MICK ROCK

Photo copyright Mick Rock 1973, 2016

Mick Rock is a British photographer best known for his iconic shots of rock and roll legends such as Queen, David Bowie, Syd Barrett, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and The Stooges, Geordie, The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, Joan Jett, Talking Heads, Roxy Music, Crossfade, Thin Lizzy, Mötley Crüe, and Blondie. Often referred to as “The Man Who Shot the Seventies”, most of the memorable images of David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust were shot by Rock, in his capacity as Bowie’s official photographer.

Do you remember the defining moment when you decided photography would be your career?

There wasn’t really a defining moment. And I certainly wasn’t thinking about a “career”. It kind of took over. But probably the Syd Barrett (the man who started Pink Floyd) “Madcap” sessions were what drew me deeper into the life of the camera. That’s when I first truly sampled the “alchemical moment”. And of course he was a beautiful subject! I felt like I was channeling something special and it focused my desire for more of these moments.

Who influenced your musical taste when you were young?

There was no direct personal influences. Nobody in my family or immediate circle had any musical inclination; just listening to the radio. Radio was “king” in the 50’s. Most people in the UK didn’t even have record players!

Madonna 1980
Photo copyright Mick Rock 1973, 2016

What was your first introduction to rock music?

I remember liking Buddy Holly and The Everly Brothers and Eddie Cochran. When a record player finally showed
up in my house, the first record I got my parents to buy me was a Buddy Holly album.

What was your first camera? What is your camera of choice now?

My very first camera that I bought second hand from a friend of mine was a beatup black Pentax. That’s the camera I shot the Syd Barrett photos with. But soon after, I traded it in for a 2nd hand Nikormatt. I used that for all my early Bowie, Iggy and Lou Reed photos. I bought my first (again, 2nd hand, I couldn’t afford new cameras) Hasselblad CM to shoot the Bowie “Saxophone” session in the autumn of 1973. All of my photos until the late nineties were shot on those two cameras. I currently use a Canon 5D Mark III.

What advice would you give to aspiring photographers?

Follow your obsessions. Shoot what really excites you. But the main thing is to shoot, shoot, shoot. It’s the shooting that will sharpen your eye. Unlike when I started out when you had to pay for the film and processing and printing, you can shoot all you want. It’s a beautiful digital age. And you can communicate your photos to the world.

What is one of your most memorable shoots of your career?

That’s a tough one. There have been so many crazy, memorable ones! Of course, there’s a lot to be said for the Queen II album cover session, which they duplicated for their “Bohemian Rhapsody” video. I shot a lot of film that day in both color and black and white. It was very tricky getting the lighting to render the “hooded eyes” look that I wanted.

Photo copyright Mick Rock 1973, 2016

When and where did you first meet David Bowie?

Early March 1972. I was writing occasional music features for music and men’s magazines, for which I also supplied the photos. I had been given a copy of “Hunky Dory” which I played time and again. I barely knew who Bowie was and was not familiar with his music, but this album blew me away. So, I went to Birmingham Town Hall to meet him and shoot him and check him out in performance. That was a revelation. After that I wanted to shoot and watch him all the time, and did consistently for the next 20 months.

How did the idea for your new book The Rise of David Bowie come about and why did you choose to release these unpublished images now?

It wasn’t my idea! I had already done a beautiful high end co-signed limited edition book with David in 2002 called Moonage Daydream, published by Genesis Publications. When Moonage Daydream sold out there was later a commercial version. Both sold out very quickly and hadn’t been in print for some while.

I was approached by one of Taschen Books’ top editors, Reuel Golden. When I told him that we’d already done Moonage Daydream, he said that Taschen didn’t care. He knew all about Moonage Daydream and that it had long been sold out. They wanted to do their own version, which would be completely different and he had heard that I had lots of never-before-seen photos.

How did you work with Bowie to select the images that went into the new book?

David’s main concern was that it should include lots of the previously unseen images. He trusted my judgement on the editing, as he always did. As far as Ziggy is concerned, I was very tuned in to his vibe. That hadn’t changed over the past 40 years. So I selected all the photos with minor input from Taschen. They came up with a beautiful design and layout, along with the decision to have a lenticular cover which rotated five images. They made a terrific presentation and we sent it to David for his approval. Which he gave very quickly. Then we both signed the signature pages.

If you could do a photoshoot today with anyone living or dead who would it be?

Of the moderns, I’d love to shoot Bruno Mars. What a great talent. I love his collaboration with Mark Ronson “Uptown Funk”. A superb singer, performer and songwriter and wonderfully photogenic. He’s one for the ages and will undoubtedly have a monster career. I also love the fact that he started out as the youngest ever Elvis impersonator!

Mick Rock will star in a soon to be released documentary produced by Vice Films.

SHOT! the Psycho-Spiritual Mantra of Rock, directed by Barnaby Clay. In a documentary as rock-n-roll as its subject, Mick Rock guides us through his psychedelic, shambolic first-hand experiences as the visual record-keeper of these myths and legends.

“I’m still in awe of the power of the camera and its magical reflections. In many ways I love it more than ever.”

Photography by Mick Rock | Interview by Marc Sifuentes