Skullbusters enter the Horror Punk Hall Of Fame with their Vampirish rock n roll!
The punk music group Skullbusters, who formed in San Diego in 1981, blends conventional Southern California punk with the macabre in their compositions. The band consisted of 16-year-old Brian Thoryk on guitar, 17-year-old Travis Davidson on bass, 11-year-old Paul Lima on vocals, and 16-year-old Damen Espinoza on drums. Darin Licari joined the group next. The band primarily performed as opening acts for bands such as The Misfits, Bad Brains, DOA, The Flesh Eaters, 45 Grave, Minor Threat, Shattered Faith, and other San Diego bands at the time like Sacred Lies, 5051, and Battalion of Saints in the punk rock club scene. One 1982 studio track by Skullbusters can be found on the compilation “Our Blowout.”
Three of the original four members of the band—Brian Thoryk, Travis Davidson, and Paul Lima—as well as two newcomers, Junior Solis on drums and Kevin “BABY” Hewitt on organ, rejoined the group in 2020. A blend of contemporary written work and original songs from 1981 can be heard in current music. The only full-length album “Vampires are Real” was released in 2022. It is a ten-song album with sides A and B labeled “Dark Side” and “Fast Side,” respectively. It was recorded at Double Time Recording Studio in El Cajon, California, and features cameos from Jack Grisham of TSOL, Casey Royer of Adolescence/D.I., and Reverend Horton Heat on lead guitar.
