I was already a big NIGHT KINGS fan when this single arrived in the mailbox from IN THE RED in 1992, but whoa…..this might be my favorite thing they did outside of their lone LP, “Increasing Our High”. I’ve written so much about Rob Vasquez and his bands, including this one, over the years that I’ll spare you another re-hash on why I think he’s one of the most important and underrated guitarists and songwriters ever to play simple, raw, aggressive rock and roll. Instead, you can read what I’ve written about his ouvre here, here, here, here and here. But just to fill out the post a little, here’s a smattering:“….brings forth Link Wray’s pencil-poked amps as played through by a ham-handed SONICS. And that voice – man, what a howler. Loud, overloaded, garage scorch with no precedent and no antecedent – something pure & unique and totally wild….”
“Bum / Ain’t No Fun” came out the same year I interviewed these fellas for my then-fanzine SUPERDOPE. These poorly-scanned photos are the only NIGHT KINGS documents I could find to represent the 45; I actually sold this thing years ago once I digitized it, so I don’t even have the single anymore. Someone in Europe probably does. I know, right? But these two tracks are available nowhere else, and to the best of my knowledge, are making their first world wide web appearance right here. Prepare to be bulldozed by the sound of Vasquez’s guitar – it’s represents the most animalistic guitar screech from the early 1990’s “third wave of punk”.
Play The Night Kings “Bum”
Play The Night Kings “Bum”
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2 comments:
Those scans are actually clearer than the picture on the back of the single, which is of Rob wearing a Mummies shirt and Dan with a cigarette and holding on to something. Lo-res meets lo-fi. Forgot that Jarett played bass on Ain't No Fun, I think they were called Igor before Javad came in. (The top pic above shows Dylan on bass.)
robs nightkings,zombies,devils,etc
an achieve of some of the junk that various folks have helpt me commit to the world
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