Use Your Illusion Era: '91 vs '92 vs '93/94

[RONIN]

Let's break up the Illusion time period as follows:

• Phase 1 (Ascent~Summer '89 - September '91) 
• Phase 2 (Peak ~November '91-'92)
• Phase 3 (Decline ~'93-94)

What are your thoughts/memories of these specific eras? If you weren't around for the glory days, what is your opinion after seeing all the bootlegs and reading/watching all the retrospectives?

How did it compare to the Appetite/Lies era? Did it feel exciting or was the prevailing feeling that the band was going off the rails even in 1991?  Were you initially disappointed by the Illusion material compared to AFD?

• Phase 1:
  • Arguably the most fascinating period of the Illusion era. The Chicago sessions in June '89 for UYI kick this era off in my mind. The end point being the release of the Don't Cry video in September '91/departure of Izzy. The energy, drama, and band chemistry here seems extremely unpredictable and volatile, even compared to AFD. They still retain that punk edge from the Appetite period but it all has this almost disconnected vibe to it with how the band members are interacting on stage without any sense of unity. I get a very palpable sense of danger and the impending demise of the band. There's a current running through the shows that feels very grimy and toxic. The '91 warm-up shows I think really encapsulate this era. I think for many Illusions fans, the warmup shows of 91 have a tremendous x-factor similar to how the nu-guns fans view the '01 shows in Vegas. 
• Phase 2:
  • From the blockbuster release of the Illusions in November '91 and Leg 2 of the tour w/ Gilby kicking off in December '91 - the end of '92, they become a totally different band - a larger than life stadium act. A touring spectacle complete with helicopter entrances, bizarre drum/guitar solo breaks, and a plethora of backing musicians to give them a fuller sound. The Freddy Mercury tribute and November Rain video perfectly captures this era of the band with all its showmanship and iconic rockstar aura. GnR is at the peak of their powers in North America and the rest of the world. The infamy and legend of the UYI tour peaks here as well. They will never be bigger than they are at this moment in time.
• Phase 3:
  • For the final legs of the tour in '93, they strip themselves back down like '91 - but it ends up feeling like a poor man's version of 1991 (imho). A bit tired and lacking the energy of the '91 shows. Others would argue that the acoustic shift along with Axl's improved vocals without the drama of '91 or flamboyance of '92 puts these '93 shows as the standout of the Illusion tour. 
  • No doubt, this is the descent - tour/album sales were faltering in North America at this point. TSI releases quietly to little fanfare at the end of '93 - the reviews and prognosis of GnR as a musical force post-UYI seems decidedly mixed. The sales? Very disappointing compared to the heights scaled just a few years prior. It's a rare misfire after an epic run of blockbuster success from AFD to the UYI albums/tour. Their credibility was waning since St. Louis in '91, but now the decline becomes official. Soon after, the video for Estranged releases in December of '93 and ends up a rather anticlimactic affair in NA. Very disconnected from where the band/world were at currently - almost like it belonged back in '92 and had released a year too late.
  • I can't imagine 1994 being a great year in GnR fandom. TSI was struggling on the charts. An Axl interview in January kicks things off while Slash does a quick PR tour for TSI by himself. Silence follows as Axl disappears from the public amidst heavy media backlash re: his breakup w/ Stephanie. A bizarre video for SIDHY w/ Gary Oldman is filmed and released in mid '94 that doesn't go anywhere followed by some Slash/Gilby grumbling to the press. More silence. The band's reputation is in freefall. Finally, December sees an under the radar Sympathy for the Devil tacked onto the end credits of a hit movie, Interview with the Vampire. A subdued release that garners little press and quietly dies on the charts by early '95. It's over.

