Melissa Reese Cosmopolitan Interview, Talks About Joining The Band, Close Relationship With Axl

[soon]

1 minute ago, ZoSoRose said:

I'm sure his salary wouldn't have decreased with NITL. If anything, it probably got a boost because the profits are that much more. Even if it isn't in the same stratosphere as Axl, Slash, and Duff it probably was still a lot. 

What the heck does the guy think he is? He was the second keyboardist in a band full of replacements. It isn't a knock on his status, I'd (or anyone else on here) would have loved to be in/be a part of GNR in any way. Thats quite the job description. But, come on, he can't be that dumb to think he would deserve the same status or money as Slash and Duff can he?

I bet he did get offered a modest raise, which my guess would be was still not big money.  And I also get the feeling (not that I could back it up beyond reading into his drunk posts) that he did think he deserves some of the big money.  But maybe it was about not releasing the music they were working on?

I dunno, just my impressions.

[RONIN]

8 minutes ago, ZoSoRose said:

The Pitman fiasco is so strange. He was clearly involved. Something happened behind the scenes and I'm curious as to what. Why the hell would he be anything but stoked for the reunion? It'd be the biggest gig of his life to back up Axl, Slash, and Duff throughout NITL. 

Massive ego/personality clashes with Duff and Slash? Maybe a new album (lol) was shelved in favor of the reunion?

Just can't believe how bad he shot himself in the foot

Pitman didn't know his place in the band hierarchy and overplayed his hand basically. When Duff and Slash came on board he thought he would get a huge pay hike and when that didn't happen, unlike Fortus/Frank/Dizzy, his ego was bruised. And then the Coachella thing happened and Axl/TB told him to STFU and he decided to mouth off. Slash and Duff coming back into the band instantly demoted all the hired hands and reduced their access to Axl. They now had 3 bosses instead of simply 1. Pitman didn't handle that well.

Right before he was fired, there were rumors that Duff and Slash confronted him during a rehearsal. The King of Beers apparently slammed Mother Goose against the wall for his "drunk" rant on facebook. Dude is kicked to the curb the next day and moves back in with his parents. End of story.

I don't blame Pitman for his reaction - nothing he said was really unfair or offbase - it's a fair point that he was in the band for 18 years and deserved better treatment (even if he was useless). Clearly Axl and TB didn't give the nu lineup enough respect or say in the band. But that's par for the course - look how Izzy and Steven were treated and they were co-founders in the band - a past his prime 2nd keyboardist is probably going to be low priority for the band.

You can't bite the hand that feeds when you're a nobody like Pitman. He should have taken a page from Dizzy - that guy knows exactly how to play his cards. He gets his beer money after every gig from Axl and is happy as a clam.

[Sosso]

14 minutes ago, RONIN said:

I don't blame Pitman for his reaction - nothing he said was really unfair or offbase - it's a fair point that he was in the band for 18 years and deserved better treatment (even if he was useless). Clearly Axl and TB didn't give the nu lineup enough respect or say in the band. But that's par for the course - look how Izzy and Steven were treated and they were co-founders in the band - a past his prime 2nd keyboardist is probably going to be low priority for the band.

You can't bite the hand that feeds when you're a nobody like Pitman. He should have taken a page from Dizzy - that guy knows exactly how to play his cards. He gets his beer money after every gig from Axl and is happy as a clam.

I don't think that he was useless from 1998 until 2004/2005. He did exactly for what he was hired - adding a new and modern sound to the band's music. He also was at some of the best albums from the '90s (Free Mars from Lusk or that cover album from Replicants for example). I also like his sound at some of the older songs. He brought some fresh air into them.

I felt a bit sorry for him during the later tours. He had all this expensive equipment in his corner - the Roland V-Synth GT is one of the best synthesizers ever made for example - but he couldn't really use it. 

Edited November 9, 2017 by Sosso

[ZoSoRose]

7 minutes ago, RONIN said:

Pitman didn't know his place in the band hierarchy and overplayed his hand basically. When Duff and Slash came on board he thought he would get a huge pay hike and when that didn't happen, unlike Fortus/Frank/Dizzy, his ego was bruised. And then the Coachella thing happened and Axl/TB told him to STFU and he decided to mouth off. Slash and Duff coming back into the band instantly demoted all the hired hands and reduced their access to Axl. They now had 3 bosses instead of simply 1. Pitman didn't handle that well.

Right before he was fired, there were rumors that Duff and Slash confronted him during a rehearsal. The King of Beers apparently slammed Mother Goose against the wall for his "drunk" rant on facebook. Dude is kicked to the curb the next day and moves back in with his parents. End of story.

