Mick Rock: The Hitman

-INTERVIEW-

MICK ROCK The Hitman Text by Thomas Stevens

If the name Mick Rock doesn’t ring a bell, his images undoubtedly will, because they have become embedded in the collective memory of modern musical history and popular culture. From Debbie Harry and Iggy Pop, to David Bowie, Queen and Lou Reed and so many more, the British photographer has shot virtually anyone that matters in rock & roll and has played an important part in capturing their timeless essence and cementing their celebrity status. It’s safe to say that, with a few new books coming out, as well as a documentary on the way, Mick Rock is still very much alive and kicking and busier than ever. The man who shot the seventies, as he’s often lovingly referred to, talks to Prestage about his longtime love for yoga, his 20-year cocaine habit which ended with a heart bypass surgery in 1996 and his taste in contemporary music.

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The man who shot the seventies – how do you feel about that

relevant to the present. Of course, the old pictures have made

nametag? "It sounds a bit like I’m just some relic from a bygone

me a lot of money and have been in the public eye for so long,

era, doesn’t it? But I’m not: I still shoot. I shot a magazine cover

it’s only natural people refer back to them. I get it. I shot Iggy

of Lenny Kravitz a couple of weeks ago. There’s a whole bunch

Pop a week ago in Miami; he’s done some designs for leather

of other artists I’ve worked with recently, like CeeLo, Janelle

jackets for a company called Sailor Jerry, and even he said to his

Monae, Robin Thicke, The Black Keys and The Black Lips; I

management: “I want Mick to get me some of those Raw Power

did their new album cover. A lot of photographers from that

shots with that real gritty seventies vibe”. I came pretty close, as

period don’t shoot anymore, but for me it’s very important to be

the results attest!"

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Queen Album Cover, 1974

Lou Reed, 1975

What is it about those images that make them so universally

involved. After all, it won’t come out unless it has my approval.

So you are not opposed to digital photography? "No, I’m not a

music. I like Maria Callas and Bob Marley, and I love Snoop Dogg.

engrained in people’s minds? "If you look at my pictures, they’re

One of the reasons for doing this documentary was to be able to

purist. You do what you need to do. There is clearly a difference

Even Deadmau5; I shot him a while ago. I like things with an

not - generally speaking - complicated images. You see, I’m not

showcase all the other stuff I did. Most people can’t wait to dive

between digital and analog, although it’s not always visible to

edge, which I think modern photography lacks nowadays. And I

very technical in that sense. Some photographers are technical

into that whole 70s thing, as I’m sure you do, but there’s a lot more

the untrained eye. There is so much you can do nowadays to

do occasionally work with models, but it’s not the same energy as

virtuosos and that’s great; it’s even required at times. But for me,

I’ve done. For example, I discovered these cocaine still-lives. I

recreate that grainy, gritty, seventies feel, or at least come very

when you’re shooting an actual artist. You’re not shooting merely

that isn’t what turns me on. I want to really get at the image, get

looked at them and thought: they’re very well lit and shot really

close to it. There are certain things about digital photography

a clothes hanger but a full-fledged character. I’d definitely shoot

myself a piece and taste my subjects. Getting into the energy is

well. I could have been a pretty good still-life photographer! It

that are great, the speed in which you can work is incredible and

Skrillex, if he’d come knocking on my door, for example."

what’s more interesting to me; it’s where memorable images are

would be a waste not to show them. And it’s not easy to photograph

I like the rhythm of shooting. I’m trained to work with film, so my

created. I’m a shooter, like a hitman, I’m going to go in and take

cocaine; it’s all white and glittery. Of course, I haven’t touched the

brain is wired in a certain way. I guess my work is not obviously

What about The Arctic Monkeys? "Totally. They have a fantastic

out the subject, figuratively speaking. Which might explain why

stuff in 18 years since I had a quadruple bypass heart surgery.

