most informative dizzy interview

[Eric]

 I believe this is the first time anyone has asked him, or Tommy in his interviews about the cancellation of the tour, and what happened-great interview-it's all the questions I would have asked-glad to hear I.R.S is true-proves Slash is probably wrong about only a few songs with lyrics recorded

[Johnnyblood]

Dan: With the way all the other guys came and went from the band over the years, not just the original line-up, but like Dave Navarro was in and out at some point, and a bunch of others guys.  How is it that you have lasted so long?

Dizzy: ...and I guess I haven't done anything stupid to get fired.

Odd thing coming from Dizzy, the 'most loyal' of them all. I'm sure he was joking, but it's a joke you don't make if you're not thinking about it. His awareness of it is unusual. Bands in which members are equals don't think about being fired.

Dan: The ones that have been around for a few years, have they changed a lot over the years?  Is that one of the things that holds up the release?

Dizzy: ...as is the modern way, some of the songs have two or three different versions.  You know, remixes and what not... unfortunately its impossible to put them all on there.  The obvious thing would be to have a couple versions of each song.  I don't know if that's going to happen, but its definitely possible...

Is he saying that more than one version of a single song could be included on the album? God, I'd really rather hear more songs than different versions of one song. Hopefully they'll use remixes for b-sides or an ep.

Dan: During that time in the mid and late 90's, when there wasn't much talk of anything going on, was there a lot of down time?

Dizzy: ...a guy named Paul Huge who was in the band for a little while... that was a very cool creative period and it was great working with Paul.

What?? He casually mentions Paul as being in the band for a little while?

Isn't Paul Huge the whole reason Slash left and the old band split up? Didn't Axl spend about 5 minutes at RIR extolling Paul's significance to GNR... didn't Axl practically call him one of his oldest musical collaborators?

This is the biggest surprise of the whole interview! It surprises me that Dizzy glosses over Paul's departure. It also amazes me that, considering the effect Paul had on the original lineup, and Axl's comments about the guy, that no announcement was ever made when Paul's departure occured, and Axl didn't even mention it during the 2002 tour. Not even thanking Paul or anything. This is a shocker.

A most satisfying read. Thank you Dizzy for talking, thank you also to the dude who posted this.

Edit: Changed reference to Paul in my comment.

[jarmo]

Isn't Paul Huge the whole reason Slash left and the old band split up? Didn't Axl spend about 5 minutes at RIR extolling Paul's significance to GNR... practically calling him one of the original members of the band?

When did Axl call him an original member of the band?

Are you talking about the RIR3 speech?

"This is my friend Paul Tobias. He has worked in the darkness underground for the last seven years to be able to be here today. I think this makes his fourth or fifth show all together in his life. Without Paul, there would be no more Guns N' Roses.

Along with Paul, the only man from the old line up who stayed loyal and worked hard every day, he's on the keyboards, Mr Dizzy Reed."

Axl, RIR3 2001.


To me that means, Paul saved the band. Not that he was an original member.


/jarmo

[Johnnyblood]

I recall some interview in which Axl makes reference to Paul as an Indiana friend, and implies that he was a sort of original member. He wasn't speaking literally, but it was a statement that conveyed a certain significance that Paul had to Axl, both then and now.

[younggunner]

This is the biggest surprise of the whole interview! It surprises me that Dizzy glosses over Paul's departure. It also amazes me that, considering the effect Paul had on the original lineup, and Axl's comments about the guy, that no announcement was ever made when Paul's departure occured, and Axl didn't even mention it during the 2002 tour. Not even thanking Paul or anything. This is a shocker.

The original intentions between Paul and myself were that Paul was going to help me for as long as it took to get this thing together in whatever capacity that he could help me in. So when he first was brought into this, he was brought in as a writer to work with Slash......Now whether or not Paul was going to be officially on the album or on the tour that really wasn?t an actual consideration at the time. It was in the air as a possibility but Paul was a friend trying to help us

[Johnnyblood]

Okay I stand corrected on Paul. I guess I overestimated his significance to Axl. Having seen him in person in Vegas, then with Axl's speech at RIR 3, I figured his departure was important enough to at least warrent a comment somewhere along the line. But Jarmo's and younggunner's quotes definitely clarify things for me. Thanks.

[Mutherfunker]

I want to know why the fact that the final mix hasn't been decided, and the fact that it was the beginning of June when this interview took place, why people seem to think this means the album can't come out by November?

5 months?

@#$%Muther

[Mikkamakka]

Remember this interview is 5 weeks old.... So a lot could had happen....

You mean they made the mixing? 7 years was not enough to make the album perfect and in the last 5 weeks they finished the mixing? Sure.

I want to know why the fact that the final mix hasn't been decided, and the fact that it was the beginning of June when this interview took place, why people seem to think this means the album can't come out by November?

5 months?

7 years? We can have a bet: if the album is out this year, I change my signature to 'I was a fool, I didn't have faith in Axl' or something similar you want and I'll have it until they'll be touring with the album (2 weeks to 3 years, who knows?). If I win, you'll change to yours 'I was a fool, I had faith in Axl'. Accept?

