Mick Rock was beautiful and soulful, says Bob
Mick Rock, the legendary music photographer, has died.
He was 72.
His death was announced on his official Twitter account. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share our beloved psychedelic renegade Mick Rock has made the Jungian journey to the other side.”
Filmmaker and editor Bob Mori – a regular contributor to The Society – worked with Mick on his TV show On The Record with Mick Rock.
Bob said: “He was a very beautiful, soulful man. Solid and droll. My favorite quote from Mick: ‘I was intuitive and lucky to be around. I also looked like them, and that made it easier to accept me’. His photos and album covers were epic.”
Mick’s management team said: “Those who had the pleasure of existing in his orbit, know that Mick was always so much more than ‘The Man Who Shot The 70s.’ He was a photographic poet – a true force of nature who spent his days doing exactly what he loved, always in his own delightfully outrageous way.”
The cause of death was not revealed.
He was born Michael David Rock in Hammersmith, England. Rock met Bowie in 1972, and worked as his official photographer for a time, shooting some of the most iconic photos of Bowie as Ziggy Stardust. He produced and directed the music videos for Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” “Jean Genie” and “John, I’m Only Dancing.”
Rock created some of the most memorable album covers ever, including Reed’s “Transformer” and “Coney Island Baby,” Iggy Pop and the Stooges’ “Raw Power,” Queen’s “Queen II,” the Ramones’ “End of the Century” and Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock ‘n Roll.”
3 Replies to “Mick Rock was beautiful and soulful, says Bob”
Mick made his mark in the pantheon of rock ‘n’ roll. A great life. He should be inducted into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Perhaps the board could make an exception with a photographer.
Just the album covers alone! Not to mention his studio and road work.
Respected and legendary.
Cheers, Leigh.
i couldn’t agree more … i knew a lot of lensmen from that era and they were very rocknroll!
John Alpha
Moderator
He knew how to capture more than an image in his work. Magnificent artists and a sad loss to us all.