(Los) Dug Dug's: Discography 1971 - 1978

 

In the foothills of Mexico's famous Sierra Madre lies the industrial, iron-rich city of Durango, the capital

city of the Mexican state also known as Durango. It is here that the story of Los Dug Dug's began in the early sixties with a local high-school band called Xippos Rock. And it is in this band that two young, musically-inclined teenagers named Armando Nava and Jorge de la Torre began a long and productive musical partnership. In 1966, after working hard at perfecting their sound, Xippos Rock decided to pursue their dream of a rock & roll life on the road. 
                        

Mexican garage rock legends Los Dug Dug's were led by singer/multi-instrumentalist Armando

Nava, born in Durango, Durango in 1946. At 15 he acquired his first guitar, and at 17 he joined his first band, Xippos Rock -- when their original frontman quit, Nava assumed lead vocal duties, and after graduating high school the group toured the Tijuana region, with Nava's salesman father driving their van and conducting business along the way. 
                            

While on the road, Nava made the executive decision to change their name from Xippos Rock to Los Dug

Dug's -- the name being the abbreviation of their home city and state -- while playing in Texas he scored copies of early Beatles records, and the band became not only to the first in Mexico to cover the Fab Four, but also the first to sing all of their material (covers and originals) in English. 
                           

Los Dug Dug's "create a harrowing sonic universe that's at once expansive and claustrophobic, like some of your most memorable drug trips". They have been called "a fiery and exciting band of acid rock

iconoclasts" and their music described as "fuzzy, epic psych-rock jams" and "swirling, wild psychedelia". When reissuing their self-titled debut, Light in the Attic Records referred to Armando Nava as a "psychedelic guru" and describes their music as a "heavy, explosive Rock, which captures the fever/dream humidity of flower children 
running amok on a July afternoon."
                  

Today, Los Dug Dug's continue to exist in one form or another, always with Armando Nava at the helm & sometimes also featuring younger brother Enrique on drums. Along with his manager-mother Elena,

Armando runs the Mexico City rock club La Reunion, at which Los Dug Dug's regularly play and rehearse at. Recordings have been qute infrequent lately, but a few years ago the band contributed to the compilation CD ROCKIN' TONIGHT, performing their own interpretations of songs by James Brown, the Troggs, Steppenwolf, and Wilson Pickett. They also appear quite frequently on Mexican TV, and were the star attraction at 1998's Avandaro 2 concert at Mexico City's famed Teatro Metropolitano. Now, as then , Armando Nava remains totally committed to his music. All of us can only hope he never gives up.

                                 

STUDIO ALBUMS

                       

 

Dug Dug's (RCA Victor, 1971)
Smog (RCA Victor, 1973)
Cambia, Cambia (RCA Camden, 1975)
El loco (RCA Camden, 1978)

01. LOS DUG DUG'S - DUG DUG'S 1971

                              

A strong effort by THE seminal 70's Mexican Rock Band this eponymous album is their best. During a time of great turmoil in their native country (Avándaro). No other band ever came close to capturing its

sound, due to lack of funding and xenophobia, as Los Dug Dug's. Long after '67, though in Mexico's secluded society it may have been the first reactionary album to the Hippie movement in San Francisco. Lost in time, Café Tacvba, Molotov and the like are subpar to what could have been the awakening of a Latin Rock Golden Era.
                          

Dug Dug's – Los Dug Dug's
Label: BMG Entertainment Mexico, S.A. De C.V. – PECD-472, RCA – 
Format: CD, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue
Country: Mexico
Released: 1997
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock

TRACKS

                               

01. Lost In My World (Perdido En Mi Mundo)    3:26
02. Without Thinking (Sin Pensarlo)    1:30
03. Eclipse    2:39
04. Sometimes (Algunas Veces)    2:22
05. Let's Make It Now (Hagámoslo Ahora)    4:32
06. World Of Love (Mundo De Amor)    3:23
07. I Got The Feeling (Tengo El Sentimiento)    3:18
08. It's Over (Se Acabó)    3:29
09. Going Home (Yendo A Casa)    1:55
10. Who Would Look At Me (Quién Me Mirará)    3:15

LINE - UP

Armando Nava - Guitar
Moises Munoz - Bass 
Jorge Lujan - Guitar
Sergio Orrante - Drums
Jorge De La Torre - Vocals

NOTES

Initially the band did not have electric guitars or drums, so they performed using acoustic guitars with homemade pick-ups. For drums, they used a steel chair. 

