A Brief History of Bald Rock N' Roll

Rock n' roll has always been about hair. From Elvis' pompadour to the Beatles' mop tops - from hippies to heavy metal , it's part of the look and the rebellion of the music. As a bald guy who loves to rock, this makes me a bit self-conscious. To make myself feel better, I compiled a quick list of bald rock n' rollers throughout rock music history. 


Ed Cassidy - Spirit

Stepfather of Spirit guitarist Randy California, Ed Cassidy (aka "Mr. Skin") pounded the drums on such late 60's and early 70's hits as "I Got A Line On You" and "Nature's Way".  They also wrote a song called "Taurus" from which Led Zeppelin lifted the intro to "Stairway To Heaven" (uncredited). It's just like a bunch of longhairs to do that kind of thing .






Issac Hayes

Black Moses. Isaac proved that you didn't need a fancy hairdo to make the the ladies melt into hot-buttered soul exctacy. He also supports the generally accepted theory that black guys look cooler with shaved heads than white guys do.








Angry Anderson - Rose Tattoo

Bald, short, tattooed, Australian, and presumably "angry", Anderson fronted the classic hard rock band Rose Tattoo.  With a voice somewhere between Bon Scott and Axl Rose, this guy is the real deal and could likely kick most poodle-haired rockers' asses in a bar fight.






Peter Garrett - Midnight Oil

Another Aussie. Must be something in the water (or beer) down there. Best known for their hit "Beds Are Burning", Midnight Oil had a handful of other minor hits before fading into obscurity. I seem to recall that Garrett became involved with politics or law or something. He had a unique voice, biting lyrics and some cool, spazzy dance moves. I like to think that this band wouldn't have been as good if some foo-foo haired pretty boy like Michael Hutchence were fronting.

Sinead O'Connor

I always thought she took herself way too damn seriously, but I can't deny that Sinead has an amazing voice and made some beautiful music. She also demonstrated that if you are an attractive woman, you can chop off those locks and still look sexy. 

Chris Slade - AC/DC, The Firm

Probably to be forever known as "That Bald Guy Who Was In AC/DC". Slade played drums on the album The Razor's Edge and supporting tour in the early 90's. Prior to this, he also worked with Jimmy Page and Paul Rodgers in The Firm. I don't like his playing quite as much as Phil Rudd's, but he's representin' the skin, so he gets my props.

Billy Corgan - Smashing Pumpkins

After the receding hairline post-grunge classic, Siamese Dream, Billy hit the clippers for the release of the double concept album, Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness  Re-inventing himself as a whiny, glam rock alien, Corgan became the first star of the "alternative generation" go full-on with the chrome dome.

Joe Satriani

I saw Satriani perform back in the late 80's and he was losing a genetic battle with a quasi-metal mullet. Satch wisely hit it with the Bic razor in the 90's and started to resemble the Silver Surfer from his first album cover. Satriani now shreds with full-maned singer Sammy Hagar and somewhat follically-challenged bass player Michael Anthony in the band Chickenfoot.  

Bret Michaels - Poison

From one Bret to another: You're not fooling anybody. Let it shine, brother. Let it shine..