Simply R-ED
Our resident DJ/journo raises a goblet of carrot juice to Ed Sheeran and his fellow musical gingers
COMMENTARY
Ginger pop god Ed Sheeran has the No 1 album in the UK with X (pronounced "Multiply" which I'm sure gives him a warm glow of smugness). It has had the longest run atop the charts since Adele's 21.
His new single Don't, released this week, is sure to be another winner for him following hot on the heels of his smash-hit Sing.
Question: If Ed Sheeran didn't have that distinctive shock of red hair, would he still be Ed Sheeran?
Imagine if he just had brown hair.
He wouldn't look quite so cuddly and vulnerable, would he?
He wouldn't look so distinctive. His cool nerd charm would be lessened by at least 63 per cent, in my estimation.
He'd be just like your average pasty, flabby, tattooed Brit rather than a romantic Celtic minstrel.
You know it's true.
Sheeran isn't the only rock star who has enjoyed the advantage of being a ginger.
Axl Rose, the lead singer of Guns N' Roses, benefited enormously from his fiery orange locks. Imagine him with more of a chestnut colour - all his feral fierceness would melt away.
As a redhead he looks like a satanic pixie; as a brunette he'd be just an angry little man.
Speaking of Satan, let's not forget the sinister-looking Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, also known as The Ginger Elvis.
His close-crop of red hair is an outer manifestation of his inner fire.
There's also Mick Hucknall, who presumably named his band Simply Red in honour of his glorious ginger fro.
Which brings us to Ginger Spice - aka Geri Halliwell - whom I'd consider to be one of the top five Spice Girls.
Let us not forget dangerous Dave Mustaine of Megadeath, or the beguiling Shirley Manson of Garbage, or the witchy songstress Tori Amos.
You can keep your Britney blondes and your Beyonce brunettes. For my money, gingers rule.
Their rarity lends them an air of mystery.
When Ed Sheeran sings I See Fire, it's the hair that really helps sell it.
I mean, after all, the fire's hanging right in front of his eyes.
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