Going back to June 1989 - September 1991, the highlights include:

• The disastrous Summer of '89 Chicago Sessions where the band is unofficially breaking up as they attempt to write UYI w/ Steven. Axl and Izzy are largely MIA.
• 4 Nights at the LA Coliseum where they open for the Stones in late '89 and public fissures appear between Axl and the band onstage.
• Farm Aid in April 1990 - Steven's swan song and Civil War's live debut
• The summer of 1990 Tom Cruise movie, Days of Thunder, disappoints at the boxoffice but features the well received Knockin on Heaven's Door and the first taste of UYI. Curiously, the drummer on this track is Matt Sorum.
• GnR headline Rock in Rio with the new Lineup debut in early '91. They play to a massive crowd. GnR is now a global behemoth.
• Terminator 2 and the YCBM video w/ Arnold - The UYI era officially kicks off here in a huge way. The single is very well received while T2 becomes the biggest film of the year. GnR is everywhere.
• The Warmup gigs for the Illusion Tour - possibly the most legendary shows of the era. They play a smorgasbord of Illusion tracks for an unsuspecting audience. The GITR chant and the YCBM video w/ Arnold originate from these shows.
• St. Louis riot in the summer of '91 - a fatal blow and arguably the end of their ascent. The press/fans begin to turn on Axl/GnR. From here, the slow but certain descent begins.
• Wembley gigs. Izzy's swan song ends on a high note as Leg 1 of the UYI tour closes out in August 1991. For some, the band hasn't lost any of their Appetite swagger on this tour despite the loss of Steven and the constant turmoil.
• Don't Cry video debuts in September '91 with the alternative/grunge movement waiting in the wings - Where's Izzy? A fitting endpoint since DC is ironically the first GnR song written as a band and an Axl/Izzy composition. On that note, the DC video debut bookends Izzy's departure from GnR and really serves as the end of an era for the band in many ways.

Edited August 24, 2018 by RONIN

[AXL_N_DIZZY]

Personally, I loved how the band was looking and sounding in ‘93 (kind of grungy/southern rock). I thought “SIDHY”, “Estranged” and “SFTD” (which was decently well-received in my world) were all wicked. All the more reason why the massive delays, and gradual dissolution of that line-up over the next few years sucked so bad for me...

Edited August 24, 2018 by AXL_N_DIZZY

[waxl1974]

I enjoyed all three era's. It was 89 that I got into Guns N' Roses and was playing catch up with building my record collection and anything else connected with the band. Buying any magazine that had some feature about the band in. It was a tough period as did not know if they were going to survive as a band and make a new album. The Gap between 89 and the band getting back out on the road and the Illusion release seemed like an eternity at the time. Nothing compared to the wait for CD though.

Was fortunate to see them play Wembley 91 and Izzy's last show as a member. Was an epic performance and one that Duff noted in his book as being a night that they were on it. Skid Row as support was the icing on the cake that day. It was such an energized day all round and one that has stayed with me since.

Saw them again at Wembley in 92, that too was a great show, Axl was more rested after cancelling the Manchester show mid-week and I think this really helped him deliver a solid performance. Also had Brian May join them to play WWRY and TYMD. That concert was rated as being in the top 10 up to that point. I remember Axl having someone from the crowd thrown out, mostly because he was drunk and causing agro for fans around him. Axl mentioned about the 2 fans at Donnington and how they have taken the blame since. As the guy was pulled out Axl said something along the line of " you just lost your pass stupid fuckhead, wanker, see yer"

Got to see them at MK Bowl in 93 when Izzy came back to play a few shows after Gilby had busted his wrist. Fondly remember Axl playing guitar on the intro to Dead Horse and jumping around on the sofa. It was a great setlist and great to see things stripped back from the previous year.

Each phase had it's own appeal and highlights and all important in the history of the band, so can't really say I had a fave. Glad that I got to see them in each phase/era.

It was heartbreaking at the reality of seeing it properly all start to come apart after the Illusion tour finished. You kind of knew it was finished for that line up with no clear sign of where or what they would do next. All the same it is part of the history of the band. 

