Dizzy Reed at Cornell Interview

[Madagascar88]

Part I (part II is on page 5, part III is on page 20, part IV is on page 24)

Dizzy Reed came to Cornell this past weekend to pledge Zeta Psi Fraternity as an honorary brother.  In the chaos, we managed to conduct a 30-minute Q&A. Here are the responses to questions prepared by members on GNR forums.

What is the status on Chinese Democracy?

"I know what you guys know. I'm pretty excited about the fact that it might come out this year. But that's all I know."

(but guys, don't give up because from talking to him over the weekend- there's one thing coming up that gives me reason to believe that the staging for the release is underway)

What is up with Slash giving the release date on CD as March 2006?

"Slash did? Well... he didn't get that information from me. But umm... hey that's exciting."

What are your views/opinions on Velvet Revolver?

"I think that their t-shirts are cool."

What are your thoughts on the Da Vinci Code soundtrack rumor that there will be a G'n'R track on it?

"I don't know anything about it."

Is there a finalized tracklist? I heard that there will be 32 songs of which 26 are complete...?

"Well... I actually thought that there are more... but if Axl says there are 32 then I guess. But what's already in the bank is unbelievable material. There's a lot. There's at least three dozen. There's a shitload of stuff. We've actually been doing stuff... we haven't been sittin' around. There really is a lot of stuff."

What would you say is the general sound of the album?

"Sound. You know... the thing about it is that there are so many different areas and the other thing is that through time guys have come and gone that as different members of the band- everyone brought 2 or 3 songs such that there are multiple musical genres and situtations. Umm.. it's kind of a smorgasbord. Everyone works on it and when Axl sings on it- it's magical. So... there's gonna be a little something for everybody on it. It mixes rock with all that modern... rock elements... to do this."

Do you think the record will appeal to fans? The sound that is.

"You can't please everybody. The quality of the songs goes a long ways. If you can play the song on the piano or just on a lone guitar and it still sounds great- then the song stands out on its own. All the songs are like that so I think the songs will carry the record. You know what? There are probably already a million people who have their minds made up that there gonna hate the album. You know- fuck those people. They probably will buy it... who knows? And I think a lot of people will be pleasantly surprised too. Or you know... maybe noone will buy it- you know? You can't predict the future. It's the tunnel theory of ever-changing things- you never know."

What do you think is the reason for the delay in the album release?

"You know... there is no primary reason... its really a variety of reasons. Umm.. there's just absolutely no one thing. I'm certainly not gonna go say that its all because Axl's a perfectionist or you know... things are just always coming and going... and the other thing is I guess there's never really been a deadline or any pressure. Axl and the rest of us will put the best thing out."

Obviously, Geffen is getting a little impatient... they did release the Greatest Hits album in order to entice you guys to release the album...

"Well... at this point I don't even know... I don't really deal on the business end of things. They'll just have to wait like everybody else."

How long have you actually known Axl Rose?

"Umm... I'm trying to remember... I'd say 20 years... we met in Hollywood when I first moved there and... he just liked the way I played the piano. At the time, in the 80s, most of the keyboard players that were playing at the time were kind of classically-trained and you know... they were good but they would not have fitted in with Guns N' Roses songs. And I think he realized that I would be able to play and add something that would raise the songs."

Apparently... Axl dedicated 'Nightrain' to 'Dizzy and his band' way back in 1986.. was that you?

"Yea... I think they just signed a deal with Live like a suicide and were touring and wanted to add a keyboard player too. And my band- we were doing a little tour then around the southwest and I broke my hand in a car accident... so around that time... because nightrain was my favorite G'n'R song at the time... Axl dedicated the song to me at that concert."




I'll post the rest later...

[jameslofton29]

Like I said at the 'other' forum, you asked some really great questions. The questions are the best part of the interview. His answers leave way too much to the imagination. Someone needs to ask Dizzy point blank if he is still a member of Guns N Roses, because with these new answers that give new meaning to the word vague, I'm starting to wonder if Axl didn't fire him, and he just hasn't found out yet.

[SLCPUNK]

Bah........I want to get excited about all this.

I just can't............

[Mikkamakka]

What is the status on Chinese Democracy?

"I know what you guys know. I'm pretty excited about the fact that it might come out this year. But that's all I know."

(but guys, don't give up because from talking to him over the weekend- there's one thing coming up that gives me reason to believe that the staging for the release is underway)

What is up with Slash giving the release date on CD as March 2006?

"Slash did? Well... he didn't get that information from me. But umm... hey that's exciting."

 

The closest person to Axl is Dizzy!

BTW really great question! Dizzy seems to be disappointed...

