I have a serious affinity with beards. I wouldn't say I prefere a bearded face to a bare face, but bearded faces (especially on random old strangers!) are endearing. I wish I carried around a camera always, just to snap old bearded men. But still, they can be kind of frightening too? So maybe I wouldn't. I always acknowledge a good beard, if only to myself. Though, in Argentina, I learned to say, "Nice beard." The bigger, the better. When they look borderline homeless, that's the best.. These beards aren't as mangy, a bit more recognizable, but still BEARDS. Part two! But again, I advise you, DON'T GROW A BEARD. (You probably won't end up looking this cool.)
Ernest Hemingway
My dream man, obviously. With the exception of his suicidal tendencies... Still, when he was a young buck in Paris, he could have won me over with his eloquent prose. Fortunately, once he lost that youthfulness, he garnered a beard!
The Kinks, but mostly Dave Davies (far right)
Dave > Ray. I mean, Ray was the intelligent one, who wrote the mesmerizing lyrics -- but Dave was cooler. And I like his voice better too. Plus, he grew a marvelous beard circa Muswell Hillbillies. And he survived a stroke. And he'll be in LA tomorrow, only I'm not going. Because I don't really care for solo Dave.
The Band
Double obvious, but necessary. The ultimate Band of beards. I don't even need to explain. Just observe.
Humphrey Bogart
As if Bogie even needed a beard to look tough, masculine, and badass. But look! He managed to scream, "You don't want to FUCK with me", even more than we all knew possible. This is Bogie in The Treasure of Sierra Madre. AKA, Bogie in Mexico, cavorting with Walter Huston, directed by John Huston. Being a badass, as only he knew how.
Keith Richard's dad
You know, I don't think I'd quite qualify this a beard. Its more like, mustache leading into epic sideburns. Either way, its facial hair worth applauding. Plus, as far as I know, K. Richards never sported a beard. Maybe its for the best...
John Bonham
An endearing beard, absolutely. Not creepy, as some can be. Not screwing with facial character, so that you just want to shave it off. Its good, it works. Its a friendly beard. The teddy bear of beards.
Robert De Niro in The Deer Hunter
I'm such a Bobby De Niro lover. Even, ESPECIALLY, when he's a psycho-cum-hero in Taxi Driver. The Deer Hunter is sweet, in a tragic, depression kind of way. I mean, that one guy who didn't go on to be famous, he loses his legs. Christopher Walken shoots himself in the head. Russian Roulette... Not a good idea. And RDN is caught in the middle (and pining for the lovely, in her prime, Meryl Streep). Do you know how he makes it through? By the strength of his beard, I'd think.
Fleetwood Mac
TRIPLE BEARDY THREAT! Who is the coolest? John McVie, obviously. I just like that they all have beards. Bands do that! And I ponder... Is it a mutual decision? "Yeah dude, let's all grow beards!" Or is it a gradual process? "Well so and so looks pretty cool... I think I'll grow myself a beard." And then one day, the beard leader just finds that all his bandmates have copied his look? If the latter is the case, then who started the beard trend in Fleetwood Mac? Again, I'm voting John McVie, but that's only because he seems cooler than Lindsey "I strangle Stevie Nicks" Buckingham and Mick "I always have a crazy look in my eye" Fleetwood.
Pete Townshend and Eric Clapton
Snapped at the Rainbow Concert, I should think. I had a beardy photo for both PT and EC, but why not combine the magic? I think Eric's beard is heroin-induced, AKA too high and lazy to shave. While maybe Pete realized that he had a total babyface from Day 1 of the Who, and needed to butch things up. And by some cosmic twist, they brought their beardy selves together. (And produced an awesome live album -- check it!)
Duane Allman
Best for last, it seems. Because is it even a beard? Or is it just the most INTENSE SIDEBURNS YOU'VE EVER SEEN? I really like this shot because its the perfect beardy angle. And you get some good ol' brotherly love. Though, its kind of hard to concentrate on that, when you're faced with such beardy goodness.
In contrast, mustaches are in no way endearing. Even less advised. Seriously.
