For artists whose medium is audio-based, and who don't need to be seen to be appreciated, rock stars sure do worry a lot about the image that they maintain.

Who can blame them though? You don't go to a rock show to sit with your back to the band and listen. You go to actually watch the band. If they're not exciting to watch on stage, what would be the point of actually buying a ticket and paying too much for your beer when you could just put the record on and enjoy it in your own home?

Let's put it this way. You wouldn't go to a show to see this guy:

... or maybe you would.

In my opinion, if you're going to a rock show, the more visually exciting it is, the more enjoyable an experience it is as a whole. Their style is one of the reasons we as the general public are attracted to rock stars, or the idea of rock stars.

That's why I've put together a list of a few of my personal favourite rock star hairstyles.

 

Brian May

Not only is he a legendary guitar player with a tone guitarists have sought to emulate for years, he also has a bitchin' hairdo.

Slash

This one really is a no-brainer. That hair, combined with the top hat and sunglasses, and I don't think you'll find anyone who wants to mess with Slash.

Sib Hashian

He may not exactly be a household name, but Boston's drummer has one of the gnarliest 'fros in rock histroy (not to mention an excellent beard too).

Dusty Hill and Billy Gibbons

Though it's rare anyone sees the hair on their heads, these guys make the list based on their facial hair achievements alone.

Frank Zappa

He sure did look good in pigtails.

Lemmy Kilmister

He certainly isn't the most attractive guy around, but his hair/facial hair combo is classic, and to this day, the "Lemmy Beard" is one of my favourite facial hairstyles.

And a couple more of my personal favourites:

Paul Waggoner

The lead guitarist of prog-metal favourites Between The Buried And Me has some serious metal hair.

Claudio Sanchez

Hearing his voice while listening to Coheed and Cambria, you wouldn't think he looks anything like this. That could be part of the idea behind it.

Buzz Osborne

King Buzzo has been listed among the worst rock hairstyles by NME, but I'm a huge fan of the Melvins frontman's look.

And with that, this blog has been officially hijacked. Buzz Osborne was part of my inspiration for writing this blog in the first place, because I got a chance to see the Melvins (in a sense) last night. I say in a sense, because it wasn't the full Melvins lineup, but rather Melvins Lite, which consists of Buzz, drummer Dale Crover and stand-up bassist Trevor Dunn (who is not a member of Melvins, but has been touring with the band to round out the Melvins Lite lineup).

Yep, it's blurry cell-phone picture time.

I wasn't sure what to expect from the outfit, considering one of their drummers was missing and the bassist was playing a stand-up bass... But they put my doubts to bed right away, as they played a blistering set of Melvins tunes, as well as an excellent cover of Let Me Roll It by Paul McCartney & Wings.

 

If you've never listened to Melvins, I'd highly recommend checking them out. They're certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but if you're into slow heavy grunge, you'll probably get a kick out of them. They are friends of Nirvana and have a real history with the band. Drummer Dale Crover recorded with Nirvana in 1988, and it was the Melvins that initially introduced Dave Grohl to Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic.

Here's a taste of what seeing Melvins live has to offer. It's their entire set from Hellfest 2011. Enjoy!

 

Who gets your vote for best rock hairstyle?