{{Short description|American photographic archivist (1943–2025)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Michael Ochs | image = Michael Ochs Portrait.jpg | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Michael Andrew Ochs | birth_date = {{birth date|1943|2|27}} | birth_place = Austin, Texas, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2025|7|23|1943|2|27}} | death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | alma_mater = Adelphi University<br />Ohio State University | occupation = Photographic archivist | years_active = | relatives = Phil Ochs (brother)<br />Sonny Ochs (sister) | known_for = Collection of rock music photographs }}
'''Michael Andrew Ochs''' (February 27, 1943 – July 23, 2025) was an American photographic archivist best known for his extensive collection of pictures related to rock music dating back to the 1950s and 1960s. The Michael Ochs Archives, located in Venice, California, contained 3 million vintage prints, proof sheets and negatives which were frequently licensed for use in CD reissues, books, films and documentaries.<ref name="Schwarz">{{cite web|last=Schwarz|first=Alan|date=May 28, 2006|title=They Had Faces Then: An Archive Keeps Stars Ever Young|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/28/arts/music/28schw.html|work=The New York Times|access-date=May 11, 2010}}</ref>
The ''Los Angeles Times'' called Ochs "America's preeminent rock 'n' roll photo archivist"<ref name="Baker">{{cite web|last=Baker|first=Bob|date=June 24, 2003|title=In the Name of Love|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/350834861.html?dids=350834861:350834861&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131183508/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/350834861.html?dids=350834861:350834861&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 31, 2013|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=May 12, 2010}}</ref> and described his archive as "the dominant force in the rock image marketplace".<ref name="Cromelin">{{cite web|last=Cromelin|first=Richard|date=March 20, 1992|title=The Man Behind Rock's Smithsonian|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-03-20-ca-4305-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=May 12, 2010}}</ref> ''The New York Times'' called it "the premier source of musician photography in the world".<ref name="Schwarz" /> Ochs sold the archive to Getty Images in 2007.
== Life and career == Ochs was born on February 27, 1943,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Texas, U.S., Birth Index, 1903-1997 |url=https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/24290957?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a224444724c727677705066583368636f342b6b6435504f484c4c6f4d707177414e533741447365436f7748383d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d |access-date=2024-10-13 |website=Ancestry.com |language=en-US}}</ref> in Austin, Texas.<ref>{{cite book|last=Schumacher|first=Michael|url=https://archive.org/details/therebutforfortu00schu/page/16|title=There But for Fortune: The Life of Phil Ochs|publisher=Hyperion|year=1996|isbn=0-7868-6084-7|location=New York|page=[https://archive.org/details/therebutforfortu00schu/page/16 16]|url-access=registration}}</ref> He grew up in Ohio and New York.<ref name="Cromelin" /> After graduating from Ohio State University in 1966, he worked as a photographer for Columbia Records, shooting such artists as Taj Mahal and the Chambers Brothers.<ref>{{Cite web|date=1992-03-20|title=The Man Behind Rock's Smithsonian : Pop music: Collector Michael Ochs expands his comprehensive Venice-based archives to include the raw materials of movies, pop culture and beyond.|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-03-20-ca-4305-story.html|access-date=2021-10-09|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Oldies 92.7 Live Stream|url=https://live.oldies927az.com/listen/artist/5c51de66-d15e-48ed-9402-0f17ba2dfc52?slide=1|access-date=2021-10-09|website=live.oldies927az.com}}</ref> In the late 1960s, Ochs served as manager to his brother, singer-songwriter Phil Ochs. In the 1970s, Ochs led the publicity departments at Columbia, Shelter and ABC Records.<ref name="Schwarz" />
