Guns N' Roses History ( Continuing)

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After Slash and Duff appeared on the nationally televised American Music Awards visibly intoxicated and using profanity, Geffen Records executives asked the band to curtail their behavior. The members took steps to deal with their addictions after Rose threatened to end the band if they continued with their heavy drug abuse. He even spoke up about the situation, specifically the heroin addictions, during an opening set for the Rolling Stones in 1989 at the Los Angeles Coliseum.[edit] Use Your Illusion (1990–1993) Use Your Illusion I Use Your Illusion I In 1990, Guns N' Roses returned to the studio to begin recording their most ambitious undertaking yet. During recording sessions, drummer Steven Adler was unable to perform due to his struggles with cocaine and heroin addiction. After the recording sessions for the new album became troubled because of Adler's problems he was fired in August 1990, and replaced with former Cult drummer Matt Sorum. A few months prior, keyboardist Dizzy Reed became the sixth member of the group when he joined the band as a full time member. The band's manager, Alan Niven, was fired in May 1991 and was replaced with Doug Goldstein. With enough music for two double albums, the band released Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II on September 17, 1991. The tactic paid off when the albums debuted at #2 and #1 respectively on the Billboard charts, which set a record as they became the first and only group to achieve this feat. Additionally, the albums spent 108 weeks on the chart. Both prior to and after the release of both albums, Guns N' Roses embarked on the twenty-eight month long Use Your Illusion World Tour to support them. It would become famous for both its financial success and the many controversial incidents that occurred at the shows.[edit] Use Your Illusion Tour The tour included a Slash guitar solo incorporating The Godfather theme, and a piano driven Axl Rose solo of "It's Alright" by Black Sabbath. An extended jam on the classic rock inspired "Move to the City" was where Rose showcased the ensemble of musicians assembled for the tour. Much of the successful and brilliant performances during the tour were equally matched and often overshadowed in the press by riots, late starts and outspoken rantings by Rose. While the band's previous drug and alcohol issues were seemingly under control, Axl was often agitated by lax security, sound problems, and unwanted filming or recording of the performances. He also used the banter in between songs to fire off political statements or retort against music critics or celebrity rivals. During a July 2, 1991 concert at the recently-built Riverport Amphitheater in Maryland Heights, Missouri, just outside of St. Louis, Axl Rose jumped into the audience and tackled an unruly fan who was recording the show with a video camera. After being pulled out of the audience by members of Guns' crew, Rose ended the show early. With the words, "Thanks to the lame*** security, I'm going home," he slammed his microphone down and left the stage. The angry crowd began to riot, and dozens of people were injured. Rose was charged with having incited the riot, but police were unable to arrest him until almost a year later, as the band went overseas to continue the tour. Charges were filed against Rose, but a judge ruled that he did not directly incite the riot. In his defense, Rose stated that the Guns N' Roses personal security team had made four separate requests to the venue's security staff to remove the camera, all of which were ignored; that other members of the band had reported being hit by bottles from the audience; and that the venue's security had been lax, allowing weapons into the arena and refusing to enforce a drinking limit.[1] Consequently, "Use Your Illusion"'s artwork featured a hidden message amidst the Thank You section of the album insert: "Fu ck You, St. Louis!". During this time, guitarist Izzy Stradlin quit the band due to differences with both Rose and Slash. He was replaced by Los Angeles based guitarist Gilby Clarke. In late 1991, Rose added a touring ensemble to the band which included a horns section and several background vocalists. Use Your Illusion II Use Your Illusion II In 1992, the band appeared at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, performing a two song set. Later in the year they went on a mini-tour with American heavy metal band Metallica. During a show in August 1992 at Montreal's Olympic Stadium, Metallica frontman James Hetfield suffered severe burns after stepping too close to a pyrotechnics blast. Metallica was forced to cancel the second hour of the show, but promised to return to the city for another show. After a long delay, during which the audience became increasingly