Osker

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Osker
Origin Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres Punk rock
Pop punk
Melodic hardcore
Skate punk
Hardcore punk
Years active 1998–2002
Labels Epitaph Records
Members Devon Williams
Dave Benitez
Phil Drazik

Osker was an American Los Angeles melodic punk rock band, who formed in 1998 and split in February 2002, ultimately due to the departure of their drummer. The line up originally consisted of Devon Williams on vocals and guitar, Dave Benitez on bass, and Kevin Campell on drums, who would be later replaced by Phil Drazik after getting signed by Epitaph but before recording Treatment 5.

Osker broke away from the typical SoCal punk band with the release of their second CD Idle Will Kill. Previous to this was their first full length album Treatment 5. Both contained cynical and snotty lyrics about teen angst. As a consequence to their stage antics, among which was Devon's brutal sincerity, criticizing conformity in the punk scene and "fashion", as well as their crowd-taunting habit, Osker were labelled as one of the most hated, mean acts on Epitaph.

"I decided that it is about just doing what you want, while you have gallons of mohawks and leather jackets telling you that they do what they want, I don't believe them... I respect the person that says, "I don't care for that" because there is no extreme, it's pure sincerity. Punk is doing what you want despite the infiltrators, outside of the skateboards and shoes and hair and patches and the diets and the tattoos. I am Devon and I have 5 close friends, the rest of the world is divided into the helpers and the clueless." - Devon Williams.

They released two albums, Treatment 5 and Idle Will Kill. After the split, Williams announced they had been working on a new album (tentatively titled Thriller), however it was later said by Benitez to be a joke.

"The split between Dave and I is astounding to me. I always thought we were the next Simon and Garfunkel. I thought we would be our generations Hall and Oates ... Of course, I plan on killing Dave." - Devon Williams.

In 2011, Benitez brought suit against Williams and his father, Ross Williams, in Los Angeles Superior Court claiming unpaid royalties and conspiracy to defraud.[citation needed] The suit was dismissed in January 2012.[citation needed]

Other projects

Devon Williams played guitar in Lavender Diamond.

He also played in folk/acoustic band Fingers Cut Megamachine (although he has said that he is hesitant to use the word folk, "given its connotations today"). He previously worked at Amoeba Records in Los Angeles.

He released his first single and first vinyl under his own name in August 2007 on L.A. RECORD. In April 2008, he released Carefree on Ba Da Bing, his first album released under his own name. In 2011, he released Euphoria on Slumberland Records.

Dave Benitez now plays guitar and sings in the band The Black Heartthrobs, who released their first album Clean Dirty Clean on the Aggravated Music label, which has supported Roscoe and Fingers Cut Megamachine in the past.

Drummer Phil Drazic played in punk/hardcore band End on End, which has released several records, including the most recent Why Evolve When We Can Go Sideways. They have toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan. He currently plays guitar in Flex (RIP) and drums in LifeSupport. Life Support released their debut EP, "Broken Record", on Dog Years Records in September 2012.

Members

  • Vocals + Guitar : Devon Williams
  • Bass : Dave Benitez
  • Drums : Phil Drazic
  • Drums : Kevin Campell
  • Drums on Idle Will Kill : Ty Smith on track #s: 1-4, 9-11 - Phil Drazik on track No. 5 and Kelly Kusumoto on track #s: 6, 7, 8, 12-14.

Discography

Albums

EP's

  • Osker/Blindsided Split 7" (Bankshot! Records 1998)

Compilations

  • Punk-O-Rama III (Epitaph, 1998)
  • Smash Ignorance Up! (Possible Problem Records, 1998)
  • Punk-O-Rama IV (Epitaph, 1999)
  • Punk-O-Rama V (Epitaph, 2000)
  • Punk-O-Rama VI (Epitaph, 2001)
  • Crazy/Beautiful Original Soundtrack (Hollywood Records, 2001)
  • Noise Annoys (Kerrang, 2001)
  • Vans: Off The Wall Sampler (Cleopatra Records, 2002)
  • Bankshot! Mass Destruction (Bankshot! Records, 2003)
  • The Aggravated Music BBQ Sampler (Aggravated Music, 2004)

Other

Osker was the punk band playing at the house party in the movie, Crazy/Beautiful (2001).

External links

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