’70s Rock: The Little-Mentioned ‘Hair’esy

With its release of Permanent Waves in 1981, Rush might have been comparing the permanence of its music to the impermanence of new wave and other trendy styles. But while the band’s music has certainly become a mainstay of the cultural firmament, not everything the band carried into the 1980s and beyond from its ’70s roots has survived.

Among the biggest casualties is Neil’s mustache. Not long after the band bid a farewell to kings, in 1977, Neil bid a farewell to his mustache—and, it shoud be noted, so did a lot of other ’70s rockers.

One might have thought that ’70s-styled mustaches were on their way back in after their star billing in the 2006 hit, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. But that film, despite its box office success, was no more permanent than the waves on Paula Turnbull’s head. (Paula Turnbull is the woman on the cover of Permanent Waves for those who would miss this as a question on a crossword puzzle.)

So, in the service of history, here are the top five rockers’ mustaches from the 1970s as adjudicated by Rush Vault. Since we’re a reference site for Rush, we would be inclined to put Neil’s mustache on top. But we wouldn’t expect everyone to agree with us. For those unfamiliar with mustache styles, we’ve added explanatory notes with the help of the American Mustache Institute.

1. Neil Peart: “horseshoe”

2. Frank Zappa: “the zappa” (horseshoe with accompanying “soul patch”)

3. Ted Nugent: “another horseshoe supported by that thin line of chin hair”

4. Ian Anderson: “yet another horseshoe” (although purists would disqualify him because he really has a beard, so it shouldn’t even count. But we like Jethro Tull).