Iconic rock photographer Mick Rock was one of Bowie’s most treasured confidants. We spoke to him about the stories behind some of his most amazing pics of the star, all of which feature in the Taschen book ‘The Rise of David Bowie. 1972-1973’.
Mick Rock: “Bowie and Mick Ronson are on their way to Aberdeen. This is the beginning of the Ziggy Stardust tour. Part of the beauty of it is how mundane it is, they’re just having lunch. They actually cornered off a carriage for David. David wouldn’t fly in those days. If he went to the States he’d always go on the Queen Mary. He had some sort of anxiety that he would be killed in a plane crash. People have their funny phobias. And of course later on, he had no option but to get on the plane. But throughout Ziggy, I don’t think he ever got a plane. I know they got pork chops, boiled potato and peas. In the middle, you can see little rolls and some butter. People love this picture, I think it’s because they’re dressed so exotically and the meal is so mundane. I think it may have something to do with the look between them. They knew they’d got the tiger by the tail, and they were enjoying it. I don’t think there was ever a pair in the rock‘n’roll world that ever looked as fabulous as these two on the stage. To this day I don’t think I’ve seen a duo that looked better.”
