Use Your Illusion I

For other uses, see Use Your Illusion (disambiguation).

Use Your Illusion I
Studio album by Guns N' Roses
Released	September 17, 1991
Recorded	A&M Studios, Record Plant Studios, Studio 56, Image Recording, Conway Studios, Metalworks Recording Studios, Skip Saylor Recording (album mixing) 1990–1991
Genre	Hard rock, heavy metal
Length	76:05
Label	Geffen
Producer	Mike Clink, Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses chronology
G N' R Lies (1988) Use Your Illusion I (1991) Use Your Illusion II (1991)
Singles from Use Your Illusion I
"Dead Horse" Released: September 1991 (1991-09) "Don't Cry" Released: September 1991 (1991-09) "Live and Let Die" Released: December 1991 (1991-12) "November Rain" Released: June 1992 (1992-06)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Q	[2]
Rolling Stone	[3]
RS Album Guide	[4]

Use Your Illusion I is the third studio album by the American rock band Guns N' Roses. It was the first of two albums released in conjunction with the Use Your Illusion Tour, the other being Use Your Illusion II. The two are thus sometimes considered a double album. In fact, in the original vinyl releases, both Use Your Illusion albums are double albums. Material for all two/four discs (depending on the medium) was recorded at the same time and there was some question of releasing a "quadruple album". The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard charts, selling 685,000 copies in its first week, behind Use Your Illusion II's first week sales of 770,000.^[5] Use Your Illusion I has sold 5,502,000 units in the U.S. as of 2010, according to Nielsen SoundScan.^[6] Each of the Use Your Illusion albums have been certified 7× Platinum by the RIAA. It was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1992.^[7]

The album has received some acclaim in 2011, being featured on Triple M Radio's Life-Changing Album series in Australia, with the station playing numerous tracks with commentary.^[8]

Overview

The Use Your Illusion albums represent a turning point in the sound of Guns N' Roses. Although they did not abandon the hard-rock tendencies vivid in their first album, Appetite for Destruction, Use Your Illusion I demonstrated, for the first time, more or less, elements of blues, classical music, and country. For example, lead singer Axl Rose plays piano on several tracks of both albums. In addition, with the Use Your Illusion Tour, both the music and stage presence of the band became more theatrical, in the tradition of progressive rock. This fact is evidenced by the numerous music videos produced in conjunction with these albums. Use Your Illusion I contains two of the three songs, "November Rain" and "Don't Cry", whose videos are generally held by fans to be part of a trilogy. The third song, "Estranged", is on Use Your Illusion II.

Another influence on the different sound to this album compared to the band's earlier work is the replacement of drummer Steven Adler (who was unable to perform well enough for the sessions due to drug problems) by former Cult drummer Matt Sorum.

A number of songs on the album were written in the band's early days. They were not included on Appetite for Destruction but can be found on the popular bootlegged so-called 'Rumbo Tapes', an album of early demo tapes. "Back Off Bitch", "Bad Obsession", "Don't Cry" (referred to by Rose during the ensuing tour as 'the first song [they] ever wrote together'), "November Rain", and "The Garden" are considered part of this group. There's also a cover of Paul McCartney's "Live and Let Die".

Besides stylistic differences, another new aspect seen in Use Your Illusion I was longer songs. "November Rain", an epic ballad, is nearly nine minutes long, and "Coma" is more than 10 minutes long. Another change was the presence of tracks sung by other members of the band (even though certain songs from Appetite for Destruction and G N' R Lies featured other members on duet vocals): lead vocals on "Dust N' Bones", "You Ain't the First" and "Double Talkin' Jive" are performed by rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin.

The band had some difficulty achieving the final sound of the album, especially during the mixing stages of the production of both albums. According to a 1991 cover story by Rolling Stone magazine, after mixing 21 tracks with engineer/producer Bob Clearmountain, the band decided to scrap the mixes and start from scratch with engineer Bill Price of Sex Pistols fame.^[9]

Slash has stated that a great deal of the material for the album was written on acoustic guitars in a couple of nights at his house (the Walnut House), after several months of non-productivity.^[10]

Cover

Raphael, The School of Athens (detail)

The cover art of both Use Your Illusion albums is detail from Raphael's painting The School of Athens. The highlighted figure, unlike many of those in the painting, has not been identified with any specific philosopher.

