Axl Rose settles lawsuit with ex-keyboardist Chris Pitman

Axl Rose, frontman of Guns N' Roses, has finally closed the chapter of the lawsuit filed against him by former keyboardist Chris Pitman after the former failed to pay a $163,000 debt. Said debt was incurred after Rose was not able to pay the ex-roadie for his services amounting to $125,000 plus incurred interest. However, sources confirmed that Pitman agreed to settle at a much lesser amount.

According to Pitman, Rose was not able to pay a year-long worth of services and although he had been through tough financial times in 2011, he accepted Rose's promissory note that assured payment by October 2012. Unfortunately, the Guns N' Roses lead failed to do so.

Thus, in September this year, Pitman took his case to the court. The case came at a very opportune time following the successful Guns N' Roses' Not in This Lifetime reunion world tour which was able to earn $100 million or around $5.5 million per show. The tour also topped ticket sales even with its $117 average ticket price.

Pitman is the longest serving member of the band and he contributed his versatile musical talent from 1998 until early this year before reunion concert talks were in place. However, despite this, he was not included in the reunion tour and was replaced by American musician and model Melissa Reese. Sources claimed that this could be what sparked the lawsuit against Axl Rose in the first place.

Earlier before the case was settled, Pitman openly aired his criticism against the reunion tour saying that it was nothing but a publicity stunt to rake money from fans. Although Pitman later issued an apology for this statement, he went on to call the reunited Guns N' Roses an "oldies band" and that there is nothing new to hear from the concert.

Regardless of this controversy, the success of the reunion tour with Axl Rose in the lead would most definitely result in a possible extension in 2017.