[axlfan88]

 

6 hours ago, RONIN said:

 

• Phase 3:
  • For the final legs of the tour in '93, they strip themselves back down like '91 - but it ends up feeling like a poor man's version of 1991 (imho). A bit tired and lacking the energy of the '91 shows. Others would argue that the acoustic shift along with Axl's improved vocals without the drama of '91 or flamboyance of '92 puts these '93 shows as the standout of the Illusion tour. The video for Estranged releases in the summer of '93 and ends up a rather anticlimactic affair in NA. It seems very disconnected from where the band/world were at currently - almost like it belonged back in '92 and had released a year too late.

 

Good post. But the video for Estranged was released in December 1993. Spin Magazine made fun of it.

 

 

August 1994

Edited August 23, 2018 by axlfan88

[RONIN]

3 minutes ago, axlfan88 said:

 

Good post. But the video for Estranged was released in December 1993. Spin Magazine made fun of it.

Edited. Thanks for the heads up.

Always thought that video was a summer release. A december release seems even more odd...

[Blackstar]

7 minutes ago, RONIN said:

Always thought that video was a summer release. A december release seems even more odd...

Yeah. They released TSI in Nov. '93 and Ain't It Fun as the first single from it, but instead of releasing a video for it, they released the video of Estranged.

Quote

 

Moses - What's up guys? Quick question, why the release of the "Estranged" video with "The Spaghetti Incident?" album coming out?

Slash - There was…

Axl - It was just planned to make that video for a long time, and it was just the time to put the video out. We got it done and we wanted to put it out, and we also had "Spaghetti Incident" and… Plus, it's Guns N' Roses and it's confusing to everybody…

Slash - I was gonna say the same.

Axl - It's confusing for us and we wanted everybody else to celebrate and join in the confusion.

Slash - [laughs]

Steve Downs - I'm confused. You talked about the video for the song a little bit earlier. Originally, if I understood it correctly, it was supposed to be part of a trilogy and it didn't necessarily end up that way, or did it?

Axl - Umm, my friend Del James wrote a short story called "Without You", that was influenced by me and my ex-wife, in some ways. And then I ended up writing a song that fit that story, which was "Estranged". And so… You know, that was about, I don't know, four or five years ago and… The story started, then a couple of years later the song came about and then we started working on this project. And then in the middle of the project, or two thirds into the project, real life kind of changed all the plans. And we had to make something else and figure out how to rise above… As an artist, I had to figure out how to rise above my own creation that meant a lot to me. That I was kinda stop dead in my tracks and had to figure out how to make something else and… Like, write a whole new thing on top of something I'd been living to make, that I liked even more. And it was a really hard challenge and myself and the director, Andy Morahan was involved in this whole thing all along. And so was Del James and the band and… For all of us, it was a really hard challenge to rise above. Plus, we've spent 2.5 million dollars and we had to put it out.

http://www.a-4-d.com/t618-1994-01-03-interview-with-axl-and-slash

 

 

[Blackstar]

I don't think that Spaghetti was ever meant as a "standalone" release or expected to have the same performance and impact as the previous albums - a covers only album naturally couldn't do that. It was released as part of the UYI album cycle, as it was conceived during the UYI sessions. And it did well, commercially and critically, for what it was, a covers album, so I don't think it should weigh that much as part of the decline or as a cause for the backlash in 1994.

There were some plans for 1994, apart from starting making the new album, that didn't materialize apparently due to internal and personal issues: some shows, the soundtrack for the Highlander movie, Axl's solo collaborations, an authorized biography by Del James.

I think the backlash in '94 had more to do with the change of climate than with what the band did or didn't do in '93-'94. The publicity from Axl's lawsuits maybe played a part. But it was basically that from 1988 to 1992 the industry, the promoters and the press needed them, because they had filled a void and there was no other current rock band that could be both commercial and edgy, so the antics etc. were tolerated, accepted or even welcomed to an extent, as part of the game. But when other bands emerged that could fill that void and without the antics, the atmosphere was "we don't need them anymore, why don't they break up already".

