07.22.2008
TOP 10 ROCK HAIRSTYLES
ROCK STARS’ HEADBANGIN’ HAIRDOS FIND MEANING: KARLO PINEDA LISTS TOP STYLES.
Hair: subject to human fancy, from the times of Samson to the space escapades of Princess Leia to, well, the frequent appearances of Cousin Itt in the Addams mansion. It has played an important role in culture and society, and it has too in music. It has helped define genres and their respective subcultures. As rock is an evolving force, hairstyles akin to it have consequently developed as well. Which added more flair to the raucous stage antics. Which caused our headbanging heroes to look a bit weirder or a lot “hotter” for the groupies. Which made these idols a lot real, a lot closer to us, as by simply dropping by the nearest beauty salon, we could get our hair styled same as theirs.
So here’s my list. May be hairy but certainly far from being an upshot of the kwentong-barbero postulate. Some of the examples, however, are not fitting to their categories anymore, as, y’know, people do change hairstyles from time to time for a new look.
10. 80s Hair Metal
Of course you knew it was supposed to be here. It’s an eponymous entry. Inevitable too. After all, those power ballads, which many fell guilty for, wouldn’t be complete without these big side-splitting ‘dos from the boys (who also wore spandexes, bandannas, and all those tight leather). Hair spray glory, o baby, the hilarity!
(Poison, Bon Jovi, Guns N’ Roses)
9. The Emo Cut
Some eyebrow-raising trip, you say? How about a herd of kids with exactly the same hairstyle—incongruent cut with long fringes all over the face—sulking in one corner? OK, so maybe the guys DEFINITELY look gay with this hairstyle on, but you have to give them credit: how on earth could they walk without hitting a wall with their jet-black hair (sometimes with highlights) draping over their eyes? So it’s a statement they’re making with those bangs brushed to one side of the face (and that would be?). But, yeah, like the Armageddon, the whole Emo fad’s too strong to ignore.
(Matt Davies (Funeral For A Friend), The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, the many mindless Emo kids roaming the malls, from Ever Gotesco to SM Megamall, on Saturdays)
8. Bald
Rather a playful derogatory comment in usual tuksuhan sessions, this be translated in the Tagalog lexicon. Pendong peace, pare. Well, not so much the case with the so-called bald rockers. They may be the perfect antithesis to the stereotypical image of a rockstar, who, according to Kid Rock, “got the long hair swingin’ middle finger in the air,” but they are just as effective and expressive as those bald mechanical devices on stage which we usually call as microphones.
(Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins), Ed Kowalczyk (Live), Aaron Lewis (Staind))
7. Braids
We’re not talking about those braided little girls in the school bus. Sure, they’re cute callow angels. But it’s actually quite the opposite here. Most of the braided artists are actually those guys who we could safely assume as the most menacing SOBs in the tour bus. What, with half of Korn and Sevendust’s drummer sporting them? A twisted attitude partnered with plaited hair (plus piercings and tattoos): downright sinister, man.
(Fieldy and Head (Korn), Morgan Rose (Sevendust), Jeremy Popoff’s (Lit) beard)
6. Spikes
When nu metal broke into the scene, most of the bands that made it big featured some of their members sporting spiky hair: Linkin Park, Mudvayne, Deftones, Papa Roach, and some others. Although it is believed to be of punk fashion descent, the spiked hairstyle was given a keener demonstration during those days. It provided a look that was sharp and smart, coupled by oozing attitude. As spikes are usually fairly short, they made our energized lung-busting dudes cleaner—yet meaner.
(Mark Mcgrath (Sugar Ray), Dexter Holland (The Offspring), Wayne Static (Static-X))
5. Dreadlocks
I can place a bet that most people dismiss the idea of having dreads a.k.a. locks as mere fashion ruckus, and win from it. Perhaps, especially now that posers hatch by the minute, these people are satisfied with their faux knowing that dreads are but shock materials to make heads turn. But, you see, wearing dreadlocks is deeply rooted in culture and religion. Um, the Rastafarian movement, anyone? So the moment you’re eager to have your own dreads, putting the fanatic soundtrip on Bob Marley’s CD (which you purchased from Recto just yesterday) as sole excuse, try cross-examining yourself. Believe me; it’s not what you’re freakin’ thinking.
(Bob Marley, Zack de la Rocha (Rage Against The Machine), Sonny Sandoval (P.O.D.))
4. Mohawk
Intensely associated with the anti-establishment punk movement, the mohawk is probably the most attention-grabbing haircut in the list. Somehow it gives rock stars an edgier allure to their audiences. Didn’t your jaw drop upon seeing a pumped-up Anthony Kiedis (whose family is allegedly related to the Mohawk Indians) galloping on stage in a mohawk? And watching a long-haired Travis Barker shredding his drums just seems a bit off, don’t you think? (Joey Jordison’s a different case.) It may be messy maintaining the ‘do, especially the larger versions—the use of hair gels, hair sprays, and in some cases, even egg whites to keep it erect, but the attitude it brings that could give Mr. T a run for his money is such an individualistic reward.
(Anthony Kiedis (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Travis Barker (Blink-182), Keith Flint (Prodigy)- Reverse Mohawk)
3. Messy layers
Literally, a head disorder. The best way to complement a chaotic core. It’s daring, it’s bold, it’s truly a cut above the rest (pun intended). Really, who among the neatly pressed yuppies in Makati can stand a hair gone awry? No combs, man, no combs. It takes a man adamant of his (fashion) sense to sport some messy layers. Here’s rock with its in-your-face riot. Again, no combs, man. No combs. We’re going raw and defiant.
(Bob Dylan, Robert Smith (The Cure), Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day))
2. Moptop
The story goes like this: Jürgen Vollmer, the photographer who shot the famous John Lennon photo in Hamburg (album cover of his Rock ‘n’ Roll album) and a friend of The Beatles during their very early days, left his hair unkempt after swimming. John and Paul instantly got the hang of the accidental look. They went all the way to Paris, where Vollmer was already based, to ask him to get them that very haircut. Since then (up to the late 60s), The Beatles wore the hairstyle, prompting toy companies to manufacture real-hair and plastic “Beatle Wigs.” And, as they say, the rest is history.
(The Beatles, The Who, The Gallagher brothers (Oasis))
1. Long hair
Classic. That’s the one word to describe it. There might be a healthy reason after all to pigeonholing long-haired people to being rock stars (even just in their own right) since a multitude of rockers have widely sported this hairstyle ever since, be it the disheveled look of grunge or its ponytailed counterpart. The reasons rock stars grow their hair long are varied for sure, to the extent that many of us might not really know what they are. Perhaps for expression of freedom or for cultural protest. Perhaps to demonstrate that they are indeed virtuosos of their field as, according to Wikipedia, “the traditional definition of ‘long hair’ in English meant, roughly, someone artistically knowledgeable or wise.” Or, maybe, the analysis of Freudian eggheads that long hair signifies one’s inner desire merits something too. Hell, forget the motives! What we know is that there’s a whole lot of fun rocking steady and headbanging with the long hair on.
(John Lennon and many, many more)
TAGS: rock hairstyles rock hair hair rock
