Live Era '87–'93

Live Era '87-'93
Live album by Guns N' Roses
Released November 23, 1999
Recorded June 28, 1987 and December 10, 1988
1991–1993
Genre Hard rock, heavy metal
Length 133:02
Label Geffen Records
Producer Del James
Guns N' Roses chronology

Live Era '87-'93
(1999)
Appetite for Democracy
(2014)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
Rolling Stone [2]

Live Era '87–'93 is a double live album by the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses. It was released on November 23, 1999. The record was the first official Guns N' Roses release since "The Spaghetti Incident?" released on the same day in 1993. Former guitarist Slash notes that the album is "not pretty and there are a lot of mistakes, but this is Guns N' Roses, not the fucking Mahavishnu Orchestra. It's as honest as it gets."[3]

Album information

The dates and locations of the tracks are not revealed in the liner notes, and are only referred to simply as being "Recorded across the universe between 1987 and 1993". However, the majority of the tracks on the two CDs are believed to be sourced from the extensive Use Your Illusion Tour of 1991-1993.[4]

Axl Rose is alleged to have communicated with former Guns N' Roses members Slash and Duff McKagan, through intermediaries only, in selecting the track list. In an interview Slash stated that "the live album was one of the easiest projects we all worked on. I didn't actually see Axl, but we communicated via the powers that be."[5]

Two former members who play on the majority of the tracks, Matt Sorum and Gilby Clarke, are not credited as band members in the liner notes, but as "additional musicians", while original drummer Steven Adler, who plays on only three tracks on the album, and Izzy Stradlin, who plays on only six songs, are credited as "main band members."

Two popular live songs, "Live and Let Die" and "Civil War", which were both played heavily during the Use Your Illusion Tour, are omitted from this release, while songs that were played to a much lesser extent on the tour ("Pretty Tied Up" and "Move to the City") are included.

The Japanese and vinyl versions of the album contain a rare performance of "Coma", Guns N' Roses' longest song to date.

The song "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" was performed and recorded at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert and was previously released on the "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" single.

"Estranged," "Don't Cry," "November Rain," "Pretty Tied Up,", "You Could Be Mine" and "Move To The City" were previously released on the band's Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II videos. The live audio from "Yesterdays" was included as a B-side on that song's CD single.

Track listing

Disc one
No. TitleWriter(s)Concert Length
1. "Nightrain" (from Appetite for Destruction, 1987)McKagan, RoseLas Vegas, USA; January 25, 1992 5:18
2. "Mr. Brownstone" (from Appetite for Destruction, 1987)StradlinLondon, UK; August 31, 1991 5:42
3. "It's So Easy" (from Appetite for Destruction, 1987)McKagan, West ArkeenParis, France; June 6, 1992 3:28
4. "Welcome to the Jungle" (from Appetite for Destruction, 1987)RoseBuenos Aires, Argentina; December 5, 1992 5:09
5. "Dust N' Bones" (from Use Your Illusion I, 1991)Slash, Stradlin, McKaganNew York City, USA; May 16, 1991 5:05
6. "My Michelle" (from Appetite for Destruction, 1987)RoseLondon, UK; August 31, 1991 3:53
7. "You're Crazy" (from Appetite for Destruction, 1987)Rose, Stradlin'Tokyo, Japan; December 10, 1988 4:45
8. "Used to Love Her" (from G N' R Lies, 1988)Stradlin, RoseTokyo, Japan; December 10, 1988 4:17
9. "Patience" (from G N' R Lies, 1988)StradlinMexico City, Mexico; April 24, 1993 6:42
10. "It's Alright" (Black Sabbath cover)Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill WardHouston, USA; September 4, 1992 3:07
11. "November Rain" (from Use Your Illusion I, 1991)RoseTokyo, Japan; February 22, 1992 12:29
Disc two
No. TitleWriter(s)Concert Length
1. "Out ta Get Me" (from Appetite for Destruction, 1987)Rose, Stradlin'London, UK; June 28, 1987 4:33
2. "Pretty Tied Up" (from Use Your Illusion II, 1991)StradlinTokyo, Japan; February 22, 1992 5:25
3. "Yesterdays" (from Use Your Illusion II, 1991)Arkeen, Del James, Billy McCloud, RoseLas Vegas, USA; January 25, 1992 3:52
4. "Move to the City" (from Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide, 1986)Stradlin, Weber, JamesTokyo, Japan; February 22, 1992 8:00
5. "You Could Be Mine" (from Use Your Illusion II, 1991)Stradlin, RoseTokyo, Japan; February 22, 1992 6:02
6. "Rocket Queen" (from Appetite for Destruction, 1987)RoseLas Vegas, USA; January 25, 1992 8:27
7. "Sweet Child o' Mine" (from Appetite for Destruction, 1987)RoseParis, France; June 6, 1992 7:25
8. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (Bob Dylan cover from Use Your Illusion II, 1991)Bob DylanLondon, UK; April 20, 1992 7:27
9. "Don't Cry" (from Use Your Illusion I, 1991)Stradlin, RoseTokyo, Japan; February 22, 1992 4:44
10. "Estranged" (from Use Your Illusion II, 1991)RoseTokyo, Japan; February 22, 1992 9:52
11. "Paradise City" (from Appetite for Destruction, 1987)Rose, McKaganLas Vegas, USA; January 25, 1992 7:21

Bonus track

This track was released as the twelfth track on the first CD of the Japanese edition, and as the eighth side on the four LP vinyl editions.

No. TitleWriter(s)Concert Length
12. "Coma" (from Use Your Illusion I, 1991)Slash, RoseOmaha, USA; April 10, 1993 10:48

Personnel

Band members

Backing musicians

References

  1. Allmusic review
  2. Rolling Stone review
  3. Guitar World Presents: Guitar Legends - Slash #76 pg.12
  4. "Live Era Track Sources". October 14, 2010. Archived from the original on May 22, 2008.
  5. Guitar World Presents: Guitar Legends - Slash #76 pg.17

External links