Haircut 100 : Classic or Dud

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

im not sure.

― remdog, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

they aren;t exactly classic, but not dud either. What did they release, 2 albums? both are decent wiht a few great singles/

― g, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

maybe we should expand to cover nick heyward as well.

― g, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

so i will say: most of his solo albums are pleasant but forgettable.

― g, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

dud.

― Norman Phay, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

They sort of represent the nadir of British new wave, being so much about haircuts and sweaters and dance-lite. At least they broke up early. Nick Heyward's album with the checkered table cloth, From Monday to Sunday, has some swell tunes.

― Curt, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

They sort of represent the nadir of British new wave, being so much about haircuts and sweaters and dance-lite

They were part of a reaction against the punk orthodoxy - both in terms of a new look and also embracing funk and disco music. For a while Nick Heyward represented the pinnacle of the kind of look that I liked. I remember on one occasion cutting out a little photograph of him and saying to the hairdresser 'that's how I want it done'. And S. Fisher in Burlington Arcade (later in Covent Garden as well - but closed down about 1990) was the place to go for the best sweaters. Musically...ok it wasn't the heaviest of funk in retrospect. ABC's take on pop-funk has worn a lot better.

― David Inglesfield, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Pelican West & Favourute Shirts 12" = Classic.

― Jeff W, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What Jeff said, plus Fantastic Day is good.

There was a time (81/82) when this frothy pop-funk was kind of good to have around. You knew their hearts were in the right place, even if the end result was a bit goofy.

― Dr. C, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Nick was cute

― erik, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

he;s still around, see:

http://www.nickheyward.co.uk/

― g, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Solo albums are pretty good if you happen to like craftsman like rock classicism (which sounds pretty darn awful thinking about it). From Monday to Sunday is indeed worth listening to (as are parts of North of a Miracle), but the follow up, Tangled, is as dreary as a kitchen sink full of unwashed dinner plates.

Rather more extraordinary is his physique. In Haircut 100 he looks like the school swot who'd get his head kicked in behind the bike sheds, now he's like Arnold Schwarzenegger's young brother.

― Billy Dods, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I can't believe that nobody has mentioned what a brilliant single "Nobody's fool" is - it may be couched as a love song but you get the feeling that Nick has suddenly grasped the idea that fame and fortune aren't that great and he doesn't want to play the game - hence the collapse of Haircut 100 and a solo career. But that one single - easily their finest moment.

― Rob M, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

In Japan Nick and Haircut 100 are lauded as one of the original and best purveyors of 'neo-aco': which basically runs from them and Orange Juice, through Pale Fountains and the like, to the better and cuter C86-era bands.

Cornelius' former band Flippers Guitar - J-pop's first 'indie' band - had a single called "Haircut One Hundred", which for the record is a rip-off of "My Ever Changing Moods" by the Style Council.

― Darren, Saturday, 9 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

four months pass...

Just bought Pelican West cheapo in the Tower sale - what an odd little record it is. So I thought I'd revive this thread.

― Tom, Saturday, 13 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Classic. Love Plus One is brilliant.

― Chris, Friday, 19 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, Pelican West is brilliant! Nick Heyward worked well in a band. I also have this 12" called 'Nobody's Fool'. That and the B- side are really good, but I couldn't even listen to all of I Love You Avenue, once I managed to get past the title. Well, I might try it again some day, once I get a record player. 'Milk Farm' is really good as well. If only I could figure out the lyrics.

― youn, Friday, 19 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

two years pass...

"Tangled", "From Monday to Sunday" and "The Apple Bed" are classy albums, no question. Nick Heyward is a great songrwriter.

HC100 only released one album - Pelican West. A pop-funk classic. One of the best releases of the 1980's.

― Spiceboy, Thursday, 4 November 2004 10:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Pelican West is a jolly good record!!!! Tho I notice for some reason nearly all of the tracks start with Nick Heyward's guitar!!! Was he some sort of guitar dictator or something?!?!?! Was there something in the band members contract that stated he had to start ever song, even if it was drum solo?!?!?!?!?!

