Chris Pitman

Chris Pitman (born February 25, 1961)[1] is an American musician best known for his involvement with the hard rock band Guns N' Roses. A multi-instrumentalist, Pitman is known to play keyboards, guitar and drums, in addition to his role as a lead or backing vocalist. Pitman currently fronts alternative rock band SexTapes and previously worked with such bands as Guns N' Roses, Lusk, Replicants and Tool.

This article is about the musician. For the individual convicted in 2005 of murdering his grandparents, see Christopher Pittman.
Chris Pitman
Chris Pitman performing in 2015
Background information
Born (1961-02-25) February 25, 1961[1]
Independence, Missouri, U.S.[1]
OriginLos Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer-songwriter
  • musician
  • record producer
  • audio programmer
Instruments
  • Synthesizers
  • keyboards
  • sampler
  • keytar
  • guitar
  • bass
  • drums
  • vocals
  • sequencer
  • percussion
Years active1979–present
Labels
Associated acts

Early career

Pitman studied at the Art Institute of Kansas City and the University of Missouri. In 1993, Pitman worked with the controversial artist Les Levine. The following year, Pitman worked with Dr. Dre in Dre's home studio. He also joined Tool on tour and played synth on Tool's album Ænima. In 1995, he appeared on the album Bourgeois Kitten by Blinker the Star.

Guns N' Roses (1998-2016)
Pitman in 2006 with Guns N' Roses

In early 1998, Pitman joined Guns N' Roses as the band's second keyboardist and second bass player as well as performing backing vocals and percussion. He was featured on keyboards on the non-album single "Oh My God" in 1999 and on every song on the long-delayed sixth studio album Chinese Democracy.

On the album, Pitman plays mostly keyboards and sub-bass as well as programming and background vocals, he plays a 12-string guitar on "If The World" and a Mellotron on "There Was A Time". He also co-wrote the songs "If The World" and "Madagascar" alongside frontman Axl Rose. He was also responsible for the synth orchestra (along with Dizzy Reed and Axl Rose) on the songs Street of Dreams, There Was A Time, Madagascar, This I Love and Prostitute. Pitman co-wrote (alongside other keyboardist Dizzy Reed) an unreleased song which was performed live at Rock in Rio III entitled "Silkworms".[2]

Pitman started performing live with Guns N' Roses in January 2001. He was one of the longest serving members of the band. Pitman filled in for Tommy Stinson on bass in a 2007 show that Stinson was unable to attend.[3] In February 2016, Pitman made headlines for criticizing the upcoming Not In This Lifetime... Tour, calling it a "Nostalgia tour" and stating “please don’t mention those who are there the last 20 fucking years … oh god no!! … (a money grab) FU.”[4] Pitman later apologized for his comments, stating "Remember kids, dont drink n text!".[5] Pitman left the group soon afterwards, saying in an April 2016 interview "I quit the Oldies band, they just wanna repeat that 30 year old music over and over... boring.[6]

Pitman was replaced by Melissa Reese as the second keyboardist In March 2016, two weeks before the tour began.[7]

In August 2016, Pitman sued Rose for $125,000 in unpaid wages.[8] The two parties settled in November 2016.[9]

Musical Collaborations

Pitman has collaborated with a number of acts, as well as founding a number of experimental projects.

  • XR4 - Vocals, electronics in 1982.
  • Replicants - Pitman was keyboardist of the cover band that featured singer and guitarist Ken Andrews, drummer Greg Edwards, and bassist Paul D'amour.[10]
  • ZAUM - guitar, electronics, and lead vocals with Danny Carey of Tool, and Marko Fox of SexTapesTM.
  • Tool - In 1994/95, Pitman toured with them and, in 1996, played synths on the song "Third Eye".
  • Failure - Contributed sound effects and sound mixing.
  • Lusk - Recording, production, mixing, mastering, lead vocals, multi-instrumentation in this Grammy-nominated band in 1996-97.
  • Sony Panic - Guitar and live software management with this L.A. experimental/improvisational band in 1997.
  • Blinker the Star - Contributed keyboards to the song "Kween Kat" of the album Bourgeois Kitten in 1996. Co-wrote the single "Below the Sliding Doors" in 1998.
  • Savvy Soviets - Production/collaboration in Rio de Janeiro in 2003.
  • Electric Company - Synthesizer on the album Creative Playthings. Played live with this Brad Laner electronic music project in 2004.
  • The Source of Uncertainty - Recording with Danny Carey and others in 2008.
  • SexTapes - Working with Kelly Wheeler, Marko Fox, and Ryan Brown starting in 2006.[11]
  • Guns N' Roses - In 1998, Pitman joined this hard rock band as songwriter, co-producer, and multi-instrumentalist.
  • Beatrazr - EDM music project with Frank Ferrer.[12][13]

Workshop projects

Pitman has also done sound design and electronic work for Arturia software synthesizers, A Designs Audio [Peter Montessi], Waves Plugins, Waldorf Synthesizers, Apple's Logic Audio, Digidesign Plugins, Moog Synthesizers, Celemony's Melodyne, Ableton Live, Roland USA, Korg Music, Serge Synthesis [SMS], PlanB Synthesis [Peter Grenader], [Axel Hartmann] Neuron Synthesis, and Symbolic Sounds Kyma, Mandala Drums, Steven Slate Drums, Native Instruments.

Pitman was co-founder of Los Angeles-based art coalition 'Priory of the North,' which focuses on conceptual/public art and works primarily with oil painting, lithography, oils, and metal. His Land/Environment projects have been onsite in various Midwest regional farmland sites in Lafayette County and Johnson County, Missouri. His Rio de Janeiro site-specific work titled "Mind/Land" has been delayed until permits and visas for such materials can be imported. This work has been in progress since 2003.

gollark: no pronouns > gender neutral pronouns
gollark: Yes.
gollark: Nobody is allowed any gender whatsoever.
gollark: We should abolish gender entirely. Nobody should be allowed to use any gendered language or gendered expression whatsoever.
gollark: By hacking eßobot.

References
  1. "Biography - Chris Pitman". www.mygnr.com.
  2. "Classic Interview with Chris Pitman (Guns N' Roses)". Archived from the original on February 7, 2016.
  3. "GNRontour.com - GN'R Setlist Almanac 2007". www.gnrontour.com.
  4. "Guns N' Roses member Chris Pitman blasts "money grab" reunion tour". February 26, 2016.
  5. "GUNS N' ROSES Keyboardist CHRIS PITMAN Apologizes For Calling Reunion 'Nostalgia Tour'". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. March 3, 2016.
  6. Hartmann, Graham. "Ex-GN'R Member Chris Pitman Apparently Calls Reunion 'Boring'". Loudwire.
  7. "Fil-Am brings girl power to Guns N' Roses". www.philstar.com.
  8. Axl Rose Sued, TMZ.com
  9. "Axl Rose Settles Lawsuit With Chris Pitman". Loudwire.
  10. "Replicants - Biography & History - AllMusic". AllMusic.
  11. "GUNS N' ROSES Keyboardist CHRIS PITMAN Releases SEXTAPES". 10 December 2008.
  12. "HTGTH.com: Guns N' Roses News: Beatrazr new project with Chris Pitman & Frank Ferrer". www.heretodaygonetohell.com.
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