Escape Club

THE ESCAPE CLUB are pleased to announce the unveiling of their official website: www.theescapeclub.net. The site, which launched on Monday, September 17th features a full discography, bio, photos, video clips and much, much more.

The late 80s, pre-grunge era found radio saturated with cotton candy vocalists and guitar-based hair bands. Listeners were tired of the same ole, same ole and craving something a little more substantial. Enter THE ESCAPE CLUB.

THE ESCAPE CLUB, originating in the UK, ironically made a name for themselves with the release of the song "Wild, Wild West" (from the album of the same name) which flew to number 1 in the US before anyone in the band had ever set foot on American soil. THE ESCAPE CLUB filled a void in America, with well-crafted songs, often featuring a signature dance-rock beat, and always thoughtful lyrics. THE ESCAPE CLUB’s songs reflected the sentiments of a generation.

The success of the band’s "Wild, Wild West" single was nothing in comparison to the public reaction to the release of the song "I'll Be There," from their second album Dollars and Sex, which was written in memoriam of a friend of the band’s wife. The song, which still receives its fair share of airplay, struck a chord with individuals across the country who had recently lost loved ones. Letters began pouring in, thanking THE ESCAPE CLUB for helping them. It was a completely unpredictable and simply touching response.

In total, the band released two top 10 ("Wild, Wild West" and "I'll Be There") and three top 40 ("Walking Through Walls," "Shake for the Sheik" and "Call it Poison") hits between Wild, Wild West and Dollars and Sex. THE ESCAPE CLUB never officially broke up, but by 1992 they had drifted apart so much that it was mutually agreed that they were no longer a band. Lead singer Trevor Steel and Guitarist John Holliday, who had been the core songwriting team of the band continued to work together writing, producing and remixing artists including Sting, Bahamen, Louise, Stella Soleil, and Anita Spring. The two have also found time to put hours in on their musical collaboration, CLOUD 10 which intertwines compelling vocals and electronic music in songs which land somewhere between the electronica and popular music realms.

So why make their presence known on the web now?

Says Trevor: "We noticed that there seemed to be interest in the band when we surfed the web – people asking what happened to us, etc. plus a couple of sites devoted to our song 'I'll Be There.' We thought it was about time that we had a place where people could gather more information about the band as well as have a dialogue with us."

The website promises to offer what no other web locale does, a completely band overseen look at THE ESCAPE CLUB which merges the members’ experiences with those of the fans. Not to mention some rad games!

Topping the charts with their first single in America, England's Escape Club were hardly an overnight sensation, having been together for five years before their breakthrough. The group formed from the remnants of two groups, the Espressos and Mad Shadows, which had both been gaining momentum in London clubs before suffering personnel changes. Lead singer Trevor Steel and lead guitarist John Holliday were members of Mad Shadows, but when their drummer left, Espressos drummer Milan Zekavica was invited to join. By 1983, bass player Johnnie Christo had also been recruited by Mad Shadows and the group, renamed as Escape Club, began to play shows.

Escape Club soon released a single, "Breathing," through a small independent label, but it had little commercial impact. As a live act, though, the group's growing popularity led to a record deal with EMI. Their debut album, White Fields, was recorded with noted producer Scott Litt, but, despite garnering slots supporting tours with China Crisis and the Alarm, the band again failed to make any inroads commercially. They reentered the studio (this time with producer Chris Kimsey) and chose to pursue a direction that would integrate more dance elements into their sound. When the record was rejected by EMI, Atlantic signed Escape Club, releasing their album Wild Wild West in 1988. The title track, aided by heavy play of the accompanying video on MTV, climbed the charts in the States, ultimately topping it that fall and going gold along with the album. They managed to notch another Top 40 single with "Shake for the Sheik," and a minor hit with "Walking Through Walls."

In 1991, they released Dollars & Sex, opting for a more rock-oriented sound, but the lead single, "Call It Poison," which featured a sample from Deep Purple's Ian Gillan, stalled at number 44. More successful was the next track, "I'll Be There." Written in reaction to the death of a friend's wife, the song built momentum through listener requests and climbed into the Top Ten, earning Escape Club a second gold single. However, faced with heavy debts despite having two fairly successful records, the members of Escape Club drifted apart. Christo and Zekavica went on to pursue other projects, while Steel and Holliday became involved in writing and producing for others. Although they wouldn't record again as Escape Club, the band remained a known entity as '80s revivalists continued to embrace "Wild Wild West" into the new millennium. ~ Tom Demalon, All Music Guide