"Use Your Illusion I" is the third studio album by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, released on September 17, 1991, alongside its counterpart Use Your Illusion II. This album marks the debut of drummer Matt Sorum, who replaced Steven Adler following Adler's departure in 1990. Adler did return to play on the track "Civil War" on Use Your Illusion II. The album also introduced keyboardist Dizzy Reed.
Released concurrently with the Use Your Illusion Tour, Use Your Illusion I debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, selling 685,000 copies in its first week, just behind Use Your Illusion II, which sold 770,000 copies in the same period. As of 2010, the album has sold 5,502,000 units in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan and has been certified 7× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was also nominated for a Grammy Award in 1992.
The Use Your IllusionF albums represent a significant turning point in the sound of Guns N' Roses. While the band maintained the aggressive hard-rock style established with their 1987 debut Appetite for Destruction, Use Your Illusion I showcased a broader range of influences, including blues, classical music, heavy metal, punk rock, and classic rock and roll. This diversification is evident through the prominent use of piano, contributed by singer Axl Rose and keyboardist Dizzy Reed, a feature also present on Use Your Illusion II.
The album includes two of the three songs from the famed trilogy of music videos: "November Rain" and "Don't Cry." The third song, "Estranged," appears on Use Your Illusion II.
The shift in sound was partly due to the departure of drummer Steven Adler, who was replaced by Matt Sorum from The Cult. Adler's departure was attributed to his heroin addiction. Guitarist Izzy Stradlin noted the impact of Adler’s exit on the band’s rhythm and feel, expressing a preference to continue with Adler but acknowledging the need to move forward.
Several tracks on Use Your Illusion I were originally written during the band's early years and appear on the bootleg album The Rumbo Tapes. These include "Back Off Bitch," "Bad Obsession," "Don't Cry," "November Rain," and "The Garden." The album also features a cover of Paul McCartney and Wings' "Live and Let Die."
Use Your Illusion I introduced longer songs compared to previous works, with "November Rain" running nearly nine minutes and "Coma" exceeding ten minutes. The album also saw other band members take on lead vocal roles, with Izzy Stradlin singing on tracks like "Dust N' Bones," "You Ain't the First," and "Double Talkin' Jive." Additionally, "14 Years" and "So Fine" from Use Your Illusion II feature vocals from Stradlin and Duff McKagan, respectively.
The production of the album was challenging. According to a 1991 Rolling Stone cover story, after initially working with engineer/producer Bob Clearmountain and mixing 21 tracks, the band decided to discard the mixes and start over with Bill Price, known for his work with the Sex Pistols. Price recalled that the band members had conflicting opinions on the mixes, which led to the decision to re-record and mix the remaining tracks in various studios across America during the band's extensive 18-month world tour.
Slash has mentioned that much of the album's material was developed on acoustic guitars at his home, known as the Walnut House, following a period of stagnation.
