Rich Kids on LSD (RKL) was a
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
n
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier p ...
band formed in 1982 in
Montecito, California, a suburb of
Santa Barbara. They were associated with the "
Nardcore
Since the mid-1970s, California has had thriving regional punk rock movements. It primarily consists of bands from the Los Angeles, Orange County, Ventura County, San Diego, San Fernando Valley, San Francisco, Fresno, Bakersfield, Alameda Cou ...
" scene that evolved out of nearby
Oxnard
Oxnard () is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. On California's South Coast, it is the most populous city in Ventura County and the 22nd-most-populous city in California. Incorporated in 1903, Oxnard lies approximately west ...
. Their music expanded over the years from West Coast hardcore to a mix of hardcore with rock and metal elements.
This style, along with touring, made them very popular on the European scene, especially among skaters in the 1980s and 1990s. Guitarist
Chris Rest
Chris Rest is an American guitarist best known for his work with the bands No Use For A Name, Rich Kids on LSD, and Lagwagon. He was Rich Kids on LSD's only constant member, having participated in every album and tour.
Musical career
Chris Res ...
was the band's only consistent member.
History
Formative years
The initial members of RKL got together at an early age.
Chris Rest
Chris Rest is an American guitarist best known for his work with the bands No Use For A Name, Rich Kids on LSD, and Lagwagon. He was Rich Kids on LSD's only constant member, having participated in every album and tour.
Musical career
Chris Res ...
and Bomer Manzullo (sometimes credited as 'Bomber') were playing together and had asked
Joey Cape
Randal Joseph Cape (born November 16, 1966) is an American singer and musician. Active since 1989, Cape is best known as the frontman of the California punk rock band Lagwagon.
Cape released his first solo album, ''Bridge'', in 2008. His secon ...
to join as a second guitarist. Cape told them he would only join if
Jason Sears
Jason Kemper Sears (23 January 1968 – 31 January 2006) was an American punk rock vocalist from Santa Barbara, California, best known for his work with Rich Kids on LSD (RKL), from 1982 to their first breakup in 1990 and again from 1993 to 2006. ...
could be the singer.
Rest knew Sears from elementary school and youth soccer.
[Hiller, Joachim (Dec 2011, Jan 2012)]
'' :de:Ox-Fanzine, Ox-Fanzine'' Cape was frequently unavailable due to being
grounded much of the time, so he was eventually left out of the band. RKL began playing shows around the area with myriad changes at second guitar and bass positions. In the end, Allen 'Alpo' Duncan joined as second guitarist and Vincent Peppars joined as bassist.
Rest has said, "Bomer soon started writing the majority of the music."
[Rich Kids On LSD – Bomer Memorial](_blank)
''Chrisone.gmxhome.de/rkl/'', retrieved on August 19, 2012
Band name and logo origin
The group's name came about as a mere fluke from some light hearted criticism. According to vocalist
Jason Sears
Jason Kemper Sears (23 January 1968 – 31 January 2006) was an American punk rock vocalist from Santa Barbara, California, best known for his work with Rich Kids on LSD (RKL), from 1982 to their first breakup in 1990 and again from 1993 to 2006. ...
in a 2002 interview with ''Thrasher'' magazine: “it happened that some guy said, 'ha, those kids will never be anything, they're just a bunch of rich kids on LSD, man.' The first party we played we didn't have a name for the band, so we put that one on the flier and it just stuck.”
[Schmitty (November 13, 2002).]
Between that and the drugs...I mean cut through the crap, it was the drugs
''Thrasher Magazine
''Thrasher'' is a skateboarding magazine founded in January 1981 by Eric Swenson and Fausto Vitello. The publication consists primarily of skateboard- and music-related articles, photography, interviews and skatepark reviews.
The magazine also ...
'' The beanie boy logo was born one night while Bomer and Jason were being tattooed. Bomer was attempting to draw a dragon pattern. On seeing the drawing, Jason commented, "Yeah dude, it's
Cecil! Where's Beanie?" Dan Sites was sitting alongside drawing a flyer for a show supporting
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies is an American crossover thrash band formed in 1980 in Venice in Los Angeles, California by vocalist Mike Muir. Muir is the only remaining original member of the band. Along with D.R.I., Corrosion of Conformity, and Stor ...
in Oxnard and drew a beanie guy jumping from a building. Beanie boy was born.
Signing with Mystic Records
Though not actually from the Oxnard area, RKL was still considered part of the
Nardcore
Since the mid-1970s, California has had thriving regional punk rock movements. It primarily consists of bands from the Los Angeles, Orange County, Ventura County, San Diego, San Fernando Valley, San Francisco, Fresno, Bakersfield, Alameda Cou ...
punk movement from
Oxnard
Oxnard () is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. On California's South Coast, it is the most populous city in Ventura County and the 22nd-most-populous city in California. Incorporated in 1903, Oxnard lies approximately west ...
,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
due to their close proximity to Oxnard and hardcore style. RKL recorded ''
It's a Beautiful Feeling''
EP on
Mystic Records
Mystic Records is an American record label and music production company specializing in hardcore punk, crossover thrash, underground music, vintage and cult records. It is owned and operated by Doug Moody. The label was first established in Hollywo ...
, released in 1984. It is a 7-song release that included concert mainstays "Why", "Tell Me The Truth", and "Beautiful Feeling". Outside the studio while waiting for the rest of his bandmates to arrive, Bomer had a skateboarding accident that looked to be a broken wrist. Doug Moody, owner and operator of Mystic Records, duct taped his wrist then taped the drumstick to his hand so he could complete the session.
