Almost every song on UYI sounds better live than on the record

[fangbutt]

/useless opinion

But seriously Bad Obsession, Pretty Tied Up, Estranged, Don't Cry, Yesterdays, November Rain, Dust N Bones, Double Talking Jive, Civil War...

The only ones that don't, to me, are 14 Years, Coma, You Could Be Mine and maybe the short fast ones like Perfect Crime.

[LongGoneDay]

I loved how they used to transition from DTJ into Voodoo Chile then Civil War.

[One.In.A.Million]

I find it hard to agree when someone lists a bunch of songs and then says that they sound better live than on their respective album. 

The reason is that, obviously when a song is performed live the artist is more times than not, trying to emulate the album version. And it's a hard thing to do, so it's going to be different all the time. I love listening to live versions of songs, and obviously when you are actually there at the show, they do sound better, because you are caught up in all the hype.

But more times than not, a bootlegs version of a song doesn't sound better than the polished CD version. 

But I understand that some songs like KOHD and Live and Let Die, where made for a live environment. And those are the cases in which I would agree with you. 

[SirTed]

I find it hard to agree when someone lists a bunch of songs and then says that they sound better live than on their respective album. 

The reason is that, obviously when a song is performed live the artist is more times than not, trying to emulate the album version. And it's a hard thing to do, so it's going to be different all the time. I love listening to live versions of songs, and obviously when you are actually there at the show, they do sound better, because you are caught up in all the hype.

But more times than not, a bootlegs version of a song doesn't sound better than the polished CD version. 

But I understand that some songs like KOHD and Live and Let Die, where made for a live environment. And those are the cases in which I would agree with you. 

I actually have to disagree with you here. I find with a lot of acts that songs sound better live. True artists are often times trying to emulate how a song sounds on a record BUT often times songs can be too over produced, to clean sounding on a record.
I know that nobody wants to hear this on a Guns n' Roses sight, but my number one example of this is Fleetwood Mac. For the most part, I find the studio versions of most of their hits to be unbearable to listen to. But then I heard them on the live album The Dance, and I LOVE THEM ALL. I chalk this up to the live tracks being stripped down of effects, and instead I'm left with the wonderful musicianship of each member.

In the case of Guns and UYI - I much prefer So Fine live as well. Just my two cents. 

[Bodhi]

I thought the Illusions sounded great, and my favorite GN'R release.  Did you not like the production of the album?

[One.In.A.Million]

I agree that some songs like So Fine, Heavens Door and Live And Let Die, are better live. But I don't agree on your general view of most songs sounding better live than on an album. 

That might be your preference, but it's not something that can be stated as a general fact. I think most people would agree that they would rather listen to a clean album version of a song, rather than a live bootleg where things can be hit n' miss...

[LongGoneDay]

UYIs are some of my favorite albums, and I can't say I prefer bootlegs of the UYI tour over them, but they certainly get heavy play in my rotation!
I love all of the improv in between songs, and the way they would transition from "I was only joking" into patience, or patience into Imagine, Sail Away Sweet Sister into Sweet Child etc.

On the other hand, I'm not a fan of the production of Chinese Democracy, so I actually prefer and more often find myself listening to bootleg and early leaked versions of Democracy era songs. I like the live stripped down raunchy sound over the crystal clear clean CD versions.

There are some songs by artists other than GNR that I prefer live over studio. One artist that comes to mind, not sure how good of an example he is on a GNR site, but Bruce Springsteen. He is a great songwriter, and although I like his studio work, sometimes it's a bit clean sounding for my ears, and prefer the dirtied up concert performances. If I'm going to listen to the Stone's Love In Vain, I almost always throw Get Yer Ya Yas out over Let it Bleed.

[jacdaniel]

Double Talkin Jive is one of my favourite Guns songs live but kinda sucks on the album!  The intro is much better and the outro soloing live is some of the best guitar playing ive heard from Slash.

I always thought Pretty Tied Up was a bad ass song but it sounded really cheesy live with the female backing singers and Keyboards.

The rest of the songs I don't really have a preference on live or studio.

[rebelhipi]

for me illusions is the best shiat ever done i like all the songs on the albums and live
still i would prefer normaly live versions from songs like civil war and you could be mine and... knocking on heavens door