The Escape Club: Glam or Nah?

Way back in the 80s there was a UK band called The Escape club and they had a massive hit in America with "Wild, Wild West." The song reentered my orbit Friday night while once again watching MTV classic 80s block (or something to that effect). Watching the clip for "Wild, Wild West" I was sort of struck by the song and how the band looked and then I started to wonder... were these guys Glam? Like, maybe a little?

Now they are very pop-oriented but so was Def Leppard in 1988. "Wild, Wild West" was a single that year. The track is from the album of the same name. I do not think it is much of a leap to think fans of Hysteria-era Def Leppard also jammed out to The Escape Club.

Now the video is insane and completely 80s. I remember watching the clip all those years ago and thinking how odd it was, even by 80s MTV standards. It garnered a lot of news coverage too. Press called it everything from sexist (it is), to modernist and innovative (yep) and just straight-up bizarre (check). Regardless, the weird little video helped make the band famous, at least for a minute. The members definitely look Glam to me. What do you think?

A making-of look back:

Comments

[Kixchix]

Not glam. Video not sexist. Cheers

[Gogmagog]

Honestly, I had forgotten just how much I disliked that song.

As far as being glam, I don't know that they're even in the same ballpark as rock/hard rock/glam/hair metal/metal, etc. Makeup, glitter and sequins don't make you glam (looking at you, Elton John!).

I get a definite Duran Duran wannabe vibe from this. While I think some of Duran Duran's catalogue is good, and a bit is very good, I don't see a lot of evidence for them being glam, either. After a quick glance of archived newspaper articles, most writers say they're part of the "new romantics" of British new wave. Not my area of expertise, so I could be wrong.

[Jeff]

As Dean Wormer would have said in Animal House "0.0" chance Escape Club is Glam

[Him]

Um, one hit wonder?!?! Not bad. Not good. Earworm that yielded nothing much beyond the song (so far as I know).

I'd be more interested in talking about why Doctor and the Medics didn't get more notice. I thought their remake of "Spirit in the Sky" was a silky slice of video oddness when it came out. I know they still 'exist'. But I thought they were onto something.

Can we now talk seriously about Animotion? Can we?!?!

[Bryon]

I always liked that song, but I definitely wouldn't classify them as glam.

[Jack T. Ripper]

Not sure what was sexist about that video. It’s a cheesy fun song from the 80”s ! LETS GO BRANDON!