[-Jack-]

Cool questions.

Can't believe Dizzy doesn't know whats going on though. Insane.

[DunkinDave]

Cool questions.

Can't believe Dizzy doesn't know whats going on though. Insane.

Not really - like Axl said, the majority of the recording was done back in 2001-2002.

The rest of the band only works for Guns N' Roses when called upon, which obviously doesn't happen often.

[DunkinDave]

What is the status on Chinese Democracy?

"I know what you guys know. I'm pretty excited about the fact that it might come out this year. But that's all I know."

(but guys, don't give up because from talking to him over the weekend- there's one thing coming up that gives me reason to believe that the staging for the release is underway)

You are now obligated to tell us what that thing is.

[jameslofton29]

What is the status on Chinese Democracy?

"I know what you guys know. I'm pretty excited about the fact that it might come out this year. But that's all I know."

(but guys, don't give up because from talking to him over the weekend- there's one thing coming up that gives me reason to believe that the staging for the release is underway)

You are now obligated to tell us what that thing is.

I thought that was strange also, how he would leave us hanging with that "there's one thing coming up" line. Its like he needs time to think about what this one thing is. I'm gonna freak if this is another fake, because it paints a bleak picture of the current status of the band, and its the last thing we needed to hear since the optimism of the recent Axl comments.

[Grouse]

all the band members really seem to so clueless as to what is going with the band 

[badapple81]

Thanks for the interview and for posting it here.

You know you have to elaborate on (but guys, don't give up because from talking to him over the weekend- there's one thing coming up that gives me reason to believe that the staging for the release is underway), otherwise it's just attention seeking 

[jimmythegent]

Its been pretty clear for a long time that this is no 'conventional' band arrangment.

These guys have been leased basically, for a period of time to record music of which Axl sifts through the parts he likes and then builds song fragments from.

So when Axl says it's ready to go, or ready to release, these guys will be just as surprised as the rest of us.

The worrying thing is, they're going to need to practise as a band because in all fairness, the musical arrangments are probably as foreign to them as they are to us.

Nothing new here - I agree though, nice to see some more specific questions concerning things people are actually interested in

[DunkinDave]

You know you have to elaborate on (but guys, don't give up because from talking to him over the weekend- there's one thing coming up that gives me reason to believe that the staging for the release is underway), otherwise it's just attention seeking?

I think we should lock both Madagascar88 and Madison from MyGNR in a room.

I can imagine the conversation:

Madagascar88: So, what did Axl tell you?
Madison: In 2002 he told me the title of the first Chinese Democracy single
Madagascar88: Cool, Dizzy told me something big that's going to happen with the band in 2006
Madison: Awesome, what's that?
Madagascar88: You go first
Madison: No really, I insist
Madagascar88: Only after you tell me the name of the single
Madison: .....
Madagascar88: .....

!!!!!!!!HEADS EXPLODE!!!!!!!!!!!

[jameslofton29]

Its been pretty clear for a long time that this is no 'convential' band arrangment.

These guys have been leased basically, for a period of time to record music of which Axl sifts through the parts he likes and then builds song fragments from.

So when Axl says it's ready to go, or ready to release, these guys will be just as surprised as the rest of us.

The worrying thing is, they're going to need to practise as a band because in all fairness, the musical arrangments are probably as foreign to them as they are to us.

Nothing new here - I agree though, nice to see some more specific questions concerning things people are actually interested in

I agree with what you're saying, but if this logic is true, then CD isn't close to being ready. If there was an imminent release coming this year, you would think the other band members would have heard something. There should at least have been photo shoots, a few rehearsals, etc., just to get the ball rolling. I know that the band members aren't going to tell us even if something's about to happen, but Dizzy really seems like he's totally clueless as to what's going on. If he were hiding something that he didn't want us to know about, he would have answered those questions differently. I'm still surprised no one ever asks these guys what their favorite song on the album is. There answer might be as revealing as any other info we might get. Also, as I mentioned in my post earlier, someone needs to ask him if he can confirm he's still a member of the band. He gives off a strange vibe in this interview.

[jimmythegent]

Its been pretty clear for a long time that this is no 'convential' band arrangment.

These guys have been leased basically, for a period of time to record music of which Axl sifts through the parts he likes and then builds song fragments from.

So when Axl says it's ready to go, or ready to release, these guys will be just as surprised as the rest of us.

The worrying thing is, they're going to need to practise as a band because in all fairness, the musical arrangments are probably as foreign to them as they are to us.

