You may wear skinny jeans, cycle a penny farthing to work and assume that beards have only been cool since you and your hipster kind decided to cover your pasty ironic faces with hair. You are incorrect!
Beards may have made a comeback...or combback if you will (SHUT UP THAT’S A GREAT JOKE) over the last few years but facial hair has been as much a part of rock as a roadies bum crack for years.
So let’s have a look at some of the greatest musical mushes of all time!
ZZ Top
Where else to start but the mighty ZZ Top? As if boasting twin front men who have sported huge and impressive beards since the dawn of time wasn't enough, they have a drummer, with no beard, called Frank Beard. It was almost as though he realised that if he joined in with the growth it would just be too much for the world to handle.
Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl is one of those people who is perhaps just too perfect. Best drummer of his generation, anthemic songwriter and singer, awesome axeman and nicest guy in rock. An easy man to dislike in that case but if he wasn’t cool enough he pulls of some facial hair that would make Captain Morgan weep into his tankard of rum!
Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin is without doubt the most revered music producer fiddling faders. The man has worked with them all Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Beastie Boys, Johnny Cash, The Black Crowes, Slayer, Jay-Z, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Black Sabbath, Slipknot, Metallica, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Weezer, Linkin Park, The Cult, Joe Strummer, Mick Jagger, Rage Against the Machine and umm...Melanie C.
As befits a man considered to have God like abilities to resurrect careers it is only proper he should have a suitably heavenly beard!
George Michael
Granted this is a controversial inclusion but Mr Panayiotou get’s in by a hair’s breath simply down to the fact that no man has ever cultivated and maintained such perfect stubble for such a sustained period of time. Seriously Rory McIlroy should have George groom the greens on every course he plays.
Kenny Rodgers
How iconic is Kenny’s country crop? Try and imagine him without it. You see...it’s impossible! Kenny’s silvery glory is as much a part of his legacy as Island strewn streams, inveterate gamblers and kickass cowards!
Hozier
We couldn't finish this furry comprehensive look at the great chops of rock without including a homegrown hair hero. Andrew Hozier-Byrne...aka Hozier has been messianic mug to the masses since he rather ironically started looking for a lift to mass. Maybe he should called himself Beard Growzier!...anyone?...No?
