Miley Cyrus and Sharon Osbourne have led tributes to legendary music photographer, Mick Rock, who has died aged 72.
Famous for his photographs of the likes of David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Queen, and Lou Reed, to name a few, Mick was known as ‘The Man Who Shot the Seventies’.
One of his major gigs was shooting Bowie’s alter ego Ziggy Stardust as the late music icon’s official photographer.
The sad news of Mick’s passing was confirmed by his family in a lengthy statement.
It read: “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 stars seemed to effortlessly align for Mick when he was behind the camera; feeding off the unique charisma of his subjects electrified and energised him. 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.”
They’ve asked for his life and legacy to be celebrated while asking for privacy while they mourn the devastating loss in private.
The message concluded: “Let us not mourn the loss, but instead celebrate the fabulous life and extraordinary career of Michael David Rock. While you do so in your own way, we must ask that the privacy of his nearest and dearest be respected at this time. Therefore, there will be no further comments.”
Miley worked with Mick in recent times and said it was “an honour”.
Alongside behind-the-scenes shots from their shoot, she wrote on social media: “IT WAS BARELY OVER A YEAR AGO I SAT WITH YOU BY THE WINDOW LISTENING TO BOWIE STORIES….
IT WAS MY HONOR. #RIPMICKROCK (sic)”
Mick famously shot Queen’s iconic 1974 ‘Queen II’ album cover of the four band members – Brian May, John Deacon, Roger Taylor, and the late Freddie Mercury – in a diamond formation, which was the basis for the music video for ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.
And alongside that shot and some of his snaps of her rocker husband Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne wrote in a touching tribute: “We lost a legend, a true artist @therealmickrock His work will live on forever. There are too many epic photos to choose from, but I urge you to scroll through just a few of his greatest hits. All our love and respect to his family.”