Nothing new here - I agree though, nice to see some more specific questions concerning things people are actually interested in

I agree with what you're saying, but if this logic is true, then CD isn't close to being ready. If there was an imminent release coming this year, you would think the other band members would have heard something. There should at least have been photo shoots, a few rehearsals, etc., just to get the ball rolling. I know that the band members aren't going to tell us even if something's about to happen, but Dizzy really seems like he's totally clueless as to what's going on. If he were hiding something that he didn't want us to know about, he would have answered those questions differently. I'm still surprised no one ever asks these guys what their favorite song on the album is. There answer might be as revealing as any other info we might get. Also, as I mentioned in my post earlier, someone needs to ask him if he can confirm he's still a member of the band. He gives off a strange vibe in this interview.

do you think there will be band photo's/videos?

The whole 'mysterious' image that Axl has shrouded this project in could well lend itself to a more 'faceless' type approach ala Tool

just a thought...

[jimmythegent]

Its been pretty clear for a long time that this is no 'convential' band arrangment.

These guys have been leased basically, for a period of time to record music of which Axl sifts through the parts he likes and then builds song fragments from.

So when Axl says it's ready to go, or ready to release, these guys will be just as surprised as the rest of us.

The worrying thing is, they're going to need to practise as a band because in all fairness, the musical arrangments are probably as foreign to them as they are to us.

Nothing new here - I agree though, nice to see some more specific questions concerning things people are actually interested in

I agree with what you're saying, but if this logic is true, then CD isn't close to being ready. If there was an imminent release coming this year, you would think the other band members would have heard something. There should at least have been photo shoots, a few rehearsals, etc., just to get the ball rolling. I know that the band members aren't going to tell us even if something's about to happen, but Dizzy really seems like he's totally clueless as to what's going on. If he were hiding something that he didn't want us to know about, he would have answered those questions differently. I'm still surprised no one ever asks these guys what their favorite song on the album is. There answer might be as revealing as any other info we might get. Also, as I mentioned in my post earlier, someone needs to ask him if he can confirm he's still a member of the band. He gives off a strange vibe in this interview.

what specifically makes you think he might not be in the band James?
I'm interested to know what  gives you the strange vibe here as I didn't pick up on it?

[jameslofton29]

"I know what you guys know. I'm pretty excited about the fact that it might come out this year. But that's all I know."


 Well... he didn't get that information from me. But umm... hey that's exciting."


"I don't know anything about it."


"Well... I actually thought that there are more... but if Axl says there are 32 then I guess. But what's already in the bank is unbelievable material. There's a lot. There's at least three dozen. There's a shitload of stuff. We've actually been doing stuff... we haven't been sittin' around. There really is a lot of stuff."

 It mixes rock with all that modern... rock elements... to do this."

"You know... there is no primary reason... its really a variety of reasons. Umm.. there's just absolutely no one thing.

there's never really been a deadline or any pressure. Axl and the rest of us will put the best thing out."

"Well... at this point I don't even know... I don't really deal on the business end of things. They'll just have to wait like everybody else."

Jimmy, this doesn't sound like a guy who is even remotely close to being on the inside. These answers are disturbing. Mysteron probably has closer ties to the band than Dizzy. His statements regarding the amount of songs is pathetic. Its like he doesn't know what to believe himself. The reason I wonder if he's still in GNR is his zero knowledge on whats going on. If he is indeed still in the band, then Axl needs to put him on a short and tight leash, because his "interviews" paint a pretty bleak picture of the situation.

[jimmythegent]

True, but hasnt that always been the case?
This is the same rhetoric we've been hearing for years - I dont think all of a sudden Axls going to involve them in the decision making

theyre on call, when he says its ready, they'll jump to attention

Mysteron?

Johan? 

[jameslofton29]

Something else odd about it was how he didn't use the word "soon" every few seconds, and he got excited when Slash said march.

[jimmythegent]

Something else odd about it was how he didn't use the word "soon" every few seconds, and he got excited when Slash said march.

haha true, that is ludicrous to think that Slash would know more than him

Perhaps Dizzy posts here to discuss rumours and see whats going down 

[jameslofton29]

Perhaps Dizzy posts here to discuss rumours and see whats going down?

The Jameslofton29 is Dizzy Reed rumour starts now!

Seriously though, what you said earlier about there possibly being no reason for these guys to be involved is a definite possiblity. If Axl has no interest in really promoting the record and just letting the album speak for itself, then there is no reason for these guys to be involved anymore since there services are basically no longer required. Maybe there wont be any band photos in CD, or posters, tshirts, etc. If the majority of the music is actually done, and Axl has no desire to perform on tv shows promoting it or has no desire to tour, then in essence it is no longer a band and it would probably dissolve right after a CD release.