Beards in music: classic or dud?

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There seems to have been alot of talk about beards in this here forum of late. So, who are your favourite bearded artists? Why does Mike Love get so much stick? Would ZZ Top have got anywhere without beards? Did Frank Beard have a beard, I can't remember!...

― james edmund L, Monday, 9 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm gonna give it all up to Daniel Higgs of Lungfish.

― Tim Baier, Monday, 9 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

With Mike Love, I don't think it's the beard so much as it is that he's the Antichrist.

Having a beard just helps mark him out as such.

― Nicole, Monday, 9 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Over the past few weeks I've really come to appreciate Mike Love's contribution to the Beach Boys. And he's devilishly handsome too - a mature and intelligent looking fellow. Pop needs more beards, it's plain.

― Tom, Monday, 9 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Peter Brotzmann, Fahey, Father Yod, Fogerty on his good days - beards are classic. (Wannabe-bum beards on hipster college students are insufferable though).

The real sign of Satan is the goatee, as Fred will no doubt confirm.

― Otis Wheeler, Monday, 9 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Phil Manzanera has always worn his beard pretty well. A neat trick given his Roxy membership and all.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 9 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Satan: classic or dud? No contest.

― mark s, Monday, 9 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The goatee is indeed the mark of Satan. Galliano, early Jamiroquai, Ladbroke Grove circa 1993. Hell on earth.

The cultural cliche of the full beard used to be the hippie, the folkie, and the interjection between the two. I'm not sure whether it's changed while I've been away, but I've known people of that generation who would have looked considerably older if they *hadn't* had a beard. But I can't imagine anyone my age *not* looking far older the moment they grow a full beard.

― Robin Carmody, Monday, 9 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You have to go with jazz here. Check Eric Dolpy's beard, the way he has that Egyptian goatee that reaches down a couple of inches, somehow it fits so perfectly w/ his music, that Eastern thing. Also Ornette Coleman cira 1965, letting those chin hairs grow free just like his music. For pop, maybe the guys in The Band.

― Mark, Monday, 9 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

its all in the context i reckon.

i mean, wouldn't it be cool if noel from hear'say grew a huge robinson crusoe style beard?

― gareth, Tuesday, 10 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Grandaddy, Chas n Dave, Rolf Harris - beards are classic.

― Guy, Tuesday, 10 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I must protest. _I_ have a goatee and I am _certainly_ not a minion of Satan. I don't care what my mother says.

― Dan Perry, Tuesday, 10 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Beards in general are classic (think Pacino in Serpico, Kurt Russell in The Thing or think of yr 70s football-player, favorite example Barry Hulshoff of Ajax around '72, great defender who didn't want to hurt his opponent so just good very quick, good shot, cool hair, beard and into prog rock...dude!). In pop/rock? Mmm, I remember a photo of Jimmy Page with full beard which looked very cool. I'm thinking of growing one for years but I never get anywhere (I lose it after a month, tops)

― Omar, Tuesday, 10 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I am really keen to get some womens' opinions of beards. In, uh, rock. Of course.

Apart from Nicole's. I know what she thinks. ;)

― Tom, Tuesday, 10 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Aaaaaaargh! Arab Strap! Nooooooooooooooooooo!

― DG, Tuesday, 10 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Listen. I am on vacation and have thus far completely avoided the net in all forms, but the power of god has somehow compelled me to come here and say the following:

BEARDS ARE CRAP.

Thank you.

― Ally, Wednesday, 11 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I don't care if the band I like has beards or not, but if they do I won't fancy the band members. The beard has no impact on the music.

― Audrey, Wednesday, 11 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Interesting how all the guys are saying "Beards cool" but probably don't have them, and on the other hand the girls are saying "Beards suck". Every girl may be crazy about a sharp dressed man, but not if his facial hair is so large that it engulfs his neck.

And jazz beards are cool, but also look ridiculously stupid on dashiki-wearing hipster college jazz guys looking for somewhere to hide their pot.

