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The twin polarities upon which Use Your Illusion has always derived its unique energy from are its absolute bigness and its unparallelled sense of vindictive martyrdom. This deluxe set—which doubles the length of the combined two original albums by including two full live sets—is definitely big, but without the inclusion of additional studio tracks (no demos, b-sides or outtakes) doesn't expand on the original in any meaningful way. Which means that Illusion is still trapped in its own unique 1991 amber. From its odd sequencing—which alternates between melodramatic grandiosity, midtempo sleaze, and energetic rockers built solely on bitterness and spite—to the stultifying airlessness of the recording (all of the band members cut their parts separately), Illusion still feels like an overdetermined mess that somehow manages to consistently deliver the goods. Sadly though, those goods are steeped in an aimless rage that these days reads less like anti-authoritarianism and more like toxic narcissism. This is an album that gets out a "fuck you" in its first two minutes, and devolves from there into a master class on petty beefing: Whether it's "Right Next Door To Hell," "Get In the Ring," "My World" (ugh), "Back Off Bitch" (ugggghh), or any of the other tracks where poor Axl Rose blames all of his problems on everyone else in the world, the constant airing of tiny grievances is far more deadening than the set's length. All of this made Use Your Illusion a deeply cynical yet completely sincere work.
Although it's incredibly indulgent and self-centered, it's almost certainly an accurate representation of the band's perception of the world at the time. Its deep currents of misogyny were both casual and aggressive, but also completely unapologetic, which is both alarming and pathetic. Sounds like a terrible album, right? It most definitely is not. Weirdly conceived and recorded? For sure. Problematic? Yup. Highly individual and completely non-reproducible by any other band on Earth? Absolutely. Even now, some 30 years later, it still manages to yield treasures. Tracks that were overlooked in the overwhelming onslaught of the original release are well worth revisiting; the druggy blues-rock of "Bad Obsession, "Locomotive" with its sideways reworking of "Welcome to the Jungle," "The Garden" (which sounds like a leftover from the first Masters of Reality album with an Alice Cooper rap shoved in the bridge), or the Duff McKagan-penned Johnny Thunders tribute "So Fine" all hold up remarkably well.
The live shows are revelatory: The Use Your Illusion tour was as extravagant and overblown as the album(s) it was promoting, running for nine legs over 30 months with nearly 200 dates played. It was truly one of the last of its kind from an on-the-charts rock 'n' roll band, represented here by a warmup theater gig at the Ritz in New York in May, 1991, and an arena show on the UNLV campus as the tour was running at full speed eight months later. Remarkably, both sets exhibit a warm and generous band giving their absolute all to the fans in attendance, turning the somewhat clinical performances of Illusion's album versions into explosive renditions on stage. © Jason Ferguson/Qobuz
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Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Timo Caltia, ComposerLyricist - Timo Caltio, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 Geffen Records
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Matt Sorum, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Darren Reed, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 Geffen Records
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Mccartney, ComposerLyricist - Linda Mccartney, ComposerLyricist - Jim Mitchell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist
℗ 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Saul Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Jim Mitchell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Jeffrey Isbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 Geffen Records
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 Geffen Records
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - West Arkeen, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 Geffen Records
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Paul Huge, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 Geffen Records
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 Geffen Records
Saul Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Charlie Bisharat, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Cameron Stone, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Vanessa Freebairn-Smith, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Robertson, Unknown, Other - Andrew Duckles, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Daphne Chen, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Wilson, Programmer - David Low, Cello, Orchestra Contractor, AssociatedPerformer - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Jim Mitchell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tammy Hatwan, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Alma Fernandez, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Alyssa Park, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Maia Jasper, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Songa Lee, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Roger Wilkie, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Jackie Brand, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Eun-Mee Ahn, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Armen Anassian, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Radu Pieptea, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Sharon Jackson, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Dan DiPrima, Unknown, Other - Amy Tatum, Flute, AssociatedPerformer - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Jeffrey Isbell, ComposerLyricist - Reta Shaw, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Neli Nikolaeva, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Aaron Otlman, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Cheryl Norman-Brick, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Susan Rishik, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Harte, Contrabass Recorder, AssociatedPerformer - Luke Maurer, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Tim Loo, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Andrew Kinney, Unknown, Other - Charlie Tyler, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Jeff Vaughn, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Eugenia Choi, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Cheryl Kim, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Akiko Tarumoto, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Stefan Smith, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Corinne Sobolewski, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Diana Wade, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Ahn, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Shetzen, Contrabass Recorder, AssociatedPerformer - Gina Luciani, Flute, AssociatedPerformer - Yu-Tong Sharp, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Benn Ullery, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Stuart Bailey, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Alex Karukas, Unknown, Other - Nick Fevola, Unknown, Other
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Alice Cooper, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - Del James, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - West Arkeen, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 Geffen Records
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 Geffen Records
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - David Lank, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 Geffen Records
Saul Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Jeffrey Isbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 Geffen Records
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 Geffen Records
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 Geffen Records
DISC 2
Saul Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Jim Mitchell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Jeffrey Isbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Saul Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Jim Mitchell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Del James, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Jeffrey Isbell, ComposerLyricist - Billy McCloud, ComposerLyricist - West Arkeen, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Bob Dylan, ComposerLyricist - Jim Mitchell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist
℗ 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Matt Sorum, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Darren Reed, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Matt Sorum, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Darren Reed, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Saul Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Jim Mitchell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Jeffrey Isbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1991 UMG Recordings, Inc.