commercial, though I occasionally shoot for brands, like Nikon

sound, it’s hard to pin them as being influenced by one particular

I don’t have a particular 'look'. Some photographers do and it

However, it is part of my past, and it’s not like I’m showing

or Ray-Ban or the designer John Varvatos etc. I hardly ever look

genre. It’s a pastiche of all sorts of different musical elements. I

becomes a signature that makes them a lot of money, because

pictures of people doing cocaine or having sex. Even though I do

at fashion magazines, or in fact any type of magazine. It’s hard

think they’re very talented and I’d be happy to shoot them, but

advertisers know exactly what they’re going to get. But I don’t

have quite a lot of those as well. But they are buried deep in my

to find the time. People say that my pictures have inspired much

unfortunately they haven’t come into my orbit and I don’t really

shoot like that. It’s about the resonance that transcends the time

archive and will never be published. They are for my eyes only!"

of modern fashion, but to me it’s all just rock & roll."

have the time to pursue people."

How do you choose your projects these days? "Sometimes I

Speaking of which, does rock & roll still exist? "Yeah, it does.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? "Who, me? I

Tell me more about this documentary. How involved are you

pursue them and sometimes they choose me. It totally depends

There’s plenty of rock out there, it’s just not the domineering

just picked up a camera during an acid trip and somehow it kept

in the overall process? "Well, we’ve had a few minor bumps in

on the project and the people that are involved. It’s a mixed bag;

sound in the current pop charts as it was back then. Then again,

going. Someone once told me “Just love your subjects and you’ll get

the road along the way. I’m actually meeting with the new editor

sometimes it’s the money that lures me in! But then again, I love

there are loads of different streams of rock and roll. Just look at

great images.” I don’t think I have any real advice to give, besides

tomorrow, so we can get things started back up again. Somehow,

to shoot and I do it for free if it gets my creative juices flowing.

Amy Winehouse or Janelle Monae, they blend different types of

following your obsessions and chasing your passions, that’s what

the direction went a tad too dark for my liking, focusing on my

Like the rest of my life, it is very much dependent on the day, the

music but the bottom line is the guitar, which is the core element

will give you the best pictures. Other than that, I haven’t got a

near death experience almost two decades ago. So yes, I’m quite

mood, and whether or not I’m having my period!"

of rock & roll. But in reality, I’ve got quite a broad, eclectic taste in

clue, it just happened. I didn’t even have an agent until after 2000."

in which it’s produced, like the greatest of popular music."

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David Bowie and Mick Rock

Andy Warhol and Lou Reed, 1976

Isn’t that exactly what’s missing in today’s landscape, that

is. For myself, I’m more like a dancer, just sniffing for that magic

Is there anyone you regret not shooting? "Yeah, mostly people

So photography is like sex? "In a manner of speaking: Yes. It’s got

visceral thing you describe? "It can be. I studied Modern

rhythm in a shoot or maybe a boxer, rolling with the punches."

I couldn’t have shot. I wish I’d been around the time of Al

nothing to do with pornography, which has its place in the world,

Languages & Literature at Cambridge University in the late

Wertheimer; he’s in his eighties now and also has a book out

but of course there is no such thing as creative pornography –

sixties, and I think the thing about photography what turned

When can we expect your new book Exposed to come out? "It’ll

with Taschen. Al shot those pictures of Elvis before the Colonel,

you just stick a bit of activity in front of the camera and shoot it.

me on back then, is that it is so non-cerebral, a purely intuitive

be launched in late September, around the same time I’m having

Elvis’ seedy manager took total control of his image. Anyway,

On the other hand, there are erotic images that are transcendent

thing. You’re at your best when you’re not thinking too hard,

an exhibition here in New York. It’s a mixture of old, new and

practically every picture of Elvis after his career took flight has

and linger in the brain, not just for their eroticism, but because

at least when you’re taking pictures. Even during the ‘chemical

unseen work, rather than another retrospective. Everyone seems

zero spontaneity, certainly after he came back from the army.

of a certain sense of mystery. Photography is about energy, a

days’, as we shall call them, I was already very much into yoga.

so fascinated by all those characters I shot in the seventies like

But there was a brief moment in time between him starting

sublimated sexuality, and it comes from the same root at the base

Nowadays, if I want to get a bounce on, I drink some coffee.

