I forgot that from Shakey - it's been a long time since I read it. But given that it's Crosby that fired Berry, it doesn't make sense that Neil is feeling guilty. This is from the Whitten wiki:
Whitten lagged behind, figuring out the rhythm parts, though never in sync with the rest of the group. Young, who had more at stake after the success of After the Gold Rush and Harvest, fired him from the band on November 18, 1972. He gave Whitten $50 ($364 in 2023) and a plane ticket back to Los Angeles. Later that night Whitten died from ingesting a combination of diazepam, which he was taking for severe knee arthritis, and alcohol, which he was using to try to get over his heroin addiction.
Which is almost exactly the story that Neil gives in his rap about Berry, but replacing Whitten not being able to play guitar with Berry losing a guitar. Innaresting.
― il lavoro mi rovina la giornata (PBKR), Saturday, 16 December 2023 14:16 (four months ago) link
the 73 byrds reunion didn't tour at all so not sure where Berry was supposed to be stealing from, the studio or Crosby's house? maybe from a Crosby/Nash gig around the same time?
― buzza, Saturday, 16 December 2023 14:25 (four months ago) link
Iirc, it was in the studio during the album sessions, as Berry had been hired as Crosby's personal tech/roadie.
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 16 December 2023 14:48 (four months ago) link
it's all in a short paragraph here btw
― StanM, Saturday, 16 December 2023 19:45 (four months ago) link