Formed in Kent in 1980, Haircut 100 lit up the charts in 1981 and 1982 with music so cuddly and safe it could only have ever followed the terror of punk as some kind of PG Certificate antidote.
They secured a deal with Arista Records where they were placed in the hands of producer Bob Sargeant. Their teen appeal and smooth pop-punk sound were perfect for the time and it came as no surprise when their debut single, Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) climbed to #4 in the British charts.
Love Plus One and Fantastic Day were gorgeous pop songs, elevating Beckenham lad Nick Heyward (pictured below right) to perfect pop star status – an eternal teenager with dimples and catalogue clothes.
By 1983 Heyward had “gone solo” and while Blue Hat For A Blue Day was as honeyed as anything he’d ever done, his songs were becoming increasingly bland.
Nonetheless, his solo career proved quite fruitful, with several albums and hits such as Whistle Down The Wind, Take That Situation and Warning Sign.
A mid-90’s attempt at reinvention on Creation failed to re-ignite the spark. The ‘Let’s Go Round Again’ Tour of 2002 featured Nick Heyward along with Go West and Curiosity Killed The Cat.
Nick Heyward
Vocals, guitar
Graham Jones
Guitar
Les Nemes
Bass
Phil Smith
Saxophone
Blair Cunningham
Drums
Mark ‘Ilford’ Fox
Percussion
