The Escape Club was a pop rock band based in London, England that formed in… Read Full Bio ↴The Escape Club was a pop rock band based in London, England that formed in 1983. The band consisted of lead singer/rhythm guitarist Trevor Steel, guitarist John Holliday, bassist Johnnie Christo and drummer Milan Zekavica. They're perhaps best known for the two smash new wave influenced singles "Wild,Wild West" and "I'll Be There", the former single becoming a number one U.S. pop hit.
In 1986, the band signed with EMI, and they subsequently recorded their first album, White Fields. which was released in 1987. Later in 1987, the group moved to Atlantic Records, frustrated with their energetic mix of hook-filled pop rock with dance music failing to break into the mainstream. Their next album, Wild Wild West, was released by Atlantic Records in the summer of 1988.
The first single, "Wild Wild West" (also known as "Wild,Wild West"), climbed to the number one slot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song's distinctive video also received a lot of MTV airplay. According to the Wild Wild West Songfacts, the song distinguished the Escape Club as being the only British group to have charted number one in the U.S. while never charting at all in the U.K.
In 1989, the group released two further singles from Wild Wild West: "Shake For The Sheik", which climbed to number 28, and "Walking Through Walls", which peaked at number 81. Hitting their stride, the Escape Club also had a cover single of The Doors' hard rock track "20th Century Fox" on the multi-artist collection 'The Wonder Years: Music From the Emmy Award-Winning Show & Its Era', which, in addition, meant long airplay on MTV. The band's official website reports that the song was produced by former Doors member Ray Manzarek.
In 1990, the band returned to the studio to record their what would be their final album, Dollars & Sex, which saw a March 1991 release. The first single, "Call It Poison", failed to crack the U.S. Top 40, which did not bode well for the quartet. Just when it seemed they would be considered a one-hit-wonder, Atlantic Records next released the slow ballad "I'll Be There". The group said the song was heavily influenced by the 1990 box office hit movie Ghost. "I'll Be There" reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. The group then called it quits in 1992. Frontman Trevor Steel has since worked as a solo singer-songwriter as well as a producer and television commentator.
In 1986, the band signed with EMI, and they subsequently recorded their first album, White Fields. which was released in 1987. Later in 1987, the group moved to Atlantic Records, frustrated with their energetic mix of hook-filled pop rock with dance music failing to break into the mainstream. Their next album, Wild Wild West, was released by Atlantic Records in the summer of 1988.
The first single, "Wild Wild West" (also known as "Wild,Wild West"), climbed to the number one slot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song's distinctive video also received a lot of MTV airplay. According to the Wild Wild West Songfacts, the song distinguished the Escape Club as being the only British group to have charted number one in the U.S. while never charting at all in the U.K.
In 1989, the group released two further singles from Wild Wild West: "Shake For The Sheik", which climbed to number 28, and "Walking Through Walls", which peaked at number 81. Hitting their stride, the Escape Club also had a cover single of The Doors' hard rock track "20th Century Fox" on the multi-artist collection 'The Wonder Years: Music From the Emmy Award-Winning Show & Its Era', which, in addition, meant long airplay on MTV. The band's official website reports that the song was produced by former Doors member Ray Manzarek.
In 1990, the band returned to the studio to record their what would be their final album, Dollars & Sex, which saw a March 1991 release. The first single, "Call It Poison", failed to crack the U.S. Top 40, which did not bode well for the quartet. Just when it seemed they would be considered a one-hit-wonder, Atlantic Records next released the slow ballad "I'll Be There". The group said the song was heavily influenced by the 1990 box office hit movie Ghost. "I'll Be There" reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. The group then called it quits in 1992. Frontman Trevor Steel has since worked as a solo singer-songwriter as well as a producer and television commentator.
Call It Poison
The Escape Club Lyrics
I just left Hollywood, California
Our countries have become sewers
Not only Hollywood
There's San Francisco and New York and other cities
But by and large Hollywood
That has filled the land and filled the world with filth
I woke up this mornin'
I couldn't get out of bed
Felt like this heavy band were playin' in my head
They were screamin' through the ceiling
Screamin' through the walls
Stealin' all my photographs and laughing at them all
Well, I phoned the man at work and this is what I said
I woke up this mornin' but I couldn't get out of bed
And I said
Oh-oh, oh-oh
"You call it poison, but I call it rock and roll"
I said
Oh-oh, oh-oh
"You call it poison, but I call it rock and roll"
The change of style felt out of place
Got myself a suntan and a facelift for my face
Down to the cathouse, cruisin' in L.A.
