Swide Magazine by Dolce&Gabbana

“The man who shot the 70s” is exposed at the Idea Generation Gallery in London until 16th January 2011.

David Bowie photocopyright © Mick Rock 2002

Take a look back to the seventies and get a view of what you enjoyed or missed in terms of music emerging talents. Singers or bands known today as “classics” where playing on underground scenes three decades ago. Believe it or not but in 1972 David Bowie was “a nobody” like you and me until Mick Rock shot him and became his official tour photographer for two years. Mick has truly been the witness of the dawning of the rock music era. From Mr. Bowie to Iggy Pop and Lou Reed or the Ramones; the very much thought-after photographer contributed to the emergence of these artists. Thanks to his archives that document the creation of Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust persona, we understand the power of a good shot. From ordinary people to legends: “ I got the pictures. Thank God I got them! There could have been other photographers, but there weren’t any!” Mick Rock.

Queen II photocopyright © Mick Rock

Any upcoming musician on the rock scene needs to be captured by Mick, like a right of passage, it is a visual talent confirmation. Lady Gaga was approved by the master's lens in 2009 and was proposed by Bono...

Bono and Lady Gaga photocopyright © Mick Rock 2009

Kate Moss photocopyright © Mick Rock 2002

At the beginning of the new millennium Kate Moss had her photographic cool passport done as well. So yes Mick is very seventies but only as much as he is eighties and nineties... and Oh! so NOW!
To us at Swide the seventies do recall rock, underground, punk parties and glamorous Studio54 dramas. Not yet born or still in our nappies we missed a music revolution that we can still at least learn more about by going to see this exhibition and/or by flipping through the pages of Mick Rock ‘s newly published book Exposed: the Faces of Rock n’ Roll.

Syd Barrett photocopyright © Mick Rock 2069

The Terrible Trio photocopyright © Mick Rock 2072
Personally, I found the colours and the poses very inspiring, Queen II gives us a real statement look and Mick Jagger his tongue… “ The truth is that some of my favourite pictures are the ones that have never been published” … Like me you should be about to book your weekend escape ticket, for a real kitsch experience in a swinging 2010 London town.

Mick Jagger photocopyright © Mick Rock 2075

Check out what Mick Rock has to say about his new book: Exposed: the Faces of Rock n’ Roll

 

Fan of the 70's press play and enjoy!

 

 

Text by Delphine Hervieu.

Source: Idea Generation Gallery.

Photo credits: Mick Rock®.

TAGS: mick rock idea generation gallery art london exhibition mick jagger lady gaga bono david bowie ziggy stardust rock n' roll exposed: the Faces of Rock n' Roll iggy pop lou reed kate moss syd barnett photographers underground music youtube videos the ramones Queen II