‘We lost a legend’: Mick Rock, photographer for David Bowie and Queen, has died
Music photographer Mick Rock, who snapped the likes of David Bowie, Queen, Debbie Harry, and Iggy Pop, has died at the age of 72.
He was Bowie’s official photographer in the early 1970s, helping to make the singer’s alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, a chart sensation.
Rock’s images appeared on album covers for Queen (Queen II), Lou Reed (Transformer) and Iggy Pop And The Stooges (Raw Power).
And he even directed the Bowie videos for Jean Genie and Space Oddity.
Rock with a portrait of Debbie Harry in 2004
A statement on Rock’s Twitter page confirmed the Briton’s death, saying: “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 added: “The stars seemed to effortlessly align for Mick when he was behind the camera; feeding off of the unique charisma of his subjects electrified and energised him.
One of Rock’s iconic album covers – Raw Power by Iggy And The Stooges
“His intent always intense. His focus always total.
“A man fascinated with image, he absorbed visual beings through his lens and immersed himself in their art, thus creating some of the most magnificent images rock music has ever seen.
“To know Mick was to love him. He was a mythical creature; the likes of which we shall never experience again.”
It ended by saying rather than mourn his loss, his life should be celebrated. No cause of death was given.
Born in London in 1948, Rock studied at Cambridge University, where he met Syd Barrett, a founding member of Pink Floyd, who became one of his first subjects.
Rock has been described as ‘a legend, a true artist’
Rock had heart bypass surgery and a kidney transplant in the 1990s after years of rock ‘n’ roll excess.
Photographer Mick Rock has passed away
“I lived the life,” he said later. “As well as taking the pictures, I lived the life.”
In recent times, Rock counted The Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga among his clients.
Queen guitarist Brian May said he was “sad and shocked to hear of the passing of our friend, photographer Mick Rock”.
He said the “Queen II” cover picture “gave us an enduring image, inspired part of the ‘look’ of our Bohemian Rhapsody video a couple of years later, and has been widely imitated by others over the years since then”.
Sharon Osbourne said Rock’s work would “live on forever”, adding: “We lost a legend, a true artist.”
Her husband, Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy, was also among the big name stars that Rock snapped in his day.
Mick Rock with a portrait of Lou Reed
Tim Burgess, the lead singer of The Charlatans, wrote: “Safe travels Mick Rock. You made music look so exciting x”.
Session musician for the likes of Bowie and Smashing Pumpkins, Mike Garson, also paid tribute, writing: “So sad to hear of Mick Rock’s passing. He was one of a kind with such an eye for aesthetics and seizing the right moments.
“He was also quite fun to travel with back in the days of the Spiders. Mick gave so much to this planet and he adored David. Mick’s journey shall continue.”
Girls Aloud have taken to the stage for the first gig of their reunion tour with emotional tributes to their late bandmate Sarah Harding.
A 30-minute delay to the show blamed on “Dublin motorway closures”, did nothing to dim the delight of fans when Nadine Coyle, Cheryl, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh appeared on stage, standing on individual podiums singing their 2008 song Untouchable.
The comeback tour has been dedicated to Harding, who was diagnosed with cancer and died in September 2021 aged 39.
The group’s late bandmate took centre stage. Pic: Tom Dymond/Shutterstock
During the show, the group performed a duet with Harding, whose vocals to I’ll Stand By You played as they joined in live on-stage.
They later sang one of their biggest hits, The Promise, during which the singers stopped and turned their backs to the audience to watch footage of Harding performing the song on her own.
A post on the official Girls Aloud X account said: “Show 1 done. Dublin you were absolutely INCREDIBLE. What a start to the #TheGirlsAloudShow tour.”
The singers won Popstars: The Rivals in 2002 and formed Girls Aloud, going on to achieve four UK number one singles and a Brit award.
Read more:
Tour will ‘never be the same’ without Sarah
Sarah Harding obituary
Girls Aloud star’s life in pictures
They reunited with new music for their 10th anniversary in 2012, while a second reunion was planned for their 20th anniversary when Harding was diagnosed with cancer.
The tour has been dedicated to Harding. Pic: Tom Dymond/Shutterstock
Less than an hour before their expected arrival at the 3Arena in Dublin, the group issued an updated stage time on X.
It said due to “Dublin motorway closures”, the band would arrive 30 minutes later than expected at 9.15pm.
Ahead of the show, a post on the official Girls Aloud X account said: “Rehearsals? Done. Choreography? Ready. Outfits? Fitted. Girls? Aloud.
“…We’ve been working so hard to make this show special for all of you.”
After two back-to-back opening nights in Dublin’s 3Arena, Girls Aloud will play two concerts at the SSE Arena in Belfast on Monday and Tuesday, before heading to the Manchester AO Arena from Thursday to Saturday.
In November, the group had to add six extra dates to their UK and Ireland 2024 arena tour due to “unprecedented demand” following ticket pre-sales.
Entertainment
P Diddy: ‘Gut-wrenching’ video appears to show Sean Combs assaulting singer Cassie in 2016
“Gut-wrenching” CCTV footage which appears to show Sean Combs attacking singer Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel “has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behaviour” of the rapper, her lawyer has said.
The 54-year-old, whose homes in Los Angeles and Miami were raided by Homeland Security Investigations agents in March, has faced a series of public allegations of physical and sexual violence.
Footage obtained by CNN appears to show Combs – also known as P Diddy and Puff Daddy – wearing only a white towel as he punches and kicks Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway on 5 March 2016.
The R&B singer, whose legal name is Cassandra Ventura, was his protege and girlfriend at the time.
Pics: CNN via AP
Read more: What is Sean Combs accused of and what has he said?
The footage also shows Combs shoving and dragging her across the floor, as well as throwing a vase in her direction.
It closely resembles the description of an incident at the now-closed InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles described in a lawsuit filed by Cassie in November that alleged years of sexual abuse and other violence from Combs.
The case was settled the day after it was filed.
Sean Combs and Cassie in 2017. Pic: PA
Several more lawsuits were filed in the following months, along with a federal criminal sex-trafficking investigation that led authorities to raid Combs’ mansions in Los Angeles and Miami.
Representatives for Combs did not immediately comment on the video. He has previously denied the allegations in the lawsuits and his lawyers have said he denies any wrongdoing.
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P Diddy’s homes raided
Cassie’s lawyer said: “The gut-wrenching video has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behaviour of Mr Combs.
“Words cannot express the courage and fortitude that Ms Ventura has shown in coming forward to bring this to light.”
According to NBC News, Sky News’ US partner, if Cassie were to make a complaint the LAPD could investigate, but charges would likely be declined by the district attorney because California law has a one-year statute of limitations for assault and the alleged incident happened nearly eight years ago.
CNN did not say how it obtained the video, but noted it verified the location it was shot by comparing the footage to publicly available images of the InterContinental Hotel.
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