How does UYI I work as a "follow up" to Appetite?

[jamillos]

I don’t see it as a follow-up but rather as the next chapter of the band.

[Fashionista]

10 hours ago, jamillos said:

I don’t see it as a follow-up but rather as the next chapter of the band.

Interesting way of looking at it.

I see UYI I personally as a "grown up" version of Appetite, if that makes sense. If Appetite was a reflection of where and who the band was in 1986/1987, UYI I is a reflection of who they were in 1990/1991. 

[AxlIsGod.]

3 hours ago, Fashionista said:

Interesting way of looking at it.

I see UYI I personally as a "grown up" version of Appetite, if that makes sense. If Appetite was a reflection of where and who the band was in 1986/1987, UYI I is a reflection of who they were in 1990/1991. 

Yeah, and the answer is, not very grown up 

[wasted]

20 hours ago, Bitchisback said:

I think they knew YCBM and NR were going to be the big singles and wanted them on separate albums.   If you put YCBM on UYI1 it really leaves 2 a bit lacking on the singles side.

I think that’s what I said. But there is a sort of old new divide. I’d switch YCMB, Pretty Tied up and Heavens Door to I and RNDT, Dust and LALD to II. I is a little more sex drugs and rock n roll. 

To not open one of the cds with YCBM is a mystery to me. I guess it’s sides of vinyl. Or a pick me up late on side 2 of II. It does fit released before or not quite the best one or slightly less expected. 

I is the true follow up to AFD. Other than YCBM most of II might get is this really GNR? A lot of I has a foot in the AFD era. 

[jamillos]

13 hours ago, Fashionista said:

Interesting way of looking at it.

I see UYI I personally as a "grown up" version of Appetite, if that makes sense. If Appetite was a reflection of where and who the band was in 1986/1987, UYI I is a reflection of who they were in 1990/1991. 

Basically how I see it, only I don’t necessarily put such emphasis on that relationship with Appetite. A bit different band, a bit different era after all, hence a different chapter.

[axlweave]

I’m sorry but uyi2 is more southern rock influenced Axl and slash both said so. Uyi 1 is the heavirer darker of the two albums 

[Gordon Comstock]

UYI I works very well as a follow-up, it's somewhat of a different style than AFD but it's at least 'as good' of an album... in fact UYI I might be the best 'classic era' album from GNR.

[Tom-Ass]

If I could only pick one Illusions album I would take UYI 2.  No hesitation.

[Rovim]

for me I and II are different parts of one record. The original intent was to release that amount of material and that's what they had. Axl said he viewed it as one thing.

if I had to pick just one i'd probably go insane. I'd bet Chinese is in fact just half a record conceptually speaking.

[Gordon Comstock]

UYI II has some of their best songs, but it's also got more filler than any of their other albums (except maybe TSI). KOHD, Get In The Ring, Shotgun Blues, My World, and So Fine are all among their '10 worst songs' IMO.

[Tom-Ass]

17 hours ago, Gordon Comstock said:

UYI II has some of their best songs, but it's also got more filler than any of their other albums (except maybe TSI). KOHD, Get In The Ring, Shotgun Blues, My World, and So Fine are all among their '10 worst songs' IMO.

Not popular opinion around here but I always loved Shotgun Blues and Get In The Ring. I like My World too but I don't really consider it a song. Just like a skit to close out the album.

Also not a popular opinion but while I still like them I always thought Right Next Door To Hell, Perfect Crime and Garden Of Eden were fillerish. 

I truly loved the Classic Era of Guns N' Roses though. There literally isn't one song that I don't like on Appetite, LIES, The Illusions and Live Era. Can't even say I hate anything on TSI... It wasn't until Sympathy For The Devil that they released a song I didn't like. I had no idea it was a point of contention within the band at the time either. 

[UsedYourIllusion]

On 1/22/2019 at 7:51 PM, Gordon Comstock said:

UYI II has some of their best songs, but it's also got more filler than any of their other albums (except maybe TSI). KOHD, Get In The Ring, Shotgun Blues, My World, and So Fine are all among their '10 worst songs' IMO.

Although, to be fair, the studio versions of Perfect Crime, Garden of Eden, Don't Damn Me, Bad Apples, and You Ain't the First seem like filler-esque material. Live versions, especially Perfect Crime, entirely different. Same for songs like Dust N' Bones. That Stockholm '91 show version of Dust N' Bones may be my favorite GN'R live performance period. I think it also has to do with some of the placements of songs. I think the album should end with November Rain, The Garden, Dead Horse, Coma. Not have Bad Apples, Garden of Eden and Don't Damn Me stuck in there near the end. Just leaves little feeling or direction. Often times feels like a compilation album, like the Live Era of GN'R studio albums. UYI II also doesn't seem to make much sense.. Estranged should be the last track. Civil War works, maybe because the beginning seems iconic to me. But YCBM opening up the album, then 14 years or Civil War would make sense. Granted, i've always felt that some material from both albums should have been saved for a later release. Have UYI be a single record. Something like 

You Could Be Mine

Dust N' Bones

Double Talkin' Jive

Civil War

Bad Obsession

Back Off Bitch

Don't Cry

November Rain

Breakdown

Locomotive

Estranged

The Garden

Dead Horse

Coma

 

Put LALD and KOHD on TSI. That would seem like a closer follow-up to Appetite.

