Author Archives: The Bald Guy

Everyone knows who Guns n Roses are, and everyone knows the name of their lead singer is Axl Rose. What you may not know is that Axl Rose has been struggling with hair loss for decades. Yup, that bandanna ain’t just a fashion statement. It’s a strategic prop in the illusion Axl wants you to believe. When GnR hit the scene there was no one like them. A combination of combustion and self destruction Axl Rose remains one of the most recognized front men in all of rock n roll. Part of Axl’s trademark look is wearing a bandana around the top of his head. He’s been doing this since the band first started in the mid 80′s, and he continues to wear them 25 years later. It’s not very often you will catch Axl without one on stage. That’s because even back then Axl started showing the early signs of male pattern baldness.

Axl Rose showing thinning hair early in his career

 Axl has always had very wispy thin hair. His hairline was starting to show recession back when the band started taking off. You can see in the early pictures back from 1986-87 that  Axl was already losing his hair. This is probably why he started wearing bandannas and sometimes hats anytime he was in public and on stage.

Axl without his trademark bandanna to hide his receding hairline

Over the next several years Axl’s hairloss appeared to only get worse. He was probably looking at a completely bald head in the next few years. Not exactly the look Axl was shooting for. Being the control freak that he is this must have driven him absolutely crazy. Here he is in the biggest rock band in the world, he’s filthy rich, he dates super models, but he could not stop his hair loss. How tiring it must have been to wear a bandana almost everyday of your life. Then in 1994 the band imploded and broke up. Over the next 7 years Axl would become a recluse and was almost never spotted in public. Rumors during that time said Axl was obsessed with his hair loss looking for a cure. While there is nothing strange about Axl losing his hair, what came next to conceal it was totally bizarre. In 2001 Axl finally started making public appearances again. He had a new look this time. He had some sort of cornrow braided hair extensions weaved into his thin hair. It was a shocking look. The weave looked awful and it was even slipping off his head. Its rumored Axl had a bad hair transplant or a scalp reduction that just didn’t look good. With no real options he had these cornrows weaved into the thin transplanted hair.

Axl Rose's cornrows are slip sliding away

Your eyes instantly drift to his hair. You can't help it, Right?

Someone must have tipped Axl off that the cornrow weave thing wasn’t happening. With that knowledge Axl ditched the braids. His next attempt at a cover-up wasn’t much better, a lace wig. This thing looked awful. The hairline was too low and his hair was way too thick and unnatural. It looked nothing like his real hair did. The lace wig period didn’t last long either. Again someone must have tipped Axl off.

 By this time hair transplantation procedures had greatly improved. It’s rumored Axl had another surgical procedure to restore his hair to some sort of presentable look. This transplant appears to have produced much better results and it’s his best look in years. Even so Axl still continues to wear a bandana, for better or worse its part of his identity. Oh and by the way, Guns N’ Roses have just been nominated to the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. Not too bad for a brother baldie. Axl we salute all that you have done to your head in the name of Rock N’ Roll!.