I don't blame Pitman for his reaction - nothing he said was really unfair or offbase - it's a fair point that he was in the band for 18 years and deserved better treatment (even if he was useless). Clearly Axl and TB didn't give the nu lineup enough respect or say in the band. But that's par for the course - look how Izzy and Steven were treated and they were co-founders in the band - a past his prime 2nd keyboardist is probably going to be low priority for the band.

You can't bite the hand that feeds when you're a nobody like Pitman. He should have taken a page from Dizzy - that guy knows exactly how to play his cards. He gets his beer money after every gig from Axl and is happy as a clam.

I'd believe a lot of this. I remember that rumor but how is there ANY way to know what happened behind the scenes in rehearsals? Where did that rumor originate?

I think the treatment is sort of fair, in that you should know what you sign up for when you join a massive established band. Its a dream for most professional musicians. You have .01% making it big on your own, and probably a .5% making it big as a hired gun in something huge. Its still a massive break for a guy like Pitman. The dude was in the band for years, this is true, but he had to know what the deal was. His career is owed to what Axl, Slash, and Duff built. Of course he shouldn't get equal footing with those guys, its their band. Even if 2 of those dudes weren't in it for decades. Same would apply to Izzy and Steven, of course they would get more and be billed higher than someone like Pitman because they built it. His drunk posting and criticizing us and the band was off base and unfair. I don't know what he was like behind the scenes, but I am not surprised they let his ungrateful ass go. If I was in a position like him, I'd be a Dizzy Reed too. Fuck it, I'd get to help out in one of the biggest rock bands on the planet and all I have to do is shut my mouth and play music? The band even gives them "band member" labeling which is pretty cool. Guys like Darryl Jones and Struart Smith don't get that even and they've been with The Stones and Eagles respectively for years. Sign me the fuck up to be a hired gun in one of these monster bands. 

Pitman legit called it a nostalgia/cash grab and lashed out at fans on the eve of what would have been the biggest tour of his life while he was allegedly involved. What the fuck was he thinking?

As for Melissa, she is fine I guess. I barely notice her presence at any of the shows I am at. I guess I like her more than Pitman because she doesn't seem to have the ego and attitude. I respect Pitman's contributions to CD and that is pretty much it. 

[WWEROSES]

Well I'm probably one of the few that enjoy her stage presence, her backing vocals and her playing. I kinda identify with her because we're similar in age, so seeing someone in my age group rocking out with my hero's is awesome. Like..that could be me up there. 

[MyPrettyTiedUpMichelle]

4 minutes ago, ZoSoRose said:

I'd believe a lot of this. I remember that rumor but how is there ANY way to know what happened behind the scenes in rehearsals? Where did that rumor originate?

I think the treatment is sort of fair, in that you should know what you sign up for when you join a massive established band. Its a dream for most professional musicians. You have .01% making it big on your own, and probably a .5% making it big as a hired gun in something huge. Its still a massive break for a guy like Pitman. The dude was in the band for years, this is true, but he had to know what the deal was. His career is owed to what Axl, Slash, and Duff built. Of course he shouldn't get equal footing with those guys, its their band. Even if 2 of those dudes weren't in it for decades. Same would apply to Izzy and Steven, of course they would get more and be billed higher than someone like Pitman because they built it. His drunk posting and criticizing us and the band was off base and unfair. I don't know what he was like behind the scenes, but I am not surprised they let his ungrateful ass go. If I was in a position like him, I'd be a Dizzy Reed too. Fuck it, I'd get to help out in one of the biggest rock bands on the planet and all I have to do is shut my mouth and play music? The band even gives them "band member" labeling which is pretty cool. Guys like Darryl Jones and Struart Smith don't get that even and they've been with The Stones and Eagles respectively for years. Sign me the fuck up to be a hired gun in one of these monster bands. 

Pitman legit called it a nostalgia/cash grab and lashed out at fans on the eve of what would have been the biggest tour of his life while he was allegedly involved. What the fuck was he thinking?

As for Melissa, she is fine I guess. I barely notice her presence at any of the shows I am at. I guess I like her more than Pitman because she doesn't seem to have the ego and attitude. I respect Pitman's contributions to CD and that is pretty much it. 

Agree with your post.  And as for Melissa, she's probably ego and attitude free because she's busy doing her own thing alongside Guns (like Duff and Slash).  From that interview she strikes me as smart.  I'd say she'll use GNR as a stepping stone to further her own career.

[RONIN]

8 minutes ago, ZoSoRose said:

I'd believe a lot of this. I remember that rumor but how is there ANY way to know what happened behind the scenes in rehearsals? Where did that rumor originate?

Best of my recollection, that was an "insider" rumor that started here soon after his firing. I don't think this has ever been confirmed as actually taking place but clearly there was something major that went down to eject him out of the band right before those shows. I think he also had dented his relationship with Axl over that plagiarism lawsuit w/ Riad. 

