Haircut One Hundred -

Haircut One Hundred was an English new wave band that charted with the 1982 Arista album Pelican West and the hits “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl),” “Love Plus One,” and “Fantastic Day.” In 1983, singer Nick Heyward left for a solo career. The band continued with the 1984 Polydor release Paint and Paint.

Members: Nick Heyward (vocals, 1980-83), Les Nemes (bass), Graham Jones (guitar), Rob Stroud (drums, 1980), Patrick Hunt (drums, 1980), Tim Jenkins (guitar, 1980), Blair Cunningham (drums, 1981-84), Phil Smith (saxophone, 1981-84), Marc Fox (percussion, vocals, 1981-84)

Background

Haircut One Hundred formed in 1980 when singer–guitarist Nick Heyward and bassist Les Nemes moved to London and linked with guitarist friend Graham Jones.

Heyward and Nemes joint-hailed from multiple bands in their native Beckenham, including Boat Party, Captain Pennyworth, and Rugby. They most recently partnered in Moving England, a trio with (future Sex Gang Children) drummer Rob Stroud that cut the 1980 single “Moving Back” (b/w “Stretching Rack (Part 3)”) on one-press English Records.

As the new trio brainstormed over band names, Nick suggested “Haircut 100,” which sparked the most laughter. Under the guidance of (future I-Level) manager Karl Adams, they demoed material with drummer Patrick Hunt, who soon cleared for Memphis-born session drummer Blair Cunningham, whose background included 1977–80 albums by Denise LaSalle, Detroit Emeralds, Fern Kinney, and ex-Winkies frontman Philip Rambow.

In 1981, Haircut One Hundred expanded to a six-piece with saxophonist Phil Smith and percussionist Marc Fox, a former Peter Straker sideman. Arista signed the band, which entered Chalk Farm’s Roundhouse studios with Bob Sargeant, a onetime musician (in Sixties Tyneside mods The Junco Partners) who produced recent titles by The Monochrome Set and The Transmitters.

“Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)”

Haircut One Hundred debuted with “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)” in October 1981 on Arista Records. Written by frontman Nick Heyward and produced by Bob Sargeant, the track was recorded shortly after the band signed with the label. Sessions took place at Roundhouse Studios in Chalk Farm, London, and feature the band’s original drummer Pat Hunt, who departed soon afterward and was replaced by Blair Cunningham. The B-side, “Boat Party,” credited collectively to the band, shares rhythmic and guitar motifs with the A-side.

Built on a nimble rhythmic pulse and layered percussive guitar figures, “Favourite Shirts” aligned the band with the emerging “new pop” movement. The song was issued on both 7″ and 12″ formats, with the latter (CLIP121) featuring a 6:25 extended version distinct from the later compilation mixes. The single drew critical attention for its sharp musicianship, with Smash Hits likening its jazz-funk propulsion to the energy of early Dexys Midnight Runners.

7″ single (Arista CLIP1)
A. “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)” (3:02)
B. “Boat Party”

12″ single (Arista CLIP121)
A. “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)” (6:25)
B. “Boat Party” (5:10)

Haircut One Hundred made their first Top of the Pops appearance with the single’s entry at No. 40 on the UK chart on 29 October 1981. Within three weeks, it peaked at No. 4, where it remained for two weeks. It spent eight weeks in the UK Top 40 and fourteen in the Top 100. The single was certified Silver by the BPI for sales exceeding 200,000 copies. It also reached No. 41 on the US Billboard Disco Top 80 and No. 50 on the Mainstream Rock chart.

“Love Plus One”

Haircut One Hundred issued their second single, “Love Plus One,” in January 1982 as the follow-up to their Top 5 UK debut. Written by Nick Heyward and produced by Bob Sargeant, the track was recorded in 1981 and included on their debut album Pelican West. The arrangement is marked by nimble rhythm guitar, layered percussion, and punctuated horn accents, with a signature xylophone motif that introduces the track. Its playful tone and clipped phrasing solidified the group’s role in the new pop movement.

The single appeared on both 7″ and 12″ formats. The UK 7″ (CLIP2) featured “Marine Boy” as the B-side, while the 12″ (CLIP121) extended both tracks. In the US, Arista released “Love Plus One” with “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)” as the B-side. Early pressings do not state durations, but these were later specified on overseas variants.