― Dave M., Wednesday, 11 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

A beard is a self-conscious signifier of "maturity" - the fucking worst thing possible that could've happened to pop & rock... I've written extensively on this subject elsewhere recently & I'm kind of all bearded out.

― Duane Zarakov, Wednesday, 11 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Of course sideburns are a completely different matter. Bring them on.

― Audrey, Wednesday, 11 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Sideburns are vile, unless you're talking real Gladstonian mutton- chops, which are still vile but at least are a statement. They were cool a few years ago and I quite envied people with them but now? Ugh.

― Tom, Wednesday, 11 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Which is sillier? Having a beard, writing ("extensively": yes, Duane, the tablets are in the mail) about people having beards — or reading about people having beards?

― mark s, Wednesday, 11 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think the definitive answer lies herein..scluptured facial hair (Craig David, George Michael) is dud, crazy wild man beard is classic. I'm trying to grow a beard, but think I will give up on the idea soon.

― james edmund L, Wednesday, 11 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

When I said I'd "written extensively about" (beards/Beard Rock), I just meant in my diary & letters to my friends & stuff.
They do kind of bug me tho'.

― Duane Zarakov, Thursday, 12 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

In the context of Beard Rock criticism, letters to friends and stuff probably does constitute "extensively". Making you quite the expert at this particular juncture, Duane. Me, I dunno, it's a hairy one.

― AP, Thursday, 12 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Some sleepless nights later trying to remember other classic beards in pop I came up with MCA circa Paul's Boutique (if i remember correctly the beard got its own rhyme on 'Shake yr Rump': "MCA got a beard like a billy goat", or something like that). And of course Aphex Twin between SAW2 and I Care Because You Do (refreshing in the context of techno's eternal baldy look).

― Omar, Thursday, 12 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Beards in Music = SHITE!!!

Just because you sport the "I'm too drunk/depressed to shave" look does not mean you are going to pull members of Kenickie. Now fuck off.

However, Sideburns are god's gift to the cheekbone challenged. I don't think I've ever seen a bad set of sideburns (OK, outside of maybe Martin Chuzzlewit, but still). I blame it on watching too much Scooby Doo and Battle of the Planets as a child.

― kate the saint, Saturday, 14 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

So what DO we do, Kenickie-wise, Kate? (I mean, bearing in mind the conditions of the restraining order, obviously...)

― mark s, Saturday, 14 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

two months pass...

All Beards are vile but sideburns are worse than beards. Infact any kind of facial furniture is a no-no, the less hair the better: Felt got much better when Lawrence started balding, whereas the Stone Roses went to pot the moment they started growing their hair.

― flowersdie, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

'nuff said.

― ernest hemingway's beard, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yes, not only rock but the world is always in need of more beards. Beards are natural (for most men, that is - those of us who actually have to shave) and thusly the vast majority of the time look better than clean shaven. Even pretty boy Jim Morrison looked better bearded.

As far as the Mike Love part: the "stick" he gets is because he is "the anti-christ" (as the fellow at the top eloquently stated)...and that has nothing to do with the red beard.

*Yes, yes I do have a beard myself. And it's length fluctuates - doesn't have to be a long beard...just A beard (even George Michaels little shadow deal is enough).

― michael g. breece, Monday, 2 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Nicole = the "fellow at the top" (She's 45, Michael: she's called Mannie, and like you she has a beard...)

― mark s, Monday, 2 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

one year passes...

I walked out on Les Savy Fav the first time I saw them, thinking to myself "dorky beard: band must suck."

I've seen them once or twice since (hard to avoid) and haven't been proven wrong.

― Paul Eater (eater), Monday, 19 August 2002 05:03 (twenty-three years ago)

What about Rivers Cuomo biting E's bushy indie beard style though? It's a damn liberty, that's what it is.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 19 August 2002 12:30 (twenty-three years ago)

Did Frank Beard have a beard, I can't remember!...

