The Escalators

Nigel Lewis on guitar and Mark Robertson behind the drums established the Escalators in 1982, a fleeting British rock ensemble, once they had departed from the Meteors, the notable U.K. psychobilly group headed by Paul Fenech. Seeking broader musical horizons beyond the distorted rockabilly style associated with the Meteors, the pair enlisted bassist Bart Coles along with Woodie Taylor, who handled both guitar and drums, crafting a style that blended rockabilly, garage rock, and psychedelia into an ominous yet evocative sound. Following the release of several singles, their debut full-length record, Moving Staircases, appeared on Big Beat in 1983, though it marked the conclusion of their output as the band disbanded before year's end. Lewis and Robertson persisted by exploring intense garage rock in the Tall Boys, a new project they assembled soon after the Escalators dissolved. Thanks to the duo's appeal within circles devoted to unconventional British rock, Big Beat issued a CD re-release of Moving Staircases in 2006.