Quote

I think the treatment is sort of fair, in that you should know what you sign up for when you join a massive established band. Its a dream for most professional musicians. You have .01% making it big on your own, and probably a .5% making it big as a hired gun in something huge. Its still a massive break for a guy like Pitman. The dude was in the band for years, this is true, but he had to know what the deal was. His career is owed to what Axl, Slash, and Duff built. Of course he shouldn't get equal footing with those guys, its their band. Even if 2 of those dudes weren't in it for decades. Same would apply to Izzy and Steven, of course they would get more and be billed higher than someone like Pitman because they built it. His drunk posting and criticizing us and the band was off base and unfair. I don't know what he was like behind the scenes, but I am not surprised they let his ungrateful ass go. If I was in a position like him, I'd be a Dizzy Reed too. Fuck it, I'd get to help out in one of the biggest rock bands on the planet and all I have to do is shut my mouth and play music? The band even gives them "band member" labeling which is pretty cool. Guys like Darryl Jones and Struart Smith don't get that even and they've been with The Stones and Eagles respectively for years. Sign me the fuck up to be a hired gun in one of these monster bands. 

Agreed. It's a bit of wishful thinking to expect full member status. I think Matt Sorum struggled with this early on but in the nu band - Bumblefoot and Pitman seemed to really buy into the idea that they were full-on members of GnR and were part of the band's legacy. Bumble still seems emotionally mixed up about the whole thing. Hell, even Gilby had a weird moment where he admitted he was bummed a bit about not getting into the Rock n roll HOF. I guess it's an awkward position to be in when you're a hired hand/member. I think the stones handled it way better than Axl ever did as far as integrating the replacements. Either way - as you said - getting a chance to play in a band like that is the opportunity of a lifetime, especially if you're a journeyman musician like Pitman. He blew it. Totally napalmed his meal ticket.

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Pitman legit called it a nostalgia/cash grab and lashed out at fans on the eve of what would have been the biggest tour of his life while he was allegedly involved. What the fuck was he thinking?

Completely forgot about that. I guess he really was acting like a douche there - but he sort of always had a rep for being that way, even back in the day when Bucket was in the band. He would have made enough to retire comfortably had he just kept his mouth shut. I suppose it couldn't have happened to a more deserving person really.

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As for Melissa, she is fine I guess. I barely notice her presence at any of the shows I am at. I guess I like her more than Pitman because she doesn't seem to have the ego and attitude. I respect Pitman's contributions to CD and that is pretty much it. 

I have no issues with her either. I don't think she's needed but if Axl insists on a 2nd keyboard player, then I'm glad it's Melissa instead of Pitman. She's very effective w/ vocals, especially on November Rain and Better. Seems like a legitimate talent. I think any backlash against her is coming from a place of wanting a minimalist band lineup onstage like the AFD era or the '91 shows. 

[rendestroi95]

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Axl specifically is so proud of [to have a woman in the band]. There was one conversation I remember — this was such a surreal moment in my life. Me, Axl, and Lenny Kravitz are in a room together, and he’s like, “Lenny, we’ve got a chick in the band!” He was so excited. And Lenny’s like, “I know.” He’d seen our show at the Troubadour. But, yeah, Axl from the jump has just had my back. He at one point had even given me a talk. “If anybody tries to talk shit or this or that, I have your back.”

that's so cool of Axl

[RONIN]

28 minutes ago, Sosso said:

I don't think that he was useless from 1998 until 2004/2005. He did exactly for what he was hired - adding a new and modern sound to the band's music. He also was at some of the best albums from the '90s (Free Mars from Lusk or that cover album from Replicants for example). I also like his sound at some of the older songs. He brought some fresh air into them.

I felt a bit sorry for him during the later tours. He had all this expensive equipment in his corner - the Roland V-Synth GT is one of the best synthesizers ever made for example - but he couldn't really use it. 

Yeah - I didn't mean to diminish Pitman - he had some talent, but he became sort of extraneous post 2002 imho and the towel waving didn't exactly earn him a lot of fans among the diehards. 

I think Pitman is very late 90's/early 00's. He was fine for that style and sound but I don't think he acquitted himself as nicely into the band as Dizzy did. His work on Madagascar hasn't aged all that well imho. And his behavior was cringeworthy - remember that interview he did with that female reporter on the couch? 

[Sosso]

16 minutes ago, RONIN said:

Yeah - I didn't mean to diminish Pitman - he had some talent, but he became sort of extraneous post 2002 imho and the towel waving didn't exactly earn him a lot of fans among the diehards. 