― Old Fart!!! (oldfart_sd), Thursday, 4 November 2004 15:32 (twenty-one years ago)

The rest of haircut 100 made a second album, yeah?

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 4 November 2004 15:36 (twenty-one years ago)

four months pass...

i love nick heyward hes the best singer ever

― alison townley, Monday, 14 March 2005 11:17 (twenty-one years ago)

What I wrote about the Haircuts several centuries ago.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 14 March 2005 11:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Nick Heyward has done a lot of great stuff. Haircut 100 was only so-so, even though "Love Plus One" had its qualities.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 14 March 2005 12:03 (twenty-one years ago)

wow, Marcello!

― youn, Friday, 18 March 2005 05:45 (twenty-one years ago)

"Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)" is so classic. I wore that record out.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 18 March 2005 08:02 (twenty-one years ago)

The rhythm guitar wears *me* out!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 18 March 2005 08:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm glad Marcello took Nick Heyward's lyrical ambitions (semi-)seriously. I think he is right about the three elements. The piece was analytical but seemingly effortless and a pleasure to read.

― youn, Friday, 18 March 2005 08:38 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

Snow Girl: Classic!

― Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Friday, 13 May 2005 09:19 (twenty years ago)

i was listening to "fantastic day" in the gym this morning. good horns.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Friday, 13 May 2005 09:34 (twenty years ago)

in the song, that is. not the changing room.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Friday, 13 May 2005 09:34 (twenty years ago)

eleven months pass...

yes i see think that haircuts 100 are in fact a properly FANTASTIC band! well done nick heyward you're FANTASTIC! i kissed you in stockholm! you were FANTASTIC!

anja

― anja j, Sunday, 7 May 2006 00:10 (nineteen years ago)

two years pass...

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn306/Floridian_20/HaircutOneHundred.jpg

I'm really liking what I'm hearing of Pelican West. I didn't know it would be so jazzy and/or catchy. I've heard almost the whole album now and I think it's pretty darn cool. I'm surprised, I must say. They even sound like Chic sometimes.

― Earl of Gothington Manor (Bimble), Sunday, 3 May 2009 02:00 (sixteen years ago)

one year passes...

yes i see think that haircuts 100 are in fact a properly FANTASTIC band! well done nick heyward you're FANTASTIC! i kissed you in stockholm! you were FANTASTIC!

― corey, Saturday, 30 April 2011 21:24 (fifteen years ago)

LOVE PLUS ONE IS BIG SHOTPUT. HHMMFFF

― Jessie Fer Ark (Mobbed Up Ping Pong Psychos), Sunday, 1 May 2011 22:12 (fifteen years ago)

two years pass...

The Apple Bed (which gives away the beatles thing in the title) is a pretty underrated power-pop album. Surprised it doesn't get more love. I've been rediscovering "Dear Miss Finland" off of that, which comes off like prime Sloan or the like. I guess it sticks out of his catalog a bit.

But actually came here to mention that I never bothered to check out his collaboration with India Dupre "The Mermaid and the Lighthouse Keeper" because I always assumed it was a kids album. I was wrong, and it's a pretty great soft pop album that has her and Nick taking turns on lead vocals. Reminds me a lot of something that the el records crowd might have cooked up. So like Apple, it might throw off people who like the "standard" Nick Heyward sound, but it's very worthwhile. Fans of Louis Philippe, Scarlet's Well, that sort of thing, take note.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo4h7NR4P7M

― dlp9001, Tuesday, 1 April 2014 18:21 (twelve years ago)

Classic. Also, the Bands Reunited episode with Haircut 100 was a lot of fun and they sounded great when they played live at the end.

― everything, Tuesday, 1 April 2014 19:57 (twelve years ago)

'Fantastic Day' is a classic, as far as I'm concerned. I like one or two of their other songs, of course, but that particular track is one of my all-time favourites.

― Toni Braxton-Hicks (Turrican), Tuesday, 1 April 2014 19:58 (twelve years ago)

six years pass...

Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) is pretty much a facsimile of Talking Heads' I Zimbra!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpZ7-9Bnpg4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKFn66dzdz0

― Gerneten-flüken cake (jed_), Friday, 4 September 2020 22:20 (five years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.