The Pitman Thing

[D-GenerationX]

Wanted to pick some brains here.  But didn't want to clutter up the good vibes in the big room.

When it appeared that Pittman would not be back, I just assumed they eliminated the position outright.  Didn't you?  Did you think there was my chance they keep a second keyboardist...yet not use the guy that's had the gig for 15 years?

I can't imagine it was a money thing.  Axl, Slash, and Duff are making the lion's share here.  I assume the others are just on salary.

So if that is the case, it's got to be a personality thing, right?  Are there any stories that we know of where Chris comes off like a dick?  I can't recall any.

Do you think he blames Axl for not going to bat for him?  Or do you think he and Axl had some falling out?

[Sosso]

He would have been involved without those stupid twitter posts. Thats my quess.

I would say that I'm a Pitman fan and I miss this guy but I'm excited about Melissa Reese too.

[D-GenerationX]

He would have been involved without those stupid twitter posts. Thats my quess.

I would say that I'm a Pitman fan and I miss this guy but I'm excited about Melissa Reese too.

I heard someone at MYGNR speculate that it was the way he talked about Coachella beforehand that rubbed them the wrong way.

I think the night he posted all that stuff while "drunk" was the night he got the word he was out.  He sounded like a dude that just got dumped.

[Sosso]

He would have been involved without those stupid twitter posts. Thats my quess.

I would say that I'm a Pitman fan and I miss this guy but I'm excited about Melissa Reese too.

I heard someone at MYGNR speculate that it was the way he talked about Coachella beforehand that rubbed them the wrong way.

I think the night he posted all that stuff while "drunk" was the night he got the word he was out.  He sounded like a dude that just got dumped.

That might be true. He was super excited about Coachella but didn't realised that his postings are not in line with the bands marketing strategy.

[D-GenerationX]

That might be true. He was super excited about Coachella but didn't realised that his postings are not in line with the bands marketing strategy.

Which is just crazy to me.

Chris Pitman is a first ballot Hall Of Fame "just happy to be here" guy.  How he does anything to even remotely rock the boat defies all logic.

[DeN]

if he was fired after his tweet, that makes sense.

if it was before, it doesn't

[D-GenerationX]

Alright, was just double checking the timeline here.

This is is from 1/11/16 :

Multi-instrumentalist Chris Pitman, who was the only musician apart from Axl Rose to give a strong confirmation of his involvement with "semi-reunited" GN'R through such posts as "Gonna be a fun time 2016 #coachella #axlrose #GunsNRoses," has now "denied" the whole thing.

The man tweeted: "I was just informed by management to not acknowledge anything about Coachella, GN'R, etc. So there, denied! #GamesForDays"

He added: "When I said 'we are playing at Coachella' I meant me and my daughter like to play in the sand."

OK, so the Coachella news broke on 1/5/16.  So word was out.  But they had yet to say anything.  Chris seems to have gone off book.

He then compounds that by being sort of smartass about it, which really, only draws more attention to it.


Then on 2/26/16, this happens late at night :

Guns N' Roses multi-instrumentalist Chris Pitman blasted the band's latest classic-lineup "semi-reunion," calling it "a money grab."

In a subsequently-deleted post, Chris said: "This is a nostalgia tour. Please don't mention those who are there the last 20 fucking years ... oh god no!! ... (a money grab) FU."

It seems to me, that earlier in the same day, Chris got the word : Everybody doing this upcoming tour, take one step forward...not so fast, Chris.

He lashes out like someone who did not see this news coming.  Like a guy with an engagement ring already in his pocket instead gets told that she thinks they need to take a break.

That wasn't because he was "drunk".  He was hurt.

[faldor]

I took those comments to be towards the segment of fans he was upset with. Like for years they called every tour a money grab because there was no new music on the horizon. I thought that was his way of saying, "same thing here, but now it's ok?" Sort of in that vein.

But I agree, something must have gone down. He was definitely in months ago, at least he thought he was. And now he apparently is out. And that apology tweet either signaled he was out at that time or he was trying to save himself and it didn't quite work. That's the way I read it at least.

[Voodoochild]

He also did the GNFR teaser that came up with the Star Wars movie.

I was never bothered like many here about his presence. Didn't think the band would call someone to replace him, much less a girl. And I really like the idea now, even though I couldn't really have a fair opinion on her because I just couldn't hear anything from those Instagram videos.

He lashes out like someone who did not see this news coming.  Like a guy with an engagement ring already in his pocket instead gets told that she thinks they need to take a break.

That wasn't because he was "drunk".  He was hurt.

Yeah, that seems likely (and sad). I dunno.

[D-GenerationX]

I took those comments to be towards the segment of fans he was upset with. Like for years they called every tour a money grab because there was no new music on the horizon. I thought that was his way of saying, "same thing here, but now it's ok?" Sort of in that vein.