UK 7″ (Arista CLIP2)
A. “Love Plus One” (3:35)
B. “Marine Boy” (3:33)

UK 12″ (Arista CLIP121)
A. “Love Plus One” (5:39)
B. “Marine Boy” (4:56)

US 7″ (Arista AS 0672)
A. “Love Plus One” (3:35)
B. “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)” (3:04)

“Love Plus One” entered the UK Singles Chart at No. 36 and peaked at No. 3, spending eleven weeks in the Top 40 and ending 1982 as the UK’s 14th best-selling single. The British Phonographic Industry awarded it Gold certification for sales exceeding 400,000 copies. It was Haircut One Hundred’s only major US hit, reaching No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 and charting at No. 8 on the Dance Club chart and No. 18 on the Mainstream Rock chart. It also reached the Top 10 in Australia and Canada.

Pelican West

Haircut One Hundred released their debut album, Pelican West, on February 26, 1982, on Arista.

The album contains twelve tracks, including the pre-released singles “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)” and “Love Plus One.” They developed the material from rhythm-based jam sessions, which Heyward distilled into compact, upbeat pop arrangements. Their layered blend of tightly interlocked guitars, syncopated percussion, and staccato horn charts gave the album a distinctively stylized sound that bridged dancefloor funk with crisp British pop structures

Pelican West builds its shape around brisk tempos, conga-laced rhythms, and tightly layered horn accents, with brief tonal shifts dividing its bright exterior. “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)” launches with syncopated guitar strokes over hand percussion, moving in short bursts as sax stabs punctuate the vocal line. “Love Plus One” runs lighter, centered on marimba patterns and a gently rising phrasing line that repeats over a constant rhythmic bed. “Lemon Firebrigade” lowers the pace, pairing sparse vocals with soft horn counterpoints and a loosely unfolding rhythm section that dips in intensity mid-verse. “Marine Boy” moves closer to a jazz-inflected sway, with soft piano interludes and open phrasing that floats above steady, brushed percussion.

“Milk Film” pares the arrangement back to straight guitar lines and lightly pulsed rhythm with minimal ornamentation. “Kingsize” and “Fantastic Day” return to the buoyant pace, built on extended instrumental breaks with dense layering of brass and guitar, each section circling its central motif with increasing speed. “Baked Bean” pulls the rhythm taut, stacking horn lines across a brisk, bass-driven pattern that pushes the tempo without modulation. “Snow Girl” flattens the dynamics, its vocal phrasing drawing longer lines over steadier rhythmic motion. The closing “Calling Captain Autumn” reintroduces layered percussion and intertwining horn figures, ending on a denser rhythmic cascade. Across the album, Haircut 100 maintain clipped structures and shifting textures, relying on rhythmic sharpness and repetition to sustain motion.

A1. “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)” – 3:06
A2. “Love Plus One” – 3:34
A3. “Lemon Firebrigade” – 3:56
A4. “Marine Boy” – 3:33
A5. “Milk Film” – 2:55
A6. “Kingsize (You’re My Little Steam Whistle)” – 4:25

B1. “Fantastic Day” – 3:14
B2. “Baked Bean” – 4:03
B3. “Snow Girl” – 2:56
B4. “Love’s Got Me in Triangles” (Heyward, Nemes) – 3:38
B5. “Surprise Me Again” – 3:19
B6. “Calling Captain Autumn” – 4:06

Sessions spanned autumn/winter 1981 with Bob Sargeant at Roundhouse Studios, where the six-man band employed three brass players: Additional trombonist Vince Sullivan and trumpeters Herschel Holder and Dave Lord.

In April 1982, Arista lifted “Fantastic Day” as the third single, which reached No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart. The group followed it with a non-album single, “Nobody’s Fool,” in August 1982, which also reached the UK Top 10.

Pelican West entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 2 and remained on the chart for several months. It reached No. 31 on the Billboard 200 in the US and also charted in New Zealand (No. 12), Australia (No. 27), and Sweden (No. 29). The British Phonographic Industry awarded the album platinum status for UK sales exceeding 300,000 copies.

Arista reissued the album as Pelican West Plus in 1992 with five bonus tracks, including B-sides “Boat Party” and “Ski Club,” along with 12″ versions of key singles. A 2CD deluxe edition followed in 1998 and was later reissued in 2016, adding non-album material such as “Nobody’s Fool,” further extended mixes, and a live recording of “Fantastic Day.”

Hayward Exits

In late 1982, Haircut One Hundred began experiencing internal strain during attempts to record new material. Tensions escalated when Nick Heyward stopped attending the sessions, halting progress on the planned single “Whistle Down the Wind.” In January 1983, the band postponed the release and issued a formal announcement confirming Heyward’s departure. At the time, he told Smash Hits that he had already begun work on solo material with outside musicians and had been considering the move for some time.

