Guns N' Roses photo exhibition celebrates 35th birthday of Appetite for Destruction

Duff McKagan, Axl Rose and Slash of the rock group 'Guns n' Roses' perform at the LA Street Scene on September 28, 1985 in Los Angeles, California. Slash uses a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar for the first time onstage with the band. (
(Image credit: Marc S Canter/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

A new photo exhibition is underway in celebration of the legendary rock band, Guns N’ Roses, and the 35th anniversary of their debut album, Appetite For Destruction. 

Hosted at the Bourbon Room in Hollywood, California, the one-day only exhibition will take place on 21 July 2022, and tickets are available for just $20. 

Get started in live music photography, by top pro Christie Goodwin

An upcoming photography exhibition will take place next month showcasing never before seen photos of legendary rock band, Guns N' Roses, captured by amateur photographer, author, and podcast host, Marc Canter. 

During 1982, Canter set out to document the journey of his best friend's music career, but little did he know or anticipate that he would actually be witnessing the genesis of what would become one of the biggest bands in rock history.

The exhibition is titled 'Guns N’ Roses And The Making of Appetite for Destruction', and the evening of 21 July will comprise a Q&A with Canter, and special guests, to discuss not only the yet-to-be-seen early collection of images from Canter, but the years leading into the making of the band's very first album, Appetite for Destruction (AFD) that was released on 21 July 1987.

Slash of the rock band 'Guns n' Roses' performs onstage at the Troubadour where they played the song 'My Michelle' for the first time to a sold out crowd on January 4, 1986 in Los Angeles, California.

(Image credit: Marc S Canter/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Guitarist Slash of the rock band "Guns n' Roses" backstage at the Troubadour where Tom Zutaut of Geffen Records was in the audience who later signed them to a record deal on February 28, 1986 in Los Angeles, California. They also played the song "Out Ta Get Me" for the first time that night.

(Image credit: Marc S Canter/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

The exhibition event is inspired by an audio and video podcast series titled: 'The First 50 Gigs: Guns N’ Roses And The Making of Appetite for Destruction' which is the creation of both Marc Canter and Jason Porath. The podcast show is available on all major streaming services, with premium tiered subscription offers available via Spotify and Patreon.

Canter is not only a superb music photographer, but also the best friend of legendary guitarist, Slash. Having been friends for over 36 years, Slash has stated previously that “Marc’s my best friend; and one of the only good friends that is consistent in my life. There isn’t a better person to actually release any material having to do with the coming together and history of Guns N’ Roses, Where it went and what was going on behind the scenes.”

Canter's book, Reckless Road: Guns N’ Roses and the Making of Appetite for Destruction, was published in 2008 and features candid shots of the band captured by Canter while touring throughout 1985-1987, and documents their intimate moments, as well as the blood sweat and tears that went into their live stage performances and the process of creating AFD. 

Reckless Road: Guns N’ Roses and the Making of Appetite for Destruction (Image credit: Mark Canter / Amazon)

This book covered the first 50 gigs that Guns N Roses did and 10 of the 12 songs from AFD the very first time they were played! Canter is somewhat of a music historian, and created an archive in the form of images that captured Guns N’ Roses’ formative years, and what was known as the heyday of the Sunset Strip music scene. 

Reckless Road also contains gig memorabilia such as original show flyers, ticket stubs, setlists, press coverage clippings, and handwritten lyrics, plus interviews with band members and the people closest to them, including roadies strippers, girlfriends, and Tom Zutaut who signed the band.

Tickets to the Guns N' Roses photography exhibition taking place in California next month can pe purchased from Eventbrite for $20-$25. 

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Beth Nicholls
Staff Writer

A staff writer for Digital Camera World, Beth has an extensive background in various elements of technology with five years of experience working as a tester and sales assistant for CeX. After completing a degree in Music Journalism, followed by obtaining a Master's degree in Photography awarded by the University of Brighton, she spends her time outside of DCW as a freelance photographer specialising in live music events and band press shots under the alias 'bethshootsbands'.