Hmm, that's a good point.

[D-GenerationX]

I was never bothered like many here about his presence. Didn't think the band would call someone to replace him, much less a girl.

I wasn't bothered by him.  But I thought you could lift him right out and not miss a beat.

But while I could see the elimination of the slot outright, I never in a million years thought they'd keep it...by go to the trouble of replacing him.

I think the fact they did stick with a 2nd keyboardist shows they intended to do so, and Chris might have just fucked himself out of the highest profile gig he would have ever had.

[GeorgeSteele]

Had to have been something behind the scenes that we're not privy to.  Pitman may not have exactly been a key component, but 20 years is 20 years, so I'd be surprised if he was cut loose just because of a dumb tweet. 

[D-GenerationX]

Had to have been something behind the scenes that we're not privy to.  Pitman may not have exactly been a key component, but 20 years is 20 years, so I'd be surprised if he was cut loose just because of a dumb tweet. 

Does seem harsh.

About all I can figure is that maybe he and Slash and/or Duff didn't exactly hit it off.

So when he screws up, do they maybe turn to Axl and ask "What's with your boy, man?  Is he stupid or something?"

[C0ma]

It's things like this that make me wish I could have been a fly on the wall since 1997ish... Once you had Paul, Bucket, Robin, Brain, Bumble, Tommy, and DJ gone did he lose his cheering section? Also once Duff and Slash were in place full time what were there thoughts on him? Was he ever part of rehearsals? Did they hate his backing vocals?

Backing vocals are the one thing you can get after the CD Era lineup for... they were amazing musicians... but potentially one of the historically bad backing vocal groups ever.
Robin's voice was nails on a chalkboard, Chris was awful, Tommy was ehhh. Maybe Slash and Duff pulled Axl aside during rehearsal and were like 'WTF?'

In the few decent clips we have of Friday, you can really hear her in the background of WTTJ doing the Ooo Ooo Ooo's... I would love to hear what she did on Don't Cry and KOHD.

[DeN]

About all I can figure is that maybe he and Slash and/or Duff didn't exactly hit it off.

So when he screws up, do they maybe turn to Axl and ask "What's with your boy, man?  Is he stupid or something?"

I came to the same conclusion.

[JAEBALL]

I'm not upset he's gone...

but this will go down as one of the great or not so great mysteries in GNR land... because you know we will never get a straight answer !

[JAEBALL]

Had to have been something behind the scenes that we're not privy to.  Pitman may not have exactly been a key component, but 20 years is 20 years, so I'd be surprised if he was cut loose just because of a dumb tweet. 

Does seem harsh.

About all I can figure is that maybe he and Slash and/or Duff didn't exactly hit it off.

So when he screws up, do they maybe turn to Axl and ask "What's with your boy, man?  Is he stupid or something?"

I seriously doubt Slash or Duff came in and started making lineup "suggestions" to Axl right out the gate...

Don't ya think they would have pushed for one of the drummers if they had that power?

[Thorned Rose]

This is what it is....

He was a member of Gn'R and seemed like a useful guy, but he didn't contribute that much ya know? I mean he just didn't do that much.

He co-wrote 2 songs, which is nice, and played sub-bass on ALL of the songs, which isn't really needed in my opinion. PLayed keyboards on like 1/2 the tracks, and did guitar on a couple.

Yeah he was important for that album, because of CD's style and sound, but overall, out of the members on CD, he was the least important member or towards to bottom. For me he just wasn't someone that I got into. I do love Madagascar though, but I'm saying Pitman was just passable for me.

Then his rude comments about the band really set me off, I didn't like that. For the most part he was defended here to the death... where Steven says 1 thing people blast him and it's all okay and tolerated mostly.

I'm very surprised they had a female keyboardist in his place. I just don't think Gn'R needs 2 keyboardists. It's whatever I guess. Not like what I think is going to change it.

I'm not trying to be rude or disrespecful, but for someone that played a couple instruments and sub bass/keyboards on an album I just don't factor him in as that relevant. If Dizzy wasn't in the band, and Pitman did ALL of the keyboards then sure that is very different.

At the end of the stay he was an important part of Gn'R's 1997-2014 era, but to me he was the least important member in the band besides maybe Ashba, who didn't write anything as we know of.

[GeorgeSteele]

About all I can figure is that maybe he and Slash and/or Duff didn't exactly hit it off.

So when he screws up, do they maybe turn to Axl and ask "What's with your boy, man?  Is he stupid or something?"

I came to the same conclusion.

Could be, but there are so many possibilities.  Maybe he had drug/alcohol addiction issues.  Maybe he and Dizzy had a king of the keyboards dispute and Chris was the odd man out, who knows.  What we can rule out is the speculation that his role was superfluous, because they replaced him. 

[LunsJail]

 I'm thinking the #GamesForDays didn't help his cause much