Mick Rock - Photographer

[Diamond Star]

Mick Rock is a photographer best known for his iconic shots of 1970s glam rock icons such as Queen, David Bowie, Mick Ronson, Lou Reed, Kevin Ayers, Iggy Pop and The Stooges, The Sex Pistols, The Ramones and Blondie.
He was born in London, and studied at Emanuel School before going on to study modern languages at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge - it was here, at Cambridge in 1966, that he met and photographed Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett, one of his first subjects.
By 1972, Rock was becoming well-known as a photographer, particularly for his photographs of Bowie and Ronson during the Ziggy Stardust tour, on which Mick Rock was the official photographer. He began chronicling the emerging glam and punk movements of the 1970s.
His photography spans three decades, and continues today - some of his recent subjects include R.E.M., the Strokes, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Johnny Marr, the Foo Fighters, and Kate Moss. He now lives in New York City with his wife, Pati, and their daughter Nathalie.
Rock is responsible for album covers including Barrett's The Madcap Laughs, Queen's Queen II, David Bowie's Space Oddity, Lou Reed's Transformer and Iggy and The Stooges' Raw Power.
He also directed several of David Bowie's early music videos, including those for "Life on Mars?", "The Jean Genie" and "Space Oddity".
His book Moonage Daydream: The Life and Times of Ziggy Stardust features a 15 000-word text by David Bowie, and hundreds of photos of Bowie in his Ziggy period.
Rock was the only photographer to access all areas at the filming of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. In 2005, he released a photo book documenting this spectacle.
He photographed Richard Barone nude for the cover and interior of Barone's book FRONTMAN: Surviving the Rock Star Myth (Backbeat/Hal Leonard Books, 2007).
Rock often moonlights as a radio DJ, regularly hosting shows for XFM London and Manchester in the UK.

Debbie Harry/Blondie:






Picture this documentary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKYrPvKTod4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW1p5uqEB-s&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fhdch4eXHZQ&feature=related

geocities.com/seventiesslammer/blondie.jpg, mickrock.lwire.net,style.com

 

[Diamond Star]

David Bowie:
Mick Rock is photographed next to his 1973 photograph of David Bowie putting on make-up. Mick Rock was official photographer for the 1973 David Bowie tour, and has created some of the most famous rock music images.


1972








Life On Mars video
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ueUOTImKp0k
aidan.co.uk, theage.com.au, 5years.com

 

[Diamond Star]

Album covers:

David Bowie - Space Oddity


Syd Barrett - The Madcap Laughs


Stooges - Raw Power


The Ramones - End of the century


Lou Reed - Transformer


Lou Reed - Coney Island Baby

en.wikipedia.org, rateyourmusic.com, sixbucksamonkey.vox.com

 

[Diamond Star]

Kate Moss (orginally posted by Pucci Mama)


JT Leroy


graphics8.nytimes.com, mickrock.com

 

[Stamoholic]

His photography is amazing, and how f*cking appropriate is his name! Lol! His photography is iconic!

 

[Diamond Star]

His photography is amazing, and how f*cking appropriate is his name! Lol! His photography is iconic!

For the December issue, Dazed & Confused magazine brought Debbie Harry and Karen O together in New York City, to discuss life as two iconic frontwomen from two different generations. They were shot by veteran rock and roll photographer Mick Rock, who picked these five shots from the day that didn't appear in the magazine. Dazed Digital asked him about the day.

So, dream job?
Well, it was Debbie Harry and Karen O - two of my all-time favourite rock and rollers, and not only female ones. Dazed asked me if I'd be interested, and I said, 'Interested isn't the bloody word!' It was fun, fun, fun from start to finish. Talk about a privilege and a pleasure – that's a bit of rock and roll history right there. Which makes up for the fact that Dazed doesn't pay anything.

Was it difficult shooting two female icons from such different times?
Well, they got on. You can see it in all the shots – someone cracked out the champers first thing, and they were on their way!

Were you ever worried they might not get on?
Not really, because I know them both and they both have a great sense of humour. They can both get down with the boys, they're both very beautiful and they both like a bit of a chuckle.

What were you all talking about?
Oh, I'll say anything on shoots just to get the shots – but there was no Nietzsche or Kierkegaard, put it that way. I didn't really listen to the interview much, they seemed to be getting on fine. Karen was a bit deferential maybe, but then again, Debbie is Debbie!

Which shots did you feel worked best?
I pulled out 12 from the Hasselblad, and I shot a load of digital. But it's hard to say – I like a lot of my photos, and especially of those two. I didn't think there was much that wasn't worthy, to be honest. We got a 60 or 70% score on the rolls. I got lucky. I've been lucky a lot, I'm just a lucky boy.

How has it changed shooting Debbie since the 70s?
I've shot her since Blondie came round again, a couple of years ago and a couple of years before that. But I didn't shoot her between 1980 and 2000, there was a 20-year gap. Ha, there were a few years where we were all, well… out to lunch. By '97, I was eating lunch again.

In terms of photographing her, on either side of that 'gap', how did you change your approach?
Not much. It's Debbie. She looks fabulous, she has a great attitude and I enjoy it. And I've shot Karen a couple of times, too, with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but I know her socially. There are pictures of her sitting on my lap, backstage. Though I'm a little bit too old for her, to be honest.

Was it different working with Karen without the band?
Not essentially, but it was a bit different in that it was all girls together. But she's a performer. And she's strong-minded and she'll only do what she wants.

How many times have you shot two icons together?
Well, there was David and Lou in 72. But not apart from that. Well, at parties, but not in the studio. With Debbie and Karen, it works – they're the two hip downtown girls from the 70s and from the new Millennium. Plus Debbie is still relevant today – not everybody from back in the day is. Plus a lot of them are dead. You can’t resurrect Joey Ramone and get him to do a shoot. Unfortunately.

What other combos would you put together?
David Bowie and Brandon Flowers. Even though Brandon is on this bearded Springsteen kick at the moment, but certainly first time round…

Finally, if you could have photographed anyone at any time, who would it be?
Bob Dylan in 65 or 66, Blonde on Blonde period… but I'm getting around, I've shot a lot of the modern acts. I'm happy to shoot Lou or David or Debbie, believe me. But today I mostly shoot the younger acts. Like The View, they're not just from Scotland, they're from some whole other universe where it's impossible to understand what they say. Dundee, I think.








dazeddigital.com

 

[Stamoholic]

Like The View, they're not just from Scotland, they're from some whole other universe where it's impossible to understand what they say. Dundee, I think.

!!! My sister lives in Dundee! Classic!! And very, very true...