[Gordon Comstock]

On 1/24/2019 at 6:29 AM, UsedYourIllusion said:

Although, to be fair, the studio versions of Perfect Crime, Garden of Eden, Don't Damn Me, Bad Apples, and You Ain't the First seem like filler-esque material. Live versions, especially Perfect Crime, entirely different. Same for songs like Dust N' Bones. That Stockholm '91 show version of Dust N' Bones may be my favorite GN'R live performance period. I think it also has to do with some of the placements of songs. I think the album should end with November Rain, The Garden, Dead Horse, Coma. Not have Bad Apples, Garden of Eden and Don't Damn Me stuck in there near the end. Just leaves little feeling or direction. Often times feels like a compilation album, like the Live Era of GN'R studio albums. UYI II also doesn't seem to make much sense.. Estranged should be the last track. Civil War works, maybe because the beginning seems iconic to me. But YCBM opening up the album, then 14 years or Civil War would make sense. Granted, i've always felt that some material from both albums should have been saved for a later release. Have UYI be a single record. Something like 

You Could Be Mine

Dust N' Bones

Double Talkin' Jive

Civil War

Bad Obsession

Back Off Bitch

Don't Cry

November Rain

Breakdown

Locomotive

Estranged

The Garden

Dead Horse

Coma

 

Put LALD and KOHD on TSI. That would seem like a closer follow-up to Appetite.

I always see people rank Bad Apples and You Ain't The First among the worst songs on UYI but for me they're among the best. It took me a few years to really appreciate them just because they're so different from the other songs on the records, but YATF has a great, simple 'campfire' vibe and Bad Apples is like the perfect combination of GNR, Stones, and Aerosmith, it's a well-written cheeky song with AFD-esque guitars, it really encapsulates 'classic' GNR. Garden Of Eden is one that I like too, and seems to be a song that people like even if they're not GNR fans (I've played it at work or around roommates and such, seems to get a good reaction). I'd agree that Perfect Crime isn't great, but the only song on UYI I that I'd really consider as 'filler' is Back Off Bitch.

I love the studio version of Dust N' Bones, too. The live versions were great but I don't feel like that's one of the tracks that lost it's charm in the studio. Don't Damn Me was a favourite of mine for a long time, I'd rank it above other rockers like Right Next Door To Hell and Garden of Eden.

If I had to make UYI a single record it'd look something like this, not necessarily in this order but it'd have these songs:

Coma
You Could Be Mine
Dust N' Bones
Dead Horse
Double Talkin' Jive
November Rain
The Garden
You Ain't The First
Civil War
Bad Apples
Pretty Tied Up
Don't Cry
Locomotive
 

[UsedYourIllusion]

2 hours ago, Gordon Comstock said:

I always see people rank Bad Apples and You Ain't The First among the worst songs on UYI but for me they're among the best. It took me a few years to really appreciate them just because they're so different from the other songs on the records, but YATF has a great, simple 'campfire' vibe and Bad Apples is like the perfect combination of GNR, Stones, and Aerosmith, it's a well-written cheeky song with AFD-esque guitars, it really encapsulates 'classic' GNR. Garden Of Eden is one that I like too, and seems to be a song that people like even if they're not GNR fans (I've played it at work or around roommates and such, seems to get a good reaction). I'd agree that Perfect Crime isn't great, but the only song on UYI I that I'd really consider as 'filler' is Back Off Bitch.

I love the studio version of Dust N' Bones, too. The live versions were great but I don't feel like that's one of the tracks that lost it's charm in the studio. Don't Damn Me was a favourite of mine for a long time, I'd rank it above other rockers like Right Next Door To Hell and Garden of Eden.

