How to Capture the Rawness of Sound as It Resonates Through Amplifiers? This has been the quest of music photographers for generations. From the iconic photographs of rock and pop stars in the 1960s and 70s to the early days of punk and hip-hop, the mission has been to capture the intangible: the feeling and energy of music. Few photographers have achieved this feat with the mastery of Mick Rock.
“You want more than just a pretty picture. You want something as strong as the music. A great photo should be like a hit single, something that keeps drawing you back for another look.” - Mick Rock
Mick Rock, known as “The Man Who Shot the Seventies,” is, in reality, “The Man Who Captured the Last Five Decades of Music, Personalities, and Rock Culture.” His career unfolded during a period when music and photography fused to create some of the most enduring and significant images in contemporary cultural history.
Among the iconic figures of glam rock like David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and Lou Reed, Queen stands out as one of the most defining bands of the era. Captured through the lens of Mick Rock, Queen's image became emblematic of a transcendent moment in music history, immortalizing their influence and legacy alongside these legendary artists.
Mick Rock first photographed Queen in November 1973, at their breakthrough gig in London. Rock was already establishing a reputation as the inimitable glam rock photographer, for his iconic work with David Bowie. This breakthrough gig opened a lot of people's eyes, and ears, to the fact that the extraordinary-looking foursome was something special. They were visually stunning and Freddie Mercury possessed the most animated frontman since Mick Jagger. They also sounded like nothing and no one else. Music writers could usually find some label to stick on a band to describe their sound but with Queen it was different. More than glam and more than rock, Queen was simply Queen.
These pictures show Queen in the early stage of their career. Taken by the legendary Mick Rock, it captures an electrifying moment during Queen's concert on November 18, 1973, at Imperial College in London. The photographer manages to capture the essence of what made them special: their impressive visual style, their unparalleled sound, and the creative spark that would propel them to transcend genres and labels, forging their own path in the musical landscape.
This image stands as a testament to Queen's relentless and intense creative journey, with Mick Rock playing a pivotal role as both a key witness and active participant. He was instrumental in shaping the band's image and aesthetics, helping to craft their identity and capturing their essence from the very beginning. This year marked a significant milestone in Queen's career, a turning point that solidified their place in music history.
“To me, Queen II was the sort of emotional music we’d always wanted to be able to play, although we couldn’t play most of it onstage because it was too complicated”. - Brian May
Following the recording of their debut album, which took place between 1971 and 1972 at Trident Studios and De Lane Lea Studios in London, Queen embarked on their second album with a newfound sense of freedom and control. Produced by Robin Geoffrey Cable, Roy Thomas Baker, and the band themselves, with the ever-resourceful Mike Stone as engineer, the sessions took place at Trident Studios in August 1973. This time, Queen was finally granted full access to the studio during regular hours, allowing them the opportunity to experiment extensively with new techniques, textures, and sounds. Free from the constraints that had limited their debut, the band was able to create an album on their own terms, setting the stage for their distinctive sound to fully emerge.
The album cover concept was based on a photograph of Marlene Dietrich that Freddie had seen, and Mick Rock was brought in to achieve a similar effect. The image has since become one of the most recognisable and frequently used of the band, and is as striking today as it was in the 1970s.
Like Queen II, the front cover image was photographed by Queen's good friend Mick Rock. To achieve the unique look we see on the cover, the band members were smeared in Vaseline and then sprayed with water to achieve a very particular and some might say 'odd' look. Nevertheless, it had the desired effect, as the Sheer Heart Attack cover is both (cardiac) arresting and memorable.
“The album is very varied. We took it to extreme I suppose. We are very interested in studio techniques and wanted to use what was available.” - Freddie Mercury
Queen's third studio album, Sheer Heart Attack, recorded between July and September 1974 across four different studios in England and Wales, marked a significant evolution in the band's sound and cohesion. Unlike their earlier albums, which were often recorded under less-than-ideal circumstances, this album benefited from a more stable and orthodox production process. Despite Brian May's illness during the recording, which forced him to join the sessions later, the album emerged as a diverse and accomplished piece of work. With hits like "Killer Queen" and "Now I’m Here," Sheer Heart Attack propelled Queen into international acclaim, showcasing a pop-oriented sound that was both varied and dynamic.
Mick Rock's collaboration with Queen not only captured the band’s early years but also played a crucial role in shaping their enduring image. His ability to translate their unique sound into striking visuals helped solidify Queen's place in music history, making their albums and performances as iconic to see as they were to hear. Through Rock's lens, the world was introduced to a band that defied categorization, blending visual artistry with musical innovation. Decades later, the images he created continue to resonate, reminding us of a time when music and photography merged to create cultural legends.
Interview about Queen with Mick Rock by Rudi Dolezal and Hannes Rossacher.
In this insightful video interview, legendary photographer Mick Rock sits down with filmmakers Rudi Dolezal and Hannes Rossacher to discuss his experiences working with Queen, one of the most iconic bands in rock history. Rock, known for capturing some of the most unforgettable images of the 1970s, shares behind-the-scenes stories about his collaboration with the band, the creative process behind their album covers, and the unique visual identity he helped craft for them. This interview offers a rare glimpse into the intersection of music and photography, as told by the man who played a pivotal role in shaping Queen's visual legacy.
The Music Photo Gallery (TMPG) seeks to validate music photography as Fine Art Photography. Representing the most important photographers of music history worldwide, whose work captured the culture and popular idols of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s in the USA & UK.
Based in New York City and co-working from Buenos Aires, TMPG creates, produces, and develops original cultural content in innovative formats partnering with artists, photographers, filmmakers, curators, local producers, writers, designers, and professionals from all related areas, in order to legitimize the music photography genre as an accepted fine art expression.
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