Rich Kids on LSD (RKL) emerged from the Southern California punk scene in the early 1980s. Hailing from Santa Barbara, California, the band's original lineup consisted of Jason Sears (vocals), Chris Rest (guitar), Richard "Bomer" Manzullo (drums), and Vinx Peppars (bass). RKL quickly gained a reputation for their high-energy live performances and intricate songs.
Barry Ward joined the band in 1985, in time to play on the second LP.
Bass player Joe Raposo came aboard in 1986, elevating the band’s musicianship and live performances to new levels.
Throughout the '80s and '90s, RKL toured extensively and released the influential albums Keep Laughing (Mystic), Rock N Roll Nightmare (Alchemy), and, with the introduction of Dave Raun on drums, Riches to Rags (Epitaph). The band became known for blending punk, thrash, and classic rock and metal elements into its blistering, technical music. This eclectic sound set them apart in the punk landscape, earning them a dedicated fanbase and the admiration of many peers. The list of bands influenced and inspired by RKL includes some of the most-famous bands in the world as well as some of the most obscure.
After a hiatus in the late '90s, RKL made a short-lived reappearance with Chris Flippin (guitar) and Derrick Plourde (drums).
Richard Manzullo passed away in December 2005. Jason Sears passed away in January 2006.
That would seem to have put an end to the band, but a video project during the COVID pandemic with veterans Raun, Rest, Raposo, and Ward, joined by Municipal Waste’s Tony Foresta on vocals, reignited the fervor and prompted several reunion shows.
“We’re doing it because we love this music, we miss playing it, and we want to honor the legacy of Bomer and Jason,” says guitarist Chris Rest. He is of course referring to multi-instrumentalist and original member Anthony “Bomer” Manzullo, who played drums (and bass, at times) for RKL and wrote most of their classic tunes, and Jason Sears, legendary vocalist and live performer, whose lurid lyrics captured the imagination of multiple generations of punks.
Moving forward, RKL is back with 4/5ths of the classic Riches To Rags lineup: Chris Rest on guitar; Barry Ward on the other guitar; Lil Joe Raposo on bass; and Dave Raun on drums. Joining them on vocals is longtime friend and veteran frontman Abe Brennan, who sang for the bands My Name and Wretch Like Me and currently plays guitar in Dead Pioneers.
The band is geared up for a busy 2025, including European and U.S. tours and festivals already booked. With new life injected into the Rich Kids’ dynamic fusion of punk, thrash, and rock n roll, old and new fans alike will soon be blasted by RKL’s trademark blend of musical precision and fury.