-----

And to answer the question, I think the first period was the best one. The second and the third one had good moments too. But the most interesting one to me is the third one.

Edited August 23, 2018 by Blackstar

[Len Cnut]

There's no era like the 80s GnR.  Sloppy lairy juiced up Stonesy rock n roll, smooth with the roll, looking cool as fuck, arrogant, patently and, for the most part unapologetically fuckin' offensive.  Looked and sounded the fuckin' bollocks.  The second side of Lies to me seems like the era where they should've bunged a studio album out.  That stuff was a slight departure from Appetite with a cool-ness to it that like...I dunno, its like they skipped an era and just went right onto being a big bloated thing. 

[zombux]

@RONIN, you summed up the whole thing very well! 

I have one small chip to add - GNR released very little live stuff officially, but on LALD single, you can actually find LALD live version from Wembley 91 - Izzy's last show with GNR (not counting his later returns and guest appearances). not many people seem to know that, altough I'm sure every Izzy fan does  

[Swedish]

The 1st era is my personal favorite, I can't put my finger on what exactly makes it my favorite but it definitely is and that's by a long shot!

[AXL_N_DIZZY]

1 hour ago, Blackstar said:

I don't think that Spaghetti was ever meant as a "standalone" release or expected to have the same performance and impact as the previous albums - a covers only album naturally couldn't do that. It was released as part of the UYI album cycle, as it was conceived during the UYI sessions. And it did well, commercially and critically, for what it was, a covers album, so I don't think it should weigh that much as part of the decline or as a cause for the backlash in 1994.

There were some plans for 1994, apart from starting making the new album, that didn't materialize apparently due to internal and personal issues: some shows, the soundtrack for the Highlander movie, Axl's solo collaborations, an authorized biography by Del James.

I think the backlash in '94 had more to do with the change of climate than with what the band did or didn't do in '93-'94. The publicity from Axl's lawsuits maybe played a part. But it was basically that from 1988 to 1992 the industry, the promoters and the press needed them, because they had filled a void and there was no other current rock band that could be both commercial and edgy, so the antics etc. were tolerated, accepted or even welcomed to an extent, as part of the game. But when other bands emerged that could fill that void and without the antics, the atmosphere was "we don't need them anymore, why don't they break up already".

-----

And to answer the question, I think the first period was the best one. The second and the third one had good moments too. But the most interesting one to me is the third one.

Yep. Good post. There was “Guns fatigue” (except for the diehards- which was still a pretty sizable group) by 93-94. It’s not that the output was “bad”. Just a situation where unless they were putting out “SCOM 2.0” or something it was going to be very hard for them to move the needle with everything else going on in rock music (Nirvana/PJ/Soundgarden/STP/etc.). People had their fill of Guns- and most expected them to go away for a while (a la post-Appetite), and not stick around releasing covers, and another massive video to a 2-3 year-old song from a release (UYI II) that wasn’t even their most recent (TSI?).

I do remember there being legitimate interest in Guns starting again in ‘96 though (i.e. Kurt was gone, alt/grunge wave slowing down, Metallica was re-surfacing, etc.). Of course that got kneecapped with Slash’s departure...

Edited August 23, 2018 by AXL_N_DIZZY

[Sydney Fan]

2 hours ago, AXL_N_DIZZY said:

Yep. Good post. There was “Guns fatigue” (except for the diehards- which was still a pretty sizable group) by 93-94. It’s not that the output was “bad”. Just a situation where unless they were putting out “SCOM 2.0” or something it was going to be very hard for them to move the needle with everything else going on in rock music (Nirvana/PJ/Soundgarden/STP/etc.). People had their fill of Guns- and most expected them to go away for a while (a la post-Appetite), and not stick around releasing covers, and another massive video to a 2-3 year-old song from a release (UYI II) that wasn’t even their most recent (TSI?).

