Dizzy Reed facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dizzy Reed
Reed performing in 2006 with Guns N' Roses
Background information
Birth name	Darren Arthur Reed
Also known as	Dizzy Dizzy F'n Reed John Wildblood
Born	(1963-06-18) June 18, 1963 (age 62) Hinsdale, Illinois, U.S.
Genres	Hard rock heavy metal industrial rock
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Keyboards vocals guitar
Years active	1985–present
Labels	Geffen
Children	4

Darren Arthur "Dizzy" Reed, born on June 18, 1963, is an American musician. He is most famous for playing keyboards in the hard rock band Guns N' Roses. He has been with the band since 1990, playing, touring, and recording music.

Besides the lead singer, Axl Rose, Dizzy is the member who has been in Guns N' Roses the longest. He was the only one from their Use Your Illusion albums era who stayed until Slash and Duff McKagan rejoined in 2016.

In 2012, Dizzy was honored in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of Guns N' Roses. He also played in another band called The Dead Daisies. His bandmate from Guns N' Roses, Richard Fortus, was also in that group.

Dizzy Reed's Early Life

Dizzy Reed was born Darren Arthur Reed on June 18, 1963, in Hinsdale, Illinois. He grew up in Colorado. When he was very young, his grandmother taught him how to play the organ. Even before he finished elementary school, he started his own small bands.

Dizzy Reed's Music Career

Reed after a Guns N' Roses concert in 2010.

As an adult, Dizzy moved to Los Angeles to follow his dream of becoming a musician. In the late 1980s, he helped start a band called The Wild. He played with them for five years.

Dizzy first met the members of Guns N' Roses in 1985. His band, The Wild, was rehearsing in a studio next to theirs. They stayed in touch. In 1990, his friend Axl Rose asked him to join Guns N' Roses. Dizzy helped record their two Use Your Illusion albums and went on tour with them.

Dizzy quickly became an important part of the band. He has played on every Guns N' Roses album since Use Your Illusion I. He is known for his amazing keyboard, piano, and backing vocals. You can hear his work on songs like "Estranged", "Live and Let Die", and "November Rain". When Guns N' Roses plays older songs live, Dizzy often helps with percussion and vocals. Some of these songs include "Mr. Brownstone" and "Welcome to the Jungle".

Dizzy continues to record and perform live with Guns N' Roses today. He has been a member of the band longer than anyone else, except for Axl Rose. While he didn't write songs for the Illusion albums, he helped write several songs for the album Chinese Democracy. These include the title track "Chinese Democracy" and "Street of Dreams". He also co-wrote a song called "Silkworms" which was later released as "ABSUЯD" in 2021.

Dizzy's Other Music Projects

Reed playing with The Dead Daisies in 2013.

Outside of Guns N' Roses, Dizzy has played on albums for other musicians. These include his former bandmates Slash, Duff McKagan, and Gilby Clarke. He also played on a solo album by Tommy Stinson in 2004.

Dizzy also loves Larry Norman, a famous Christian music artist. He played on Norman's Copper Wires album. Dizzy has also created music for movies like The Still Life (2006) and Celebrity Art Show (2008). His first solo album, Rock 'n Roll Ain't Easy, came out in 2018.

When he is not busy with Guns N' Roses, Dizzy often tours with his hard rock cover band called Hookers & Blow. In this band, he plays keyboards and sings lead vocals. Dizzy started Hookers & Blow in 2003 with Quiet Riot guitarist Alex Grossi. For his work with Hookers & Blow, Dizzy won the "Outstanding Keyboardist of the Year" award in 2007. His band was also named "Best Cover Band."

Dizzy has also tried acting. He appeared as a character named 'Mumbles' in the 2005 movie Charlie's Death Wish.

He was also a member of The Dead Daisies with Guns N' Roses guitarist Richard Fortus. They both left that band in 2015 to focus on Guns N' Roses.

Dizzy Reed's Personal Life

Dizzy has four children. He has a son named Justin Gunn-Reed, born in 1988, and a daughter named Morgan from a previous relationship. He also has two daughters, Skye (born 1992) and Shade (born 1996). In 2017, he became a grandfather to Riley, Morgan's son.

In 2005, Dizzy decided to join a college fraternity, which is unusual for someone his age. On January 22, 2006, he became a member of the Zeta Psi fraternity at Cornell University.

Dizzy Reed's Music Albums

Solo Albums

Albums

Other appearances

With Guns N' Roses

Studio albums

Extended Plays

Live albums

Compilation albums

Non-album singles

• "Absurd" (2021)

• "Hard Skool" (2021)
• "Perhaps" / "The General" (2023)

Contributions

With Johnny Crash

With The Dead Daisies

With Hookers and Blow

Guest Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Dizzy Reed para niños