The Evasions
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Founder | Adrian Sear, Nigel Martinez, Graham de Wilde |
| Defunct | 1996 |
| Products | Music singles |
The Evasions were a novelty music group that secured a UK chart hit single in 1981.
History
The lineup of The Evasions included songwriter Adrian Sear, producer Nigel Martinez, and television composer Graham de Wilde. For their notable single, de Wilde adopted the persona of broadcaster Alan Whicker, providing a humorous critique of the dance music culture in Whicker's unmistakable manner. The composition featured samples from Chic's "Good Times" alongside Tom Browne's "Funkin' for Jamaica."
Issued by the Soho-based Groove Productions label, "Wikka Wrap" was launched in June 1981 and unexpectedly climbed the charts. The Evasions showcased the track on Top of the Pops on 25 June, with the single reaching number 20 on the UK singles chart by early July.
Their next release was "Jock's Rap," a spoof of Grandmaster Flash's "The Message." This original song experienced renewed popularity in 1996 when Coolio incorporated samples—including de Wilde's vocals—into "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)." Following this, de Wilde produced a reinterpretation titled "1, 2, 3, For Real," released through the SMP label.
Following the success of "Wikka Wrap," Sear and de Wilde collaborated directly with Whicker on his series Whicker's World, for which de Wilde had composed the theme music. Whicker reportedly held their parody in high regard and was described as an exceptionally gracious individual.
External links
- Official website
- Discogs artist page