Legendary Rock Photographer Mick Rock Dead At 72
Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Magnolia Pictures
Mick Rock, the music photographer behind iconic portraits of Queen, David Bowie, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, the Sex Pistols, Joan Jett, the Ramones, and more, has died. He was 72.
The news was confirmed by Rock’s family via his social-media channels:
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. 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.
Let us not mourn the loss, but instead celebrate the fabulous life and extraordinary career of Michael David Rock. While you do so in your own way, we must ask that the privacy of his nearest and dearest be respected at this time. Therefore, there will be no further comments.
Born in London in 1948, Rock was perhaps best known for his creative partnership with Bowie, who he met in the early ’70s, producing and directing music videos for “John, I’m Only Dancing,” “The Jean Genie,” “Space Oddity,” and “Life On Mars?”
Rock became known as “The Man Who Shot The Seventies,” but he shot acts in eras both classic and contemporary: Lady Gaga, Madonna, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Jane’s Addiction, Debbie Harry, Syd Barrett, Mötley Crüe, Queens Of The Stone Age, Daft Punk, Miley Cyrus, the Killers, the Black Keys, Alicia Keys, Snoop Dogg, and more.
Rock was also was the chief photographer on The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Hedwig And The Angry Inch, and Shortbus. He likewise created a number of famous album covers, such as Joan Jett’s I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll, Iggy Pop And The Stooges’ Raw Power, Lou Reed’s Transformer and Coney Island Baby, and more. More recently, he shot the cover of Miley Cyrus’ 2020 classic rock-inspired Plastic Hearts album. Check out some of his work below.
