Haircut 100 front man Nick Heywood brings his solo tour to The Apex in Bury St Edmunds

Nick Heyward, began his career as the songwriter and frontman of Haircut 100. They rode the post-new-romantic-funk-wave of the early 1980s burning brightly, but briefly. The band had four UK top 10 singles - Fantastic Day, Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl), Love Plus One and Nobody’s Fool - and a platinum selling debut album, Pelican West, before they parted ways.

Following a great 2023, with a sell-out Haircut 100 reunion show and a joyous tour of the UK and Ireland, Nick Heyward has embarked on his first solo tour since the critically acclaimed Woodland Echoes album release tour in 2018.

Nick will be calling in at The Apex on Saturday, October 19, but we managed to catch up with him for a quick chat ahead of his tour.

Every young musician’s dream is to be successful/famous, but when you achieved it with Haircut 100 you walked away after just one year. Can you tell us why?

It’s simple really. We were an absolute mess with no management and too many hangers on.

But then you went solo - what had changed?

Initially it cleared up the mess and I got to work with Geoff Emerick and the fantastic musicians he knew from working with the Beatles.

Your career spans decades - what drives you to keep creating music and where do you get your inspiration?

I don’t really have a choice in the matter. Creative expression is just part of living. Sooner or later it’s going to happen, even if it’s not shared. It happens every day in one way or another. Some days it might just be a social media post, some days it might be poems and some days it’s songs - words and music. So, I just make sure I’m healthy because I find when I’m eating well and being on the move I can get in the groove. And long may it continue!

You had a huge year last year with Haircut 100 - how was it?

It was a wonderful surprise and we’re still so grateful and thankful because we all didn’t expect it to happen. Everything’s fallen into place and it’s karmic. It’s good karma because it’s been a long time coming because Les, Graham and I got our friendship back and that’s the most important thing.

Who did you think would stand the test of time from those 1980s groups?

I had no idea. I thought we all would. There were unquestionable talents like George Michael. I wish he was still here. Now it’s a case of who’s still with us, really, and healthy enough.

What did New Wave mean to you?

It meant the end of punk and the beginning of a more diverse bunch of artists. I think it was a really healthy period of songwriting and bands. I think it made some of the best albums that the world’s ever heard, like English Settlement by XTC and artists like Elvis Costello, and Squeeze flourished. I love how bands creatively transitioned from punk to new wave like The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Pretenders. I enjoying being there for the evolution of a band, like Depeche Mode from Just Can’t Get Enough to Enjoy the Silence. What a beautiful thing to witness.

H100 seemed to be having such a lot of fun in their early videos - was that really the case?

Yes. And now I can enjoy the direction and the concepts of those videos, because they were so influenced by that period. We had no idea what was going on and it was great to be part of the process and of the evolution of music videos.

What's your ‘go to’ band/artist to listen to now and why?

I will never tire of listening to the Beatles and watching Get Back. It says everything about being in a band. It’s all there and actually I’m really enjoying documentaries in general. Tina Turner, The Bee Gees, Clive Davis, Robbie Williams, The Eagles. Yea, bands and being in music. It’s a crazy, wonderful life.

Do you have any ambitions you are yet to fulfil?

Yea! I want to write books and open a healthy food café. Or better still, somewhere like Petersham Dairies in the middle of the countryside where there’s music and meditation.

What is the one piece of advice you would give a young musician just starting out?

Start a band. It’s more fun.

With your tour, coming to The Apex in Bury St Edmunds, what can the audience expect?

Now Haircut 100 is back together and we’re touring, I feel like I can dig into my catalogue more and celebrate the diversity of it. Even if it’s just narrating some of the songs - which I really enjoy doing. And I also enjoy talking about the creative process and social interaction - especially when it’s mutual.

Join Nick, and his four-piece band, for songs from across his entire 40+ year career, with a preview of new material at The Apex on Saturday, October 19 at 7.30pm. See www.theapex.co.uk or call 01284 758000 for tickets. Or visit The Apex box office in Charter Square Bury St Edmunds