bacardimayne Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Has anyone else noticed how huge of a contrast there is between the good and bad songs on UYI 2? I mean, most albums are built on the "big guns/filler" concept, but UYI just takes it to another level.One one hand, you have...Civil War14 YearsYesterdaysPretty Tied UpLocomotiveEstrangedYou Could Be MineDon't Cry (Alt.)Mostly great songs, and all generally accepted by the GNR community as so. Personally, I hold almost all of those songs to be at least 8/10s.On the other hand, you have...Knockin' on Heaven's DoorGet in the RingShotgun BluesBreakdownSo FineMy WorldEach of these songs are, without a doubt, among the worst songs I have ever heard. And from what I can tell, most of the GNR community views them as bottom of the barrel songs.That said, I don't really have a point to make here, just thought it was interesting. Peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Comstock Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Yes, it literally has the best and worst songs by the band back to back (So Fine & Estranged). I haven't listened to UYI II in full for a long time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EccoTides Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 There are those on this very forum that will tell you that songs like Get in the Ring, Shotgun Blues and So Fine are masterpieces that are beyond even the most minute of criticisms.Those people would be wrong though, and they are indeed among the very worst Gn'R songs.UYI II is a funny album like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axlsalinger Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 If you didn't include Breakdown and Knockin' on Heavens Door in the second list ... you might have a good point. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbo Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 If you didn't include Breakdown and Knockin' on Heavens Door in the second list ... you might have a good point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightningBolt Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Yeah I like "Breakdown" outside of Axl's annoying shit he does in that song. But yeah the Use Your Illusion albums are extremely hit-and-miss albums. They should've just released a double album that was like 100-120 minutes long instead and cut out some of the bad songs. I listen to full albums most of the time and some of those songs make the UYI's a challenge to sit through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GN'R Lies Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 If you didn't include Breakdown and Knockin' on Heavens Door in the second list ... you might have a good point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bacardimayne Posted January 22, 2014 Author Share Posted January 22, 2014 Breakdown isn't even a song. It's an absolute mess. How anyone can like it truly baffles me.KOHD is just an overproduced, shit cover that doesn't capture even one tenth of the power of what the live version does. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Drama Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 If you didn't include Breakdown and Knockin' on Heavens Door in the second list ... you might have a good point.This plus So Fine.Breakdown isn't even a song. It's an absolute mess. How anyone can like it truly baffles me.KOHD is just an overproduced, shit cover that doesn't capture even one tenth of the power of what the live version does.Yeah but the live version drags on like a corpse in the forest these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IncitingChaos Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 (edited) Yea idk why breakdown, kohd and even get in the ring is in the bad list.. (I like get in the ring except for the rant at the end) I love the two albums, there are a few bad songs that I don't care for but sometimes those songs are more for the band. They are just songs they had fun doing. Sometimes you need that when things get too serious. Overall use your illusion 2 had the more memorable songs for me, and I wouldn't let the few that I don't like take away from how great the album is, but everyone has their own opinion so I understand you seeing the album as a huge contrast between good and bad. Edited January 22, 2014 by IncitingChaos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bacardimayne Posted January 22, 2014 Author Share Posted January 22, 2014 This plus So Fine. I struggle to come up with a single positive for that song. Duff is a terrible singer, the lyrics are garbage, the production is "the UYI sound" at its most nauseating, the guitar is unremarkable, Axl has that unattractively hoarse voice in his parts... It's just a bad song in every conceivable way. I'm not even going to bother justifying my placement of Get in the Ring on the list. The song speaks for itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
username Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 (edited) Breakdown isn't even a song. It's an absolute mess. How anyone can like it truly baffles me. KOHD is just an overproduced, shit cover that doesn't capture even one tenth of the power of what the live version does.Agreed on KOHD. I adore the 90's live version. But the studio version just sort of annoys me. With the stupid cracking and the phone call. and then they took all the power out of it and made it a sissy version. I think Breakdown had enormous potential though. I really dig the song until that horrid part from vanishing point. That totally kills it. It's just incredibly stupid. Which is a huge shame, because I really dig the rest of the song. Edited January 22, 2014 by username Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Knockin' on Heaven's Door - Live n Let DieGet in the Ring - Don't Damn MeShotgun Blues - Double Talkin JiveBreakdown - ComaSo Fine - The GardenMy World - Right Next Door to HellIt's kind of equal. One has one classic rock cover, one has another; one has one OTT fuck you song, one has the other; one has the throw away Axl song, one has the throw away Izzy song; one has the bloated Slash song, one has the bloated Axl song; one has Duff's song, one has this other song; one has My World, the other has…Right Next Door to Hell.So I reckon below is the albumYou Could Be MineDust N BonesPerfect CrimeBad ObsessionPretty Tied UpGarden of EdenCivil WarDead Horse14 YearsYesterdaysLocomotiveNovember RainDon't CryEstranged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saber_ Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 KOHD was anemic and tame for me. Old timers will remember GnR released the Ritz KOHDas a video on MTV (in 1990 perhaps). They played the hell out of it too. So when I heard the version on UYI II, it just... didn't sound right. It lacked the snap, crackle, pop of the Ritz version. I think Shotgun Blues isn't terrible, I like some parts of it. I see it more as a one-off, than a bad song. It could have benefitted from Adler on drums, it needed more groove. