ROB VASQUEZ RIDES THE WINNING STREAK INTO THE 21ST CENTURY

Rob Vasquez is, for all intents & purposes, the forgotten man of late 20th Century rock genius. Because he loosely plied – nay, still plies - his trade in the semi-derivative field of 60s-inspired, garage-based punk rock, he’ll only get a footnote in the history books, except, for better or for ill, within “the garage community”. As a person who sometimes tries to look beyond the world of garage rock, I would like to nominate him for higher honors. His guitar-playing & throaty, snarled vocal delivery in THE NIGHTS AND DAYS, THE NIGHT KINGS and a handful of other strange & wonderful combos, trios and duos is at such a high and unique level, that I’ve made it my life’s work to help expose his gifts to the world’s populace. Perhaps I exaggerate the point. That said, here are Detailed Twang links to play or download four of his releases: the first NIGHTS & DAYS single, the second NIGHTS & DAYS single, two totally crazed NIGHT KINGS comp tracks, and a GORLS song. I’ve also recently discovered a terrific Nights And Days Myspace site built & maintained by Vasquez himself. There are songs on there that you can’t hear anywhere else.

This brings us to the sole 2003 single by RIGHT ON, a Seattle-based trio made up of Vasquez, Dan Wood (now of THE PETS), and Charlie Ryan. It was released on France’s Royal Records in some absurdly low amount – and it’s excellent, as you might imagine (I've just been informed that they still have some left!!). Nothing else ever came out from them, and they are no more. Until I saw Vasquez’s current duo (!) NICE SMILE play last year, it was the only Vasquez act I’d ever seen play live, and I’m still blathering on about how great it was. See what you think by clicking on the blue underlined parts below.

Play or Download RIGHT ON – “Buried Alive” (A-side)
Play or Download RIGHT ON – “Love” (B-side)