Steven Wilson's Unreleased Dolby Atmos Remix of Guns N' Roses' Use Your Illusion Albums: A Missed Opportunity
Guns N’ Roses enthusiasts who appreciate spatial audio may be excited to learn that the band's Use Your Illusion albums have been remixed in Dolby Atmos format. However, the albums are unlikely to be released. Steven Wilson, a renowned British musician known for his work with Porcupine Tree and other projects, was tasked with remixing the 1991 LPs as part of a reissue set for 2022. Unfortunately, the band, led by Axl Rose, rejected Wilson's remixes, except for one track, 'November Rain,' which featured a real orchestra. Wilson expressed disappointment that his work on approximately 40 songs, including outtakes and B-sides, was not approved by the band, citing their aversion to spatial audio as the reason for the rejection.
Despite Wilson's admiration for the Use Your Illusion material, he admitted that he was not a lifelong fan of Guns N’ Roses, as they emerged a bit late for his musical tastes. Wilson shared that he typically plays remix projects for friends visiting his studio, tailored to their childhood music preferences, to impress them with his work. The Illusion remix project remains unreleased and unheard, stuck on Wilson's hard drive due to band politics and other issues. The musician described the band's music as "amazing" and expressed regret that the project did not come to fruition as planned.