All the artwork for the EP was done by Dan Sites marking the first official appearance of the popular "beanie boy" character, which would remain an icon for RKL for their entire career. RKL would play around California, and particularly enjoyed the scene in San Francisco, driving 6 hours to play shows and drive back. Eventually they decided to move there,
minus Alpo. He did not wish to leave Santa Barbara. His position would remain empty for some time. After about five months Vince Peppars wanted to move back to Santa Barbara. Sears said:"...so we hooked up with Barry to cover for him. Then Vince came back and Barry went to guitar".
This marked the entrance of Barry 'D'live' Ward to the fold. During this time RKL contributed various songs to a number of Mystic compilations. In 1985 the band soon recorded and released their first full-length LP, ''
Keep Laughing'' on Mystic Records with Dan Sites once again providing artwork. This release included classic RKL tracks "Think Positive"(often played live as "Drink Positive"), "Ded Teds", and "Pothead" and has been named as one of the best skate punk records of all time. Ward, however, was not part of this recording. Ward said: "
KLmoved back to Santa Barbara and I stayed in San Francisco until they came back after Keep Laughing was recorded."
Following the release RKL toured and polished their live act. Things were not good between the band and Mystic Records. The deal the band signed was that they would be a paid a percentage of sales in merchandise. There is contention whether Mystic came through on that agreement.
Doug Moody has stated Mystic fulfilled their end of the agreement while Ward has stated not only did they not receive much of anything in merchandise, the band had to eventually resort to bootlegging their own tapes and screening their own shirts to sell at shows. Ward was quoted as saying, "We were fucking broke, starving, dumpster diving for food, barely making gas money, and we kept going because that’s what we did. Doug Moody can say he financed the tours and paid us in merch but that’s completely untrue."
Rest has also stated the band never received any money from Mystic.
''Rock 'n Roll Nightmare''
Due to the increasingly acrimonious situation between the band and Mystic Records and a luckless 1986 tour (dubbed the ''Disastour'' by the band
[), RKL was looking for a new home and found one with the independent Alchemy Records. They were also gearing up to take their sound to the next level. Bomer was the driving force and creative head of the band. Rest said: "He played so fast and tight that we were all forced to do the same. He was a perfectionist and expected the same from us."] Vince Peppars would depart around this time. According to Bomer, he didn't like the direction of the new material and preferred the earlier rawer sound. Their next album, '' Rock 'n Roll Nightmare'' (also known as ''Lifestyles of the Rich Kids on LSD - A Rock N Roll Nightmare'') stayed true to the fast tempo and hardcore sound the band was known for, but introduced elements of progressive rock and thrash metal to their sound as well as a technical musicianship that was very uncommon for the punk genre at the time. ''Maximumrocknroll
''Maximumrocknroll'', often written as ''Maximum Rocknroll'' and usually abbreviated as ''MRR'', is a not-for-profit monthly zine of punk subculture. Based in San Francisco, ''MRR'' focuses on punk rock and hardcore music, and primarily featu ...
'' called it "Very strong" in their review of the album. About their sound, Bomer said: "People say that we have a metal influence, but really, all our licks are pretty much rhythm and blues based, but it's super fast! So instead of saying it's metal, I'd say it's just super fast rock and roll." They still did not have a bass player for the sessions. Previously, Ricky Bowersock had succeeded Peppars, but the band had soured on him and the spot was vacated. Bowersock appeared as 'Rikkity Borrow A Sock' under a "Special No Thanks" part of the liner notes
Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for cassettes.
Origin
Liner notes are desc ...
of the next album, along with Doug Moody. Subsequently, Bomer ended up playing both drums and bass on the recording. Mark Deutrom
Mark Deutrom is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and producer, best known as the guitarist for the punk rock band Clown Alley in the 1980s, and as the bassist for the multi-genre rock band Melvins from 1993 to 1998.
Career
In the ea ...
, producer of the album, says "Bomer tracking all the drum parts in a row without a scratch track
{{Infobox musical artist
, name = Scratch Track (band)
, image =
, caption =
, image_size =
, background = group_or_band
, alias =
, origin = Jac ...
is one of the more impressive things I’ve seen in a studio." Regarding the album Fat Mike of NOFX and owner/founder of Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords (pronounced "Fat Records") is a San Francisco, California-based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett (better known as Fat Mike) in 1990.
The label has released mater ...
, is quoted as saying this in 2007:
Andrew Kiraly, writing for the ''Las Vegas Mercury
''Las Vegas Mercury'' was an alternative newspaper published in Las Vegas, Nevada from January 4, 2001 to March 15, 2005. The paper folded when Stephens Media purchased '' Las Vegas CityLife'' and combined the two newspapers.
Columnists
* James ...
'', comedically gave this album the award "Best Album of 1987 I Found While Digging in My Desk Which I'm Surprised Hasn't Been 'Rediscovered' By Critics and Hailed Anew As a Masterpiece, or Maybe I'm Just Feeling Stupid and Nostalgic".