The only difference in the artwork between Use Your Illusion I and II is the color scheme used for each album. Use Your Illusion I uses the warm colors red and yellow; Use Your Illusion II uses the cool colors blue and purple.

Both covers are the work of Estonian-American artist Mark Kostabi.^[11]

Song information

For info on other songs, see the individual song articles linked in the track listing.

"Right Next Door to Hell"

This song is a product of discord between Axl and his West Hollywood high rise neighbor, Gabriella Kantor. Kantor had Rose arrested and sued Rose, claiming he hit her with a wine bottle. He denied the charges and labeled her a "fanatical fan". The condo was eventually given away in MTV's "Evict Axl" contest.^[12]

Timo Caltia (real name Timo Kaltio), who participated in the writing of this song, is a Finnish guitarist, songwriter and guitar-tech expert who once worked with Hanoi Rocks. He'd played a chorus riff of the song at his home while Stradlin was visiting.

"Dust N' Bones"

This is the second track on the album and was written by Slash, Izzy Stradlin and Duff McKagan. It's the first song on the album sung by Stradlin and the first to feature Dizzy Reed on piano. It also includes a guitar with talkbox.

"You Ain't the First"

"You Ain't the First" is the sixth track on the album. Unlike most tracks on the album, electric guitars are nowhere to be found in the song – instead, acoustic guitars are used, similar to side two of G N' R Lies, and also giving the song a folk rock feel, which is added to by the tambourine (played by Tim Doyle). The song is also notable for being the only song in the band's catalogue that is entirely in waltz time and it is the only song to feature three singers: Izzy Stradlin, Axl Rose and Shannon Hoon.^[13]

"Bad Obsession"

"Bad Obsession" is track seven on the album. It was written by Izzy Stradlin and West Arkeen. The song is about tackling drug abuse and addiction, which had haunted the band since they had become famous. Michael Monroe, lead singer of Hanoi Rocks and a big influence on Guns N' Roses, plays the harmonica and tenor saxophone on the studio version, which is 5:28 long.

A live version from the Tokyo Dome was featured on the Use Your Illusion 1 DVD as song number six and Axl Rose takes a dig at Izzy by saying "This a song that we wrote about one year before Mr. Brownstone with the help of our friend West Arkeen and some guy that just, I don't know, his name just escapes me."

"Back off Bitch"

This is track eight on Use Your Illusion I. However, it was written before the band's 1987 debut album, Appetite for Destruction. The lyrics of the song did not help the band's image of being misogynistic. In a 1992 interview with Rolling Stone, Axl said that "Back Off Bitch" was a "10-year old song" at the time. Therefore, it can be assumed that the song predates the formation of the group. The song was also played during Guns N' Roses concerts before the release of Appetite for Destruction.

The song was performed live several times in 1986^[14] before the release of Appetite for Destruction but never made the album. It was also demoed several times by the band during this period.^[15]

This is one of very few Guns N' Roses songs to feature Izzy Stradlin playing a longer guitar solo. This solo opens the album version. The solo is more complex than the intro played on earlier live versions.

"Double Talkin' Jive"

This is the ninth track on the album, written by Stradlin & sung by Rose. At the end of the song Slash performs an extended Flamenco-style guitar solo. Interestingly, live performances of this song were stretched from its original three-minute length to more than eight minutes long. The opening line of the song "Found a head and an arm in a garbage can" refers to body parts actually found in a Dumpster in the vicinity of the studio.

"Garden of Eden"

"Garden of Eden"
Song by Guns N' Roses from the album Use Your Illusion I
Released	May 24, 1993
Format	VHS single
Recorded	1989–1991
Genre	Heavy metal
Length	2:42
Label	Geffen

According to Slash, the song, which appears as track 12, was written while the band was rehearsing for an extended period of time in Chicago.^[16]

There is a music video of the song, which consists of one continuous shot which features a close-up of Rose with the band playing in the background, whilst keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Teddy Andreadis (who played the harmonica for the band during the Use Your Illusion Tour) are seen dancing in the background.

