Seattle Gay News
Issue 25, Volume 45, June 23, 2017
“Bowie by Mick Rock” opens at MoPOP July 1 New exhibition features rare Bowie photos by “The Man Who Shot the Seventies” “BOWIE BY MICK ROCK” MUSEUM OF POP CULTURE July 1-January 15 The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) is excited to announce a new exhibition, “Bowie by Mick Rock,” opening July 1. Between 1972 and 1973, when David Bowie was redefining glam rock as the androgynous alien rock star Ziggy Stardust, fellow Londoner Mick Rock was the musician’s official photographer. Bowie told his manager at the time, “Mick sees me the way I see myself.” “Bowie by Mick Rock” features 65 of Rock’s photographs that capture Bowie’s creativity and charisma, from dressing room shots of his transformation into Ziggy Stardust and live performances to private moments between gigs. “I think David trusted me,” reflects Rock. “I regarded myself as a guardian of his image, and that’s true to this day.” Described as “The Man Who Shot the Seventies,” Rock’s photos of other music icons – Lou Reed, Queen, Iggy Pop, and Blondie’s Debbie Harry – will also be on display. Rock, who was recently the subject of the documentary, SHOT! The Psycho Spiritual Mantra of Rock, also captured rare performance footage and interviews with Bowie, and directed his early music videos, which will be featured in the exhibition. The gallery will also include oral history interviews and an audio tour narrated by Rock who shares intimate accounts of his experiences with Bowie. In addition,
Steve Fisk, co-producer of Nirvana’s Blew EP, in collaboration with Seattle-based interactive producer Bill Ronan will compose an original exhibition soundtrack and create a multimedia installation that blends the sound and vision of Bowie’s glittery spacealien persona. “When David made Ziggy Stardust, which is all about stardom, he was not a star,” says Rock. “That was the record that made him a star.” “Bowie by Mick Rock” will be on view at MoPOP through January 15, 2018. MICK ROCK BIOGRAPHY Legendary rock photographer Mick Rock is often referred to as “The Man Who Shot the Seventies,” for his iconic images of David Bowie, Syd Barrett, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Queen, the Sex Pistols, The Ramones, Blondie, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and more. London born, he has resided in New York for the past 35 years. He has shot more than 100 album covers. Rock’s recent subjects include Snoop Dogg, Father John Misty, Lenny Kravitz, Janelle Monáe, Jimmy Fallon, The Black Keys, Karen O, Ellie Goulding, Alicia Keys, Michael Bublé, Daft Punk, Perry Farrell, Mötley Crüe, TV On the Radio, Pharrell, Josh Groban, Flaming Lips, Nas, Rufus Wainwright, Kings of Leon, R Kelly, The Black Lips, Queens of the Stone Age, and others. Rock was instrumental in creating many key rock ‘n’ roll images, such as album covers for Syd Barrett’s Madcap Laughs, Lou Reed’s Transformer and Coney Island Baby, Iggy and The Stooges’ Raw Power, Queen’s Queen II (recreated for their classic music video “Bohemian Rhapsody”) and Sheer Heart Attack, The Ramones’ End of the Century and Joan Jett’s I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll, among many others. He was the chief photographer on the films The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Shortbus. He recently shot special stills for the new TV version of “Rocky Horror.” He also produced and directed the seminal music videos for Bowie: “John, I’m Only Dancing,” “Jean Genie,” “Space Oddity,” and “Life On Mars.” In recent years, Rock has published a series of books, mostly based on his classic images: A Photographic Record 1969-1980 (foreword by Lou Reed) (Century 22 Books, 1995); Glam: An Eyewitness Account (foreword by David Bowie) (Omnibus Books, 2006); Psychedelic Renegades / Syd Barrett (Genesis Publications, 2002); Moonage Daydream / Ziggy Stardust (with David Bowie) (Genesis Publications, 2002); Rock ‘n’ Roll Eye (Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, 2003); Killer Queen (with Brian May and Roger Taylor) (Genesis Publications, 2003); Picture This / Debbie Harry & Blondie (foreword by Debbie Har-
see BOWIE page 5