Syd Barrett, Queen and Debby, so they’re all featured in this

out and ultimately becoming the world’s biggest pop cultural

of the spine. I’m very big on yoga and have been for many, many

Because modern coffee is strong, much stronger than it was

new edition of Exposed, plus a whole ton of people from later

phenomenon, and Al got in there and got all these great pictures

years, and I do it every day. I still go to classes when I’m town, get

years ago. And on a shoot I might have a couple puffs of a joint.

decades, right up to the present. And then there is the Lou Reed

of him sleeping, laying in bed, kissing girls, reading newspapers,

loads of massages, Deepak Chopra is a friend of mine, and I have

In fact, I probably will. As long as I’ve done my yoga workout,

book that came out last year with Genesis, just before he died.

all of these great photographs. So I would have loved to shoot

long studied Kundalini Yoga here in New York. All these factors

had a massage beforehand, I’m in total creative mode. You need

It was actually one of his last appearances, doing this book

him. Plus he was beautifully photogenic. And Bob Dylan around

play into the way I feel about photography. It’s the way I express

to learn to focus but at the same time allow yourself to be open

promotion with me. He only co-signed 750 out of the 2000 copies,

1965, when he was spaced out on amphetamines and recording

myself, my preferred form of communication, though I do write

to the situation, for the spontaneous moments in between. You

so now we’re planning to re-launch it next year with some new

‘Like A Rolling Stone’ and ‘Blonde On Blonde’, he had that wild,

a bit on the side. And I’ve also done a lot of photo-art based on

have to be able to use the energy of a particular session and run

signatures to go with it. I’m also working on a new Bowie book,

crazy hair, skinny trousers and shades. Also, Keith Richards in

my own photographs. It’s a wild, crazy world and everybody’s

with it. When that happens, I become a mere instrument and the

one of those co-signed, limited edition ones in collaboration

1969 around the time of Altamont: the pure anarchic gipsy spirit

got to figure out their own destiny, especially in this day and

images just flow into my camera. In a way, today is the golden age

with Taschen. Half of the pictures in there have never seen the

of rock 'n roll. But I’ve been lucky enough to photograph a lot of

age. Any day and age for that matter, but maybe now more than

of photography; I used to be the only one taking pictures at an

light of day. In fact, there are images that I barely even knew

other great people, like David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, my dear

ever. We live in a world of constant distraction, constant change

event or party years ago and now everyone is a photographer. It’s

existed! It’s basically an untitled Ziggy Stardust book, which is

friend Lou Reed and The Ramones. You can’t win ‘em all. It’s like

and unlimited information, which is probably the hardest thing

cool, I’m not one to judge, but 99,9% of it is like candy. You have a

what everyone wants. When Taschen approached me I said: I’ve

girls, or boys, whatever your sexual preference may be. I used to

for young people these days. It’s overwhelming, all they are

piece, you chew on it for a moment, you swallow it and it’s gone.

already done a great Bowie book, Moonage Daydream in 2002 with

think: Ah, I’ll fuck ‘em all! But of course you can’t, you only have

presented with. That’s why I think yoga is more necessary than

There’s nothing wrong with a bit of candy, but I’m looking for

Genesis Publications. But they said, but that sold out a decade

so much time and energy, and sometimes circumstances just

ever. Your practice helps your mind and your sensibility cut

something that resonates more strongly. I can’t describe it to you,

ago, so we don’t care, we know you have loads of images and we

don’t allow for it. But you feel like you want to, it’s the same with

through all the fuss and distraction. It stimulates your glands

I know it when I see it, but It sticks in the mind like a perfect pop

want to put our own design and spin on it. That one is supposed

taking pictures. It’s like when people ask me what my favorite

and organs and circulation as much as your muscles. It seeps

record. Most fashion and advertising photography isn’t designed

to come out around the same time of the VICE Films (they are the

photograph is, I tell them I love them all. Like my my ex-wives,

into your body tissue and psyche and focuses on your being,

like that, it’s to get your attention in the immediate moment and

producers) documentary."

my old girlfriends, I love them all in a certain sense."

blocking everything else out. I love it. Like I love to shoot!"

then move on to the next thing. That’s not a critique; it is what it 72

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