New bass player
After auditioning at least a dozen potential bass players, they finally found Joe Raposo
Joseph Guilherme Raposo, OIH (February 8, 1937 – February 5, 1989) was an American composer, songwriter, pianist, singer and lyricist, best known for his work on the children's television series ''Sesame Street'', for which he wrote the theme ...
through an advertisement in ''Maximumrocknroll''. An audition was set up for Raposo by a friend. Raposo became the bass player for RKL in time for touring support of RocK 'n Roll Nightmare. In 1988, RKL toured Europe in support of the new album where it was particularly well received. A live album was recorded in West Berlin at Quartier Latin (now Wintergarten Varieté) on July 9, 1988. It was entitled ''Greatest Hits Double
A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another.
Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to:
Film and television
* Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character
* ...
Live'' and released on Destiny Records. It was the first RKL album on CD in addition to the common vinyl
Vinyl may refer to:
Chemistry
* Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer
* Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation
* Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry
* Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl ...
and cassette
Cassette may refer to:
Technology
* Cassette tape (or ''musicassette'', ''audio cassette'', ''cassette tape'', or ''tape''), a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback
** Cassette single (or "Cassingle"), a music single in th ...
formats. The artwork of the album is a collection of blotter acid paper of varying size, image, and age contributed by Mark McCloud, famous for his extensive collection which he calls the ''Institute of Illegal Images''. Due to Raposo's status as a minor (he was only seventeen), his parents, though less than enthusiastic, gave permission for him to leave the country. Ward was named temporary guardian for the European tour. The signed guardianship papers are included in the ''Greatest Hits Double Live'' artwork.
RKL also sold their Mystic-era material to Destiny without Mystic Records' permission. Destiny proceeded to release a compilation album of Mystic recordings and called it ''Revenge is a Beautiful Feeling'' in reference to their perceived mistreatment by Mystic Records. The cover also featured a caricature of Doug Moody with his neck being twisted up by the same monster character that appeared on the cover of RKL's previous release, ''It's a Beautiful Feeling''.
Through it all, RKL mainly played in Europe and California. There was no official US tour to back the ''Rock 'n Roll Nightmare'' album. Victor Hayden was in charge of the business side of Alchemy records. About Alchemy's promotion of ''Rock 'n Roll Nightmare'', Sears said: " dvertisements in''Maximumrocknroll'' and ''Flipside'' was about as far as it got. And we didn't have our own ad, it was sort of a Mystic deal where you had every band on the label listed as new albums... And in our payment they took out some for promotion, saying that ictor Haydensent posters to all the stores, and put ads in all kinds of magazines. There was those two ads, and no one's ever seen a poster."
First break-up
In 1989 RKL called it quits for the first time. Commenting about this break-up, Fat Mike said, "the wheels started falling off the RKL train. The drug abuse and constant partying was taking its toll." Regarding the break, Ward had this to say: "Ultimately, it was the frustration with deals like he Mystic records situationand Alchemy later that broke up the band the first time. Had our business sense been there in the beginning and things gone right, I think Bomer wouldn’t have wanted to bag it. He broke up the band ... 'cause he thought punk rock was going nowhere". Raposo said: "If I could change one thing, I would have never let RKL break up the first time in 1989. I would have fought that to the death and would have never let it happen." Rest agreed, stating: "We broke up at the worst time we could have."
Epitaph years
Slang, ''Reactivate''
Bomer formed a new band called Slang after the dissolution of RKL. Slang eventually included his old RKL bandmates with the notable exception of Jason Sears. Their sound was much different than the previous incarnation, dropping the fast hardcore style for a distinct rock/funk fusion. Slang had Bomer on lead vocals while newcomer Dave Raun
Dave Raun (born June 7, 1970) a resident of Fresno, California, is the drummer for the seminal California punk rock band Lagwagon. He also filled in on drums for a short period for Sean "SC" Sellers of Good Riddance. Additionally, Raun drums f ...
played drums, Joe Raposo played bass, with Chris Rest and Joel Monte Mahan on guitars. Though Fat Mike had stated during an interview in ''Maximumrocknroll'' that he was going to put out a Slang record on his then new record label Fat Wreck Chords, Slang ended up signing with Epitaph Records in 1992 and an album was recorded soon after. At some point during this time Ward replaced Mahan. Just prior to its release in 1993, it was decided by Bomer and Epitaph owner/operator Brett Gurewitz
Brett W. Gurewitz (born May 12, 1962), nicknamed Mr. Brett, is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of Bad Religion. He is also the owner of the music label Epitaph Records and a number of sister labels. He has produced albums f ...
it would be released as an RKL album under the title ''Reactivate'' to capitalize on the RKL name and built-in fanbase. Dan Sites again provided artwork. Before the album's release Slang, now RKL, headed on tour to Europe. The fans in Europe were not aware of the drastic sound change as the album had not yet been released. Many were disillusioned. Bomer wanted to quit early in the tour due to fan reaction. During the tour long-time friend and band roadie
The road crew (or roadies) are the technicians or support personnel who travel with a band on tour, usually in sleeper buses, and handle every part of the concert productions except actually performing the music with the musicians. This ca ...
Will Knutilla died of a drug overdose in Zürich
, neighboring_municipalities = Adliswil, Dübendorf, Fällanden, Kilchberg, Maur, Oberengstringen, Opfikon, Regensdorf, Rümlang, Schlieren, Stallikon, Uitikon, Urdorf, Wallisellen, Zollikon
, twintowns = Kunming, San Francisco
Zürich ...
. Following this tragedy, Bomer quit in Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
. Jason Sears was flown into Barcelona
Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
to re-join RKL and to attempt to complete the tour playing their pre-''Reactivate'' songs. Regarding this period, Ward said, "That ''Reactivate'' record hurt RKL more than anything, more than Mystic Records." Epitaph also re-released RKL's previous full-length album ''RocK 'n Roll Nightmare'' in 1993.