Years later, Heyward revealed that his absence stemmed from mounting stress and depression following a year of nonstop touring, promotion, and recording. He described the departure less as a voluntary split and more as a dismissal by the rest of the band, prompted by his inability to keep up with the group’s demands.

Following Heyward’s exit, percussionist Marc Fox stepped into the role of lead vocalist. The band wrote new material collectively—continuing the practice established on some of their B-sides—and signed with Polydor after leaving Arista. They reemerged in 1984 with the single “Prime Time.” Meanwhile, Heyward launched a solo career in early 1983, releasing “Whistle Down the Wind” under his own name in March. The single charted successfully and led into his debut album North of a Miracle, which reached the UK Top 10.

Paint and Paint

Haircut One Hundred released their second album, Paint and Paint, on July 6, 1984, on Polydor.

It marked the band’s first and only full-length release following the departure of vocalist and principal songwriter Nick Heyward in early 1983. Percussionist Marc Fox assumed lead vocal duties, while original drummer Blair Cunningham played on the sessions but was no longer credited as a formal member.

Paint and Paint favors mid-paced, syncopated arrangements that lean on crisp rhythm guitar, fluid fretless bass, and restrained brass accents. Mark Fox delivers with a light, measured tone that fits the subdued, almost weightless textures. “Prime Time” maintains a clipped rhythmic tension over a dry, minimal funk pulse, while “Where Do You Run To Now” pares the instrumentation back for a sparse, late-night ballad feel. Closer “Infatuation” escalates from subdued interplay into a layered finale with theatrical flair, pivoting toward big-band voicings and showtune modulation. Most tracks keep to polished surfaces and compact forms, trading spontaneity for control.

A1. “Fish in a Bowl” – 3:31
A2. “Immaterial” – 4:09
A3. “So Tired” – 4:14
A4. “The Hidden Years” – 3:28
A5. “40-40 Home” – 4:03
A6. “High Noon” – 3:42

B1. “Too Up, Two Down” – 3:53
B2. “Benefit of the Doubt” – 4:40
B3. “Prime Time” – 3:54
B4. “Where Do You Run to Now?” (Fox, Steve French) – 4:20
B5. “Infatuation” – 5:16

Sessions took place at the Roundhouse, AIR, and Jacob’s Studios in England with multiple producers: Bob Sargeant (returning from Pelican West), John Punter, Mark Dearnley, and the band themselves. Fox, Les Nemes, Graham Jones, and Phil Smith co-wrote the album’s material, crafting dense horn arrangements, funk-oriented rhythms, and layered guitar textures into more expansive structures than the concise singles of their debut. Steve French co-wrote one track and played piano and keyboards. Brass duties were divided among Guy Barker, Steve Sidwell, and three trombonists, including returning session player Vince Sullivan.

Polydor issued the album on LP (HCLP 1), cassette, and limited promotional editions. The cover featured a stylized monochrome portrait design distinct from the brightly-colored aesthetic of the band’s earlier visual branding.

The album’s three singles—“Prime Time,” “So Tired,” and “Too Up, Two Down”—appeared across 1983–84 in multiple formats with remixes, extended versions, and collectible pressings, including picture discs and novelty packaging.

Paint and Paint marked the end of Haircut One Hundred’s recording activity. In 1999 and again in 2017, the album was reissued as an expanded 2CD set including all related B-sides, extended 12″ versions, developmental mixes, and a BBC David Jensen session recorded in 1984.

Postlude

After Paint and Paint, the members of Haircut One Hundred moved into separate musical ventures. Blair Cunningham joined The Pretenders during sessions for their 1986 album Get Close, while guitarist Graham Jones resurfaced in Boys Wonder, a mod-tinged pop group that also included future Corduroy members Ben and Scott Addison.

Haircut One Hundred reunited with Nick Heyward in 2004 for VH1’s Bands Reunited, performing two songs but making no further appearances. In 2009, they reconnected via Facebook, leading to a full concert at London’s IndigO2 in January 2011, where Pelican West was performed in full and released as a live album.

Though they announced new material in 2013, no recordings surfaced. In 2022, the band promoted a Pelican West 4CD reissue with a BBC session and spring 2023 shows, followed by a UK autumn tour. In 2024, they toured North America with ABC and Howard Jones and released “The Unloving Plum.” In October 2025, they announced Boxing the Compass, due 20 March 2026.

Discography: