Mick Rock, the famed photographer to the stars responsible for iconic images of artists such as David Bowie and Queen, has died at the age of 72. Rock was known as “the man who shot the ‘70s” and was famous for working with the likes of Iggy Pop, Lou Reed and Blondie.
The following statement was posted to Rock’s Twitter:
“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.”
Photo: Nathalie Rock pic.twitter.com/I50ofDuO0r
— Mick Rock (@TheRealMickRock) November 19, 2021
Rock was born in London in 1948 and studied at Cambridge University, where he started taking photographs of local gigs, forging lifelong contacts through Mick Jagger’s younger brother Chris.
His most notable works include a black-and-white rendering of Lou Reed for 1972’s Transformer; the album cover for 1974’s Queen II, featuring the members of Queen lit up against a plain black background; a vivid colour shot of a shirtless Iggy Pop for The Stooges’ 1973 album, Raw Power.
Along with his career as David Bowie’s official photographer, Rock also directed music videos for artists such as Jean Genie and Space Oddity. In his later years, Rock went on to work with modern artists like Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Snoop Dogg, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
The official cause of Rock’s death has not yet been announced.
