Summary
- Cassell has published a new Red Hot Chili Peppers photobook.
- It includes more than 200 photographs by Tony Woolliscroft, many previously unseen.
- The hardcover has 240 pages and a foreword by Chad Smith.
- The archive spans decades of concerts and backstage moments.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have a new photobook: “25 Years Unseen on Tour” brings together more than 200 photographs by Tony Woolliscroft, many previously unpublished, spanning decades of touring and backstage life.
Published by Cassell on October 22, 2026, the collection portrays the band both on stage and away from the spotlight through the personal archive of a photographer who has followed them since 1990.
More than 200 photographs and stories from the road
British photographer Tony Woolliscroft has travelled around the world with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, capturing concerts, preparations, downtime and behind-the-scenes moments, including in hotel rooms. The new book also includes personal accounts and interviews, offering a perspective on the band beyond its high-energy performances.
That access was not built during a single photo session. It came from years of presence and trust. In his foreword, drummer Chad Smith explains that Woolliscroft is the photographer the band allows to cover an entire show without restrictions. His work has also been associated with the band’s recorded image, including “Californication”.
A dangerous moment in Caracas in 2002
One story from the archive takes place in Caracas, Venezuela, in 2002. As Woolliscroft prepared to shoot on a hotel rooftop, Anthony Kiedis stepped onto a dangerous beam high above the street. The photographer kept taking pictures as people nearby became deeply concerned for the singer’s safety.
The episode illustrates how closely Woolliscroft witnessed unpredictable moments in the band’s life. It is not, however, the main subject of the publication: the book is a much broader photographic chronicle of the group.
Format, pages and price
“Red Hot Chili Peppers: 25 Years Unseen on Tour” is a 240-page hardcover photobook with a foreword by Chad Smith. Its UK list price is £30 and the hardcover ISBN is 9781788406789. The publisher’s official presentation says that more than 70% of the photographs had never been published before.
More information here.
What we think
A strong music photobook is not built on spectacular stage pictures alone. What makes this release compelling is the combination of decades of access, unseen photographs and personal stories. It offers a chance to see how a band changes when the same photographer documents it over such a long period.
For anyone interested in concert photography, the most valuable lesson is trust. Great live frames matter, but what happens between performances often tells us much more about the people involved. That is what can turn a photography archive into something more meaningful than a collection of striking images.