Nope. Thats how you can tell which one is him. Now the real question is: how do you tell Billy Gibbons and Dusty Rhodes apart?

― Lord Custos Alpha (Lord Custos Alpha), Monday, 19 August 2002 13:12 (twenty-three years ago)

Does it matter?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 August 2002 15:49 (twenty-three years ago)

Beards are obviously not a signifier of maturity, but rather a symbol of wanting to hide and/or feel "safe." I'm surprised there aren't more emo beards, though this is probably because most emo band members are about 17 years old.

― Nick A, Monday, 19 August 2002 16:28 (twenty-three years ago)

(This thread reminds me that I must start calling Nicole "Mannie".)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 19 August 2002 16:48 (twenty-three years ago)

The real sign of Satan is the goatee, as Fred will no doubt confirm.

Soul patch: Satan's minion or unsufferable twat? (Mind you, the two don't have to be mutuallyu exclusive.)

― j.lu (j.lu), Monday, 19 August 2002 21:54 (twenty-three years ago)

Such visions! I feel fear.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 19 August 2002 22:25 (twenty-three years ago)

I've changed my mind. I want a beard now. It upsets me that I cannot grow one. I really want to get in on the facial caligraphy thing.

― kate, Monday, 19 August 2002 22:36 (twenty-three years ago)

you could do stripey eyebrows?

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 19 August 2002 22:53 (twenty-three years ago)

How come no mention of the other Beach Boy beards.
i.e. Brian Wilson in bathrobe phase?
Dennis c. Pacific Ocean Blue?

― peeb!, Tuesday, 20 August 2002 18:58 (twenty-three years ago)

one year passes...

Will Oldman - Classic but his beard really scares me.

― peter dee (peter dee), Thursday, 6 May 2004 22:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Facial Hair Faux Pas!Ã?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 6 May 2004 22:06 (twenty-one years ago)

johnny damon has the best beard ever

― keith m (keithmcl), Thursday, 6 May 2004 23:44 (twenty-one years ago)

UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!

I have nothing against beards at all! It's just that I'm on this email list where the concept of "Beard Rock" was discussed unironically. JUST SAY NO!

― donut bitch (donut), Thursday, 6 May 2004 23:52 (twenty-one years ago)

-- Tom (ebro...), April 11th, 2001.

AHA! Next time any of you sideburn-loving bastards give me heat, I shall turn the words of Our Noble Founder on you.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 6 May 2004 23:55 (twenty-one years ago)

seven years pass...

Jarvis!

Damon!

― Mark G, Monday, 4 July 2011 10:45 (fourteen years ago)

Twat!

Wanker!

― R. Stornoway (Tom D.), Monday, 4 July 2011 10:45 (fourteen years ago)

Paddy!

― Mark G, Monday, 4 July 2011 10:46 (fourteen years ago)

how do you tell Billy Gibbons and Dusty Rhodes apart?

knowing who both of these people are but not knowing that the other guy in ZZ Top is called Dusty **** = big confusions.

― Sir Chips Keswick (Merdeyeux), Monday, 4 July 2011 11:24 (fourteen years ago)

Dusty Rhodes is the beardy dude in "Dusty's Rumpy Duts"

― Mark G, Monday, 4 July 2011 12:28 (fourteen years ago)

UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!
I have nothing against beards at all! It's just that I'm on this email list where the concept of "Beard Rock" was discussed unironically. JUST SAY NO!
― donut bitch (donut), Thursday, May 6, 2004 4:52 PM (7 years ago)

And did we listen, no, and we pay for it still.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 4 July 2011 15:19 (fourteen years ago)

I hope that pencil-thin douche beards don't ever become a big trend.

― van smack, Monday, 4 July 2011 15:26 (fourteen years ago)

But then again, there are a lot of douche's in music

― van smack, Monday, 4 July 2011 15:28 (fourteen years ago)

...and here I thought this thread was about K.D. Lang's Tour Manager.

― suspecterrain, Tuesday, 5 July 2011 17:54 (fourteen years ago)

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