Strip down the UYIs.

[Vincent Vega]

I personally love the UYIs as they are, but I recognize some do not.

What do you guys think of the idea of the UYIs being remixed, with the effect of stripping down the albums?

What would you change?

Myself:

-Put Izzy's guitar parts higher in the mix. Lower Slash's rhythm parts. Equalize Slash's and Izzy's leads.

-Mix the guitars rawer and more prominent. The guitar sound as it is is very mushed together and sludgy. Make them as sharp and clear as a razor blade.

-Drop the reverb on Matt's drums.

-Get rid of some of the sound effects (Example sloshing sounds in Garden of Eden, telephone call in KOHD). Retain others (example Civil War intro is iconic)

-Pump up Duff's bass in some songs. YCBM for example.

Edited January 31, 2013 by Vincent Vega

[bacardimayne]

-Remove the unnecessary songs

Live and Let Die

Garden of Eden

Bad Apples

Dead Horse

Knockin' on Heaven's Door

Get in the Ring

Shotgun Blues

Breakdown

So Fine

Don't Cry (alt)

My World

-Remove Slash's rhythm guitar parts, replace them with anything

-Put Izzy higher in the mix in the songs he is on

-Drop the reverb on Matt's drums

-Drop some of the more extravagant sound effects

Edited January 31, 2013 by bacardimayne

[Flayer]

I'm trying to picture Dust N' Bones and 14 Years done on acoustic guitars. I think those would be worth hearing.

Bcard, do you consider You Ain't the First to be an essential UYI song? There's about five songs on your list I'd substitute for it in a heartbeat.

[dalsh327]

It's a good question to ask the people who played on it and produced it 20 plus years after the fact on what they would do differently, it's kind of like discussing KISS "Destroyer: Resurrected". It's the same album, it's still overproduced, but there's def. some differences going on.

[bacardimayne]

I'm trying to picture Dust N' Bones and 14 Years done on acoustic guitars. I think those would be worth hearing.

Bcard, do you consider You Ain't the First to be an essential UYI song? There's about five songs on your list I'd substitute for it in a heartbeat.

Not really essential, but I like it more than the songs I listed, and it's a nice little break from all the hard rock and piano ballads. Besides, it's only like 2 minutes long.

[Vincent Vega]

I would remove

Live and Let Die

Garden of Eden

Bad Apples

Knockin' on Heaven's Door

Get in the Ring

Shotgun Blues

So Fine

Dead Horse

Don't Cry (original)

My World

Edited January 31, 2013 by Vincent Vega

[Sprite]

I never understood people wanting to remove songs... I mean I get if you took the best 15 or so it would have been more iconic than appetite, but still, its more songs to listen to...

As far as what I'd change, more bass in a few songs and add the little piano trill in pretty tied up right before axl starts singing. Lile in live era. I always want to hear it when I listen to the studio, when its not there it feels like I held in a sneeze.

Edited January 31, 2013 by Sprite

[bacardimayne]

I would remove

Live and Let Die

Garden of Eden

Bad Apples

Knockin' on Heaven's Door

Get in the Ring

Shotgun Blues

So Fine

Dead Horse

Don't Cry (original)

My World

How did I miss Dead Horse?

[Ragnar]

Remove

Live And Let Die

Don`t Cry ( original )

You Ain`t the First

Back off Bitch

Knockin` On Heaven`s Door

Get in the Ring

Shotgun Blues

So Fine

Estranged

Shit outro My World

Remove Slash`s rhythm parts

Put Izzy higher in the mix Equalize his' and Izzy's leads.

Remove reverb from Matt`s drums

Turn up Duff`s bass

And you would have an album that would give AFD run for it`s money

[DizzyReedsexmachine]

I would remove

Live and let die

You aint the first

Breakdown

Shotgun blues

Dont cry (alt)

My world

Garden of eden is one of my favourite UYI songs

[DownUnderScott]

Hearing a stripped down version of the UYI albums would be great - i reckon there's stuff on it you mentioned that they could piss off - the telephone in KOHD is an example of going overboard.

As far as having songs removed well let me ask you guys this:

If Axl were to release a new album this year and fans could decide if it contained 30 songs or only 15 of the best - what would you vote for?

Admit it dudes, you would want to have those 30 new songs !

I think i remember Axl at the time after UYI release saying that they just wanted to give the fans all the songs they had done.

Now , would you want 15 or 30 ?

[trqster]

Removing songs makes no sense to me....like if you did that to CD then you'd have a 6 or 7 song wothy record...

[AndreCC]

Removing Live and Let Die, Estranged, Dead Horse and Back off Bitch would be catastrophic....lyrically they go along with the other Use Your Illusion songs. The only songs/outros that probably don't fit this album is Civil War and My World... I would also take out Get In the Ring, Shotgun Blues, You ain't the first, Breakdown, Garden of Eden, 14 Years, Bad Obsession and Don't Cry (alternate version).