restless, Guns N' Roses took the stage. However, the shortened time between sets did not allow for adequate tuning of stage monitors resulting in musicians not being able to hear themselves. Compounding the situation were Rose claiming that his throat hurt (and he is rumored to have said this with a cigarette in his mouth and a glass of champagne in his hand) which caused the band to leave the stage early. The cancellation led to another riot by audience members, reminiscent of the rioting that had occurred in St. Louis one year earlier. Rioters overturned cars, smashed windows, looted local stores and set random fires. Local authorities were barely able to bring the mob under control. The Use Your Illusion Tour is also notable for the many videos the band released to support it, including "Don't Cry", "November Rain"[2] and "Estranged" - some of the most expensive videos ever made. The hit ballad "November Rain" became the most requested video on MTV, eventually winning the 1992 MTV Video Music Award for best cinematography. During the awards show, the band performed the song with Elton John accompanying on piano. In May 1993, Gilby Clarke broke his wrist in a motorcycling accident and the band needed a replacement for some dates in Europe. Izzy Stradlin briefly returned for a string of five shows. The historic tour ended in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on July 17, 1993. The tour set attendance records and lasted for twenty-eight months in which more than 200 shows were played. The last show in Buenos Aires also marked the last time original members Slash and McKagan as well as the newcomers Gilby Clarke and Matt Sorum would play a live show with their frontman.[edit] The Spaghetti Incident? The Spaghetti Incident? The Spaghetti Incident?On November 23, 1993, Guns N' Roses released a collection of Punk Rock and Glam Rock covers entitled The Spaghetti Incident?. Despite protests from Rose's bandmates, an unadvertised cover of the Charles Manson song "Look at Your Game Girl" was included on the album at his request. Years later, Rose said he would remove the song from new pressings of the album, citing that critics and the media had misinterpreted his interest in Manson. However, as of 2007, the song is still present on the album. The Spaghetti Incident? did not match the success of the Illusion albums and tensions increased within the band.[edit] Decline (1994–1997)[edit] Breakup In 1994, Gilby Clarke was let go from the band as Axl felt his songwriting skills were inadequate for their future projects. That same year, a cover version of The Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil" was recorded by the band for the movie Interview with the Vampire. The addition of Axl's friend Paul Tobias in place of Clarke did not sit well with remaining band members. During the recording of "Sympathy for the Devil", Tobias recorded an echo of Slash's solo at Axl's request. Slash was infuriated when he heard the song's final mix and that Tobias' guitar had been placed on top of his. In early 1995, Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde told music magazine Kerrang that he had joined the band for a week's worth of rehearsal and jamming on Axl Rose's personal request. While Wylde considered the experience as a highly positive one, he was ultimately frustrated by the timetaking contract negotiations, opting to go on tour with Osbourne. Slash then drifted in and out of the band for the next year or so, beginning a side project called Slash's Snakepit. In August 1996, the band regrouped with Rose temporarily acting as the rhythm guitarist. At the time, Sorum hinted on the band considering a new, unknown player for the slot, possibly referring to Paul Tobias.[3] After two weeks of jamming and song writing, McKagan and Sorum began touring with their sideproject, Neurotic Outsiders, while returning to work with Rose and Slash mid-tour for a week in early September. After Slash and Rose were left alone with each other, the guitarist commented the situation in mid-October by saying: "I have only been back in the band for three weeks and my relationship with Axl right now is sort of at a stand still."[4] A few weeks later, Rose announced Slash was no longer a part of the band. He was replaced by Robin Finck. The next year, drummer Sorum was fired from the group following a verbal dispute with Rose regarding negative comments Paul Tobias had made about Slash. In mid 1997, McKagan opted out of his contract, and officially left the band in early 1998. This left Rose as the sole original member of the group. Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum later formed the rock supergroup Velvet Revolver with former Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland and guitarist Dave Kushner, where they released their first CD, and had immediate success.