Getting ready to Mick Rock!
The only camera I really know how to use is that of a disposable and I am not ashamed to say it! Aperture and shutter speed and all this stuff, it’s all just strange lingo sounds to my ears. Having never really been very good at photography the thing I look for when judging an image has nothing to do with the technicalities. I don’t really notice if it could have been sharper or brighter or slightly less grey in the top corner, and thinking about it I quite like not being good at photography because it gives you this outsider’s view on each photograph you see. And from this I have learnt what a makes a photograph interesting to me and that has to be the atmosphere, the essence within in, the emotion of the subjects presence, the surroundings and whether the moment has been captured. Now ask any person who knows about photography and you will get the answer that Mick Rock has the technical ability along side this natural ability to capture all of this and something much, much more. His photographs no doubt stand the test of time yet still manage to express the emotion and presence of the rockin’ years that was the 70’s and way beyond!
Mick Rock wasn’t just part of the music scene in London and New York, he helped make it. His career launched with the lovably odd David Bowie in ‘72 and from this, his presence around town merged, where living and working became the same thing. Apart from having a career that spans over four decades the truly outstanding thing about Mick Rock is that he has set up these developed parts of the culture from within these decades, helping decide what and who hits the big time within the music industry and what doesn’t. His creative skills have released a whole range of iconic imagery that stick with the viewer when thinking of a particular singer/songwriter, piece of music or particular moment. Whenever Queen comes on in a cheesy night club (that I definitely do not go to!) the image above automatically pops into my head. And having this kind of power through photography just shows the impact of Rock’s long standing time in the industry.
Hugely influential to Bowies career Rock went on to become his official photographer and had access to areas that other photographers could only dream of (Bowies dressing room! Is it wrong to fancy David Bowie? I don’t think so.) Among the extensive list of super cool artists Rock has shot the likes of The Ramones, Lou Reed and Mick Jagger. His photography leaked from music to other arty partyies, capturing Andy Warhol and Kate Moss and he is not done yet! Still as passionate today as 30 years ago he has more recently captured Snoop Dogg (the man!) and the often meaty Lady Gaga.
At Idea Generation Gallery we like to acknowledge these legendary folk and have teamed up with Zippo to host a huge range of Mick Rocks work from classic to unseen images in the exhibition Mick Rock: Rock Music running from 11th Nov to 16th Jan. We are also planning some juicy events in and around the exhibition to fashion a creative energy and get the local streets buzzing to really set off and relate to the photographs being displayed. This will include live music at Neu Rehearsal Rooms, with Rock capturing bands in action!
The exhibition will coincide with the exciting release of Mick Rock’s new book Exposed: The Faces of Rock ‘n’ Roll with unseen images and rare shots this is one for the Christmas list! Because the photographs range from being shot in ‘72 to ‘09 I think the exhibition will take on a different meaning to each individual. Whether you are an old rocker and remember seeing the likes of bowie live in the clothes from one of Rock’s photographs or whether a part of the new generation still in appreciation for being able to picture what the 70’s was like… this exhibition will have something in it for you!
The only camera I really know how to use is that of a disposable and I am not ashamed to say it! Aperture and shutter speed and all this stuff, it’s all just strange lingo sounds to my ears. Having never really been very good at photography the thing I look for when judging an image has nothing to do with the technicalities. I don’t really notice if it could have been sharper or brighter or slightly less grey in the top corner, and thinking about it I quite like not being good at photography because it gives you this outsider’s view on each photograph you see. And from this I have learnt what a makes a photograph interesting to me and that has to be the atmosphere, the essence within in, the emotion of the subjects presence, the surroundings and whether the moment has been captured. Now ask any person who knows about photography and you will get the answer that Mick Rock has the technical ability along side this natural ability to capture all of this and something much, much more. His photographs no doubt stand the test of time yet still manage to express the emotion and presence of the rockin’ years that was the 70’s and way beyond!
Mick Rock wasn’t just part of the music scene in London and New York, he helped make it. His career launched with the lovably odd David Bowie in ‘72 and from this, his presence around town merged, where living and working became the same thing. Apart from having a career that spans over four decades the truly outstanding thing about Mick Rock is that he has set up these developed parts of the culture from within these decades, helping decide what and who hits the big time within the music industry and what doesn’t. His creative skills have released a whole range of iconic imagery that stick with the viewer when thinking of a particular singer/songwriter, piece of music or particular moment. Whenever Queen comes on in a cheesy night club (that I definitely do not go to!) the image above automatically pops into my head. And having this kind of power through photography just shows the impact of Rock’s long standing time in the industry.
Hugely influential to Bowies career Rock went on to become his official photographer and had access to areas that other photographers could only dream of (Bowies dressing room! Is it wrong to fancy David Bowie? I don’t think so.) Among the extensive list of super cool artists Rock has shot the likes of The Ramones, Lou Reed and Mick Jagger. His photography leaked from music to other arty partyies, capturing Andy Warhol and Kate Moss and he is not done yet! Still as passionate today as 30 years ago he has more recently captured Snoop Dogg (the man!) and the often meaty Lady Gaga.
At Idea Generation Gallery we like to acknowledge these legendary folk and have teamed up with Zippo to host a huge range of Mick Rocks work from classic to unseen images in the exhibition Mick Rock: Rock Music running from 11th Nov to 16th Jan. We are also planning some juicy events in and around the exhibition to fashion a creative energy and get the local streets buzzing to really set off and relate to the photographs being displayed. This will include live music at Neu Rehearsal Rooms, with Rock capturing bands in action!
The exhibition will coincide with the exciting release of Mick Rock’s new book Exposed: The Faces of Rock ‘n’ Roll with unseen images and rare shots this is one for the Christmas list! Because the photographs range from being shot in ‘72 to ‘09 I think the exhibition will take on a different meaning to each individual. Whether you are an old rocker and remember seeing the likes of bowie live in the clothes from one of Rock’s photographs or whether a part of the new generation still in appreciation for being able to picture what the 70’s was like… this exhibition will have something in it for you!