I wouldn't change a damn thing on the record musically. I think it's perfect the way it is. I like Matt's drumming and i love the guitars the way they are!

Edited January 31, 2013 by AndreCC

[nightrain86]

I would strip down Don't cry somewhat, for me personally the UYI version is just too bloated and i don't really care for Shannon Hoon singing along with Axl, also i think removing or just shortening the part right at the end where Axl just drags it out until the song stops

[Astranged]

LALD absolutely kills with axls filler screams during the UYI tours

[estrangedtwat]

By "stripped down" I assume you mean taking out all the dumb sound effects and shit that Axl threw in there and just letting the songs stand on their own, like Slash talked about in his book. Not sure why people took that to mean "remove songs." That's just dumb. My World is the only song that needs to be removed fully.

So just why were all those dumb sound effects and speeches and sayings in there anyway? Simple. Axl was mad-fucking stoned yo.

By all accounts, the instruments were all completely done and in the can and like usual, it all came down to Axl recording the vocals and the finishing touches. All the other guys were done. It was Axl's project now and he was living in the studio at the time to make it happen. Good for him! But check out this picture of him at the time, taken from Robert John's GNR book.

Look at that MOUNTAIN of what is no doubt the kindest bud available to man!! Look at that glazed glossy look on his face! Dude was stoned as SHEEIT, completely out of his gourd while finishing the album(s)!! You know how shit is when you're high...it all sounds cool and deep and gnarly, even if it's dumb! Especially stupid sound effects and phrases!

Here are some of the things that are only there cause Axl and his inner circle (folks like Josh Richman, etc...the 1990 version of Team Brazil) found entertaining while stoned as all fuck eating Oreos and Doritos...

Right Next Door to Hell: nothing really weird in here....it's pretty straight-forward

Dust N' Bones: nothing

Live and Let Die: nothing

Don't Cry: Maybe shorten the last note. Again, probably made it that way cause he was way high and thought it sounded sick

Perfect Crime: when he says "T-minus 1:09 and counting." Not really necessary and something a stoned guy might find mind-blowing. And then he sings the next line in that weird creepy voice and goes " 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8!!!" Again. Too high.

You Ain't the First: since it's a kind of laid back country tune nothing is really weird in it

Bad Obsession: So much cowbell. Such a shit ton of cowbell. But that's OK. You can never have too much cowbell.

Back Off Bitch: The little conversation about what he's trying to say. Stoner nonsense.

Double Talkin' Jive: This entire song only exists in its current form cause Axl was baked as a motherfucker and spliced an Izzy song and a Slash classical solo together. When he played it back for his stoned buddies they probably went apeshit at the transition.

November Rain: It's pretty much perfect, but again, the orchestral flourishes sprang from Axl's pot-addled brain.

The Garden: Some kid talking at the very first second...Alice Fucking Cooper coming out of your nightmares to sing the chorus. Marijuana.

Garden of Eden: the spoken word bit at the beginning is more Pot Poetry. And the bit about the poison apple and missing rib, ya dig?

Don't Damn Me: just the bit at the end when he says "Smoke em if you got em!" Cause he's obviously ready to get hiiiiiigh.

Bad Apples: pretty normal actually

Dead Horse: yeah, the nutcracker and spoken word stuff is pretty obviously there cause of the green

Coma: OK, you know where this is going. All the medical shit with the beeps and boops and the doctors and the bitches and the "I Love You" and shit. Sounds better live without all that stuff. "Zap the son of a bitch again." "I never really wanted to live." Axl, you stoner.

Civil War: Oh man...the whole damn song. The Cool Hand Luke thing, the Peruvian war speech, the rain sound effects. "What's so civil about war anyway?"

14 Years: Nothing unusual.

Yesterdays: Again, pretty normal.

KOHD: The biggest offender of them all, the stoned-ass gibberish phone call in the middle of the song for no reason. Honorable mention to the Days of Thunder version for the weird spoken-word extras in between verses. "It wasn't their fault! How were they even supposed to know? All things can be healed in time! Why, why would you wish to ruin this??"

Get In The Ring: If you get rid of the crowd noise, the boxing sound effects, the ring announcer, and the crazy rant, is there even a song left?

Shotgun Blues: Nothing strange about this one, except people don't like it. I always liked it cause he says FUCK a lot. That was sweet when I was in 8th grade!

Breakdown: Oh man. What a doozy. Obviously the insane speech at the end from Vanishing Point...but it sounds so empty without it, doesn't it?

Pretty Tied Up: "Cool Ranch Dressing" and other non-sequitors.

LocoMotive: This song is pretty much perfect as is, but the vocal layering is an obvious by-product of Axl being way too amused at the sounds he can make with his own voice. While on weed.

So Fine: Duff's song. Boring.

Estranged: I will not say or have anything negative said about this song. It is perfection, pure and simple.

You Could Be Mine: Pretty normal.

Don't Cry (Alt): Same as the other one I guess.