There are two versions of the video, both made in 1992. One version has paper flying through the air, and is mostly found on music video sites like Yahoo Music. The other version has lyrics, complete with a "follow-the-bouncing-ball", but with no paper flying around. This is the version that is on the Guns N' Roses music video compilation Welcome to the Videos.

On May 24, 1993 (the same day of release as The "Civil War" EP), the song was released as a VHS video single, featuring the 'follow-the-bouncing-ball' version of the video.

"Don't Damn Me"

"Don't Damn Me" is the 13th track on the album, and is the only song from the album that's never been played live.^[17]

"Bad Apples"

"Bad Apples" is the 14th track on the album, and has only been performed live twice.^[18] According to Slash, the song was written while the band was rehearsing for an extended period of time in Chicago.^[16]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Right Next Door to Hell"	Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin, Timo Caltia	3:02
2.	"Dust N' Bones"	Stradlin, Duff McKagan, Slash	4:58
3.	"Live and Let Die" (Paul McCartney & Wings cover)	Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney	3:04
4.	"Don't Cry" (original version)	Stradlin, Rose	4:44
5.	"Perfect Crime"	Slash, Stradlin, Rose	2:24
6.	"You Ain't the First"	Stradlin	2:36
7.	"Bad Obsession"	Stradlin, West Arkeen	5:28
8.	"Back off Bitch"	Rose, Paul Huge	5:04
9.	"Double Talkin' Jive"	Stradlin	3:24
10.	"November Rain"	Rose	8:57
11.	"The Garden" (featuring Alice Cooper & Shannon Hoon)	Rose, Arkeen, Del James	5:22
12.	"Garden of Eden"	Slash, Rose	2:42
13.	"Don't Damn Me"	Slash, Dave Lank, Rose	5:19
14.	"Bad Apples"	Slash, McKagan, Stradlin, Rose	4:28
15.	"Dead Horse"	Rose	4:18
16.	"Coma"	Slash, Rose	10:13
Total length:			76:05

Charts

Chart	Peak position
U.S. Billboard 200[19]	2
UK Albums Chart[20]	2
Australian ARIA Albums Chart[21]	2
New Zealand RIANZ Albums Chart[21]	2
Switzerland[21]	3
Canada	1
Austria[21]	2
Sweden[21]	3
Norway[21]	3

End of decade charts

Chart (1990–1999)	Position
U.S. Billboard 200[22]	71

Personnel

Guns N' Roses

• W. Axl Rose – lead vocals, piano, choir and synthesizer programming on "November Rain", backing vocals on "The Garden", acoustic guitar on "Dead Horse", sound effects on "Garden of Eden"
• Izzy Stradlin – rhythm guitar, backing vocals, acoustic guitar on "You Ain't The First", lead guitar on "Back off Bitch", lead vocals on "Dust N' Bones", "You Ain't The First" and "Double Talkin' Jive", percussion on "Bad Obsession"
• Slash – lead guitar, rhythm guitar on "Back off Bitch", acoustic and slide guitar on "The Garden", dobro on "You Ain't The First", talkbox on "Bad Obsession", six-string bass on "Right Next Door to Hell"
• Duff McKagan – bass, backing vocals, acoustic guitar on "You Ain't The First" and "Double Talkin' Jive"
• Dizzy Reed – keyboards, piano, synthesizer, backing vocals
• Matt Sorum – drums, backing vocals, choir on "November Rain"

Session musicians

Shannon Hoon – backing vocals on tracks 3, 10 and 11; back up vocals on track 4 Johann Langlie – programming on tracks 3, 10 and 12; sound effects on track 16 Michael Monroe – harmonica, saxophone on track 7

Reba Shaw – backing vocals on track 10 Stuart Bailey – backing vocals on track 10 Jon Thautwein – horn on track 3 Matthew McKagan – horn on track 3 Rachel West – horn on track 3

Robert Clark – horn on track 3 Tim Doyle – tambourine on track 6 Alice Cooper – lead vocals on track 11 West Arkeen – acoustic guitar on track 11 Bruce Foster – sound effects on track 16