Ochs began collecting photographs as a hobby.<ref name="Miles">{{cite web|last=Miles|first=Milo|date=October 30, 1984|title=Photo Finish: Ochs Puts Rock in the Picture|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XWE1AAAAIBAJ&pg=3736%2C3469960|work=The Boston Phoenix|access-date=May 11, 2010}}</ref> He would allow friends, including rock critics John Morthland and Lester Bangs, to use the pictures for free to illustrate their articles. Ochs began to take a more professional approach after two incidents. First, the ''Los Angeles Free Press'' attributed one of his photos to the "Michael Ochs Archives". Then, Dick Clark sent Ochs an unexpected check for $1,000 after Clark used some of Ochs's pictures on a television special.<ref name="Miles" />
In 1984, Ochs published ''Rock Archives: A Photographic Journey Through the First Two Decades of Rock & Roll'', which featured an introduction by Peter Guralnick. Writing in ''The New York Times'', Janet Maslin praised ''Rock Archives'' as "an amazingly comprehensive photograph collection" that "offers glimpses of just about everyone seen or heard from during rock's first two decades".<ref>{{cite web|last=Maslin|first=Janet|author-link=Janet Maslin|date=January 20, 1985|title=Excesses and Eccentrics|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/01/20/books/excesses-and-eccentrics.html|work=The New York Times|access-date=May 11, 2010}}</ref> According to the ''Los Angeles Times'', ''Rock Archives'' "put [Ochs's] archives on the map".<ref name="Baker" />
During the 1980s, Ochs hosted his Archives Alive radio show on KCRW, taught a History of Rock and Roll class at UCLA Extension, and was music coordinator for the films ''Hollywood Knights'' (1980); ''Liar’s Moon'' (1981); ''Losin' It'' (1983); and ''Christine'' (1983).<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Michael Ochs Collection|url=https://woodyguthriecenter.org/archives/collections/the-michael-ochs-collection/|access-date=2021-06-22|website=Woody Guthrie Center|language=en-US}}</ref>
In 1987, 26 years after the death of photographer Ed Feingersh, Ochs discovered several rolls of negatives of Marilyn Monroe by Feingersh. They included a shoot commissioned by ''Redbook'' made during the week March 24–30, 1955. They were the only candid images of Monroe made specifically for publication.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Rollyson|first1=Carl E.|title=Marilyn Monroe Day by Day: A Timeline of People, Places, and Events|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|year=2014|isbn=978-1-4422-3080-4|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite thesis|last=Bird|first=Nichola Cecelia|date=September 1998|title=Getting In on the Act: 'A History of Looking'|volume=1|type=PhD|publisher=University of Leeds}}</ref>
During the 1990s, as record companies reissued large numbers of CDs, they often turned to Ochs for photographs to include in the liner notes.<ref name="Schwarz" /> Ochs' pictures are featured in practically every release by Rhino Records and Bear Family Records.<ref name="Getty">{{cite web|date=February 27, 2007|title=Getty Images Acquires the Michael Ochs Archives|url=http://company.gettyimages.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=151&isource=corporate_website_ind_press_release|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809104027/http://company.gettyimages.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=151&isource=corporate_website_ind_press_release|archive-date=August 9, 2011|publisher=Getty Images|access-date=May 11, 2010}}</ref>
The archive was also tapped for illustrations for books — according to a 2006 ''New York Times'' estimate, about half of the rock and roll books issued at the time included photographs from the collection — and as background photos and research material in the production of documentaries, feature films, and television programs.<ref name="Schwarz" />
In 2003 Ochs and fine artist Craig Butler curated ''The Greatest Album Covers That'' ''Never Were'', an art exhibit of over 100 contemporary artists creating fantasy album covers of their favorite recording artists.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=TRACK 16 GALLERY, THE GREATEST ALBUM COVERS THAT NEVER WERE|url=http://www.archive.track16.com/exhibitions/albums/|access-date=2021-06-23|website=www.archive.track16.com}}</ref> The original exhibition featured works by author Kurt Vonnegut, musicians Graham Nash and Marilyn Manson, photographer William Claxton and artists Ralph Steadman and Robbie Conal. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame sponsored the exhibition and this non-profit traveling show premiered at their Cleveland museum continuing on to Seattle's Experience Music Project and assorted universities around the country.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Greatest Album Covers That Never Were|url=https://www.theartrocks.com/tgactnw/index.html|access-date=2021-06-23|website=www.theartrocks.com}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
