Genesis is proud to announce the long-awaited, official limited edition book crafted to
celebrate the enduring success of one of the world's greatest rock bands
The Official Signed Limited Edition
'Rock's pictures of Queen's breakthrough gig at Imperial College in 1973 are
just some of the rare and unseen images collected in Killer Queen...'
Uncut, February 2004
'a book so ludicrously luxurious even by Genesis's standards... Even the candid shots scream, or gasp quality... When you see Rock's imagery...the price seems immaterial, darling.'
Record Collector, December 2003
'this exquisitely produced photo book ... containing outtakes, test Polaroids, and other previously seen snapshots that might even surprise die-hard fans who thought they'd seen everything.' New Beats, December 2003
'One of the treasures in Killer Queen is Mick's cover
shoot for the '74 LP, Sheer Heart Attack.' '... acres of unseen
photos' Mojo, December 2003
The photographs of Mick Rock
Original text by Brian May, Mary Austin and Mick Rock
Featuring quotes of the period from Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon
A limited edition of 2,500 numbered copies worldwide signed by Brian May and Mick Rock
Brian May: Mick Rock is, and always was, a class act. We met, he and we young Queenies, at
a point in our careers where the skies had opened up and creatively the scope of our
journey was limitless - very exciting times.
Queen were the rarest of breeds: both genius in the studio and utterly brilliant performing live. A potent, magical mixture that has won them fans the world over. Such is their success, Queen form part of collectors' so-called 'Mighty Three'. Along with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, no other bands' recordings and memorabilia are so highly sought after. It is therefore fitting that Genesis follow their acclaimed Beatles and Rolling Stones titles with a limited edition tribute to a band captured in Mick Rock's lens at the explosive moment between obscurity and world domination.
Mick Rock was fast becoming the glam-rock photographer du jour when he turned up at Imperial College on the 18th November 1973 to take his first shots of an up-and-coming group called Queen. Now regarded as the band's breakthrough gig, Mick's photographs of the performance are just a small part of an archive of rare and unseen images preserved for all time in this large format volume.
Mary Austin: With Freddie there were always new heights, always new images, new thoughts. I feel he had a right to enjoy his third eye and the right to enjoy himself, and all I ever really wanted to do was protect him so that no one would hurt him.
Mick's collaboration with Freddie, Brian, Roger and John lasted until 1976 and Queen's legendary free concert in Hyde Park. During this time he helped create the iconic album covers for Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack and conducted solo photo sessions with Freddie and Roger. Previously unseen out-takes and test Polaroids from these sessions are included in the book, as are over 120 live photographs, many of which are being published for the very first time in this remarkable limited edition.
Brian May: Looking back, it is obvious that Mick was a master of his art very early on. The images in this book (including many we rejected at the time, sometimes for artistic reasons, sometimes for reasons of vanity!) stand up fresh and untarnished by time. His handling of keylight and shade, his figuring of faces, his awareness of sheer texture, are all superb. His pictures speak louder than words. Thank you, Mick Rock, for the excellence you achieved with us and for us. It was almost worth lying on the floor covered in Vaseline, having cold water thrown over us!
Publication date: Winter 2003
Prices: Regular edition: £255. Deluxe edition: £375. THE DELUXE EDITION IS NOW FULLY SUBSCRIBED
Killer Queen is destined to become highly collectible. Over 200 pages are master-printed on to 11 different paper stocks, including acetate, trace and 200gsm matt art stock. The images and text are printed in monochrome and full colour with image varnishing.
Copies numbered from 1 to 350 of this lavishly-illustrated book are bound in full leather using both black and white goatskins carefully butted together. An additional loose print signed by Mick Rock is presented in a portfolio with each Deluxe copy. The image on this print is not otherwise included in the book and is therefore exclusive to Deluxe copies only.
Copies numbered from 351 to 2,500 are termed Regular copies and are bound in quarter leather and buckram.
Every copy in the limited edition of 2,500 is housed in its own silkscreened buckram slipcase.
Trimmed page size: 340mm x 240mm. Number of pages: 212
GENESIS PUBLICATIONS is an independent British company specialising in publishing signed, numbered, craftsman-bound limited edition books produced to the highest standards in the tradition of the private press. Founded in 1974, it has become the world's leading limited edition publisher in the field of modern music.
Working with many of the world's leading musicians, artists and writers, Genesis has established a reputation for quality which is second to none, and it was this that led The Beatles to invite Genesis to compile, edit and prepare for press their book The Beatles Anthology which was published to acclaim in October 2000.
Genesis limited editions are produced with the full co-operation of each author or artist concerned and their autographs signify their approval and authentication of each edition.