Additional personnel

Mike Clink – production, engineering, nutcracker on "Dead Horse" Jim Mitchell – additional engineering Bill Price – mixing George Marino – mastering Kevin Reagan – art direction, graphic design Mark Kostabi – album artwork Robert John – photography

Allen Abrahamson, Buzz Burrowes & Chris Puram – engineering assistance Craig Portelis – engineering assistance Ed Goodreau – engineering assistance Jason Roberts – engineering assistance John Aguto – engineering assistance

L. Stu Young – engineering assistance Leon Ganado – engineering assistance Mike Douglass – engineering assistance Talley Sherwood – engineering assistance

See also

• List of best-selling albums in Argentina

References

1. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/use-your-illusion-i-r8761
2. ^ "Q Magazine | Music news & reviews, music videos, band pictures & interviews". Q4music.com. http://www.q4music.com/nav?page=q4music.review.redirect&fixture_review=119297&resource=119297&fixture_artist=140546. Retrieved 2011-07-28. 
3. ^ [1]^{[dead link]}
4. ^ "Acclaimed Music". Acclaimed Music. http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/. Retrieved 2011-07-28. 
5. ^ Hasty, Katie. "Kanye Edges GNR, Ludacris For No. 1 Debut". billboard.com. Dec 3, 2008.
6. ^ Trust, Gary. "Ask Billboard: Battle of the Bands". billboard.com. March 19, 2010.
7. ^ RIAA's top albums^{[dead link]}
8. ^ Albums That Changed Your Life series, Use Your Ilusion I, Guns N Roses, Triple M Radio
9. ^ "Cover Story: Guns N' Roses Outta Control". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/15808339/guns_n_roses_outta_control_the_rolling_stone_cover_story/2. Retrieved 2010-11-11. 
10. ^ Bozza, Anthony, & Slash (2007). Slash. Harper Entertainment: New York. pp. 298–300
11. ^ "Use Your Illusion – Mark Kostabi". artQuotes.net http://www.artquotes.net. http://www.artquotes.net/artists/kostabi/use-your-illusions.htm. Retrieved 8 January 2010. 
12. ^ "A Neighbor Says Axl Rose Hit Her with a Wine Bottle, and He Says She's Got a Corkscrew Loose". People Magazine. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20113653,00.html. Retrieved 11/19/1990. 
13. ^ "You Ain't The First". Gnrsource.com. http://gnrsource.com/songinfo/uyi1/aintthefirst.htm. Retrieved 2010-11-11. 
14. ^ "Broadcast Yourself". YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF4nR59RTI0. Retrieved 2010-11-11. 
15. ^ “”. "Guns N' Roses – Back Off Bitch Demo #1". YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV42wzGjVF4. Retrieved 2010-11-11. 
16. ^ ^{a b} Bozza, Anthony, & Slash (2007). Slash. Harper Entertainment: New York. p. 262
17. ^ "Don't Damn me". www.gnrsource.com. Archived from the original on 2007-09-09. http://web.archive.org/web/20070922015827/www.gnrsource.com/songinfo/uyi1/ddm.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-07. 
18. ^ "Bad Apples". Gnrsource.com. http://www.gnrsource.com/songinfo/uyi1/badapples.htm. Retrieved 2010-11-11. 
19. ^ "Music Albums, Top 200 Albums & Music Album Charts". Billboard.com. 1992-01-11. http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200?chartDate=1992-01-11#/album/guns-n-roses/use-your-illusion-i/8092. Retrieved 2011-07-28. 
20. ^ "GUNS N' ROSES – The Official Charts Company". Theofficialcharts.com. http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/guns%20n%27%20roses/. Retrieved 2011-07-28. 
21. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Steffen Hung. "Guns N' Roses – Use Your Illusion I". swisscharts.com. http://swisscharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Guns+N%27+Roses&titel=Use+Your+Illusion+I&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-07-28. 
22. ^ Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade – The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. http://books.google.co.kr/books?id=9w0EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PP1&lr&rview=1&pg=RA1-PA4#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved October 15, 2010.