Haircut One Hundred or simply, Haircut 100, returns after more than 40 years following the release of their second album. Remember their second album, Paint and Paint (1983)? I don’t either. The band’s debut, Pelican West (1982) was a smash hit and yielded several chart hits.
“Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)”, “Love Plus One” and “Fantastic Day” were bright, poppy, jangly tunes full of bright, positive energy. Pelican West was produced by Bob Sargeant, an up and coming producer who also produced English Beat, The Specials, The Cure, The Joy Division, Gang of Four, A Flock of Seagulls, Dexys Midnight Runners and others. He definitely produced the 80s sound of British pop.
Haircut 100 rode in on the British New Wave, and lasted one album before main songwriter and vocalist Nick Heyward left the band. Stories vary on the reason for his departure, but he went on to the successful solo career, while the rest of the band recorded Paint and Paint, and broke up. Drummer Blair Cunningham had the most successful, joining The Pretenders and playing on a wide variety of other artists’ albums including Paul McCartney.
Heyward’s debut album was the beautiful and beguiling North of a Miracle (1983), produced by former Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick.
Meanwhile, as each pursued their own life, fans never got the short life of this Brit-Pop band. In 2004, VH-1 did a Bands Reunited episode about Haircut 100 which produced a one-off reunion. Over the next 20 years, various members of the band played together occasionally and talked of new music. In the early 2020s, Heyward, Cunningham, Les Nemes (bass) and Graham Jones (guitar) began playing together on a regular basis.
Instead of immediately going into the recording studio, they played gigs, recorded a live version of their first album, and enjoyed being a band – something they didn’t get to do following the initial release of Pelican West.
Once they entered the studio, they got down to business, but they also enjoyed the experience. Now in their 60s, these guys may stick around for a while. They certainly are reaching back to play songs from Pelican West.
“Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)”
Boxing the Compass
“Sunshine” is typical of Boxing the Compass. It’s jangly, riffing guitars giving out the ska groove, and tasty horns. Back in the day, the groove of the guitar and the punctuation of the horns gave their music a bouncy, dance rhythm, that wasn’t a disco beat, but a syncopated beat that got you on your feet.
“Come Back to Me” a bright, sunshine pop sort of song.
“Someone” is another jangly, riffy R&B flavored song with lots of swinging horns. “Vanishing Point” also fits into that R&B, funky groove.
“The Unloving Plum” Another soulful, well-crafted song.
“That’s a Start” Nicely arranged, another soulful, mid-tempo gem.
There’s not a bad song on the entire album. This is a treat, a band that picks up where they left off more than four decades earlier.
About half of the songs were written by Heyward, and the remainder were band compositions. The band handled the production, and supplemented the sessions with very talented musicians.
Final Thoughts…
Of the many bands that came and went during the 1980s, Haircut 100 is definitely one I’m pleased to see back. Success at a young age is not easy.
Here’s a cool, recent, live version of their old hit “Love Plus One” These guys still swing.
A recent TV interview. Fun to listen to them talk about old times.
Ticket 2 Ride 
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