I think Pitman is very late 90's/early 00's. He was fine for that style and sound but I don't think he acquitted himself as nicely into the band as Dizzy did. His work on Madagascar hasn't aged all that well imho. And his behavior was cringeworthy - remember that interview he did with that female reporter on the couch? 

That assumption is reasonable. Axl went back to basics in 2009/2010 and Chris was actually the total opposite of that. However, he stayed in the band and was able to earn his regular paycheck. He could also travel around the world. I thought that this would continue through the NITL Tour because he was already 18 years in the band. 

Edited November 9, 2017 by Sosso

[gnfnrs1972]

After an epic reunion that was never expected, this band is so boring now.

[Gackt]

Couldn't care less about Pitman, Melissa is cute 

It's very cool to see Axl & Brain are still on good terms, I figured as much when Melissa got brought in to the band which seemed incredibly random at the time..I was only aware of her because of her collaboration with Brain & Buckethead on a small collection of instrumental albums back in 2010.  Going on two years into it, she's been nothing but a positive influence on the band and I hope she sticks around for the long term.

The Best Regards/Kind Regards albums are worth a journey if you're wanting to dive into the avant-garde

Edited November 10, 2017 by Gackt

[DieselDaisy]

What does ''full band member status'' even mean in the context of Guns N' Roses now? I think it is ascertained that Rose does not run this like any other band, whereby one can firmly say: that is the proper band, and that is the backing band, and he is a guest musician.

[Ratam]

4 hours ago, Sosso said:

I'm still against the decision of him not being involved. I would like to see him as the keyboardist and Melissa as the background singer at this tour.

@Sossoyou want kill @Tom-Ass?? 😃

[Tadsy]

2 hours ago, DieselDaisy said:

What does ''full band member status'' even mean in the context of Guns N' Roses now? I think it is ascertained that Rose does not run this like any other band, whereby one can firmly say: that is the proper band, and that is the backing band, and he is a guest musician.

Agree. 

But it laymans terms, it means Axl, Slash, Duff is the band, then whoever... and that whoever would include izzy and Steven if they ever stepped foot on stage in any capacity! 

 

 

 

[Tadsy]

Why is it, the more I read about Duff the last 2 years on here, the more my opinion changes of him from all round good guy, to a cut throat business man? The rumour of him putting Pittman up against a wall, the backing of axl and cash grabbing at Izzys and Stevens expense, backing Stevens dismissal from the tour, are just a few issues I've read about on here that if true, don't paint him in the best light. 

 

[FuriousStyles]

LOL @ Band. This is an enterprise.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

 

[Tadsy]

Also in regards to Melissa, I didn't really notice her when I wa in Sydney, in saying that, I was plastered after drinking all day in 47 degree heat and I was 60 yards back from the stage standing and didn't see shit for 3 hrs 😂

Anyhoo, I don't dislike her, I think she comes across as a kickass chick and she's living the dream and has a talent which is cool as hell. 

My issue is whether or not she is needed, similar to Richard doing things on stage that I don't think is needed at times, it makes me wonder. In saying that, it doesn't ruin the show by any stretch either, I'm more or less not bothered on her being there! 

I think one thing that's always annoyed me with this band is the technology factor, I'm first to admit, my knowledge of what Melissa does is limited at best, but the band seemed to get along ok before 87-93 without computers and all the other fancy shit she plays with up there, I know this makes me a dinosaur lol 

[Live Like a Suicide]

9 hours ago, Stress Fracture said:

She was approached in March last year. Pitman really screwed himself out of the gig.

Thank god. I would take Reese over Pitman any day.

[BorderlineCrazy]

Melissa just sang a weird version of Sorry (with Brain!) at the half time of the NBA game between the Cavs & Rockets. This is what I could find so far.

 

[seely]

Does anyone still have screenshots of Pittman's original tweets again? Would like to read them again for a giggle...

[WhazUp]

4 hours ago, FuriousStyles said:

LOL @ Band. This is an enterprise.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

 

It is called the music business for a reason

 

I got no problem with her

[ChristmasFnatic]

12 hours ago, Tom-Ass said:

The fact that she is in her thirties but acts like a 13 year old? Her annoying tweets.. The way she acts on stage.. You name it.. Besides all that I am sure she is really nice. 

Glad I was front and center in Sao Paulo, the stage was so high that I cant see her, Frank, and even Dizzy. Cant even see them when they bowed in the end.

[Jordan Rose]

3 hours ago, BorderlineCrazy said:

Melissa just sang a weird version of Sorry (with Brain!) at the half time of the NBA game between the Cavs & Rockets. This is what I could find so far.

 

What the actual?! Why? How?!

[Stress Fracture]

I don't mind it on its own but it tells us why the CD remix album was scrapped.