I do remember there being legitimate interest in Guns starting again in ‘96 though (i.e. Kurt was gone, alt/grunge wave slowing down, Metallica was re-surfacing, etc.). Of course that got kneecapped with Slash’s departure...

As much as im a die hard guns fan from appetite all the way through to the illusions, i held hope for another album when duffs solo album dropped then slashs and slash was doing alot of interviews when it was released, espevially with the rock magazines in Austrslia so to me the name guns n roses was still in the press. There is an interview with slash that was in 96 that has been posted in the forum where he was conducting it pool side at the sunset marquis where he talks about him and axl trying to reestablish a relationship again. Its at that point that i really started to have one foot out the door of being a fan and losing interest.

[Tom-Ass]

Phase I and Phase III... The biker shorts era was kind of weak

[Ericstacey]

That's an excellent write up of how it went. I enjoyed all 3 eras for different reasons.  Think by 93 the general public was burned out on Guns. The Dead Horse video kind of came and went, it just felt like the run of the Illusion albums was over. I did love the Estranged video. I didn't care for Teddy and the backup singers. For Paradise city, it seemed like there were 15 people on stage. November Rain was huge for the band, but I remember the 1992 MTV awards. you had Guns with a full orchestra with Elton John, and you had Nirvana as a 3 piece band, and Nirvana just seemed so much cooler. Bands like Aerosmith and Guns were huge, but Alternative by 94 was in full swing. It would have been interesting to see how well a guns record would have done in 96 or 97.

[Stiff Competition]

Matt/Izzy lineup is the BEST lineup, for me.

[janrichmond]

I loved GnR through all the pre ‘94 lineups. ‘91 was the most exciting year for me, my first time seeing them (Wembley) the release of the albums and plenty of media attention for us fans to see/read. ‘92 was my second time seeing them (Wembley again) but it wasn’t as good (to bloated) and no Izzy ☹️

‘93 was my 3rd and 4th time (MK 2 nights) and I loved the acoustic set in the middle, Izzy came back, Ronnie Wood and Michael Monroe came onstage and played Honky Tonk Woman 😁 Axl sounded amazing, Slash was perfect 👌 As an added bonus the support bands were the best i’ve ever experienced (the Cult, Blind Melon and Soul Asylum) 

‘91 and ‘93 are tied for the best  

[bigpoop]

I was very excited when they were on Farm Aid. Though they sounded tremendous. 

After that though things went down hill for me.  Steven was fired, I found the UYI albums very disappointing, then Izzy left and then it just went down the tubes from there. 

Dizzy and Teddy Zig Zag and the horns and back up singers and just all that  stuff. It was so depressing. They went from being one of the best rock band ever to an embarrassment. 

[zombux]

just checked some RIR2 footage by random, it was the RIR2 first night, first ever performance of Estranged.

Izzy's camera presence = about 2 seconds. Axl is whispering something into his ear, by watching his lips it looks like "fuck off", and Izzy nods.

weird shit  

[Silverburst80]

11 hours ago, Len Cnut said:

There's no era like the 80s GnR.  Sloppy lairy juiced up Stonesy rock n roll, smooth with the roll, looking cool as fuck, arrogant, patently and, for the most part unapologetically fuckin' offensive.  Looked and sounded the fuckin' bollocks.  The second side of Lies to me seems like the era where they should've bunged a studio album out.  That stuff was a slight departure from Appetite with a cool-ness to it that like...I dunno, its like they skipped an era and just went right onto being a big bloated thing. 

Absolutely should have put out an album at that point seeing what stuff they had in reserve

Reckless Life

YCBM

Move To The City

Perfect Crime

You're Crazy

Don't Cry

Shadow Of Your Love

Used To Love Her

One In A Million

Solid fucking album right there. Axl's voice was the best it ever sounded then too, had that post tour rasp and sounded nastier than AFD because they weren't playing shows during Appetites recording.

