Kristin Cofer - Design That Kills

I feel as though I have discovered the missing link.  Not in the evolution of man, but in the evolution of my personal musical tastes.

Over the years of my musical journey of discovery, I’ve often thought about how some of  the musical artists I listen to have disparate sounds and imagery and how can the tough, greasy, leathery twang of my rockabilly records fit harmoniously in my collection with the fey, glittery whimper of glam rock and brit pop, other than coming to the lazy conclusion that I just have diverse interests?  That is, until I discovered the man in this video via Kristin’s i-Pod.  It took me some time to figure out who he was, though, as the only information listed on Kristin’s i-Pod is that it was performed by someone named “Vince Ta,” and she informed me that it played before Morrissey’s performances during his tour a few years ago.

The first stop in my research into this character’s identity was an old Morrissey messageboard thread (after Google-ing ‘Morrissey tour videos’) in which people discussed the Moz tour videos.  An air of mystery seemed to surround this black leather-clad rocker.  Who exactly was he?  Was this Elvis?  Ricky Nelson?  Morrissey himself in costume?  The latter assertion made me think, perhaps, that Mr. Morrissey was indeed putting me on.  Maybe he hired a young dark-haired model to be super-imposed into a fifty year-old music video, similar to what Weezer did with their ‘Buddy Holly’ video? Scrolling further down the thread, however, one poster informs the rest of the readers that the man is, in fact, Vince Taylor.  Had Kristin’s i-Pod screen been wide enough to show the full name, I could have saved myself a little bit of time!

Next stop was entering his name into the Wikipedia database. Here I found a wealth of information regarding the interesting life of Vince Taylor, who was born Brian Maurice Holden. His stage name was influenced by a phrase on a pack of Pall Mall cigarettes. He was born in England, but when he was seven, his family moved to New Jersey. When his sister married Barbera (of Hanna-Barbera), the family moved to Hollywood. Later, after being influenced by Elvis Presley and Gene Vincent (which was apparent to me upon first viewing of his video–it’s like if you took the crazy legs of Gene Vincent and attached them to the swiveling hips of Elvis Presley, you’d have a Frankenstein of Vince Taylor) he began gigging back in England after taking a business trip there with his cartoon-creating brother-in-law.  He became wildly popular in the French rock scene.  He apparently went crazy from a combination of acid, amphetamines, and alcohol.  He died at the age of 52 in 1991.

But in reading all of these facts, nothing explained to me how I could have possibly overlooked this impressive musical presence! Knowing of his existence now, it’s clear to me that he is the missing link in the progression of my musical interests from glam/brit-pop to rockabilly and all in between, back and forward and around again. David Bowie (a former obsession of mine), has stated that Vince Taylor’s rise to stardom and unfortunate fall into mental instability was his main influence in creating the Ziggy Stardust character.  Morrissey thought highly enough of the guy to include his video in the pre-show films.  Morrissey was greatly influenced by David Bowie. Vince Taylor was British but moved to the States but then back again, but not before he picked up the very American rockabilly style of music, hence leading the ‘American Invasion’ in Britain.  Morrissey, in 1992, sought out rockabilly musicians, most of whom he still collaborates with, to be his back-up band.

The discovery of Vince Taylor, then, has closed the gaps in the synapses of my brain. They’re firing again, and everything musical now makes sense to me.

Ladies and gentlmen, I present to you, Vince Taylor:

That smile. That hair. That big-ass chain around his neck!

Daddy-o was sporting the full black leather long before Elvis did in his ‘68 comeback special.

The man had the moves, too!

This guy was so punk, the Clash covered him.

May you rock in peace, Vince!

-Richard Wayne, founder of the Men’s Organization for the Utilization of Style and Taste in the Advancement of Countenancial Hair Enhancements (MOUSTACHE)

Though I love a good deal of Bob Dylan’s music, I will admit that my admiration for him is based more on his status as an icon and what he stands for and less on a deep knowledge of his vast discography.   But I will argue that, unlike basically every other musician, Bob Dylan has gotten better with age.  Take, for example, my favorite Dylan album, Time out of Mind. It was released in 1997, a good three-and-a-half decades into his career. Another hero of mine, Nick Cave, is right at about 30 years into his career and has already made a few albums in a direction toward artistic irrelevancy.

Since this is primarily a fashion blog, though, I’d like to speak to Dylan’s personal style. Much as he’s been able to crescendo his craft, he’s also been making progressively cooler fashion decisions. The unassuming fuzzy-haired folkie has gradually evolved into the present-day sartorially elegant old-west gamblin’ ramblin’ cowboy oultlaw, complete with an impeccably groomed Gable-esque moustache.

Behold:

Mr. Dylan, you are one SUAVE motherf-er!

-Richard Wayne, founder of the Men’s Organization for the Utilization of Style and Taste in the Advancement of Countenancial Hair Enhancements (MOUSTACHE)

I’ve always been of the opinion that Tuesday is the worst day of the week. Monday is a fresh start; Wednesday is hump day; Thursday is almost Friday; and Friday is Friday! What is Tuesday but filler in our corporate, capitalist workweek? Therefore, to perk up our spirits (and our facial follicles) on this 24-hour span of time that serves as little more than wadding between Monday and Wednesday to keep them from catastrophically colliding into one another, Tuesday shall henceforth be known as “Moustache Day” at designthatkills.

But before I begin today’s topic, it has been brought to my attention that I neglected to include a key style of facial adornment in last week’s entry: the leather daddy moustache (known to some as the “Zapata”). Behold perhaps the most recognizable example:

(Thanks, Dee!)

Now, moving along…in light of our nation’s recent presidential election, I thought I’d dedicate this entry to the presidential moustache, and in particular to Howard Taft, who held the position from 1909-1913 and was the last U.S. president to wear facial hair.

Taft also has the dubious distinction of being the heaviest president ever, weighing in at 300+ pounds. However, as would seem evident from his staunch advocacy of world peace, Mr. Taft was a gentle giant. I like to think, then, that President Taft was a jolly fellow and that his upturned handlebar moustache was simply an extension of his smile.

And to all of you presidents since–what gives? What’s your beef with facial hair? You know, I think Mr. President-to-be Obama wouldn’t look too shabby with maybe a little pencil ’stache. What do you think?

Come on, Mr. Obama, bring the change that this country really needs!

-Richard Wayne, founder of the Men’s Organization for the Utilization of Style and Taste in the Advancement of Countenancial Hair Enhancements (MOUSTACHE)

I, Richard Wayne (alias Richard Wayne Brown, alias Mr. Hiss, alias the Vampire Cowboy of the previous entry), would like to announce the founding of the Men’s Organization for the Utilization of Style and Taste in the Advancement of Countenancial Hair Enhancements (MOUSTACHE).   This organization dedicates itself not only to the appreciation of men’s facial hair adornments, but also to the advocation of responsible application and grooming of these whiskers to titivate one’s countenance.

Examples of MOUSTACHE-approved beards:

Proprietor of The Misanthrope Specialty Co. and frequent subject of the Sweetie Pie Press Blog entries, Reverend Aitor (and his handlebar):

Outlaw Americana musician, Hang Jones, and his reverse goatee:

The trash ’stache of sartorial cowboy and Birthday Party bassist, Tracy Pew:

Val Kilmer as the dashing Doc Holliday:

Your humble author’s own attempt at a similar old west style:

And I’d be remiss to omit the impeccably groomed whiskers of Mr. Clark Gable:

For more information about MOUSTACHE and/or receiving a handlebar moustache postcard designed by Richard Wayne, please leave a comment.