Rare Use Your Illusion I Track Returns After 35 Years Ahead of 2026 Tour

Guns N’ Roses have performed the track Bad Apples in concert for the first time since 1991. The song is featured on the band’s third studio album, Use Your Illusion I.

The performance marks the return of the track to the live set after a gap of 35 years. This development comes as the band prepares for further performances in 2026, including upcoming dates in Australia.

Context of Use Your Illusion I

Use Your Illusion I was released by Geffen Records on September 17, 1991. It was issued on the same day as its counterpart, Use Your Illusion II.

The album represented a shift in the band’s lineup, marking the first studio appearance of keyboardist Dizzy Reed and drummer Matt Sorum. Sorum joined the group after the departure of Steven Adler in 1990.

The recording process for the album took place between January 13, 1990, and November 1990. Production occurred across several studios, including Studio A&M, Record Plant, Studio 56, Image Recording, and Conway in Los Angeles, as well as Metalworks in Mississauga, Ontario.

Musically, the album is categorized as hard rock, art rock, and glam metal. It debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 685,000 copies. By 2010, Nielsen SoundScan reported that the album had sold 5,502,000 units in the United States.

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has certified Use Your Illusion I as 7× Platinum. The album also received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1992.

Touring and Performance History

The supporting tour for the Use Your Illusion albums began in May 1991. This tour started four months before the albums were actually released due to delays in the release schedule.

The album produced several singles, including Don’t Cry, released September 2, 1991; Live and Let Die, released December 9, 1991; and November Rain, released February 24, 1992. The song Live and Let Die earned a Grammy nomination in the Best Hard Rock Performance category the following year.

The recent revival of Bad Apples suggests a potential shift in the setlists for the band’s 2026 tour dates. Here’s particularly relevant for fans attending the upcoming Australian leg of the tour later in 2026.