''Riches to Rags'' and break-up
RKL pressed on without original member Bomer. They recorded a new album at the Music Annex in 1994 with completely new material. The resultant album ''Riches to Rags'' would be released in early 1995 and dedicated to Will Knutilla. The name was a sarcastic self-deprecating spoof on their previous 'Lifestyles' persona. For perhaps the first time in their history, RKL finally had a large amount of support from an experienced and highly successful independent label, Epitaph Records. The band had the song "We're Back We're Pissed" appear on Epitaph's first of a long running compilation series called ''Punk-O-Rama
''Punk-O-Rama'' was the title given to a series of ten compilation albums published by Epitaph Records. The first volume was released in 1994, the second in 1996, and the rest annually from 1998 to 2005. The albums included artists from Epitaph' ...
''. The song "Betrayed" also appeared on the February 1995 sample CD of the magazine ''CMJ New Music Monthly''. RKL's first music video was created featuring the song "Betrayed" and directed by Isaac Camner. Around this time they were also featured on the national tabloid news television show Hard Copy
''Hard Copy'' is an American tabloid television show that ran in syndication from 1989 to 1999. ''Hard Copy'' was aggressive in its use of questionable material on television, including gratuitous violence.
The original hosts of ''Hard Copy' ...
in a piece about LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known colloquially as acid, is a potent psychedelic drug. Effects typically include intensified thoughts, emotions, and sensory perception. At sufficiently high dosages LSD manifests primarily mental, vi ...
. RKL toured the world supporting ''Riches to Rags'', including most parts of Europe and Japan. However, tensions within the band caused RKL to once again go their separate ways. Ward put together the entire "Still Flailing After All These Beers RKL" video which released on VHS through Epitaph Records. The video contained rare live footage and home videos from RKL's time on the road, an exclusive ''Take Me Home'' music video directed by Ward, and a cover of Devo's "Timing X".
RKL returns
In 1999 RKL reformed briefly to play a single show at a mutual friends funeral but nothing further came of it. In 2000, RKL were invited by the city of Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara ( es, Santa Bárbara, meaning "Saint Barbara") is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, of which it is also the county seat. Situated on a south-facing section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Co ...
to play at the opening of the Skaters Point Skateboard Park. Original members Jason Sears and Chris Rest reunited, along with three mutual friends (including Derrick Plourde
Derrick William Plourde (October 17, 1971 – March 30, 2005) was an American drummer, musician and artist. Born in Goleta, California, he was active from 1989 until his death in 2005. Although best known as a former member of Lagwagon, Plourd ...
on drums) to fill out the remaining positions. They played to approximately 2,000 people. Sears said, "...after the first note the place went haywire, me and Chris looked at each other and were all 'YES', and ever since that day we knew we had to get this back together." Along with Plourde on drums, they eventually added Chris Flippin on guitar and a returning Bomer Manzullo on bass. This line-up played sporadic shows around the West Coast for the next few years, including the San Francisco Warped Tour
The Warped Tour was a traveling rock tour that toured the United States plus three or four stops in Canada annually each summer from 1995 until 2019. It was the largest traveling music festival in the United States and the longest-running touri ...
in 2002. Around 2002 Bomer left again and Joe Raposo returned on bass. The same year Boz Rivera replaced Derrick Plourde. RKL was starting to write and record new songs during this time. However, by November 2005 it was decided to stop the band. Flippen has said "it was because the singer was self-destructive. It kind of sucked Derrick lourdein too. I think that band is cursed." The new songs were eventually included as bonus tracks on the re-issued ''Greatest Hits - Live In West Berlin 1988'' released in 2011 on Destiny Records. An unreleased track from more recent demo recordings entitled "Twisting and Turning" was included on a 2 CD compilation album ''Sick Slabs of Sonic Sound from the Slaboratory'' released December 17, 2013.
Band members' deaths
On March 30, 2005, Derrick Plourde
Derrick William Plourde (October 17, 1971 – March 30, 2005) was an American drummer, musician and artist. Born in Goleta, California, he was active from 1989 until his death in 2005. Although best known as a former member of Lagwagon, Plourd ...
, former drummer of RKL, who also played in Lagwagon
Lagwagon is an American punk rock band originally from Goleta, California, just outside Santa Barbara. They formed in 1989, went on hiatus in 2000, and reunited several times over the years. Their name comes from the band's tour van, which ca ...
, Bad Astronaut, Jaws, and The Ataris
The Ataris are an American punk rock band from Anderson, Indiana. Formed in 1996, they released five studio albums between 1997 and 2007. Their best-selling album is ''So Long, Astoria'' (2003), which was certified gold. Their high-charting s ...
, committed suicide. Lagwagon
Lagwagon is an American punk rock band originally from Goleta, California, just outside Santa Barbara. They formed in 1989, went on hiatus in 2000, and reunited several times over the years. Their name comes from the band's tour van, which ca ...
paid tribute to Derrick with their 2005 release of the album '' Resolve''. Bad Astronaut also paid tribute to Plourde, as well as Manzullo and Sears, with the song Stillwater, California, off of their album Twelve Small Steps, One Giant Disappointment.
On December 12, 2005, original member Richard Anthony Manzullo (aka "Bomer") died due to heart failure at his home in Summerland, California. The cause of death was the result of a long time battle with drug addictions.
