Action Skulls Release New Album Created Amid COVID-19 Crisis

Pictured (left to right): Vicki Peterson, John Cowsill, Bill Mumy Photo Courtesy: Angela Cartwright

Action Skulls are Vicki Peterson (the Bangles, the Continental Drifters, the Psycho Sisters), her husband John Cowsill (the Cowsills and longtime member of the Beach Boy touring band) and Bill Mumy (Emmy-nominated composer, musician, actor, producer, co-founder of the cult duo Barnes & Barnes, and veteran of the band America). Mumy is best known for his iconic role as Will Robinson on the TV classic show Lost In Space. Together the trio write and record as Action Skulls and their latest project, A Different World, was written, recorded and released in very short order during the early and heated stages of the devastating COVID–19 pandemic in March 2020. Vicki Peterson describes Action Skulls music as “canyon rock,” partially because they live in the canyons of Los Angeles, and the songs reflect influences from the deep well of classic music that sprung from the Laurel Canyon scene of the 1970’s. After three years of juggling schedules, Action Skulls released their critically-acclaimed debut LP in 2017 and even performed a fabled “debut farewell” show to a sold-out crowd at McCabe’s Guitar Shop in Lost Angeles, CA in January of 2018. A not-so-funny thing happened on their way to completing their sophomore LP, the COVID–19 pandemic turned our world upside-down. Unbeknownst to the other members, Mumy sequestered himself and seemingly overnight, emerged with a collection of songs that would become the basis for A Different World.

Action Skulls "A Different World" After firing off song-after-song to Peterson and Cowsill, who loved the acoustic bluegrassy flavor and wry, topical lyrics, the pair hurried into their home studio to finish recording the tracks by adding their signature Action Skulls lush harmonies. In less than two weeks, they emerged with a fully-formed musical document! The first single fromA Different World, “Social Distancing Blues,” is available (along with the album) on iTunes and all streaming platforms.