Nick Heyward & Haircut 100, The Greatest Hits of Nick Heyward and Haircut 100 Review

Overall Rating

Most compilations of 80s pop stars have a good number of tracks that are played excessively on the radio, most newcomers to Nick Heyward will be able to enjoy The Greatest Hits without going through each track and saying "Yep I know that one," "what advert was this one from?" etc.

While Haircut 100 obviously played an important part in Nick's career, I'm sure the compilers could've put no more than two of their tracks on here, as Bonus Tracks maybe, to leave that little bit more room for Nick's solo material.

Nick became such a pin-up from his brief stint as Haircut 100 frontman, he could've quit the business for good following the breakup of the band and still be well-remembered today. The band's sole album, Pelican West, was a massive success in the UK and hits like "Love Plus One" and "Fantastic Day," two of five Haircut 100 tracks featured here, show exactly why with their bittersweet jangle and lyrics sang with a cheeky smile. Their mixing of tropical rhythms, celebratory horns and 60's guitar pop was cute enough for girls and in a goofy kind of way, funky enough for boys, topped with some schmaltzy introspective lyrics and a wink in the adults' direction. The HH100 material holds up surprisingly well today as does Nick's solo material which was a logical progression from styles explored on Pelican West, jumping between American funk tracks such as the shockingly good "Warning Sign" and more sombre, distinctly English guitar pop, Nick's blue-eyed, boyish croon never sounded sweeter than on "Blue Hat for a Blue Day" and his biggest solo hit "Whistle Down the Wind," both included here along with other criminally underrated, underplayed pop gems that any fan of 80s pop needs to uncover.