| Rich Kids on LSD | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Montecito, California, USA |
| Genres | Punk rock |
| Years active | 1982–1990, 1992–1996, 1997–2006 |
| Labels | Mystic Records Epitaph Records |
| Website | Official website |
| Members | |
| Chris Flippin Chris Rest Joe Raposo Boz Rivera |
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| Past members | |
| Jason Sears (deceased) Barry Ward Dave Raun Anthony "Bomer" Manzullo (deceased) Vince Peppars "Alpo" Derrick Plourde (deceased) |
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Rich Kids on LSD (R.K.L.) was a Californian hardcore punk band formed in 1982 in Montecito, California, a suburb of Santa Barbara. They were associated with the "Nardcore" scene that evolved out of nearby Oxnard. Their music expanded over the years from West Coast hardcore to a mix of hardcore with rock elements. This style, along with touring, made them very popular on the European scene, especially among skaters in the eighties and nineties.
Their music can be heard on their webpage, which features "RKL Radio" with nearly all of their songs streamed including a complete discography.
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The group's name came about as a mere fluke from some light hearted criticism. According to vocalist Jason Sears 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.” The beanie boy logo was born one night while Bomer and Jason were being tattooed. Bomer was attempting to draw a dragon tat pattern. On seeing the drawing, Jason commented, "Yeah dood, it's Cecil! Where's Beanie?" Dan Sites was sitting alongside drawing a flyer for a show supporting Suicidal Tendencies in Oxnard and drew a beanie guy jumping from a building. Beanie boy was born.
After a couple line-up changes in the late eighties and early nineties, the original vocalist Jason Sears returned to the band in 1993 to help finish their European tour. This sparked the band to record its fifth album, Riches to Rags. The band suffered an ill-fated break-up in 1996 which led most of the members of the band to go on to other projects and form new bands. However only a year later did the band return with most of its previous members minus drummer Dave Raun and guitarist Barry "D'Live" Ward who had their spots filled by Boz Rivera and Chris Flippin.
Guitarist Chris Rest and the bands original drummer Richard "Bomer" Manzullo, formed The Other with Mad Caddies drummer Boz Rivera. Boz would later go on to join RKL when they reunited in 1997.
Bassist Joe Raposo along with Chris Rest and Boz Rivera also compose half of the San Francisco based group King City.
Vocalist Jason Sears did a track for a Snot tribute album released November 7, 2000 entitled Strait Up to their late lead singer Lynn Strait. 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 Rock N Roll Nightmare album released in 1987.
Jason Sears later did an album with the San Diego based band Mercury Legion.
On March 30, 2005, Derrick Plourde, former drummer of RKL, who also played in Lagwagon, Bad Astronaut, Jaws, and The Ataris, committed suicide. Lagwagon paid tribute to Derrick with their 2005 release of the album Resolve.
On December 12, 2005, the original drummer 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.
Joe Raposo appears on Bass Guitar on The Real McKenzies 2005 album 10,000 Shots, and The Real McKenzies 2008 album Off The Leash.
On January 31, 2006, Jason Sears died due to complications while undergoing a detox treatment involving ibogaine in Tijuana, Mexico. The cause of death was the result of a pulmonary embolism caused by thrombosis.
The three deceased members were directly referenced by NOFX in Doornails, a song from their 2006 album "Wolves in Wolves' Clothing".
Actor Josh Brolin claimed in a New York Times interview to have been a member of RKL (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/t-magazine/02well-cover.html)
The band is referenced by Janez Detd. in My Life My Way, a song from their 2008 album "For Better For Worse".
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".
Currently the future for RKL remains uncertain and it is unknown if there will be a new singer (the band once had a different singer when they reformed in 1992). There were rumors of an "RKLAOKE" show sometime in the Summer of 2006 as a benefit concert to raise money for Jason's kids 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.
| (1982–1985) |
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| (1985–1986) |
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| (1986–1987) |
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| (1987–1990) |
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| (1990–1992) |
(R.K.L. disbanded) |
| (1992–1993) |
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| (1993–1996) |
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| (1996–1997) |
(R.K.L. on hiatus) |
| (1997-January 31, 2006) |
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| (January 31, 2006–present) |
(R.K.L. on hiatus) |