Edited August 23, 2018 by Silverburst80

[Len Cnut]

9 hours ago, Silverburst80 said:

Absolutely should have put out an album at that point seeing what stuff they had in reserve

Reckless Life

YCBM

Move To The City

Perfect Crime

You're Crazy

Don't Cry

Shadow Of Your Love

Used To Love Her

One In A Million

Solid fucking album right there. Axl's voice was the best it ever sounded then too, had that post tour rasp and sounded nastier than AFD because they weren't playing shows during Appetites recording.

Apparently he hated it too, get on that.  Best fuckin’ vocals he ever done.

[RONIN]

On 8/23/2018 at 10:52 AM, Tom-Ass said:

Phase I and Phase III... The biker shorts era was kind of weak

Might be totally off on this but iirc the biker shorts were there even during the '91 UYI warmup shows....

[Caught_in_a_Coma]

On 8/22/2018 at 9:31 PM, AXL_N_DIZZY said:

Personally, I loved how the band was looking and sounding in ‘93 (kind of grungy/southern rock). I thought “SIDHY”, “Estranged” and “SFTD” (which was decently well-received in my world) were all wicked. All the more reason why the massive delays, and gradual dissolution of that line-up over the next few years sucked so bad for me...

Is SFTD "Sympathy For The Devil"?  Was that released by them back in 93?  For some reason I always thought they did that song after the UYI tour was over

[AXL_N_DIZZY]

6 hours ago, Caught_in_a_Coma said:

Is SFTD "Sympathy For The Devil"?  Was that released by them back in 93?  For some reason I always thought they did that song after the UYI tour was over

No. Sorry. Released in ‘94. Really just saying I liked the “Skin n’ Bones” Tour through “SFTD” version (i.e. “Phase III”) the best. Should have probably written “93-94” instead of ‘93 though...

Edited August 25, 2018 by AXL_N_DIZZY

[RONIN]

On 8/23/2018 at 1:31 AM, waxl1974 said:

I enjoyed all three era's.

Was fortunate to see them play Wembley 91 and Izzy's last show as a member. 

Saw them again at Wembley in 92, that too was a great show

Got to see them at MK Bowl in 93 when Izzy came back to play a few shows after Gilby had busted his wrist. 

Incredible. That's up there with any fan who attended the UYI warmup shows or the 2001 Vegas shows.

 

[ludurigan]

On 22/08/2018 at 11:56 PM, RONIN said:

Let's break up the Illusion time period as follows:

• Phase 1 (Ascent~Summer '89 - September '91) 
• Phase 2 (Peak ~November '91-'92)
• Phase 3 (Decline ~'93-94)

What are your thoughts/memories of these specific eras? If you weren't around for the glory days, what is your opinion after seeing all the bootlegs and reading/watching all the retrospectives?

How did it compare to the Appetite/Lies era? Did it feel exciting or was the prevailing feeling that the band was going off the rails even in 1991?  Were you initially disappointed by the Illusion material compared to AFD?