Found myself a pretty girl with nothin' much to say
Her conversation's like she comes from outer space
Got legs and long hair but I couldn't see her face
And she said
Oh-oh, oh-oh
"You call it poison, but I call it rock and roll"
She said
Oh-oh, oh-oh
"You call it poison, but I call it rock and roll"
Kick it
I say to you, mon, don't let them take your music away
'Cause you might play what you wanna play
And you might say what you wanna say
'Cause I must say
Bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum
Bum-a-biddly, bum-a-biddly, bum-a-biddly, bum
Bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum
Bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum
It takes an hour backcombing my hair
Chilling out on heavy grass and picking clothes to wear
Look in the mirror, walk out on the street
Bump into a policeman I didn't expect to meet
He said to me, "Hey, are you some kind of red?
Well, it looks to me, son, like you just got out of bed"
And I said
(Chorus)
Oh-oh, oh-oh
"You call it poison, but I call it rock and roll"
I said
Oh-oh, oh-oh
"You call it poison, but I call it rock and roll"
(Outro)
Bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum
Bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum
Bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum
Bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum
Oh-oh, oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh-oh
Our countries have become sewers
Not only Hollywood
There's San Francisco and New York and other cities
But by and large Hollywood
That has filled the land and filled the world with filth
I woke up this mornin'
I couldn't get out of bed
Felt like this heavy band were playin' in my head
Screamin' through the walls
Stealin' all my photographs and laughing at them all
Well, I phoned the man at work and this is what I said
I woke up this mornin' but I couldn't get out of bed
And I said
Oh-oh, oh-oh
"You call it poison, but I call it rock and roll"
I said
Oh-oh, oh-oh
"You call it poison, but I call it rock and roll"
The change of style felt out of place
Got myself a suntan and a facelift for my face
Down to the cathouse, cruisin' in L.A.
Found myself a pretty girl with nothin' much to say
Her conversation's like she comes from outer space
Got legs and long hair but I couldn't see her face
And she said
Oh-oh, oh-oh
"You call it poison, but I call it rock and roll"
She said
Oh-oh, oh-oh
"You call it poison, but I call it rock and roll"
Kick it
I say to you, mon, don't let them take your music away
'Cause you might play what you wanna play
And you might say what you wanna say
'Cause I must say
Bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum
Bum-a-biddly, bum-a-biddly, bum-a-biddly, bum
Bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum
Bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum
It takes an hour backcombing my hair
Chilling out on heavy grass and picking clothes to wear
Look in the mirror, walk out on the street
Bump into a policeman I didn't expect to meet
He said to me, "Hey, are you some kind of red?
Well, it looks to me, son, like you just got out of bed"
And I said
(Chorus)
Oh-oh, oh-oh
"You call it poison, but I call it rock and roll"
I said
Oh-oh, oh-oh
"You call it poison, but I call it rock and roll"
(Outro)
Bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum
Bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum
Bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum
Bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum-a-billy, bum
Oh-oh, oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh-oh
Oh-oh, oh-oh
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Spirit Music Group
Written by: John Christoforou, John David Holliday, Trevor David Steel, Milan Derek Zekavica
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Javier Ruiz Cueto
Remember being a child when this hit came out in the radio, I tape recorded and listen to it daily. I thought it was a heavy metal song but when I grew up I realized that it was a disco-danceable hit. Nevertheless it rocked. Great song.
The Escape Club
Thanks Javier
Keith Knight
Trevor and Johnny are good friends of mine. Not everyday someone of fame takes the time to talk with you. Great artists music is the bomb! Thanks guys for being my friend
Andre Reichenbacher
This was the lead single from their 1991 album Dollars & Sex. I was 13 then and I still love it to this day!
ThisIzTheEdge
I wasn't a big fan of TEC, but I did purchase this CD when it first came out because I was a HUUUGE fan of THIS song!! This song, this video - IT KICKS A$$! THis should have been a MAJOR HIT!
Lynn Marie Anderson
I've ALWAYS loved this song!!!!!!!☺💕💕💕
foxboro27
Damn, I love this song. No idea why it never became a hit.
JC
foxboro27 It’s still a mystery to this day
Big Guy’s 45’s
@JC This was a hit, just not a big one. Peaked as high as No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts in 1991,
DC-Tiki
For some reason the opening lyrics of this song randomly popped up in my head this morning and I went on a big internet search to seek out where they came from as I couldn't remember how the chrous went and thus the song's name. Now I'm getting hit with all kinds of early 90s nostalgia having rediscovered this little blast from the past. Thanks for sharing!