Rich Kids on LSD
Rich Kids on LSD (R.K.L.) were 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[citation needed]. This style, along with touring, made them very popular on the European scene, especially among skaters in the eighties and nineties.
The groups 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.
Their music can be heard on their webpage, which features "RKL Radio" with nearly all of their songs streamed including a complete discography.
RKL break-up and return
After a couple line-up changes in the late eighties and early nineties, the original vocalist Jason Sears returned to the band in 1994 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 to their late lead singer Lynn Strait. He later did an album with the San Diego based band Mercury Legion.
RKL today
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.
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".
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. The show would have featured the remaining members of the band playing all the past favorites with different members of the audience.
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