The Haskels “The Haskels” 1979/2019. Splunge Records. Milwaukee punk/power pop recorded in ‘79 but never released until the master tapes were compiled (by MKE author/producer/music scene fixture and historian Clancy Carroll) and released on limited edition vinyl. The Haskels had a huge influence on the Milwaukee scene in the late 70′s and its members would go on to perform with bands like the Oil Tasters, The Dominoes, Violent Femmes and the BoDeans. While their sound is definitely their own, some tracks (written by singer/guitarist Presley Haskel aka Jerome Brish) are reminiscent of the Ramones – a 60′s pop-influenced punk/power pop sound – like “Baby Let’s French” (it’s bouncy and catchy as hell) and “Stay Up All Nite.” Others songs (written by Richard LaValliere) have a much darker edge, more Dead Boys-esque with a touch of Cramps psychobilly like one of my favorites “Liberace Is Coming” (also hilarious because the song makes the flamboyant Milwaukee-native pianist feel like a force of evil) and also “Chinese Vacation” and “Psycho Hairdo.” I was way too young in ‘79 (and anyway not even living in Milwaukee yet) to have been a part of that scene, but continue to reap the rewards of a scene that still has musicians performing who were directly influence by The Haskels.