The Haskels

The Haskels was Power Pop, Punk band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Rising like the phoenix from the ashes of the first version of the band; The Haskels served up heavy doses of three minute, adrenaline-fueled hard Punk/Pop, as evidenced on the highly sought after, Killed By Death bootlegged, "Taking The City By Storm" EP released in 1980 on their own Milwaukee Hits label. Now the full story of the band can be heard, seen, and told. As the decade turned from the rust belt '70s to the Reagan-era '80s, the original Haskels (see their self titled LP on Splunge) split into two factions, with the local Punk/New Wave/Post-Punk scene moving to the gritty Starship club in downtown Milwaukee. The Haskels were instrumental in getting bands to play the venue, including the Oil Tasters, Plasticland, Ama-Dots, Shivvers, Die Kreuzen and a burgeoning Violent Femmes. The version of the Haskels represented here initially included Presley Haskel and Gerard LaValliere, fresh from the first line up of the band; joined by the crack rhythm section of Bobby Mitchell and Vodie Rhinehardt. Later tracks, including the EP were recorded by the Presley/Bobby/Vodie trio. In either case, the material is a match made in Punk Pop heaven; coupling Presley's knife-sharp songwriting sensibilities with a tight unit of A-Team musicians driving the music forward. We're sure you'll dig hearing these long-lost gems.

Taking The City By Storm 7'' (1980)

01 - Taking The City By Storm

02 - Body Language

03 - Daddy's Girl

04 - Baby Let's French

The Haskels (2019)

01 - Baby Let's French

02 - Liberace Is Coming

03 - Hard To Smile

04 - Born To Eat Cake

05 - Deadman's Shoes

06 - Drop The Bomb

07 - Little Dolls

08 - Chinese Vacation

09 - Stay Up All Night

10 - Psycho Hairdo

11 - Body Language

12 - Walk To The Beach

13 - Rock & Roll Hoodlums

14 - Haskel Hotel

Taking The City By Storm (2020)

01 - Taking The City By Storm

02 - Body Language

03 - Daddy's Girl

04 - Baby Let's French

05 - Living With A Sense Of Purpose

06 - Rock And Roll Hoodlums

07 - In Between Girls

08 - Stay Up All Night

09 - Can I Call You?

10 - You Got To Be Kidding

11 - Right To Rock

12 - Strictly For The Uncommercial

13 - U.S. Trust

14 - Am I Groovin' You?

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