Steven Wilson recently revealed the challenges he faced while working on remixes for Guns N’ Roses’ “Use Your Illusion I” and “Use Your Illusion II” albums. He shared details about the unreleased project in an interview with Scars And Guitars.
Wilson explained how the extensive remix project ultimately fell victim to creative differences and band politics.
“Well, the challenges were the band (Guns N’ Roses) didn’t like what I was doing,” Wilson said. “That came through the record company, and I did it all, and then the band basically vetoed it all.”
The Porcupine Tree frontman detailed the scope of his work and the disappointing outcome.
“So the only thing that ever came out was my remix of ‘November Rain’, with a real orchestra added,” he continued. “And that was a shame, ’cause that’s a lot of music on those records — I think I worked on about 40 songs, including outtakes, B-sides, and God knows what else. And then the band basically turned around and decided they didn’t like it.”
Wilson also revealed specific technical objections from the band regarding modern audio formats.
“They didn’t like [Dolby] Atmos [a surround sound technology that creates a more immersive, three-dimensional audio experience], they didn’t like the idea of their music being in spatial audio,” he explained.
“So that project is kind of just sitting on my hard drive, unreleased and unheard,” Wilson concluded. “It’s such a shame. Amazing, amazing records. Amazing records. But yes, a shame in a way that it got sort of bogged down in band politics and God knows what else.”
This setback represents just one chapter in Wilson’s extensive career as a remix specialist. His career has seen both remarkable successes and notable disappointments across the music industry.
Sonic Perspectives reported that Wilson began his remixing career in 2009. He has since worked on albums for major artists including Tears For Fears and The Who. His expertise in creating immersive audio experiences has made him a sought-after collaborator for legacy acts looking to modernize their classic recordings.
The Guns N’ Roses project stands out as particularly ambitious in Wilson’s catalog. Metal Addicts noted that the remixes included nearly 40 tracks with additional orchestration. This represented one of the most comprehensive reworkings of classic rock material ever attempted. The project would have offered fans a completely new perspective on some of the band’s most celebrated songs.
Wilson’s approach to the Guns N’ Roses material was notably honest about his own relationship with the band’s music. Ultimate Classic Rock revealed that Wilson admitted he wasn’t a lifelong fan of Guns N’ Roses. He had come of age musically just after their peak, but he recognized the significance of the material he worked with. This professional distance may have contributed to his willingness to experiment with the band’s sound in ways that ultimately proved unacceptable to the original artists.
The rejection of the Dolby Atmos format reflects broader industry tensions between technological innovation and artistic control. Blabbermouth explained that the band’s hesitation towards newer audio technology and reluctance to revisit their classic albums in such a radical way ultimately doomed the project. This decision leaves Wilson’s extensive work as perhaps the most significant unreleased remix project in rock history.
The extensive remix work remains unreleased, representing a significant lost opportunity for fans of both artists.