On January 31, 2006, Jason Sears
Jason Kemper Sears (23 January 1968 – 31 January 2006) was an American punk rock vocalist from Santa Barbara, California, best known for his work with Rich Kids on LSD (RKL), from 1982 to their first breakup in 1990 and again from 1993 to 2006. ...
died due to complications while undergoing a detox treatment involving ibogaine
Ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychoactive substance found in plants in the family Apocynaceae such as '' Tabernanthe iboga'', '' Voacanga africana'', and '' Tabernaemontana undulata''. It is a psychedelic with dissociative properties.
Pre ...
in Tijuana
Tijuana ( ,["Tijuana"](_blank)
(US) and [< ...]
, Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
. The cause of death was the result of a pulmonary embolism
Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blockage of an artery in the lungs by a substance that has moved from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream ( embolism). Symptoms of a PE may include shortness of breath, chest pain particularly upon breathin ...
caused by thrombosis
Thrombosis (from Ancient Greek "clotting") is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system. When a blood vessel (a vein or an artery) is injured, the body uses platelets (t ...
.[Cearley, Anna (February 3, 2006).]
U.S. man who died in Tijuana clinic was singer.
'' San Diego Union-Tribune''
After RKL
In 1996 Bomer Manzullo and Chris Rest formed a band called The Other with former Mad Caddies
The Mad Caddies (or the Caddies) are a ska punk band from Solvang, California, United States. The band formed in 1995 and has released seven full-length albums, one live album, and two EPs. To date, Mad Caddies have sold over 500,000 albums wo ...
drummer Boz Rivera. Bomer performed vocals and played bass. This group produced one self-titled album in 1997 on Honest Don's Records
Honest Don's Records was a subsidiary label based in San Francisco, California, set up along with Pink & Black Records by Fat Wreck Chords to release material by bands that didn't fit within the roster at Fat.
The label ceased trading around 2 ...
, a subsidiary label set up by Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords (pronounced "Fat Records") is a San Francisco, California-based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett (better known as Fat Mike) in 1990.
The label has released mater ...
to release material by bands that didn't fit within the roster at Fat. Rivera would later go on to join a reunited RKL.
Barry 'D'live' Ward released a solo album in 1990 on RRRecords titled ''Homely All American Songs & Stories For Mutant Space Dweebs From Planet Hell''. He performed briefly in Gwar
Gwar, often stylized as GWAR, is an American heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia in 1984, composed of and operated by a frequently rotating line-up of musicians, artists and filmmakers collectively known as Slave Pit Inc. After th ...
as Balsac the Jaws of Death, filling in for Mike Derks during Gwar's 1991 European tour. He was the guitarist for the death metal parody band Embryo Killers,[ releasing one self-titled album in 1993. He also played guitar for ]Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (often shortened to just Me First or the Gimmes) are a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in San Francisco in 1995. The band's lineup consists of Spike Slawson, Fat Mike, Joey Cape, and Dave Raun. C ...
on their 1996 tour. Ward is the lead vocalist and guitarist for San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Go ...
's Crosstops,[ who have released three full-length albums. Both Ward and Chris Rest played guitar on the album ''Lickety Split'' by the band Hotbox. Along with being a musician, he has also directed music videos for bands, including NOFX, ]Terrorgruppe
Terrorgruppe () is a German punk rock band from Berlin that was founded in 1993, split up in 2005 and reunited in 2013.
The band is notorious for its live performances, involving various on-stage gags and audience participation.
Discography ...
, and Don Cikuta and works with Grumblefish Movies. Ward put together the entire ''Still Flailing After All These Beers'' RKL video. In 2018, Ward toured with MDC. In 2019, Ward toured with Scheisse Minnelli.
Dave Raun
Dave Raun (born June 7, 1970) a resident of Fresno, California, is the drummer for the seminal California punk rock band Lagwagon. He also filled in on drums for a short period for Sean "SC" Sellers of Good Riddance. Additionally, Raun drums f ...
went on the replace future RKL member Derrick Plourde
Derrick William Plourde (October 17, 1971 – March 30, 2005) was an American drummer, musician and artist. Born in Goleta, California, he was active from 1989 until his death in 2005. Although best known as a former member of Lagwagon, Plourd ...
as the drummer in Lagwagon
Lagwagon is an American punk rock band originally from Goleta, California, just outside Santa Barbara. They formed in 1989, went on hiatus in 2000, and reunited several times over the years. Their name comes from the band's tour van, which ca ...
. He is also the drummer for Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (often shortened to just Me First or the Gimmes) are a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in San Francisco in 1995. The band's lineup consists of Spike Slawson, Fat Mike, Joey Cape, and Dave Raun. C ...
and had stints as drummer in Good Riddance in 1999, Pulley in 2002, and Hot Water Music
Hot Water Music is an American punk rock band formed in October 1994 and based in Gainesville, Florida. Since their formation, the group has consisted of Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard on shared lead vocals and guitars, bass guitarist Jason Bl ...
in 2009. He recorded drums for Japanese band Mr. Orange on their album ''Radiostaticactivity'' released in 2000. He also has a side project contributing lead vocals and drums in a band called District of Columbias which released an EP on Japanese label Inyaface Records in 2009 entitled ''We Barely Just Got Here''. Chris Rest was also part of this project.
Chris Rest, Joe Raposo, and Boz Rivera are members of the San Francisco-based group King City.
