GUNS N' ROSES Keyboardist: 'I Believe In AXL ROSE'

Fitchburg Sentinel recently conducted an interview with GUNS N' ROSES keyboardist Dizzy Reed. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

On his cover band, HOOKERS & BLOW:

"Basically, there are a bunch of guys from Hollywood who play in the clubs together. HOOKERS & BLOW have come through this area [Massachusetts] 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."

On joining GUNS N' ROSES:

"Early on, Axl (Rose) said they were planning on adding keys and he wanted me to join the band. 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.

"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."

On how Rose has altered his lifestyle:

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

On being the only member of the Slash/Duff/Axl era 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. 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."

On the fact that he hasn't 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. 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."