The legacy of Use Your Illusion

[RichardNixon]

Do you think they have stood the test of time? Do you think they are getting more praise and consideration over time, or are becomming more obscure?  Rolling Stone, in the new album guide gives UYI 1 five stars (out of five) and UYI 2 4 stars. Not to shabby.

[Mr. Dick Purple]

UYI are one of the greates album of all time, I think thay have inspirate a lot of bands, I hope it still goes that way 

[axlroses]

The Use Your Illusion albums are great.  The variety of the songs on both discs are amazing.  I think time will only help these albums.  The thing that hurt them was everybody compared them to Appetite and expected a raw pure hard rock follow up to Appetite.  They didn't accept them forthe separate entity that they are.  They took a lot of risks on the album and I think it was great.

[Falcon]

In a historical perspective, the UYI's are generally portrayed as a footnote to the indelible imprint of AFD, I don't see that perception ever changing.

[W. Botaxl Rose]

They are/will be used to show how bloated rn'r had become before Nirvava came along and changed the whole scene & rightfully so. It's pretty much exactly what AFD had done only 4 years before to the hair metal bands of LA. ironic.

[Falcon]

It's pretty much exactly what AFD had done only 4 years before to the hair metal bands of LA. ironic.

One major difference though Botax, many of the LA bands still thrived after AFD. ?It actually magnified an already active Sunset Strip scene, most bands from that era really didn't see their demise til the fall of 91.

[Booker Floyd]

In a historical perspective, the UYI's are generally portrayed as a footnote to the indelible imprint of AFD, I don't see that perception ever changing.

This sums it up accurately.

[younggunner]

many of the LA bands still thrived after AFD

gnr didnt thrive after AFD?

[Falcon]

many of the LA bands still thrived after AFD

gnr didnt thrive after AFD?

Sure they did, along with the already established bands of that ilk.  AFD actually enhanced that whole scene, they didn't put anybody out of business buy any means.

[Dust N Rose]

I still hear often YUI II (after 3 years) as it was a new record.

[Freya]

One major difference though Botax, many of the LA bands still thrived after AFD.  It actually magnified an already active Sunset Strip scene, most bands from that era really didn't see their demise til the fall of 91.

It certainly made LA the place to be (which was still on a high from Motley Crue and Van Halen) as Nirvana did with Seattle later on.  There was a change in the tone of LA bands though, no more devil worshipping, the street look and sound became de rigeur.  Some of that was obvious posing of course. 

[Buddha_Master]

Its just too bad they werent masterpieces. They were close, but there are those misteps, that just give them too much negative inertia to be considered true classics. Its like, they have all this potential with some really cool ass songs, but then you get hit with this fuck up...that fucks up whatever groove you just got into.

Like with UY1. Im kickin some ass through the first 3 tracks, then Don't cry (and Im like yea this is pretty and all...), then it picks back, and then the country ho down track, and ok that was kinda funny I guess). Then some more ass kicking, then NR (yea that is pretty and all), then during the rain I can get some good puffs in for the Garden, then more ass kicking, then 2 kinda whatever ho hum tracks, then badass Coma step up to the plate.

UYI2. Kind starts cool, political, got something to say about fresh bread and war. Then a cool track, and yesterday is (sweet and wholesome), then a really cheeseball rendition of KOTD (that apparantely some 40 year olds who only own one GNR CD and that is the Greatest Hits, seem to like), then it further down the spiral of cheesy lameness, until Breakdown. This track plain fucks me up. Its like a dude who is getting it on with a super fine hot bitch, and right after foreplay she takes her pants off, and pulls out this dick, and slaps him in the face with it. Damn, that shit falls apart. Then some more RN'R, then this funky cool sounding shit (locomotive), then this bigtime pussy song. But then Estranged its, and yea that shit is cool, and almost makes you forget the shit you just stepped in. Then another badass rocker, then home another version of one of their other pretty songs. But the album does go out with a bang. Hehe...I know you think Im bein sarcastic, but I actually love My World. Yea Im in the minority, but what else is new.


Any UYI's don't have a real good Legacy. And they do IMO, represent a lot of what was wrong with the band at the time. Its bittersweet in the truest sense. Mixed fucking bag, that to me, is impossible to listen to straight through. My finger on the skip buttun works too much considering its a GNR album. And that always made me feel bad.

[ClintroN]

Its just too bad they werent masterpieces. They were close, but there are those misteps, that just give them too much negative inertia to be considered true classics. Its like, they have all this potential with some really cool ass songs, but then you get hit with this fuck up...that fucks up whatever groove you just got into.

Like with UY1. Im kickin some ass through the first 3 tracks, then Don't cry (and Im like yea this is pretty and all...), then it picks back, and then the country ho down track, and ok that was kinda funny I guess). Then some more ass kicking, then NR (yea that is pretty and all), then during the rain I can get some good puffs in for the Garden, then more ass kicking, then 2 kinda whatever ho hum tracks, then badass Coma step up to the plate.