Chris Rest contributed his guitar on Mad Caddies
The Mad Caddies (or the Caddies) are a ska punk band from Solvang, California, United States. The band formed in 1995 and has released seven full-length albums, one live album, and two EPs. To date, Mad Caddies have sold over 500,000 albums wo ...
2001 release '' Rock the Plank'', as well as The Real McKenzies
The Real McKenzies is a Canadian Celtic punk band founded in 1992 and based in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are one of the founders of the Celtic punk movement, albeit 10 years after The Pogues.
In addition to writing and performing origin ...
2008 release ''Off the Leash
''Off the Leash'' is the sixth album by Scottish-Canadian Celtic punk band The Real McKenzies
The Real McKenzies is a Canadian Celtic punk band founded in 1992 and based in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are one of the founders of the Celt ...
''. He has also been a member Lagwagon
Lagwagon is an American punk rock band originally from Goleta, California, just outside Santa Barbara. They formed in 1989, went on hiatus in 2000, and reunited several times over the years. Their name comes from the band's tour van, which ca ...
since 1997 having replaced Ken Stringfellow
Kenneth Stuart Stringfellow (born October 30, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and producer. Best known for his work with The Posies, R.E.M., and the re-formed Big Star, Stringfellow's discography includ ...
. Additionally, he joined No Use For A Name in 2009 replacing Dave Nassie and remained a member until their final show following the death of lead singer Tony Sly
Anthony James Sly (November 4, 1970 – July 31, 2012) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the front man of the punk rock band No Use for a Name. In his later years he also gained attention for his acousti ...
in 2012.
Joe Raposo played bass guitar on two album releases by The Real McKenzies
The Real McKenzies is a Canadian Celtic punk band founded in 1992 and based in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are one of the founders of the Celtic punk movement, albeit 10 years after The Pogues.
In addition to writing and performing origin ...
; their 2005 album '' 10,000 Shots'', and their 2008 album ''Off the Leash
''Off the Leash'' is the sixth album by Scottish-Canadian Celtic punk band The Real McKenzies
The Real McKenzies is a Canadian Celtic punk band founded in 1992 and based in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are one of the founders of the Celt ...
''. He has also played with the Dwarves. In an interview with fasterlouder.com.au Joey Cape
Randal Joseph Cape (born November 16, 1966) is an American singer and musician. Active since 1989, Cape is best known as the frontman of the California punk rock band Lagwagon.
Cape released his first solo album, ''Bridge'', in 2008. His secon ...
, lead singer of Lagwagon
Lagwagon is an American punk rock band originally from Goleta, California, just outside Santa Barbara. They formed in 1989, went on hiatus in 2000, and reunited several times over the years. Their name comes from the band's tour van, which ca ...
, stated that Joe Raposo is Lagwagon's new bassist. In a June 2011 interview with ExploreMusic however, Joey Cape
Randal Joseph Cape (born November 16, 1966) is an American singer and musician. Active since 1989, Cape is best known as the frontman of the California punk rock band Lagwagon.
Cape released his first solo album, ''Bridge'', in 2008. His secon ...
said that things didn't work out with Raposo, and the band is testing a new bassist. After first announcing Patrick Solem as the new bass player in August 2011, Lagwagon decided that Raposo will remain a member after all in October 2011. , Raposo also works for Zynga
Zynga Inc. () is an American developer running social video game services. It was founded in April 2007, with headquarters in San Mateo, California. The company primarily focuses on mobile and social networking platforms. Zynga states its missio ...
as the quality assurance lead for their casual social
Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not.
Etymology
The word "social" derives from ...
city-building simulation
A simulation is the imitation of the operation of a real-world process or system over time. Simulations require the use of models; the model represents the key characteristics or behaviors of the selected system or process, whereas the s ...
game CityVille
''CityVille'' is a defunct casual gaming, casual social network game, social city-building game, city-building game developed by Zynga, and released in December 2010.
A sequel, ''CityVille 2'', was released in December 2012. It was closed down on ...
.
Vocalist Jason Sears
Jason Kemper Sears (23 January 1968 – 31 January 2006) was an American punk rock vocalist from Santa Barbara, California, best known for his work with Rich Kids on LSD (RKL), from 1982 to their first breakup in 1990 and again from 1993 to 2006. ...
contributed lyrics and vocals for a song called "Until Next Time" on Snot's album entitled ''Strait Up
''Strait Up'' is the second studio album by the American nu metal band Snot, released on November 7, 2000. The album features appearances by various alternative metal musicians. The album was released as a tribute to Snot's lead singer Lynn Stra ...
'' in tribute to their late lead singer Lynn Strait
James Lynn Strait (August 7, 1968 – December 11, 1998) was an American singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer and lyricist for the nu metal band Snot.
Biography
Strait was born in New York City, but moved to Santa Barbara, California ...
. It was released on November 7, 2000. The album also features appearances by the lead vocalists of a number of major rock groups. Lynn Strait was a long-time friend of the band and his name can be viewed in the liner notes "Special Thanks" section of RKL's 1987 album ''Rock N Roll Nightmare''. Jason Sears recorded an album with the San Diego-based band Mercury Legion originally released with the title ''Jason Sears and Mercury Legion: It Happened on a Friday Night - The Original Soundtrack Album'' on Dolphin Records. It was then repackaged and re-released as a self-titled effort; simply ''Jason Sears & Mercury Legion'' on Malt Soda Recordings.[Malt Soda Recordings](_blank)
Maltsoda'', retrieved on August 19, 2012
Legacy
RKL was influential on the punk rock scene. Regarding RKL's impact on punk music, Fat Mike had this to say: "When we first started, we wanted to sound like RKL." "Without RKL, there wouldn’t be a NOFX. Well, there might be a totally shitty NOFX... RKL was the band that we would always be in the shadow of. When they broke up, we kinda took their spot." Erik Sandin
Erik Sandin (born July 29, 1966), is an American musician and the drummer of the punk rock band NOFX, and former member of punk rock band Caustic Cause. He was a founding member of NOFX when they formed in Hollywood, California, in 1983.
