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Re: Chris Pitman suing Axl Rose for unpaid 2011 wages
IIRC, the 2006 lineup were all paid $5k per show which would've been $160k apiece for the year.
It's worth noting it was rumored that both Eric Caudieux and Caram were reportedly still owed money from Chinese sessions several years later but not paid, unless that was debunked, so this sounds like par for the course.
It's obvious Pitman was pushed out and partly because of that, that Axl is flush now, and that this is the most expedient route forward, he's suing. It's a cut and dry case of paying the man what he's owed provided he has the note.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: Chris Pitman suing Axl Rose for unpaid 2011 wages
From memory that book about the groupie suggested that Dizzy had not always been paid on time either. Seems maybe Axl's team isn't the best at cash flow management. Hell, even back in the UYI days there's a lot of stories about unnecessary expenses and so on.
You'd imagine it would be cheaper to just settle this with pittman than fight here though.
Re: Chris Pitman suing Axl Rose for unpaid 2011 wages
So, being on a salary in Axl's band only pays $100k per year? Damn, and I thought these guys all were on huge retainers...
In 2001, a "combined [monthly] payroll for seven band members... exceeded $62,000, with the star players earning roughly $11,000 each".
Inflation adjusted, Pitman's request is around $7,000/month on the 2001 wages. It's probably what he's always been paid for active duty.
Brain talked about a huge retainer paid to him in 2006, which was still when money was abound. If it's derived from their monthly wages, stay away long enough and you'll get a pretty penny from the intervening months/years when coming back.
Re: Chris Pitman suing Axl Rose for unpaid 2011 wages
TheMole wrote:So, being on a salary in Axl's band only pays $100k per year? Damn, and I thought these guys all were on huge retainers...
Thats probably the retainer as 2011 was an year without touring (except for rock in Rio if I'm not mistaken)
you are - they toured for the whole 3 months in 2011 (OCT-DEC) - 37 shows. that dreadful RIR was the very first show of the year.
Re: Chris Pitman suing Axl Rose for unpaid 2011 wages
It's a bit hard to get anywhere without the actual documents, but there've been rumors about lax back pay in 2011. Take the the stolen documents, for one.
009-010. January 2011 email about cutting everyone's pay (part 1-2)
026. January 2011 Caram Castanzo email complaining about back pay
Axl cried poverty back in 2011... Pitman says Axl wrote him a promissory note for the $125,000 he was owed for more than a year's worth of work... In the suit, he says that amount was supposed to be paid by Oct. 2012 -- but Axl never bucked up, and he's been radio silent ever since.
The question is, what exactly is the timeframe Pitman's referring to - touring in 2010 or 2011? Also, in October '12, the band played at the Bridge School benefit shows with Neil Young (and that horrible case of strep throat), followed by the first Vegas residency. Pitman would tour with the band for another year and half, work with Axl in the studio by putting together the NITL teaser and whatnot, and finally, throw down the gauntlet because he'd been slighted over the reformation tour.
Point being, Pitman seems to have had ample opportunities to settle his back pay with the band. Looks to me like he agreed to postpone his pay to stay in Axl's good graces and now that sour grapes are abound, he wants his cut. While he may be entitled for compensation, a lawsuit is a nasty way to go about it, particularly after all the pissing in the wind he's done in the past year.
Re: Chris Pitman suing Axl Rose for unpaid 2011 wages
While he may be entitled for compensation, a lawsuit is a nasty way to go about it, particularly after all the pissing in the wind he's done in the past year.
How else should he collect unpaid money? Ask Axl nicely through Jarmo?
Even this route, Axl would probably just settle the case and Pitman would get less than he is owed anyway.
I found Pitman pretty useless, but if he's owed money, Axl needs to pay up. Lawsuits are very effective in getting people to start paying attention.
