite comfortable with his situation.

hes making a lot of material, getting to "perfect" it or see it through, not much pressure from the label all while remainng in the shadows. maybe he doesant want attention at this point in time. Maybe hes waiting for everything to be "right" {whatever that may be} then he will proceede.

I think the record company would be a little pissed off if Axl told them that he didn't want the spotlight again. After like 13 millions. It's another story if he could handle the pains of touring and such a commitment like showing up.

When exactly is 'ready'? It has been said time and time again by musicians the world over that nothing is ever finished in the truest sense of the word. It's what keeps you going for that next album, that next opportunity to better yourself.

Axl has had plenty of time to get ready. If he didn't want the spotlight again he never would have put a new band together, showed up at RIR, showed up on the VMA's, done a tour with the new band, talked to Rolling Stone, or every mentioned anything to the public about his new material. He could have just hung out in his home studio writing songs until the day he died without ever being in the spolight again.

If you are going to talk something up to the press (especially something like a new GnR album with all new guys) then you are ready for the spotlight whether you want to be or not.

All I said was at this point in time.

he needs a band to help him make some music doesnt he? And it also tells me that he wants to be out there again...whent though is the ?

Has anybody thought of the idea that Axl has complete control over what new material gets released?

Meaning, Geffen can't force him to release something he's not happy with?



/jarmo

i think it's safe to say that most of your die-hard members on this board have thought of every scenario.

but do you honestly believe this is true....that axl owes geffen nothing?

Yeah, I've thought of that, and I think Slash Duff and Izzy have always forced Axl before to release stuff. Wasn't it said somewhere that Axl wasn't done with illusions when they decided to release them?

And I've also thought, that, with all those guys gone now Axl may just tinker with the "current" recordings forever.

I didn't say that.

I said that maybe he has complete control over what new material is released.

There's a slight difference.


"Greatest Hits" was old material and they couldn't stop Geffen from releasing that. But are you 100% sure Axl can't keep working on his new material until he considers it to be done and Geffen has to wait?



/jarmo

Axl himself said this, but the rest of the band thought the illusions were overdone. Izzy didnt even record some of the songs he wrote because he hated the glossy production that was being added to them. And Axl wanted to add even more production/sound effects. The downside of not waiting is it probably would have been stripped down had Axl waited and saw Nirvana and PJ a year later.

you didn't say it exactly....but it IS implied. because what if axl is NEVER happy with his material. then he would NEVER release it. which means he wouldn't give geffen anything.

you're saying he may have complete control which means he has the option of never delivering.

i would guess that although there may not be a specific dealine, that he does in fact owe them SOMETHING.

you didn't answer my question, but i am assuming you disagree?

Maybe he's been polishing off the words till they glitter.

Rumour has it that The record is currently being sequenced.

No, I said maybe he can decide when the album is done and ready for release instead of the record company.

If his record contract says "X amount of albums with new material", he probably has to deliver those albums. But if there's no time frame in the contract, they can't force him to release a new album every five years.



/jarmo

Axl is doing the best he can do and if thats going to be an album full of blues/madagscar quality songs then good on him. I am sure the record company have heard the material he has recorded and are probably very happy.

and as for us, don't they say that good things come to those who wait?

of 2011!

Yeah!

 :hihi:

All we really know is that last February/March, Interscope paid their tab as far as studio costs go concerning this project, and went on to add it is now entirely Mr. Rose's resposibility to finance it further if needed. I think Jarmo's scenario is very likely, or maybe they just think so much bad shit has happened to GnR in the past few years, if you give the man his space he'll deliver....big time.

Well to all the people that  bash me and the others about the three albums of material thing. All I have to say is told ya so.

Lets hope the plan is still to release all three over the next few years.

Blah...Blah....Blah. More talk and no official news from the one who counts. It's either a bandmate, or a Manager, or a friend, or a fan.

It doesn't matter if Axl has 100 albums worth of work.

Exactly, they all said it was bullshit.

Three Cds don't mean much if we haven't listened to it yet.

yeah, i remember Tool said in a interview that they dident have any contract with a timeframe for delivering albums, and in that way, they dont have any pressure on themselvs to release new stuff when they aint ready. I would guess Guns N Roses have the same... I think that its more important to deliver some quality records, than a bunch of bla bla bla... repeat repeat repeat!..

I can only imagine how particular Axl is with perfection, especially considering as he is now sole-producer isn't he?

There's no doubt in my mind we are gonna hear some beautiful music...and I'm thrilled to hear yet again, there's alot of new music on the way.   :love:

I wouldnt count on that being any kind of confirmation or a vindication in terms of there being 3 albums on the release schedule
More likely is a scenario where the band worked on enough musical pieces for 3 albums - so we'll probably see a single CD (which is fine by me) and at the very most a double album (which would be awesome)

Fact is people claimed the band having three albums of songs was bullshit. THOSE people were WRONG.

Dizzy has shown that he has no clue about what is going on with the album.  All we have here is a statement from a totally unreliable source.  In other words it proves no one wrong.

I hope he means 3 albums of material to be released, not like we have 3 albums worth of material to chose from like tommy said. Picking the best songs from 40-50 narrowing it down to the best 12-18..

Maybe this is A MUSICAL,  you know..like RENT or CATS?   I can see Axl going broadway with girls and big tits, and more girls and bigger tits,  yes!    Chinese Democracy will open on Broadway with a buntch of imitators,  like RockStar INXS,  trying to be AXL ROSE and playing Oh my god and The Blues,  only that the real band does not show up!    Like Philly! and Vancouver! and _____ fill in the blank!

Well even if they did, at least that means the songs they do pick will be quality songs (we hope!).

Did you forget to take your medication?

I think many groups write a lot of material and pick their best music (at least what they think is best) Big difference though between having 3 full albums of material we will see compared to one album after such a long wait being there was release talks many years ago.. Also if it's 3 albums to be narrowed down does this mean they still haven't selected the songs yet??

Since they haven't finished the recording process... :-\