...
described them as " OFX'smusical heroes, we worked hard to imitate their sound". Lagwagon's Joey Cape has said "In many ways, I don’t think there would be a NOFX or a Lagwagon or many bands that sound like us if there hadn’t been an RKL. They had this style of music that would just rip the whole time." Dwarves vocalist Blag Dahlia
Paul Cafaro (born May 8, 1966), known professionally as Blag Dahlia, is an American singer and record producer, best known as the vocalist for punk band Dwarves.Ritchie, Ryan (2007)Locals Only – Blood, Guts and Literacy: Blag Dahlia steps out ...
said, "RKL carved out a niche in the 1980s as a band that could actually play in a sea of those who could not.", and called them the "standard bearers of ‘Prog-Punk’". Many people credit Bomer Manzullo as the first person to play the standard, or modern, punk beat. RKL has been credited with creating the prototype that brought success to punk rock bands that followed in the early 1990s, including The Offspring
The Offspring is an American rock band from Garden Grove, California, formed in 1984. Originally formed under the name Manic Subsidal, the band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland, lead guit ...
and NOFX and has been described as "your favorite band's favorite band, and in a just world, they would've been way bigger."
In ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'': "TimesTalks" television interview discussing musicianship in punk rock, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong (born February 17, 1972) is an American musician who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Green Day, which he co-founded with Mike Dirnt in 1987. He is also a guitarist and vocalist for ...
mentioned RKL's Bomer Manzullo as an example of the high level of talent in punk rock, calling Bomer an "insane drummer", while in an interview with ''Communities Digital News'', NOFX's Erik Sandin
Erik Sandin (born July 29, 1966), is an American musician and the drummer of the punk rock band NOFX, and former member of punk rock band Caustic Cause. He was a founding member of NOFX when they formed in Hollywood, California, in 1983.
...
said: "Bomber was just out of control, he was so fucking good."
RKL, known for their live shows, once had a Goleta, California
Goleta (; ; Spanish for "Schooner") is a city in southern Santa Barbara County, California, United States. It was incorporated as a city in 2002, after a long period as the largest unincorporated populated area in the county. As of the 2000 c ...
crowd in such a fervor that a club owner deployed tear gas in an attempt to stop the large mosh pit
Moshing (also known as slam dancing or simply slamming) is an extreme style of dancing in which participants push or slam into each other, typically performed to "aggressive" live music such as heavy metal and punk rock. Moshing usually happen ...
.
The three deceased members were directly referenced by NOFX in "Doornails", a song from their 2006 album '' Wolves in Wolves' Clothing''.
Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett called RKL his "hometown pride punk band."
A Rich Kids on LSD tribute album was released on Malt Soda Recordings entitled ''For Those About To Trip'' which contains 23 covers of classic RKL tracks by various artists.
Strung Out's Jake Kiley cites RKL as an personally influential band while growing up.
Actor Josh Brolin
Joshua James Brolin (; born February 12, 1968) is an American actor. He has appeared in films such as ''The Goonies'' (1985), '' Mimic'' (1997), '' Hollow Man'' (2000), '' Grindhouse'' (2007), '' No Country for Old Men'' (2007), '' American Gan ...
claimed in a New York Times interview to have been a member of RKL. He later gave more detail about this in a radio interview, stating "Things have gotten confused in interviews and all that. And I said that I was a part of RKL, which is Rich Kids on LSD, which was a big punk band back then. And it was - I was part of the garage band that first started playing. And then they went to be known with other drummers and other musicians as RKL. And they actually became a fairly well-known punk rock band." stated Brolin. On the WTF with Marc Maron
''WTF with Marc Maron'' is a weekly podcast and radio show hosted by stand-up comedian Marc Maron. The show was launched in September 2009. The show is produced by Maron's former Air America co-worker Brendan McDonald.
Background
The show's ti ...
he said Jason Sears was his best friend and has also stated "Rich Kids on LSD was the band that I helped start."
The band is referenced by Janez Detd. in "My Life My Way", a song from their 2008 album ''For Better For Worse''.
The band is referenced by The High Speed Scene in "For the Kids", a song from their 2005 album '' The High Speed Scene''.
RKL's song "Tell Me the Truth" is referenced by Snot in "Mr. Brett", a song from their 1997 album '' Get Some''.
The beanie boy character appears on the cover of Annihilation Time's 2005 album ''Annihilation Time II''.
Italian band Overdrive Bonzai dedicated a song called "Jason Sears" to the late vocalist.
''OC Weekly'' published an article entitled ''10 Classic Punk Bands We'd Love to See Reunite'', RKL being named as one of the bands.
There were rumors of an "RKLAOKE" show sometime in the Summer of 2006 as a benefit concert to raise money for Sears' children Anthony, Sierra, and Cisco. The show would have featured the remaining members of the band playing all the past favorites with different members of the audience.