• Phase 1:
  • Arguably the most fascinating period of the Illusion era. The Chicago sessions in June '89 for UYI kick this era off in my mind. The end point being the release of the Don't Cry video in September '91/departure of Izzy. The energy, drama, and band chemistry here seems extremely unpredictable and volatile, even compared to AFD. They still retain that punk edge from the Appetite period but it all has this almost disconnected vibe to it with how the band members are interacting on stage without any sense of unity. I get a very palpable sense of danger and the impending demise of the band. There's a current running through the shows that feels very grimy and toxic. The '91 warm-up shows I think really encapsulate this era. I think for many Illusions fans, the warmup shows of 91 have a tremendous x-factor similar to how the nu-guns fans view the '01 shows in Vegas. 
• Phase 2:
  • From the blockbuster release of the Illusions in November '91 and Leg 2 of the tour w/ Gilby kicking off in December '91 - the end of '92, they become a totally different band - a larger than life stadium act. A touring spectacle complete with helicopter entrances, bizarre drum/guitar solo breaks, and a plethora of backing musicians to give them a fuller sound. The Freddy Mercury tribute and November Rain video perfectly captures this era of the band with all its showmanship and iconic rockstar aura. GnR is at the peak of their powers in North America and the rest of the world. The infamy and legend of the UYI tour peaks here as well. They will never be bigger than they are at this moment in time.
• Phase 3:
  • For the final legs of the tour in '93, they strip themselves back down like '91 - but it ends up feeling like a poor man's version of 1991 (imho). A bit tired and lacking the energy of the '91 shows. Others would argue that the acoustic shift along with Axl's improved vocals without the drama of '91 or flamboyance of '92 puts these '93 shows as the standout of the Illusion tour. 
  • No doubt, this is the descent - tour/album sales were faltering in North America at this point. TSI releases quietly to little fanfare at the end of '93 - the reviews and prognosis of GnR as a musical force post-UYI seems decidedly mixed. The sales? Very disappointing compared to the heights scaled just a few years prior. It's a rare misfire after an epic run of blockbuster success from AFD to the UYI albums/tour. Their credibility was waning since St. Louis in '91, but now the decline becomes official. Soon after, the video for Estranged releases in December of '93 and ends up a rather anticlimactic affair in NA. Very disconnected from where the band/world were at currently - almost like it belonged back in '92 and had released a year too late.
  • I can't imagine 1994 being a great year in GnR fandom. TSI was struggling on the charts. An Axl interview in January kicks things off while Slash does a quick PR tour for TSI by himself. Silence follows as Axl disappears from the public amidst heavy media backlash re: his breakup w/ Stephanie. A bizarre video for SIDHY w/ Gary Oldman is filmed and released in mid '94 that doesn't go anywhere followed by some Slash/Gilby grumbling to the press. More silence. The band's reputation is in freefall. Finally, December sees an under the radar Sympathy for the Devil tacked onto the end credits of a hit movie, Interview with the Vampire. A subdued release that garners little press and quietly dies on the charts by early '95. It's over.

Going back to June 1989 - September 1991, the highlights include:

• The disastrous Summer of '89 Chicago Sessions where the band is unofficially breaking up as they attempt to write UYI w/ Steven. Axl and Izzy are largely MIA.
• 4 Nights at the LA Coliseum where they open for the Stones in late '89 and public fissures appear between Axl and the band onstage.
• Farm Aid in April 1990 - Steven's swan song and Civil War's live debut
• The summer of 1990 Tom Cruise movie, Days of Thunder, disappoints at the boxoffice but features the well received Knockin on Heaven's Door and the first taste of UYI. Curiously, the drummer on this track is Matt Sorum.
• GnR headline Rock in Rio with the new Lineup debut in early '91. They play to a massive crowd. GnR is now a global behemoth.
• Terminator 2 and the YCBM video w/ Arnold - The UYI era officially kicks off here in a huge way. The single is very well received while T2 becomes the biggest film of the year. GnR is everywhere.
• The Warmup gigs for the Illusion Tour - possibly the most legendary shows of the era. They play a smorgasbord of Illusion tracks for an unsuspecting audience. The GITR chant and the YCBM video w/ Arnold originate from these shows.
• St. Louis riot in the summer of '91 - a fatal blow and arguably the end of their ascent. The press/fans begin to turn on Axl/GnR. From here, the slow but certain descent begins.
• Wembley gigs. Izzy's swan song ends on a high note as Leg 1 of the UYI tour closes out in August 1991. For some, the band hasn't lost any of their Appetite swagger on this tour despite the loss of Steven and the constant turmoil.
• Don't Cry video debuts in September '91 with the alternative/grunge movement waiting in the wings - Where's Izzy? A fitting endpoint since DC is ironically the first GnR song written as a band and an Axl/Izzy composition. On that note, the DC video debut bookends Izzy's departure from GnR and really serves as the end of an era for the band in many ways.

1991 was much like you described -- a real fucking mess -- but it was brilliant!

not worthy commenting on the rest