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bacardimayne Posted January 22, 2014 Author Share Posted January 22, 2014 Knockin' on Heaven's Door - Live n Let Die Get in the Ring - Don't Damn Me Shotgun Blues - Double Talkin Jive Breakdown - Coma So Fine - The Garden My World - Right Next Door to Hell Horrible. LALD is the only one that's actually as bad as or worse than its UYI 2 counterpart. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 (edited) Knockin' on Heaven's Door - Live n Let DieGet in the Ring - Don't Damn MeShotgun Blues - Double Talkin JiveBreakdown - ComaSo Fine - The GardenMy World - Right Next Door to HellHorrible. LALD is the only one that's actually as bad as or worse than its UYI 2 counterpart.maybe, but still wouldn't make my top 14 UYI tracks. I kind of prefer the UYI II songs there though. Opinion, eh, who'd have 'em?I'm listen to my version of UYI and it rocks and it's gonna get epic.You Could Be MineDust N BonesPerfect CrimeBad ObsessionPretty Tied UpGarden of EdenCivil WarDead Horse14 YearsYesterdaysLocomotiveNovember RainDon't CryEstranged Edited January 22, 2014 by wasted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Dog Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Breakdown is good until near the end, that could have been a great song. Shotgun Blues could have been left out completely. So Fine too, I don't think it's terrible, but it could have been left out and not been missed. Of course My World could have been left off. KOHD can stay, it's a watered down radio cover, but it's not bad enough to be left off the album. Get in the Ring, I know people hate it but I like Axl's rant, he makes me laugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steelfin Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 The reason for the filler is imo royalties. Everyone had written songs and wanted to get them on the record(s) for the sake of publishing and royalty money. Perhaps if the 6 members recieved an equal share (this is what U2 do) half of the songs would have not been on the record. Its a real shame, as without the filler, a single Illusion album (with different production) would have bettered Appetite.The filler should have been left for B sides, box sets and live albums.Anyway, easy for me to say as I have yet to release an album with hit songs yet alone filler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towelie Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Breakdown is an amazing song.One of the best on the album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One.In.A.Million Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Breakdown is a damn masterpiece, how can you include that on the list?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 The reason for the filler is imo royalties. Everyone had written songs and wanted to get them on the record(s) for the sake of publishing and royalty money. Perhaps if the 6 members recieved an equal share (this is what U2 do) half of the songs would have not been on the record. Its a real shame, as without the filler, a single Illusion album (with different production) would have bettered Appetite.The filler should have been left for B sides, box sets and live albums.Anyway, easy for me to say as I have yet to release an album with hit songs yet alone filler.what are the filler tracks in your opinion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steelfin Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 (edited) The reason for the filler is imo royalties. Everyone had written songs and wanted to get them on the record(s) for the sake of publishing and royalty money. Perhaps if the 6 members recieved an equal share (this is what U2 do) half of the songs would have not been on the record. Its a real shame, as without the filler, a single Illusion album (with different production) would have bettered Appetite.The filler should have been left for B sides, box sets and live albums.Anyway, easy for me to say as I have yet to release an album with hit songs yet alone filler.what are the filler tracks in your opinion?Good question, as some of my list will be others favourites. I should first of all qualify that by filler I mean not 5 star solid gold tracks (like the majority of appetite or the R side of Lies)This is actually quite tougher than I expected! I should say that what I consider filler (the tracks I skip) are decent enough tracks but just no-where near the same calibre as my Solid Gold list.SOLID GOLD (as good as or better than anything on Appetite)Don't Cry, Nov Rain, Coma, Civil War, Estranged, YCBMFILLERPerfect Crime, You Aint The First, Garden Of Eden, Back Of Bitch, Shotgun Blues, My World, Bad Apples (love the lyrics), So Fine (like the music) Bad Obsession,I know that as a GNR fan, I would love to hear everything they ever record good or bad, but in terms of making the best album in history which UYI could have been, it should have been stripped back with some tracks released later as B Sides etc. Imagine only being able to hear Garden Of Eden on a B side or Perfect Crime on a live album, you would just be like holy fuck these boys have some sonic arsenal!Intrested in your thoughts! Edited January 22, 2014 by Steelfin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yourcrazy Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 I agree except I like breakdown (should've been shortened a bit and some of Axls weird parts removed). I also wished they wouldn't have messed up knocking on heavens door. I love the more raw versions of this song that was being done for years as they did at the ritz ect. Definately a good 6 songs that didn't need to be on it. Even with that, they are still great lp's, I just skip over a few songs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magisme Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Breakdown isn't even a song. It's an absolute mess. How anyone can like it truly baffles me.You shut your fuckin' mouth!I do really like Breakdown. Always have. Pretty much agree with the rest. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RussTCB Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Breakdown isn't even a song. It's an absolute mess. How anyone can like it truly baffles me.You shut your fuckin' mouth!I do really like Breakdown. Always have. Pretty much agree with the rest.I used to H A T E Breakdown. Somewhere around 10 years ago, something clicked and I just started liking it. I don't think I've ever gone from hating a song as much as I did to loving a song as much as I do with any other song I've ever heard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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