GUNS N' ROSES Photography Exhibit Celebrating 35th Anniversary Of Release Of 'Appetite For Destruction'

To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the release of GUNS N' ROSES' classic debut album, "Appetite For Destruction", "The First 50 Gigs: Guns N' Roses And The Making Of Appetite For Destruction" podcast will host a photo exhibition of Marc Canter's photography on July 21 at the Bourbon Room in Hollywood, California.

The video podcast "The First 50 Gigs" is the creation of "Reckless Road: Guns N' Roses And The Making Of Appetite For Destruction" authors Marc Canter and Jason Porath. The book, which was published in 2008 and won an IPPY for "Pop Culture Book Of The Year", was just the tip of the iceberg of an archive created by Canter, photographer, music historian and owner of the world-famous Canter's Deli. Canter captured GUNS N' ROSES' formative years and the heyday of the Sunset Strip music scene. The project was designed as a gift to fans to unlock the stories behind the most famous songs from the ever-elusive band, in particular the younger fans, many of whom were not even born when "Appetite" came out. It's an opportunity for them to learn about the stories behind the making of "Appetite For Destruction". The show, which is part of the Pantheon podcast network, is available on all major services, with premium tiered subscription offers available on Spotify and Patreon.

"The First 50 Gigs" project has been years in the making.

"Marc's massive and one-of-a-kind archive on the early days of GUNS N' ROSES and the first fifty gigs of the 'Appetite' lineup of GUNS N' ROSES is unprecedented," says Porath. "Marc truly captured lightning in a bottle and the power of those images he and Jack Lue created will now be amplified by first-hand accounts by the people who were there, giving audiences a true play-by-play unfolding of events."

The video version of the show showcases never-before-seen audio and video from Marc's archive, along with bonus episodes available via subscription on Spotify, and a premium subscription via Patreon that includes early access to the video version of each episode, along with access to exclusive photo galleries, merchandise giveaways and more.

The exhibit at the Bourbon Room will feature photos, videos, and ephemera featured in the podcast in addition to never-before-seen content from the early years of GUNS N' ROSES, leading into the recording of their first and most iconic album.

GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash said: "There isn't a better person to release any material to do with the coming together and the history of GUNS N' ROSES and where it went and what was going on behind the scenes than Marc."

"Appetite For Destruction" was certified in September 2008 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for U.S. sales in excess of 18 million copies. The LP has reportedly accumulated worldwide sales in excess of 28 million since its 1987 release.

The album's original cover, based on the Robert Williams painting "Appetite for Destruction", depicted a robot rapist about to be punished by a metal avenger. After several music retailers refused to stock the album, they compromised and put the controversial cover art inside, replacing it with a cover depicting a cross and skulls of the five band members (designed by Billy White Jr., originally as a tattoo),each skull representing one member of the band: Izzy Stradlin, top skull; Steven Adler, left skull; Axl Rose, center skull; Duff McKagan, right skull; and Slash, bottom skull. The photographs used for the back of the album and liner notes were taken by Robert John.

Neither Adler nor Stradlin have been part of the GUNS N' ROSES reunion tour that started in April 2016 and is continuing with singer Axl Rose, guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan.

Adler did rejoin GUNS at several shows on the tour, including three stops on the U.S. leg and one gig in Buenos Aires, Argentina, playing drums on two songs. Stradlin reportedly turned down a five-figure fee to participate, writing that the band didn't want to "split the loot equally."

Photo credit: Marc Canter