BEARDS ARE COOL. The music bible NME told readers who were on their way to Glastonbury this weekend that Fleet Foxes (an almost unanimously bearded band) were the must-see act, while the also bearded Bon Iver will have been equally sought after. The Kings of Leon (who have, over the years, generally been at least 75% bearded) are hailed on the cover of the current Mojo as “the world’s biggest rock band”. In the past couple of months, our albums of the week have included releases by Iron and Wine (bearded), the Low Anthem (only one of the trio is bearded, but Jocie Adams doesn’t count, so that’s actually 50%), and Eels, whose Mark Everett sports what must currently be rock’s most extraordinary and impressive facial hair.
Despite discrimination, bearded men have proven themselves numerous times throughout history. William Shakespeare is believed to have had a beard. It is very probable that Jesus did too. Leonardo da Vinci did, as did Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), Charlemagne, Abraham Lincoln, Robert E Lee, WEB Du Bois, Ernest Hemingway, Vincent Van Gogh, Karl Marx and George Bernard Shaw. More recently, Billy Connolly, Ned Kelly, Rolf Harris, Brian Blessed, Fidel Castro, David Bellamy, Bill Frindall, aka the 'Bearded Wonder', Terry Pratchett and Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken have all sported beards. The ZZ Top musical group wear impressive beards with grace. There are many beloved fictional characters with beards as well: Santa Claus, Captain Haddock and Captain Birdseye are also bearded.
The Kings of Leon went **** when they got rid of their beards. Not that I was ever fan of theirs, but their music went very mainstream and poppy.
Don't play the beard card with me mate. I'm sick of being accused of Gingerism by red haired people it's not my fault they have bad tempers.
Kings of Leon's output definitely took a turn for the worse when their beards went. Not all beards are cool though, take the anal beard for example.
And don't forget Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein (although the latter was most known for a moustash, he had a full beard towards the end).
I can (and frequently do through laziness) easily grow a beard. Thing is, by the end of the second week it gets to a stage where it becomes uncomfortable. That is when I often get rid, or at least trim it back. Any useful tips on getting past this annoying stage?
You've got to battle through it until you can trim it to about grade 3 length after the first few weeks its not uncomfortable but only real men can tough it out so wear it as a badge of masculinity.
Wish I could still have a beard. I let it grow recently and to my horror it's now almost all grey! Not a good look at 32! I looked like a hobo Captain Birds eye, apparently not what 21st century women want. #beard envy
I have the classic Johnny Wark style tache and side burns and on a good day I can grow them to like Lemmy!