In 1981, upon returning home to DC from college, Karl started organizing a new band that eventually became All Points Bulletin.  He called in his long time friend, sax player and neighbor Dave Russell.  They added Ted Watkin on harp, Bob Holmes on guitar, Hugh McGuire on bass, Marhsall Butler on piano and Keeb Watson on drums.  Their first gig was at a debutante party at a country club. 
Soon, Karl, Dave and Ted brought in Andy Burdestky on bass and John Mogayzel on drums .... All Points Bulletin was born.  Later, John left the band and was replaced by Dave Smerdzinski aka "the polish hammer".

They played hundreds of dates in the DC, MD, VA, PA and NC region at clubs like Friendship Station, The Wax Museum, The Gentry, The Chancery, Cheers, Eskimo Nells, Club Saba, The Biltmore, The Jewish Mother, The Soundside, The Carolinian, Hooper's, Buddy's by the Bay, Friartucks, The Brickhouse, EJ Buggs, Fat Chance, Lancaster Dispensing Company, Calhoun's, Midway Downtown, The Minseshaft, C&O Restaurant and many others.

APB highlights:
* Opened shows for The Nighthawks, NRBQ, Koko Taylor, and Skip Castro. 
* Finalist in the DC-101/Wax Museum battle of the bands contest along with Black Sheep and Model Prisoner. 
* Appeared in a PBS documentary while performing a lunch time concert at Farragut Square in DC.
* First band to perform on Arlington County's cable access channel.
* Full color photo on the front page of The Washington Post's Virginia Weekly section.