For those of you that don’t know, part of my earliest exposure to the Milwaukee music scene came in the form of my dad’s limited collection of vinyl, video, and party flyers. I’m not exactly sure how it started, but he and his siblings hung out with Jerome Brisch, AKA Presley Haskel of The Haskels, one of Milwaukee’s premier punk bands in the early 80s. Ever since then, I’ve done some digging of my own and gotten to experience what those days were like, as well as the music that was made during that time. Granted, I’ll never get to experience the former Zak’s on Humboldt and North, or The Starship, and I’ll only know what was once the Metropole nightclub as the Miramar Theatre, but the recordings that I have heard give me a good glimpse into that era.
With that said, a compilation like Cheap Rewards’ latest offering, “Radio Ready: Wisconsin – Lost Power Pop Hits 1979-1982” pops up every few years. And every time one does, I’m amazed that there’s material available for it that hasn’t been used yet. Recording was much more of a process in those days, and the technology wasn’t there like it is today, so I appreciate when I get to hear something new (to me, anyway). This compilation is a great mix of the bands of those days, and it all sounds great from an audio quality perspective. Do yourself a favor, and check out this compilation if you want to get a feel for a time when Milwaukee embraced a music scene that was full of energy and potential.
P.S. Personally, I feel like the current Milwaukee music scene has a similar energy and the momentum that was around in this time, and I’ve tried to capture that here. So if you’ve never been to this site, check it out and see for yourself!