2008: The Year of the Beard

Many know of my proclivity towards facial hair. I am the self-proclaimed biggest appreciator of the moustache this side of the 1970’s. It is this afficionadoship and card-carrying membership (and founder) of Lawrence’s anual “March Moustache Madness” celebration, that has coined me the nickname “Moustashley”.

Allow me to indulge myself in the greats that have won me over to the Moustache side:

Stevie Wonder

 

Brewer and Shipley

Crosby Stills and Nash

Mid-career George Harrison

CCR

Norman Greenbaum

 

In recent years, though, my love for facial hair has grown, literally, to include the beard. It started with the appreciation of some of the greatest musicians of my father’s era, much like the moustache. (Allow me to digress slightly here, and mention that my father has had in the past the greatest beard of all time, and currently sports the greatest moustache of all time. He went facially bald for a brief moment in my childhood, which haunts me to this day. He is also quite well known around these parts for his ’stache, friends of mine have even been known to speak with one finger imitating a moustache over the upper lip when talking about my dad.) You will notice in the CCR photograph the prime example of the kind of beard that deserves some attention. The Beard crept to the forefront slowly like a five o’clock shadow with the help of such great beards/musicians as:

Cat Stevens (aka Yusef Islam)

John Lennon

Eric Clapton

Flying Burrito Brothers

Abe Lincoln (not a musician)

Jesus Christ (also not a musician)

 

I have been advocating the beard from the months of Septembeard through Decembeard and into Janu-hairy for years now. It wasn’t until 2008 that my prayers were answered in the form of the new rock n’ roll beard.  Behold friends, beards, moustaches and appreciators the Year of the BEARD in music:

Band of Horses:

Fleet Foxes:

Wilco:

My Morning Jacket:

Iron and Wine:

Ray Lamontagne:

And some videos for you to experience from such artists as the 2008 New Hair bands:

Band of Horses:

Fleet Foxes:

Wilco:

My Morning Jacket:

Iron and Wine: (not really a video but a live recording that is worth listening to)

Ray Lamontagne: (please please please I beg of you, watch this video)

And just for good measure….. (This one goes out to you Jesus Christ, with that glorious beard beyond comparison…)