Ochs sold the Michael Ochs Archives to Getty Images for an undisclosed amount in February 2007.<ref name="Getty" />
Ochs was one of three producers of the 2010 documentary film ''Phil Ochs: There but for Fortune''. The film features interviews with Phil's family, friends, and associates, as well as archival news footage and photographic stills, including selections from Michael's collection.<ref name="Democracy Now">{{cite web|last=Goodman|first=Amy|author-link=Amy Goodman|date=January 6, 2011|title=Phil Ochs: The Life and Legacy of a Legendary American Folk Singer|url=http://www.democracynow.org/2011/1/6/phil_ochs_the_life_and_legacy|work=Democracy Now!|access-date=January 9, 2011}}</ref><ref name="Press Kit">{{Cite web|year=2010|title=Phil Ochs: There but for Fortune Press Kit|url=http://firstrunfeatures.com/presskits/philochs/philochs_pk.pdf|publisher=First Run Features|access-date=January 9, 2011}}</ref>
Ochs died at his home in Los Angeles, California, on July 23, 2025, at the age of 82.<ref name="hwr">{{cite web|title=Michael Ochs, Pop Culture's Preeminent Photo Archivist, Dies at 82|publisher=The Hollywood Reporter|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/michael-ochs-dead-photo-archivist-1236328058/|last=Barnes|first=Mike|date=July 24, 2025|access-date=July 24, 2025}}</ref> At the time of his death, he had Parkinson’s disease for five years, as well as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), kidney and heart issues.<ref name="hwr" />
== Published works == * ''Rock Archives: A Photographic Journey Through the First Two Decades of Rock & Roll''. Introduction by Peter Guralnick. New York: Doubleday & Company, 1984. {{ISBN|0-385-19434-X}} * {{Citation|author1=Feingersh, Ed|title=Marilyn : March 1955|date=1990|publisher=Delta|isbn=978-0-385-30119-0|author2=LaBrasca, Bob|author3=Michael Ochs Archives}} *''Elvis in Hollywood;'' Michael Ochs; text by Steve Pond; New American Library, 1990; {{ISBN|0-452-26378-6}} *{{cite book | last=Ochs | first=Michael | title=1000 record covers | publisher=Taschen | publication-place=Köln | date=1996 | isbn=3-8228-8595-9 | oclc=36529440}} *''Marilyn Monroe'': From Beginning to End. Text by Michael Ventura; photographs by Earl Leaf from The Michael Ochs Archives, Blanford Press, 1997, {{ISBN|0713726865}} *''Shock, RATTLE & ROLL'': ''Elvis Photographed During the Milton Berle Show;'' Michael Ochs & Ger Riff; 1998; {{ISBN|0713726903}} *''The Greatest Album Covers That Never Were''. Michael Ochs & Craig Butler, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum; 2003; {{ISBN|0-9740078-0-3}}
== References == {{reflist}}
== Further reading == * {{cite web|last=Beets|first=Greg|date=March 6, 2009|title=Inside Michael Ochs Archives|url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A751721|work=The Austin Chronicle}} * {{cite web|last=Ochs|first=Michael|date=February 27, 2007|title=Introducing the Michael Ochs Archives|url=http://blog.gettyimages.com/2007/02/27/introducing-the-michael-ochs-archives/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711091142/http://blog.gettyimages.com/2007/02/27/introducing-the-michael-ochs-archives/|archive-date=July 11, 2011|publisher=Getty Images}}
== External links == * [https://gettyimagesgallery.com/collection/michael-ochs-archive/ Michael Ochs Archives] at Getty Images * [https://woodyguthriecenter.org/archives/collections/the-michael-ochs-collection/ The Michael Ochs Collection] at the Woody Guthrie Center * {{IMDb name|0643793}} * {{discogs artist|Michael Ochs}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ochs, Michael}} Category:1943 births Category:2025 deaths Category:Adelphi University alumni Category:American archivists Category:Ohio State University alumni Category:People from Austin, Texas Category:Phil Ochs Category:Stock photographers Category:Rock music photographers Category:Getty Images Category:20th-century American photographers