UYI2. Kind starts cool, political, got something to say about fresh bread and war. Then a cool track, and yesterday is (sweet and wholesome), then a really cheeseball rendition of KOTD (that apparantely some 40 year olds who only own one GNR CD and that is the Greatest Hits, seem to like), then it further down the spiral of cheesy lameness, until Breakdown. This track plain fucks me up. Its like a dude who is getting it on with a super fine hot bitch, and right after foreplay she takes her pants off, and pulls out this dick, and slaps him in the face with it. Damn, that shit falls apart. Then some more RN'R, then this funky cool sounding shit (locomotive), then this bigtime pussy song. But then Estranged its, and yea that shit is cool, and almost makes you forget the shit you just stepped in. Then another badass rocker, then home another version of one of their other pretty songs. But the album does go out with a bang. Hehe...I know you think Im bein sarcastic, but I actually love My World. Yea Im in the minority, but what else is new.


Any UYI's don't have a real good Legacy. And they do IMO, represent a lot of what was wrong with the band at the time. Its bittersweet in the truest sense. Mixed fucking bag, that to me, is impossible to listen to straight through. My finger on the skip buttun works too much considering its a GNR album. And that always made me feel bad.

The most fucked up review for an album i have ver heard man, even though its not but c'mon dude ,   thats just sad.

Only credit i give you here is that you like My World, is one of my fav.

[AxlsMainMan]

Its just too bad they werent masterpieces. They were close, but there are those misteps, that just give them too much negative inertia to be considered true classics. Its like, they have all this potential with some really cool ass songs, but then you get hit with this fuck up...that fucks up whatever groove you just got into.

Like with UY1. Im kickin some ass through the first 3 tracks, then Don't cry (and Im like yea this is pretty and all...), then it picks back, and then the country ho down track, and ok that was kinda funny I guess). Then some more ass kicking, then NR (yea that is pretty and all), then during the rain I can get some good puffs in for the Garden, then more ass kicking, then 2 kinda whatever ho hum tracks, then badass Coma step up to the plate.

UYI2. Kind starts cool, political, got something to say about fresh bread and war. Then a cool track, and yesterday is (sweet and wholesome), then a really cheeseball rendition of KOTD (that apparantely some 40 year olds who only own one GNR CD and that is the Greatest Hits, seem to like), then it further down the spiral of cheesy lameness, until Breakdown. This track plain fucks me up. Its like a dude who is getting it on with a super fine hot bitch, and right after foreplay she takes her pants off, and pulls out this dick, and slaps him in the face with it. Damn, that shit falls apart. Then some more RN'R, then this funky cool sounding shit (locomotive), then this bigtime pussy song. But then Estranged its, and yea that shit is cool, and almost makes you forget the shit you just stepped in. Then another badass rocker, then home another version of one of their other pretty songs. But the album does go out with a bang. Hehe...I know you think Im bein sarcastic, but I actually love My World. Yea Im in the minority, but what else is new.


Any UYI's don't have a real good Legacy. And they do IMO, represent a lot of what was wrong with the band at the time. Its bittersweet in the truest sense. Mixed fucking bag, that to me, is impossible to listen to straight through. My finger on the skip buttun works too much considering its a GNR album. And that always made me feel bad.

Your review is pretty spot on with my thoughts on both records. UYI 1 just never grew on me as much as UYI2 however. There just is something about what I think is an abundance of filler on the first record. Sure Coma is pretty fucking epic but after that, even the glossy overproduction really irritates me about that one record.

The twin albums were in some regards a musical progression is sound and influences from the bluesy-rock of Appetite, but to me, the "tossed salad" of music styles just seemed lacking in areas and as Botaxl said, represented in someways what was in a mater of time going to be the downfall of the band's legacy.

[RichardNixon]

I really think GN'R's best work is on UYI--Estranged, Breakdown, Coma, Locomotive. Even if AFD is a more even album, UYI is my personal favorite album.

And I think most of those songs still hold up well today.

[conny]

The band progressed, and most people (fans AND critics) couldn't keep up with that - so they bashed it. But if those people would take their heads out of their asses for a minute, they would realise UYI I & II as what it is - one of the best rock albums ever made.

[Bridge]

In 2001, BMG music magazine advertised the UYI albums as "tenth anniversary of two rock classics".   

I think Buddha is right, for every incredible song on the UYI albums, there were missteps, such as "You Ain't the First" and the alternate lyrics version of "Don't Cry".  If they had whittled it down a bit, the albums would've been tighter and ultimately more revered.  But they were still successful and produced some of GNR's greatest songs such as "Estranged" and "November Rain".  I still hear "Rain" getting played on radio sometimes.

[GNRisSLASH]

I really think GN'R's best work is on UYI--Estranged, Breakdown, Coma, Locomotive. Even if AFD is a more even album, UYI is my personal favorite album.

And I think most of those songs still hold up well today.

Don't forget that classic: "My World".

[Mr. Nik™]

the 2 UYI albums are a masterpiece.

[RichardNixon]

I really think GN'R's best work is on UYI--Estranged, Breakdown, Coma, Locomotive. Even if AFD is a more even album, UYI is my personal favorite album.

And I think most of those songs still hold up well today.

Don't forget that classic: "My World".

I love "My World." It's Axl in a nutshell. It's only about a minute long anyway, a cool am memorable closer.