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Dizzy Reed, the legendary keyboardist for Guns N’ Roses, has once again stepped into the solo spotlight with the release of his blistering new single, “Earn It 2 Burn It.” The track is the second taste from his upcoming album Rock ‘N’ Roll Chose Me, due out this fall, and it’s already sparking conversations among die-hard fans and new listeners alike.
A Rock Anthem for the Resilient
“Earn It 2 Burn It” is exactly what its title suggests — a gritty, hard-hitting anthem about paying your dues and setting fire to anything standing in your way. Dizzy, known for his soulful keyboard work and raspy backing vocals with Guns N’ Roses since 1990, takes center stage here not just behind the keys but on lead vocals and songwriting duties as well.
“Rock and roll isn’t something you choose,” Dizzy said in a recent fictional interview with Revolver. “It chooses you. You either give it everything you’ve got, or you get out of the way. This song is about that fire — the burn that keeps you moving when the easy thing would be to quit.”
The track kicks off with a sinister Hammond organ riff before crashing into a wall of distorted guitars and pounding drums — a nod to the swagger of early Guns N’ Roses but with the seasoned grit of a man who’s spent three decades living the life he sings about. The chorus soars with gang vocals chanting “You gotta earn it, baby, if you wanna burn it down!” — a line that’s already finding its way onto T-shirts at fan meet-ups.
A Lineup of Legends
What makes Rock ‘N’ Roll Chose Me stand out is the cast of characters Dizzy has assembled for this passion project. Rumor has it that the album features guest spots from former GN’R bandmates, old friends from The Dead Daisies, and a few surprise rock icons who asked to remain unnamed until the full tracklist drops.
Longtime fans will be thrilled to know that Richard Fortus, Dizzy’s bandmate in Guns N’ Roses and The Dead Daisies, lent his signature razor-sharp guitar work to several tracks, including “Earn It 2 Burn It.” “Richard’s got this raw edge that cuts through anything,” Dizzy said. “He understands exactly where I’m coming from musically because we’ve been in the trenches together for years.”
The drumming duties are handled by none other than Brian Tichy, whose powerhouse style gives the track its relentless drive. On bass is the underrated but fiercely talented Todd Kerns, known for his work with Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators. Together, the lineup is a testament to the brotherhood that rock and roll can forge.
More Than Just Nostalgia
While it would be easy to dismiss Dizzy’s solo work as a nostalgia trip for GN’R loyalists, Rock ‘N’ Roll Chose Me promises to be more than just a side project resting on past glories. The new material is raw, honest, and deeply personal — a testament to Dizzy’s journey from a kid growing up on the tough streets of Colorado to touring the world’s biggest arenas and stadiums.
“People think I just sit behind the keys and hit a few notes between Axl’s screams,” Dizzy laughed in the interview. “But I’ve always written songs. I’ve got notebooks full of lyrics, riffs, melodies… this album is my chance to get it all out there, my own way.”
A Sneak Peek at the Album
In addition to “Earn It 2 Burn It,” Dizzy teased snippets of other tracks during a surprise livestream for fans last week. One standout was “Whiskey Baptized,” a Southern rock banger with bluesy piano licks and a chorus that sounds tailor-made for late-night bar singalongs. Another, “Concrete Hearts,” leans into darker, more introspective territory, blending haunting piano melodies with searing guitar solos that wouldn’t sound out of place on Use Your Illusion.
There’s also talk of an acoustic ballad, “Broken Keys,” which Dizzy says was inspired by a vintage piano he rescued from a condemned bar in New Orleans. “That piano had cigarette burns on the keys, and the soundboard was cracked,” Dizzy said. “But when I played it, there was something magical about the way it rattled. It reminded me that sometimes broken things can make the most honest music.”
Tour Plans and the Road Ahead
To support the album, Dizzy is planning a run of intimate club shows across the U.S. and Europe. “I’ve played stadiums for most of my life,” he said. “But there’s nothing like feeling the sweat and the beer and the energy of a small club. I wanna see the whites of people’s eyes when I’m playing these songs.”
Fans can expect a setlist that mixes Dizzy’s new material with a few deep cuts from his GN’R days — though he’s quick to note that this isn’t a nostalgia act. “I love Guns, always will,” he said. “But this is my story. If you wanna come along for the ride, buckle up. If not, that’s cool too — rock ‘n’ roll doesn’t beg.”
A Legacy Still Unfolding
At 62, Dizzy Reed shows no signs of slowing down. If anything, “Earn It 2 Burn It” proves that his creative fire is burning hotter than ever. For fans who’ve watched him lurk behind his Hammond B3 on some of rock’s biggest stages, this solo turn is a reminder that sometimes the quiet ones have the loudest stories to tell.
Rock ‘N’ Roll Chose Me is due out on October 18th through Golden Robot Records. Pre-orders for limited-edition vinyl pressings — including a rumored blood-red variant — go live next week.
Until then, “Earn It 2 Burn It” is more than enough to crank up, pour a whiskey, and remember that in rock ‘n’ roll, you really do have to earn it before you burn it down.