My World: The entire thing was probably written and recorded in one furious evening of cocaine abuse. Delete the whole thing.

So yeah....lots of weird shit thrown in on these songs...and it would be amazing to hear them without all that stuff. But then I'm sure I'd go right back to the way it was released cause that's how I've enjoyed them for over 20 years. Still would be great to hear the de-"Axl-fied" version though....

[AndreCC]

I don't agree EstrangedTWAT, i think the whole sound effects and sayings in the tracks tell a story and i think that's why Axl did it that way... not because he was "stoned".

Don't agree at all with what you said about Double Talkin' Jive! It's one of the best songs in the album!

The Use Your Illusion albums were meant to tell a story... that's why it was a double album with the input of everyone and that's why the "dead" image on the booklet and that's why it was a complex double album with a lot of directions musically.

I feel it was the band leting people know that the band was going through some rough times and that they could end anytime soon. Mostly because of their personal lifes!

All of them were going through some rough times. Axl with his relationship and the media attacks he was receiving daily, Slash that almost died with his drug addiction and alcohol problems, Izzy with the same kind of problems with drugs, Adler who had just been replaced and all the legal shit that delayed the band and also Duff with his alcohol/drug problems.

If you notice almost in every song, the theme is actually something to do with some kind of drama going on around that time... it's not necessairly like AFD, where even thought they're telling the truth in all of their songs, they're just speaking and leting people know in general how the rock n' roll lifestyle works...

Use Your Illusions, it's a joined effort of everyone just venting on their problems with press, relationships, drugs, alcohol...so i think it definitely brings some meaning to the songs to have the talks and sound effects. It goes with it perfectly!

I think that's why they got so mainstream during that time... because they were actually really giving a piece of their personal life to the public, instead of just writting on general rock n roll stuff like in AFD.

[Tyler Drama]

Axl's "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8!" in Perfect Crime is off-rhythm. I would have him do it again, not as rushed. Also, I'd take out the word "Punk!" at the end of Bad Obsession. Doesn't really fit the song. Besides that, screw with volumes of the guitars/bass a little, and you're good.

[wasted]

I heard the demo of kick start my heart today. Vince is such a powerhouse.

Edited January 31, 2013 by wasted

[Johnny Drama]

Turn down Slash's rhythm to lower than Izzy, and bring Izzy forward like on AFD, Dizzy can fuck off, Steven on drums, normal sounding amp for Slash not big fuckin Marshalls, no plastic sounding bass for Duff, all Axl's vocals done in one take, three vocal tracks only per song, only Axl on piano, no synths, no sound effects or bubbles, no Get in the Ring, Shotgun Blues, Bad Apples, My World as a hidden track.

[GivenToFly]

Change the track order, remove the spoken word parts on Breakdown, KOHD, GITR, and maybe Civil War, remove many of Axl's unnecessary and annoying extra vocal layers, remove My World (although I like it), BOB and Shotgun Blues and replace with whatever was available.

[DownUnderScott]

estrangedtwat - that was bloody hilarious!

What an analysis ! Well done...

[themadcaplaughs]

They had the opportunity to make all these decisions in 1990-1991. The albums have been out for over twenty years. For better or worse, their imperfections are part of their identity.

[Vincent Vega]

I always liked the spoken word part of Breakdown at the end. It gives it a '70s sort of Blaxploitation vibe. I've heard the song done instrumentally and the solo sounds really lonely and empty by itself.

The stuff on The Garden was intended to be there from the time the song was written. The "No I Won't" and an Alice Cooper-esque voice are present on the earliest demos of the song from '85. I like it.

The biggest offender is that fucking phone call from KOHD. It literally ruins and turns to crap a really awesome cover.

The bubble sounds and shit are just unnecessary on Garden of Eden. What the fuck?

I love all the effects on Civil War, and I would've loved a single mix to have the speech Axl gave at Rio 1991. That song uses effects perfectly in an artistic way. The Cool Hand Luke intro is spooky but in a good way and the rain sounds remind me of Riders on The Storm....Very good.

Coma, I think, needs those doctor sounds. It helps he song's story along.

The nutcrackers and shit on Dead Horse can just fuck right off.

I like the stuff on Perfect Crime.

I don't mind some Cool Ranch Dressing with my Pretty Tied Up.

I've got no problem with the rest of the effects, but The Garden's crap, the nutcrackers, and that LAME ASS phone call must go.

[hellobeatle]

Myself:

-Put Izzy's guitar parts higher in the mix. Lower Slash's rhythm parts. Equalize Slash's and Izzy's leads.

-Mix the guitars rawer and more prominent. The guitar sound as it is is very mushed together and sludgy. Make them as sharp and clear as a razor blade.

-Drop the reverb on Matt's drums.

-Get rid of some of the sound effects (Example sloshing sounds in Garden of Eden, telephone call in KOHD). Retain others (example Civil War intro is iconic)

-Pump up Duff's bass in some songs. YCBM for example.

- Cut Dizzy's arms off.