Nick Heyward: The Patron Saint of Sunny Sophistication

June 10, 2026

If the ‘80s were a movie, Nick Heyward wouldn’t be the guy brooding in the rain—he’d be the one riding a bike along the coast, soundtrack playing, life somehow making sense for three and a half minutes. That makes him a natural fit for a sunny week at sea for the 2027 voyage of The 80s Cruise. 

Heyward and his band Haircut 100 arrived in 1981 with a sound that felt like someone had taken new wave, jazz-funk, and a beach vacation and mashed them together. The band quickly racked up hits like Love Plus One, Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl), and Fantastic Day, all Top 10 UK singles that made them one of the brightest new acts of the moment. 

Haircut 100’s music blends punchy horn blasts, springy bass lines and Heyward’s warm and airy voice to create a truly unique sound. It was matched only by the band’s truly English fashion statement. Members sported riding pants, suspenders and bright, colorfully striped shirts. Other times, you might catch the gang all dressed in fishermen sweaters, like a catalog page out of a Yorkshire catalog. 

“I just wanted things to be very English,” Heyward told me in a 2018 interview on the Stuck in the ’80s podcast. “I was very blunt about things. But I think Haircut 100’s image was pretty blunt anyway.” 

Heyward described Haircut 100’s original lineup as a “six-cylinder engine.” Despite the magic, the lineup stayed together for only a year. But that year produced the album Pelican West, which raced to the No. 2 spot on the UK charts and No. 31 back in the U.S. Critics praised its “winning vocals” and “creamy saxophone” touches while hailing its “exhilarating and thoroughly British songs.” It would eventually be certified a platinum record. Still, the band didn’t survive long enough to enjoy their success. 

“It was because we weren’t run like a tight ship,” Heyward told me. “It was so intense what was happening. We hadn’t done any preparation for this stuff. It was just like bundling into the music business and then exploding and imploding and all the things going on and nobody being able to handle it at all. … It didn’t matter at all because I know that Pelican West is a brilliant record. So that’s that, that can never be taken away. That’s why I have great memories of that time. The other stuff just fades into the background and becomes meaningless drivel compared to the creative times and all the good times that you had.” 

Heyward began his solo career in 1983, immediately finding three Top 20 hits with Whistle Down the Wind, Take That Situation and Blue Hat for a Blue Day on his debut album. His solo work takes the Haircut 100 sound and adds jangly guitars, melodic hooks, and a maturing touch of melancholy and introspection.  

Heyward would return to the U.S. charts in 1993 with the single Kite, a buoyant anthem that reminds you how effortlessly he blends melody, optimism and momentum.  

Another year came, glorious sun 
I tried to be an acrobat before I could run 
The afternoon came, trumpets play 
Oh, oh, maybe I’ll get outta here one day

Watching Heyward live — whether in the early ’80s or during later reunions — is like seeing someone who genuinely enjoys being exactly where he is. His stage presence is more “charming frontman” than “rock god” with less strut and more smile. In a 2025 Haircut 100 reunion tour through the U.S., there was an added layer of appreciation coming from Heyward. The songs still sparkle, but now they come with a much-deserved sense of pride and gratitude. 

When Heyward takes the stage on The 80s Cruise, expect a sound that’s not busy being loud, moody, or synthesizer-obsessed. Just settle in and enjoy a setlist of songs that don’t just sound like the ‘80s — they feel like the best parts of it. 

(Steve Spears is the co-host and creator of the Stuck in the ‘80s podcast. His first book – “Stuck in the ‘80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined a Decade” – is an Amazon top seller. Steve and Brad Williams host Big 80s Trivia each year on The 80s Cruise.)