Use Your Illusion Tour Gross...

[YouCouldBeMine_2029]

We've all seen the Amazing amount of Gross GnR did on ''Not In This Life Time'' Tour....$584 Million! (Without an Album)!!

Does Anyone know how much the Use Your Illusion Tour Grossed? 

It Must have been an Significant amount. They Played to well over 7 Million people I believe. UYI Albums and Merchandise Grossed around the World better than any Group at the time.

Strange it isn't listed Anywhere, to my knowledge.

 

[HollyWoodRose84]

I believe just shy of $60 million 

[YouCouldBeMine_2029]

Interesting. Thought it might have been alot more. 

[seely]

13 minutes ago, YouCouldBeMine_2029 said:

Interesting. Thought it might have been alot more. 

Keep in mind that ticket prices were about a quarter back then of what they are now. (£20 for Wembley Stadium back in the UYI days. London Stadium in 2017 around £80) 

[YouCouldBeMine_2029]

1 minute ago, seely said:

Keep in mind that ticket prices were about a quarter back then of what they are now. (£20 for Wembley Stadium back in the UYI days. London Stadium in 2017 around £80) 

True. 

U2 Zoo Tour Done $150 Million 92/93. With Around 5 Million people.

I thought $60 Million would have been The GnR/Metallica Leg lol

[soon]

I believe it’s established as fact that with all the noise violation fines for going late it it the night, union fines for making workers stay late, lawsuits, lavish theme parties, horn section and background singers, etc made it so the band barely made anything.

Iirc the skin and bones tour, in part, served as a way of finally getting into profit mode.

And then the million dollar videos too.

I think both Duff and Slash have discussed this. 

 

Edited September 18, 2020 by soon

[jamillos]

They also said the managerial team / background people were ripping them off, spending their money on parties etc. without their knowledge.

Man, one wouldn't believe how band managers could be such leeches... 

Edited September 18, 2020 by jamillos

[YouCouldBeMine_2029]

I've read that Metallica made Money from the Leg they done With GnR in 92 and GnR didn't make anything.

I believe I read something years ago and it was from Court Documents, that GnR grossed around $600 Million on everything from Albums, Merch and Tour from 87 to 94. It was in relation To Adler taking the Band to Court For Royalties.

[allwaystired]

55 minutes ago, seely said:

Keep in mind that ticket prices were about a quarter back then of what they are now. (£20 for Wembley Stadium back in the UYI days. London Stadium in 2017 around £80) 

I thought they were £100 - £200 ish for London? 

Either way, you're absolutely right - prices are SO much higher now, across the world. The disparity in some countries is probably even greater. You've also got all those shitty 'VIP' options and add-ons etc. 

Comparing the 'gross' of a tour now with one from the past is pretty pointless really. All it really tells you is that live music has become more lucrative and less accessible for people who aren't rich. 

[Sweersa]

Inflation is also something to consider. In addition to GN'R appealing to multiple generations. 

[IrishgunnerII]

3 hours ago, soon said:

I believe it’s established as fact that with all the noise violation fines for going late it it the night, union fines for making workers stay late, lawsuits, lavish theme parties, horn section and background singers, etc made it so the band barely made anything.

Iirc the skin and bones tour, in part, served as a way of finally getting into profit mode.

And then the million dollar videos too.

I think both Duff and Slash have discussed this. 

 

Yes duff talked about it in his book about going down to his basement and finding all these documents related to GNR and being baffled as to the amount of money that was lost. As has been said the late fees and those parties that Axl asked for but never went to cost money. 

[janrichmond]

I reckon Izzy did well out of the illusions tour, He quit before all the extra touring members were added and only came back for a short period in '93, mainly because he was still owed money. 

[Blackstar]

From "The History of Guns N' Roses as told by Guns N' Roses" at a-4-d.com, the last chapter on the UYI era:

https://www.a-4-d.com/t5002p30-16-january-july-1993-the-skin-n-bones-tour-end-of-an-era

 

Duff has also talked about the finances of the UYI tour in these interviews:

Duff: I know we generated a lot of money on that 'Use Your Illusion' tour. Oh, crap, we generated a lot of dough. We were also… Our crew was a hundred and thirty people… A hundred and thirty! We had two stages going — we had an 'A' stage and a 'B' stage going — around the world at all times. That's why we toured for two and a half years, 'cause it took us two years to break even — just to break even — on that tour.

https://www.a-4-d.com/t3376-2015-01-dd-the-jasta-show-interview-with-duff-excerpts

Duff: [...] We had learned a lot from the Guns N’ Roses experience: Managers commissioning off the gross. Meaning, we went out and toured, and we get, say, $1 million guarantee – in the early 90's it’s a ton of money. The manager would take his commission off the top of that. We’d pay for all production. Production ran at about 50%, if not more, back then. At the end of a gig, we might end up owing money. We’d never – sometimes we didn’t go on on time in the early 90's (laughs). So you gotta pay all the over – you’re paying for cops, you’re paying for union workers, you’re paying for trains to stay open. So we’d be in a whole lot of times. Meanwhile, the manager...

Milana Lewis:  Takes 10%? 15%? 20% off the top?

