Swiss Journal of Research in Business and Social Sciences

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Former Manager of Guns N’ Roses Consolidates ‘Illusion’ Album


For fans who believed that the release of two albums by Guns N' Roses in 1991 was excessive, Alan Niven, the former manager of the band, shares your sentiment wholeheartedly. The group intentionally launched the tracks from the Use Your Illusion sessions in two distinct volumes in September 1991. Frontman Axl Rose aimed to ensure that the financial implications of a double album wouldn’t hinder fans from enjoying new music from their beloved band. However, the notion of the hard rock band releasing such a vast amount of music simultaneously concerned Niven. “Axl rationalized it to me like this, ‘I want my double album faster than Led Zeppelin got their double album,'” he recounts to UCR. “In my mind, I questioned if we had enough material to substantiate a double album. Would there be a consistent level of quality throughout?”

When Niven was asked if the band might have been better off with a single album release, he responded without a moment’s hesitation, “F–k yes!” He proceeded to pull out his legal pad and shared the sequence of tracks that he believed should comprise his ideal single-disc version of Illusion.

Watch the Official Music Video for Guns N’ Roses’ ‘You Could Be Mine’

Alan Niven’s Proposed Single Album Tracklist for ‘Use Your Illusion’
1. “Double Talking Jive”
2. “Back Off Bitch”
3. “Dust and Bones”
4. “Yesterdays”
5. “Civil War”
6. “Pretty Tied Up”
7. “You Could Be Mine”
8. “Locomotive”
9. “November Rain”
10. “Dead Horse”

READ MORE: Discover How UCR Readers Condensed ‘Use Your Illusion’ into a Single Album

The Critical Decision Against Releasing a Double Album

Niven spills insider stories about GNR in his new book, Sound N’ Fury: Rock N’ Roll Stories. While the book chronicles his entire career as a songwriter, producer, and manager, readers eager for insights into his tumultuous time managing one of the most chaotic and self-destructive rock bands in history will find it thoroughly engaging. The Illusion era was marked by intense drama and conflict. Guitarist Izzy Stradlin served as a guiding light, providing hope amidst the chaos. “When he writes ‘Dust N’ Bones,’ you think, ‘Okay, we’re going to be alright,” he reflects. However, he also discloses that the decision to release the music in two separate parts partly stemmed from his perspective. “The one f–king thing we cannot do is put out a double album. I convinced Axl that we should release two single albums simultaneously. No one’s ever done that before. It would be exciting and create a significant event. Honestly, I recalled Electric Ladyland being released in the UK,” he admits.

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Navigating the Challenges of Following Up ‘Appetite for Destruction’

It’s no surprise that the immense success of the band’s debut album, 1987’s Appetite for Destruction, cast a long shadow when it came time to conceptualize the follow-up. “Reflecting on ’89 and ’90, we were acutely aware of the eight million records sold. The question loomed: How do we follow that?” Niven explains. “You have to push those thoughts out of your mind, as they can be incredibly crushing. Not only are you dealing with external expectations—both financial and creative—but you’re also doubting your own choices. We all aimed to say, ‘F–k that! If the song resonates, we trust it and go for it.’

“However, the pressure to deliver after AFD was overwhelming. It was tremendously challenging to compartmentalize that anxiety and dismiss it,” he continues. “This is why we lost a key member, because at that time, it felt like, ‘We need to finish this f–king record’ and Stevie was obstructing that. He struggled to connect with Axl’s lengthy and complex tracks like ‘Coma’ and ‘Estranged.’ He couldn’t replicate the same energy in those songs more than once. For me, the pivotal conversation was with Slash about this situation, as they were childhood friends. Slash was pragmatic, stating, ‘We need another drummer.’ He was the one who recommended Matt Sorum. Once Sorum was on board, I felt confident that we could complete the Illusion album.

READ MORE: Explore the Stories Behind Every Song on Guns N’ Roses’ ‘Use Your Illusion’

Ultimately, Niven’s time as the manager of Guns N’ Roses came to an end even before the Illusion albums hit the market. His relationship with Axl deteriorated during the tumultuous phase when everyone involved was striving to finalize the albums. By May 1991, he had been dismissed. Axl later shared with Rolling Stone in a September interview that he refused to finish and deliver the albums until Niven was no longer part of the picture.

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This unfortunate twist marks a somber chapter in Niven’s narrative, yet his career continued to thrive, leading him to numerous opportunities. Still, as he mentions in the pages of Sound N’ Fury, he feels “conflicted” about the band he guided from obscurity to their current status as global superstars, with over 100 million albums sold and counting. He contemplates what might have transpired if he had turned a blind eye to the emerging group. Would they have simply self-destructed? He provides a succinct overview in those pages, stating, “It was Axl’s battle to seize complete control and the majority of profits. The more control he acquired, the less productive they became, and the poorer the material turned out to be,” he reflects. Yet, a few paragraphs later, he brushes it off with a final remark: “Whatever, it’s all in the rear-view mirror.”

Watch the Official Music Video for Guns N’ Roses’ ‘Don’t Cry’

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Gallery Credit: Bryan Rolli

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Sarah Parker is a research analyst and content contributor with a strong interest in business strategy, organizational behavior, and social development. With a background in sociology and public policy, she focuses on exploring the intersection between research and real-world application. Sarah regularly contributes articles that bridge academic insights and practical relevance, aiming to foster critical thinking and innovation across sectors.