My Fantastic 80s Hey-Day
The Haircut 100 frontman and solo favourite talks about festivals and his half-Scots kids
TOMORROW is going to be a Fantastic Day.
Nick Heyward of Haircut 100 fame joins a stellar line-up including OMD, Squeeze, Level 42, The Selector and Scritti Politti for Let’s Rock Scotland at Dalkeith Country Park, Midlothian.
Nick, 61, has some cracking tunes in his pop bag including Favourite Shirts and Love Plus One as well as solo hits such as Whistle Down the Wind.
Nick, who reveals he’s getting Haircut 100 back together, tells all…
Have you been doing retro festivals a while?
For ages. They’re great fun and I enjoy singing Fantastic Day. Anywhere. Any time.
Have you become friends with any of your 80s rivals now?
Martin Fry from ABC. We work together regularly. I saw him the other night.
Do you enjoy coming to Scotland?
Every time. Holidayed lots. I made a video in Glen Coe for Whistle Down the Wind. I spent lots of time in Glasgow in Babbity Bowster.
Couldn’t wait to visit when the band took off. It was like a mythical place for bands. I sent Bobby Bluebell a postcard and put Scotland as the address. It got to him! I have a lot of respect for the Scottish postal service.
Your ex-wife is Glaswegian, so are your kids half-Scottish?
Yes, of course! My son got married at Loch Lomond last year. Marion (Nick’s ex-wife) went to the same school as Clare Grogan.
Any gig stories playing in Scotland?
We played in Edinburgh Coasters and the power went out. So the DJ put on Favourite Shirts and we mimed it like we were on Top of the Pops.
Everyone got into it. The sound came back and the gig turned out great. I remember Ultra Tech (in Glasgow) being a particularly fantastic night.
Can you remember your first Scottish gig?
Maestros. That’s where I met Marion.
Did some fans think Haircut 100 were Scottish because of the Aran sweaters (getting mixed up with Arran)?
They used to mix us up with The Fureys, an Irish folk band whose manager said to me on Top of the Pops: “How did you get them to wear Aran sweaters? I’ve been trying to get mine to do that for years!”
You have talked about your battles with mental health. How was lockdown for you?
Initially I loved how sleepy it was. It was like the whole world was taking time out. Perfect. But dealing with all the needless loss of life was heartbreaking.
I still can’t believe how all the death has been swept under the carpet. Like it didn’t actually happen, when it did.
Your first solo hit Whistle Down the Wind is 40 next year, as is your debut solo album North of a Miracle. Will you be marking it?
I’d love to do a full orchestral celebration of it somewhere magnificent.
Did Top of the Pops ever apologise for the Whistle Down the Wind incident and how do you feel about it now?
I wasn’t the best mimer. I’d rather sing live but I do enjoy miming because you spent so long recording the vocal to capture the best out of your performance, so I don’t think my view has changed much.
Accidents happen. But it is hard miming to silence, especially in front of millions of people who think you’re just not singing.
You must be chuffed that people still love your music?
I am. The older I get the more I realise how sweet that part of pop history was.
Any plans to get Haircut 100 back again for a new tour?
There are. Watch this space.
What do you think of modern music?
The majority of music I like seems to be played on NPR (US National Public Radio) these days. There’s still a healthy independent music scene there.
I like Kamasi Washington, Fantastic Negrito, Cory Wong, White Denim, Patrick Watson, Anna Meredith, Sven Helbig, Max Richter, Lizzo. It all depends on when you hear it.
Let’s Rock Scotland at Dalkeith Country Park is on tomorrow. Tickets at letsrockscotland.com