Duff: Yeah. He moved outside of L.A., so you couldn’t see where he lived. And finally, one time, I went there and, like, he’s got horses and he lives on the golf course... [...] And I’m like, Jesus, horses! Fuck! (laughs) I’ve got a two-bedroom in the Valley, man. But you learn. You live, you learn. And serial entrepreneur, indeed; I’ve got that from punk rock.

https://www.a-4-d.com/t3772-2019-02-25-upfront-summit-interview-with-duff

[Ratam]

6 hours ago, soon said:

I believe it’s established as fact that with all the noise violation fines for going late it it the night, union fines for making workers stay late, lawsuits, lavish theme parties, horn section and background singers, etc made it so the band barely made anything.

Iirc the skin and bones tour, in part, served as a way of finally getting into profit mode.

And then the million dollar videos too.

I think both Duff and Slash have discussed this. 

 

Exactly it.

[Rjuncajun]

Ummmmm..... fellas... the OP asked grossed not netted🤫🤫🤫

[Ant]

12 hours ago, soon said:

I believe it’s established as fact that with all the noise violation fines for going late it it the night, union fines for making workers stay late, lawsuits, lavish theme parties, horn section and background singers, etc made it so the band barely made anything.

Iirc the skin and bones tour, in part, served as a way of finally getting into profit mode.

And then the million dollar videos too.

I think both Duff and Slash have discussed this. 

 

are you saying the horn section was optional

[Sausagebrain]

Now that profits from selling records have all but disappeared, bands rely more on touring revenues to pay the bills. 

In other words, a tour used to be loss leaders for an album. Nowadays, its the album that's a loss leader for a tour (and often bands no longer even bother making an album. Ahem!) 

[YouCouldBeMine_2029]

Anyone know what The Black Album Tour Grossed? I think that would give one a good idea of what The UYI Tour Grossed. Give or take a few Million.

 

[The Holographic Universe]

On 9/18/2020 at 6:08 AM, YouCouldBeMine_2029 said:

We've all seen the Amazing amount of Gross GnR did on ''Not In This Life Time'' Tour....$584 Million! (Without an Album)!!

Does Anyone know how much the Use Your Illusion Tour Grossed? 

It Must have been an Significant amount. They Played to well over 7 Million people I believe. UYI Albums and Merchandise Grossed around the World better than any Group at the time.

Strange it isn't listed Anywhere, to my knowledge.

 

Forbes in a ‘94 article listed GNR as the fourth highest grossing entertainers. 1. Bill Cosby 2. Oprah 3. Steven Speilburg. So they made some loot. More than any other tour or artist during that time. 

[The Holographic Universe]

36 minutes ago, YouCouldBeMine_2029 said:

Anyone know what The Black Album Tour Grossed? I think that would give one a good idea of what The UYI Tour Grossed. Give or take a few Million.

 

GNR made more money than Metallica or U2 during that time. Prince made a lot during that era as well. 

[YouCouldBeMine_2029]

4 minutes ago, The Holographic Universe said:

Forbes in a ‘94 article listed GNR as the fourth highest grossing entertainers. 1. Bill Cosby 2. Oprah 3. Steven Speilburg. So they made some loot. More than any other tour or artist during that time. 

 

Interesting.

I take it that must have been the year of 1993 as 94 GnR were Missing in Action or the Earnings arrived in 94.

Behind Speilbergs Jurassic Park Profits, That is Alot for 12 months of Albums, Tour and Merch.

[YouCouldBeMine_2029]

8 minutes ago, The Holographic Universe said:

GNR made more money than Metallica or U2 during that time. Prince made a lot during that era as well. 

I could imaine GnR Grossing more than Metallica and Prince. U2 I'm not sure about. U2 Ticket Prices in 92/93 would've been Pink Floyd/Stones Levels.

It's Strange how There isn't a Figure for UYI Tour Gross. Iconic Band! Iconic Albums Iconic Tour...

Just about everything else is Documented about GnR online.

[The Holographic Universe]

2 hours ago, YouCouldBeMine_2029 said:

I could imaine GnR Grossing more than Metallica and Prince. U2 I'm not sure about. U2 Ticket Prices in 92/93 would've been Pink Floyd/Stones Levels.

It's Strange how There isn't a Figure for UYI Tour Gross. Iconic Band! Iconic Albums Iconic Tour...

Just about everything else is Documented about GnR online.

I clearly recall the article man. This was a Forbes article in 1994 for the highest grossing entertainers. GNR was number 4. Forbes is a legit as a source can be. It was a 1994 article. Early in 1994. I think it covered 1991-1993 because there was a breakdown of each year. But, it gives you an idea of how much GNR made from 91-93. 

Edited September 21, 2020 by The Holographic Universe

[Sisyphus]

I have no info regarding the money but I've always felt the whole "we lost money" was a bit exaggerated. A bit of a revisionism on their part. They certainly didn't make as much as they could but when you're the biggest band in the world playing stadiums and huge crowds how can you blow all that money on a few theme parties, legal fines and a sizable entourage.

And also wouldn't there be at least some info regarding the total gross avaliable before taking all the fines and other expenses into account? Not In This Lifetime is at $584,200,000 but it's not like they pocketed 600 million, there were huge expenses too but that's irrelevant when it comes to determining the raw gross.

I just don't believe that GN'R "lost money" on the Use Your Illusion Tour. Didn't Axl move into a huge mansion in 1991/1992? Did he do it on the back of album sales alone? I doubt it. They must have been making some serious cash but there were also gigantic losses, no doubt.

Edited September 21, 2020 by Sisyphus

[Sisyphus]

2 minutes ago, Sisyphus said:

 

EDIT: I quoted myself by mistake.

Edited September 21, 2020 by Sisyphus