[Mutherfunker]

7 years? We can have a bet: if the album is out this year, I change my signature to 'I was a fool, I didn't have faith in Axl' or something similar you want and I'll have it until they'll be touring with the album (2 weeks to 3 years, who knows?). If I win, you'll change to yours 'I was a fool, I had faith in Axl'. Accept?

Hey, I'm asking a valid question. Did I say it'll definately happen? No. Do I have some optimism because we have some possible date? Yes. Do I think you can mix and release an album in 5/6 months? Yes.

Besides which, anyone on this board could come up with what you just wrote. It's called playing the percentages. You'd have a very good chance of winning and you know that. I'm not stupid. And it doesn't make you clever.

@#$%Muther

[Mikkamakka]

7 years? We can have a bet: if the album is out this year, I change my signature to 'I was a fool, I didn't have faith in Axl' or something similar you want and I'll have it until they'll be touring with the album (2 weeks to 3 years, who knows?). If I win, you'll change to yours 'I was a fool, I had faith in Axl'. Accept?

Hey, I'm asking a valid question. Did I say it'll definately happen? No. Do I have some optimism because we have some possible date? Yes. Do I think you can mix and release an album in 5/6 months? Yes.

Besides which, anyone on this board could come up with what you just wrote. It's called playing the percentages. You'd have a very good chance of winning and you know that. I'm not stupid. And it doesn't make you clever.

@#$%Muther

I don't see a reason for any optimism regarding the current state of GN'R. Some of you (maybe not exactly you) got excited after the BTM. I didn't. Hell, Matt Sorum said in an interview in '93 that the next GN'R album would be released in '94. Nothing since then. When Axl will say a release date, then I will think that there is a chance for the album to come out. I don't see it coming when some of the members will be touring until the mid/end of October and have plans for the next year. Yeah, I know that they can cancel the next year dates, but the GN'R-members are on their on way for months or years, hardly had a rehearsal, so even if the album is ready, which I doubt, they'll need weeks to practice together, and it affects the release date, 'cause I don't think they would release CD with no tour in 1 or 2 months.

Somethin' tells me he's been here before
'Cause experience makes you wise

[dave-gnfnr2k]

"Dan: The ones that have been around for a few years, have they changed a lot over the years?? Is that one of the things that holds up the release?

Dizzy: ...as is the modern way, some of the songs have two or three different versions.? You know, remixes and what not... unfortunately its impossible to put them all on there.? The obvious thing would be to have a couple versions of each song.? I don't know if that's going to happen, but its definitely possible...

Is he saying that more than one version of a single song could be included on the album? God, I'd really rather hear more songs than different versions of one song. Hopefully they'll use remixes for b-sides or an ep."

I think what Dizzy is staying is, with all the people that have been in the band, there are 3 different versions of each songs with different people playing on it.
You wont see more than one version on the album but yes I think on the single we could get the other versions.

But look at it like this.
Take madagascar, it was written in 2000 or so.
So lets say the orginal version had

Axl, Dizzy, Paul, Robin, Tommy and Josh freese.
Then anohter version has.  Axl, Dizzy, Paul, BH, Robin, Tommy, Chris and Brian.
and the 3rd version has Axl, Dizzy, Fortus, BH, Robin,Tommy, Chris and Brian.

So its  the same song but with different people playing on it.
Just look at how CD changed, the longer solo.
Teh blues added new synth and that glass sound plus that fortus outro.
So I think that is what Dizzy was talking about.

[Lionel Hutz]

Nice with an interesting interview with good questions every now and then. Thanks for sharing.

[Dont Try Me]

Some nice qoutes from http://rockjournal.com/interviewdr.html

Dan: Its been like eleven years since the last album now, and everybody is still talking about it.? Can it possibly live up to the hype?
Dizzy: Yes.

Dan: Its that good, in your opinion?
Dizzy: In my opinion, absolutely.? I think it will actually exceed expectations.

Dan: There was a song that leaked out to radio, I.R.S., is that definitely a GNR song?? As far as I know, nobody ever confirmed it.? Is that one of the songs?
Dizzy: Yes.? Its a good song.

Dan: The ones that have been around for a few years, have they changed a lot over the years?? Is that one of the things that holds up the release?
Dizzy: They change a little bit, yeah.? And as is the modern way, some of the songs have two or three different versions.? You know, remixes and what not.? There's so many great players in the band now and there are so many great parts that have been laid down now for all the songs, unfortunately its impossible to put them all on there.? The obvious thing would be to have a couple versions of each song.? I don't know if that's going to happen, but its definitely possible.? And I have heard several versions of some of the cooler songs, and they all sound great.? All the players that have come in and out of this project are phenominal players.? So there's a lot of great stuff to choose from.? Its an unenviable task for whoever is going to mix it.? BUT THEY BETTER PUT MY SHIT IN THE MIX!

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Now, when reading this especially the last part, I don' think people should ask too much questions about "Where's CD?" "why is it taking so long?" The answer is given multiple times!! Just relax and enjoy the soundboards till then.?

[DemocracyRose]

Its not that old.....

[The Estranged MrFlashbax]

It always seems like its just around the corner that its going to come, so why quit now?  And then you get around the corner, and its around the corner again (Laughs).

is it just me or does this remind you of the spinal tap bit where they're lost behind the stage? around the corner and around the corner again and then around another corner.. WE'RE GOING IN FREAKING CIRCLES..