Members
*Jason Sears — vocals (1982-1989, 1993-1996, 2002–2006, his death)
*Richard "Bomer" Manzullo – drums (1982-1989), bass (1986-1987, 2002), vocals (1992-1993) (died 2005)
*Chris Rest
Chris Rest is an American guitarist best known for his work with the bands No Use For A Name, Rich Kids on LSD, and Lagwagon. He was Rich Kids on LSD's only constant member, having participated in every album and tour.
Musical career
Chris Res ...
– guitar (1982-1989, 1992-1996, 2002–2006)
*Vince Peppars – bass (1982-1985)
*Alan Duncan — guitar (1982-1983)
*Barry Ward – guitar (1985-1989, 1992-1996)
*Joe Raposo – bass (1987-1989, 1992-1996, 2003–2006)
*Dave Raun – drums (1992-1996)
*Chris Flippin – guitar (2002-2006)
*Derrick Plourde – drums (2002) (died 2005)
*Boz Rivera – drums (2003-2006)
Timeline
ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20
PlotArea = left:90 bottom:80 top:5 right:15
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1982 till:01/30/2006
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Colors =
id:Vocals value:red legend:Vocals
id:LGuitar value:teal legend:Lead_guitar
id:RGuitar value:brightgreen legend:Rhythm_guitar
id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass
id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums,_percussion
id:Lines value:black legend:Studio_album
id:bars value:gray(0.95)
BackgroundColors = bars:bars
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3
ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1982
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1983
LineData =
at:04/01/1985 color:black layer:back
at:06/01/1987 color:black layer:back
at:04/13/1993 color:black layer:back
at:12/01/1994 color:black layer:back
BarData =
bar:Sears text:"Jason Sears"
bar:Rest text:"Chris Rest"
bar:Alpo text:"Alan Duncan"
bar:Ward text:"Barry Ward"
bar:Flippin text:"Chris Flippin"
bar:Peppars text:"Vince Peppars"
bar:Raposo text:"Joe Raposo"
bar:Bomer text:"Bomer Manzullo"
bar:Raun text:"Dave Raun"
bar:Plourde text:"Derrick Plourde"
bar:Rivera text:"Boz Rivera"
PlotData=
width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(11,-4)
bar:Sears from:01/01/1982 till:06/01/1989 color:Vocals
bar:Sears from:10/01/1993 till:12/31/1996 color:Vocals
bar:Sears from:01/01/2002 till:end color:Vocals
bar:Bomer from:01/01/1982 till:06/01/1989 color:Drums
bar:Bomer from:06/01/1986 till:06/01/1987 color:Bass width:3
bar:Bomer from:01/02/1992 till:10/01/1993 color:Vocals
bar:Bomer from:01/01/2002 till:01/01/2003 color:Bass
bar:Rest from:01/01/1982 till:06/01/1989 color:LGuitar
bar:Rest from:06/01/1983 till:04/01/1985 color:RGuitar width:3
bar:Rest from:01/01/1992 till:12/31/1996 Color:LGuitar
bar:Rest from:01/01/2002 till:end Color:LGuitar
bar:Alpo from:01/01/1982 till:06/01/1983 color:RGuitar
bar:Ward from:04/01/1985 till:06/01/1989 color:RGuitar
bar:Ward from:01/01/1992 till:12/31/1996 color:RGuitar
bar:Flippin from:01/01/2002 till:end color:RGuitar
bar:Peppars from:01/01/1982 till:06/01/1986 color:Bass
bar:Raposo from:06/01/1987 till:06/01/1989 color:Bass
bar:Raposo from:01/01/1992 till:12/31/1996 color:Bass
bar:Raposo from:01/01/2003 till:end color:Bass
bar:Plourde from:01/01/2002 till:01/01/2003 color:Drums
bar:Raun from:01/01/1992 till:12/31/1996 color:Drums
bar:Rivera from:01/01/2003 till:end color:Drums
Discography
Studio Albums
* '' Keep Laughing'' (Mystic Records, 1985)
* '' Rock 'n Roll Nightmare'' (Alchemy Records, 1987; re-released on CD by Epitaph Records)
* ''Reactivate'' ( Epitaph Records, 1993)
* ''Riches to Rags'' (Epitaph Records, 1994)
EPs
* '' It's a Beautiful Feeling'' (Mystic Records, 1984)
Live Albums
* ''Double Live in Berlin'' (Destiny Records, 1989; recorded live in Germany on 1988 tour)
* ''Live in a Dive'' (Fat Wreck Chords, 2022)
Compilations
* ''Nardcore'' (Mystic Records
Mystic Records is an American record label and music production company specializing in hardcore punk, crossover thrash, underground music, vintage and cult records. It is owned and operated by Doug Moody. The label was first established in Hollywo ...
, 1984)
* ''Covers'' (Mystic Records, 1984)
* ''Mystic Super Seven Sampler No. 1'' (Mystic Records, 1984)
* ''Return to Slimey Valley'' (Mystic Records, 1985)
* ''Revenge is a Beautiful Feeling'' (Destiny, 1989)
Videos
* ''Still Flailing After All These Beers'', Epitaph, VHS (1997)
* ''Still Flailing After All These Beers: The DVD Director's Cut'', Malt Soda Recordings, DVD (2002)
References
External links
Official website
*
*
*
*
Inofficial fanpage
german language, authorized by the remaining band-members
{{Authority control
Hardcore punk groups from California
Skate punk groups
Montecito, California
Articles which contain graphical timelines