DISC 3
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Matt Sorum, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Darren Reed, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - West Arkeen, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
Guns N' Roses, Producer, Executive Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Jean Pellerin, Video Producer, FilmProducer - Josh Richman, Video Director, FilmDirector - Jeff Fura, Producer - Timo Caltia, ComposerLyricist - Timo Caltio, ComposerLyricist - Michael Johansen, Producer
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
MICHAEL BARBIERO, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Thompson, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer - Guns N' Roses, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Steven Adler, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Matt Sorum, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Darren Reed, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Mccartney, ComposerLyricist - Linda Mccartney, ComposerLyricist - Jim Mitchell, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
Saul Hudson, ComposerLyricist - MICHAEL BARBIERO, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Thompson, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, MainArtist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Jeffrey Isbell, ComposerLyricist - Steven Adler, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
Saul Hudson, ComposerLyricist - MICHAEL BARBIERO, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Thompson, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jimi Hendrix, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, MainArtist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Jeffrey Isbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
MICHAEL BARBIERO, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Thompson, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
MICHAEL BARBIERO, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Thompson, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, MainArtist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
Saul Hudson, ComposerLyricist - MICHAEL BARBIERO, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Thompson, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, MainArtist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Jeffrey Isbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
Saul Hudson, ComposerLyricist - MICHAEL BARBIERO, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Thompson, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - ROD STEWART, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - GARY GRAINGER, ComposerLyricist - Guns N' Roses, MainArtist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Jeffrey Isbell, ComposerLyricist - Steven Adler, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
DICK WAGNER, ComposerLyricist - Bob Dylan, ComposerLyricist - MICHAEL BARBIERO, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Thompson, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Alice Cooper, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, MainArtist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
Saul Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Shannon Hoon, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Jeffrey Isbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Shannon Hoon, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Guns N' Roses, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Steven Adler, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Matt Sorum, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Darren Reed, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Slash, ComposerLyricist - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - Izzy Stradlin, ComposerLyricist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
Saul Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Jeffrey Isbell, ComposerLyricist - Steven Adler, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
Saul Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Bill Price, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Duff McKagan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Clink, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Guns N' Roses, Producer, MainArtist - W. Axl Rose, ComposerLyricist - Jeffrey Isbell, ComposerLyricist - Steven Adler, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 GN'R Records
Album review
The twin polarities upon which Use Your Illusion has always derived its unique energy from are its absolute bigness and its unparallelled sense of vindictive martyrdom. This deluxe set—which doubles the length of the combined two original albums by including two full live sets—is definitely big, but without the inclusion of additional studio tracks (no demos, b-sides or outtakes) doesn't expand on the original in any meaningful way. Which means that Illusion is still trapped in its own unique 1991 amber. From its odd sequencing—which alternates between melodramatic grandiosity, midtempo sleaze, and energetic rockers built solely on bitterness and spite—to the stultifying airlessness of the recording (all of the band members cut their parts separately), Illusion still feels like an overdetermined mess that somehow manages to consistently deliver the goods. Sadly though, those goods are steeped in an aimless rage that these days reads less like anti-authoritarianism and more like toxic narcissism. This is an album that gets out a "fuck you" in its first two minutes, and devolves from there into a master class on petty beefing: Whether it's "Right Next Door To Hell," "Get In the Ring," "My World" (ugh), "Back Off Bitch" (ugggghh), or any of the other tracks where poor Axl Rose blames all of his problems on everyone else in the world, the constant airing of tiny grievances is far more deadening than the set's length. All of this made Use Your Illusion a deeply cynical yet completely sincere work.
Although it's incredibly indulgent and self-centered, it's almost certainly an accurate representation of the band's perception of the world at the time. Its deep currents of misogyny were both casual and aggressive, but also completely unapologetic, which is both alarming and pathetic. Sounds like a terrible album, right? It most definitely is not. Weirdly conceived and recorded? For sure. Problematic? Yup. Highly individual and completely non-reproducible by any other band on Earth? Absolutely. Even now, some 30 years later, it still manages to yield treasures. Tracks that were overlooked in the overwhelming onslaught of the original release are well worth revisiting; the druggy blues-rock of "Bad Obsession, "Locomotive" with its sideways reworking of "Welcome to the Jungle," "The Garden" (which sounds like a leftover from the first Masters of Reality album with an Alice Cooper rap shoved in the bridge), or the Duff McKagan-penned Johnny Thunders tribute "So Fine" all hold up remarkably well.
The live shows are revelatory: The Use Your Illusion tour was as extravagant and overblown as the album(s) it was promoting, running for nine legs over 30 months with nearly 200 dates played. It was truly one of the last of its kind from an on-the-charts rock 'n' roll band, represented here by a warmup theater gig at the Ritz in New York in May, 1991, and an arena show on the UNLV campus as the tour was running at full speed eight months later. Remarkably, both sets exhibit a warm and generous band giving their absolute all to the fans in attendance, turning the somewhat clinical performances of Illusion's album versions into explosive renditions on stage. © Jason Ferguson/Qobuz
About the album
- 4 disc(s) - 77 track(s)
- Total length: 07:19:57
- Main artists: Guns N' Roses
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Guns N Roses P&D
- Genre: Metal Hard Rock
© 2022 UMG Recordings, Inc. This Compilation ℗ 2022 GN'R Records
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