The Irony of ZZ Top’s Frank Beard: No Beard in the Band

In one of rock’s most amusing ironies, Frank Beard, the drummer of ZZ Top, is the only member of the band without an iconic beard. Despite his last name, Beard joined ZZ Top in 1969 when the band was still relatively clean-shaven.

As ZZ Top rose to fame in the ’70s with their unique blend of country-fried blues rock, they took a hiatus in 1977. During this break, each member took a different path: Billy Gibbons traveled the world, Dusty Hill worked at an airport, and Beard focused on sobriety. Interestingly, none of them prioritized shaving.

When the band reunited two years later, Beard was taken aback by the impressive beards sported by Gibbons and Hill. He humorously noted, “I had a beard, but it wasn’t even near the beard they had.” After realizing he couldn’t match their facial hair, Beard opted to shave it off.

Gibbons later shared that the beards were a result of sheer laziness, stating, “Nobody had bothered to shave.” While Beard maintained a mustache, he recognized the practicality of not having a long beard while drumming. ZZ Top’s beards became a defining image for the band, even leading them to turn down a $1 million offer from Gillette to shave.

Source: loudwire.com

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