In 2005 in Adelaide, having a beard was shunned upon, yet a group of four guys took it upon themselves to turn that ideal around. Now 10 years down the track The Beards are about to celebrate a decade of spreading the good word about the beard to the world. 2015 is year of the beard and when I got the opportunity to speak to Nathaniel Beard recently, he was excited about what 2015 has in store.
“Mate! Let’s just get something straight right from the start of this interview. 2015 is year of the beard and this is a call out to all non-bearded men to rectify their ways. The best way to achieve growing a beard is doing nothing. If there is one message I’d like to get across with this interview, it is quit your job and grow a beard. If that’s not an option, just stay well clear of bearded men this year. Just take a backseat role in society because it is no longer just about you anymore,” Nathaniel says.
If you have been to a show of The Beards you would have witnessed first hand the awkward situations that come up with clean-shaven men standing at the front of the room. Beard haters as Nathaniel relates are the worst.
“To put it plainly, if someone adamantly doesn’t like beards, then we adamantly don’t like them. It makes playing to audiences a little awkward at times, yet we encourage the non-bearded to come to our shows,” he says.
“If they can sit through an hour and a half of finely crafted beard related propaganda anthems, we’re convinced they will change their opinions by the end of the set. We present compelling arguments throughout our songs. We set out to change people’s opinions about beards and all across the world now there is a beard revolution.”
Over the next two months (March-May) the band are set to tour around the country with their new album The Beard Album. Entitled the Strokin’ My Beard tour, this run of shows is quite possibly the biggest tour the band has done, taking parts in all states of the country and even with a show in Alice Springs.
“This is the first time that we are playing in Australia for 2015 having toured throughout Europe all last year and we are darn excited to be back again. You could be forgiven for thinking that after 10 years of singing about beards we have run out of inspiration. You would be dead wrong though! We have never been more serious about singing about beards and our beards are longer than ever before and we can’t wait to take the bearded message to the people.”
One of the bands most infamous gigs was playing at the world moustache and beard championships in Anchorage, Alaska. As Nathaniel relates, it was a bit of a pinch yourself moment. “It was great being there and in Alaska surrounded by the best beards. I didn’t like the moustache aspect too much though, I must admit. It was a little sad that they were lumping in beards and moustaches together. Can’t they have their own world championships?”
Put away those trimmers Forte readers, the Beards are headed around the country and you better have your face fuzz in check!
When&Where: Karova Lounge, Ballarat – March 18, Spirit Bar & Lounge, Traralgon – March 19, Barwon Club, Geelong – March 20 & The Hi Fi Bar, Melbourne – March 21
By Tex Miller
