Guns N 'Roses: 20 years using an illusion

Written by www.vavel.com - Amanda Briones

1991. Kurt Cobain surprised the world with a Nirvana Nevermind that launches a destructive stardom. Pearl Jam grunge joins Ten. It comes out of the legendary black album Metallica. Guns N 'Roses could not be less: Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II were released by 17 September. And what better month to celebrate the twenty years that this rainy November?

The cover, signed by Kostabi,
was based on the work of Raphael
"The School of Athens"

A double album Use Your Illusion was certainly a risky gamble for Axl and company, especially after the success of his debut Appetite For Destruction. But the fruits of their work did not wait. The Use Your Illusion remained in the first and second place in the international lists of successes over several months. On the day of its publication, were released four million copies, and now have sold over 40 million copies between them.

If fans of Guns N 'Roses expected to meet with a continuation of Appetite For Destruction, must have been stunned by what they found on this double CD. Axl was looking for new sounds that were closer to the melodic, in fact, sits at the piano dress, his manner of dress. Another aspect that impresses: the ballads that every lover of classic rock Guns and Know: Do not Cry and November Rain. Interestingly, Do not Cry was one of the first songs I wrote the group, but not included in Appetite for not fit your style at that time. Both are on Use Your Illusion I, and represent possibly the band's radical change: from the hard rock of the late transition from 80 to early 90's, some softer sounds. However, Slash gets with his solos, the songs gain much strength and, above all, lots of emotion. November Rain is a progression that is gaining power as Slash makes magic with the guitar, until it culminates with the final one, along with the chorus repeating incessantly: "Do Ya Think That You Need Somebody, don 't ya think ... That You Need Someone ".

In Use Your Illusion I there is a strong influence of Izzy Stradlin, who participated in the composition of songs like Right Next Door To Hell, Perfect Crime, Dust N 'Bones and You Is not The First (the latter two compounds only by the ). The sounds of hard rock, much closer to its roots of Appetite, are clear. However, Axl had in mind other influences closer to Queen or Elton John, hence the presence of Stradlin on the second disc is weakest. What jewelry can not be left to appoint? You Could Be Mine, which was the first single and also the soundtrack for the film Terminator II. It also includes Yesterdays, catchy and nostalgic, Civil War, a song full of criticism of the war, Estranged, another of the legendary tracks from the band. In the double album, Guns N 'Roses makes a nod to two great names in music: Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan, Live And Let Die and Knockin' On Heaven's Door respectively.

Use Your Illusionno was just music, was also full of theatricality, and a trilogy that includes video clips of Do not Cry, November Rain and Estranged. The November Rain won three MTV awards: best special effects, best editing and best cinematography. Fiction passed the screens. Axl chose the model Stephanie Seymour for the filming of Do not Cry after seeing her in a magazine. Shortly after they met in person, began a relationship. Everything went smoothly, until in 1992 a fight broke them and took them to court, with Axl accused of abuse. Why not on Estranged Seymour, but in the previous two. But the making of this song, which had a budget of over four million dollars, has much more history.

To find out which meant the music video for the band Estranged, date back to the time when the drummer, Steven Adler, was expelled from the group for their drug addiction. He was replaced by Matt Sorum of The Cult. Shortly after the release of Use Your Illusion, Izzy Stradlin left the band due to problems with Axl, and was replaced by Gilby Clarke. This was a decisive blow, especially considering how much I had worked the guitarist in the last publication. The world tour that promoted the Use Your Illusion was one of the longest in living memory (it lasted from January 1991 to July 1993), but also very controversial. Since cancellations and delays to a failed coup of Hugo Chavez made this a very controversial tour. After the tour, the tension between the remaining original members (Axl, Slash and Duff McKagan) was more than evident. This is where the video for Estranged, which was shot in 1993. Axl comes out at all times in several different locations to the rest of the band due to the poor relationship he had with others. One aspect that can be seen even in details like this. Eventually, Slash left Guns N 'Roses in 1996 and McKagan did the same a year later, leaving as the only original member Axl.

Today, is there Guns N 'Roses? Well, yes. Exist there, only the members are different: guitarists are Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Richard Fortus and DJ Ashba. Bassist Tommy Stinson is Frank Ferrer on drums and Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman on keyboards. Will we hear Appetite For Destruction? Probably not. The good thing is usually always ephemeral. But "nothing lasts forever, even cold November rain."

Posted in: Duff McKagan,Guns N Roses,Slash,Use Your Illusion