Mick Rock Dies: Photographer Of David Bowie, Queen And More Was 72

Mick Rock, whose photos of rock music luminaries like David Bowie, the Sex Pistols, and Queen graced numerous major publications, died tonight at age 72. His family confirmed his death on social media, but did not give a cause.

“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,” the statement read.

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“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,” it continued

Born in London in 1948, Rock’s heyday was in the 1970s, when rock music and concerts became big business. David Bowie was his ticket. He directed videos for Bowie songs “John, I’m Only Dancing,” “Jean Genie,” “Space Oddity”, and “Life on Mars.” He also shot such album covers as Lou Reed’s Transformer and Coney Island Baby, Queen’s Queen II, Joan Jett’s I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll and Iggy and The Stooges’ Raw Power.

The list of Rock clients includes such names as Blondie, Jane’s Addiction, Ozzy Osbourne, and Snoop Dogg, moving later to Daft Punk, Queens of the Stone Age, Q-Tip and Miley Cyrus.

Rock was also the chief photographer of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. His resume includes a dozen books of his photography, and he was the subject of a documentary, SHOT!, in 2016.

Survivors and memorial plans have not yet been revealed.

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