If I had to make UYI a single record it'd look something like this, not necessarily in this order but it'd have these songs:

Coma
You Could Be Mine
Dust N' Bones
Dead Horse
Double Talkin' Jive
November Rain
The Garden
You Ain't The First
Civil War
Bad Apples
Pretty Tied Up
Don't Cry
Locomotive
 

No estranged? Bold pick sir. I don't dislike any of the UYI I tracks except maybe Don't Damn Me, and even then I like the lyrics. UYI iI I just don't like Shotgun Blues really. My issue with the UYI I tracks is just the studio recordings are often overproduced for me. They all have merit and killer guitar work; but they just didn't truly capture the work at it's height. KOHD is a perfect example. Not sure I've met anyone who prefers the studio version to the Marquee '87 version or Ritz '87 or FMTC '92 version. Some songs are perfect, like The Garden, November Rain, Civil War. Nothing is really lost between the studio and live versions. Same with Coma

[Gordon Comstock]

56 minutes ago, UsedYourIllusion said:

No estranged? Bold pick sir. I don't dislike any of the UYI I tracks except maybe Don't Damn Me, and even then I like the lyrics. UYI iI I just don't like Shotgun Blues really. My issue with the UYI I tracks is just the studio recordings are often overproduced for me. They all have merit and killer guitar work; but they just didn't truly capture the work at it's height. KOHD is a perfect example. Not sure I've met anyone who prefers the studio version to the Marquee '87 version or Ritz '87 or FMTC '92 version. Some songs are perfect, like The Garden, November Rain, Civil War. Nothing is really lost between the studio and live versions. Same with Coma

I prefer Estranged to November Rain but I think NR fits the overall album better... I would've included Estranged and Breakdown but those wouldn't fit on a CD

Totally agree about KOHD too, and I can agree that it applies to some other songs like Garden of Eden or Perfect Crime. Most songs were done right though, Bad Apples and Dust N' Bones are among my favourites though I can see why some would criticize the production. My biggest issue with the records is the drum sound, it's very 'mechanical' in both the playing and production.

[madmardigan]

At the time I thought they were awesome (well still do, but there’s a lot of filler for me), but as I’ve gotten older I’ve increasingly felt they were probably too ambitious and 2 or 3 albums too early in their career trajectory.  But you know, if they didn’t come out when they did, grunge probably would’ve killed them. 

[DTV88]

On 1/26/2019 at 1:32 PM, Gordon Comstock said:

I prefer Estranged to November Rain but I think NR fits the overall album better... I would've included Estranged and Breakdown but those wouldn't fit on a CD

Totally agree about KOHD too, and I can agree that it applies to some other songs like Garden of Eden or Perfect Crime. Most songs were done right though, Bad Apples and Dust N' Bones are among my favourites though I can see why some would criticize the production. My biggest issue with the records is the drum sound, it's very 'mechanical' in both the playing and production.

Yeah, the drums sound "dated" to me. My biggest then, and now, is the ridiculous amount of sound effects Axl splashed all over the albums. For example, I love Breakdown, but the Guru talking shit was a total mistake.

[UsedYourIllusion]

10 hours ago, DTV88 said:

Yeah, the drums sound "dated" to me. My biggest then, and now, is the ridiculous amount of sound effects Axl splashed all over the albums. For example, I love Breakdown, but the Guru talking shit was a total mistake.

I think something that affects the entire album is how tight everything sounds, and I don't mean the playing. But it sounds like there's very little reverb. To me, appetite sounds like everyone is just in a room jamming, UYI sounds like a record from the '70s.. bad sound stage, Izzy is lower in the mix than I like. It just doesn't sound right. It's depressing because I think if it had TSI level of production, it would waaaaaaay overshadow any album from the time

[Gordon Comstock]

11 hours ago, DTV88 said:

Yeah, the drums sound "dated" to me. My biggest then, and now, is the ridiculous amount of sound effects Axl splashed all over the albums. For example, I love Breakdown, but the Guru talking shit was a total mistake.

True, I have a version of Breakdown where I pasted the solo from the instrumental version onto the end of the album version, so there's no Guru speech But yea there's definitely unnecessary effects/additions, like on Garden of Eden or the phone call on KOHD.

[UsedYourIllusion]

5 minutes ago, Gordon Comstock said:

True, I have a version of Breakdown where I pasted the solo from the instrumental version onto the end of the album version, so there's no Guru speech But yea there's definitely unnecessary effects/additions, like on Garden of Eden or the phone call on KOHD.

Didn't you know that on Perfect Crime Axl got the members of Queen to recreate the bohemian Rhapsody chorus for the countdown in the middle of the track? 😂

[Tom-Ass]

On 1/26/2019 at 11:45 PM, madmardigan said:

At the time I thought they were awesome (well still do, but there’s a lot of filler for me), but as I’ve gotten older I’ve increasingly felt they were probably too ambitious and 2 or 3 albums too early in their career trajectory.  But you know, if they didn’t come out when they did, grunge probably would’ve killed them. 

That is kind of how I feel although I do still like the "filler".  I still think the album suffers from production. If the rockers all had the heaviness of You Could Be Mine I think they albums would have been stronger. A lot of the guitars come off sounding a bit thin.. Maybe just poor mixing.. And some songs suffer from overdubs, overly layered and Axlisms...