Flac Size: 209 MB

02.  LOS DUG DUG'S - SMOG 1973

                            

This 1972 sophomore album found Los Dug Dug's pared down from quintet to trio and effectively remade according to the personal vision of bandleader Armando Nava, who not only took over all songwriting duties, but took it upon himself to play every instrument outside the rhythm section of bassist Jorge Torres

Aguayo and drummer Daniel Tello (note: brother Enrique Nava provided a few backing harmonies). Ironically, given its title, Smog also saw Los Dug-Dug's reverting to their native Spanish language -- a willful about-face from a band responsible for pioneering English-sung lyrics in Mexican rock during the late '60s, and obstinate enough to spearhead the push back to national pride soon after. The end results only heightened Smog's unique cult standing in years to come amongst global heavy rock aficionados, and, in the short term, arguably spelled commercial disaster for Los Dug Dug's at home, but that in no way diminishes the unique daring of these songs. 
                       

Dug Dug's – Smog
Label:BMG Entertainment Mexico, S.A. De C.V. – PECD•0538, RCA 
Format:CD, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue
Country:Mexico
Released:1998
Genre:Rock
Style:Acid Rock, Psychedelic Rock

TRACKS

                           

01. Smog    2:50
02. Buscalo    1:35
03. Hagamoslo Ahora (2a. Parte)    (11:45)
03.1.Sigueme    
03.2.Dime Que Eres Tu?    
03.3.Cortalo    
03.4.Ven, Ven, Ven    
03.5.Hagamoslo Ahora    
04. Yo No Se    3:51
05. Cual Es Tu Nombre?    3:10
06. Meditacion    1:11
07. No Somos Malos    3:08
08. Voy Hacia El Cielo (Voy Hacia El Sol)    6:20
09. Smog (Versión En Inglés)    2:48
10. I've Got To Run Away From Here    2:26

LINE - UP

Vocals [Vocalista], Electric Guitar [Guitarra Eléctrica], Acoustic Guitar [Guitarra Acústica], Flute [Flauta], Piano, Percussion [Percusiones] – Armando Nava
Vocals [Voces] – Enrique Nava
Electric Bass [Bajo Eléctrico], Bass [Distortion Bass, Bajo Con Distorsión], Vocals [Voces], Percussion [Percusiones] – Jorges Torres "Cochona"
Percussion [Percusiones] – Daniel Tello
Written-By – Armando Nava, Gustavo Garaizar Davis (tracks: 4), Jorge de la Torre (tracks: 4)

NOTES

Track 10 incorrectly listed on the release as "I've Got To Run, Way Frome Here" on the back cover and in the booklet.
"Smog (English Version)" and "I've Got To Run Away From Here" are tracks not present on the original release. 

Flac Size: 254 MB

03.  LOS DUG DUG'S - CAMBIA, CAMBIA 1975

                             

I've always docked this one a bit for being more poppy vs. vs. their 2 previous standard bearers of

Mexican heavy psych. Having recently acquired a vinyl copy of this one, fresh ears reveal it to be certainly less heavy but to be honest every bit as strong as it's predecessors . That is also not to say this lacks in the rock quotient, there are still plenty of groovy guitar driven ditties herein.

                        

Dug Dug's – Cambia, Cambia
Label: RCA – PECD 551, BMG Entertainment Mexico, S.A. De C.V. 
Format: CD, Album, RE
Country: Mexico
Released: 1998
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock

TRACKS

                       

01. No Te Asustes (Es Sólo Vivir)    3:37
02. Timido    2:24
03. Brillo De Sol    3:24
04. Te Quiero    4:14
05. Felicidad    4:15
06. Ya Te Deje (No Volveré)    2:08
07. No, Si, Yo, Tu, Ya    3:45
08. Cambia, Cambia    3:18
09. ¿Donde Esta A.N.?    2:24
10. Al Diablo...    5:45

LINE - UP

Acoustic Guitar, Guitar [First And Second], Synthesizer, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – A. Nava
Backing Vocals – Pajaro Alberto (tracks: Track 2)
Drums, Backing Vocals – Enrique Nava
Electric Bass, Twelve-string Guitar [Acoustic] – A. Nava (tracks: Track 9)
Electric Bass, Vocals – Gabino Araujo, Jorge Torres
Written-By – Armando Nava

Flac Size: 193 MB

04.  LOS DUG DUG'S - EL LOCO 1978

                         

"El Loco" is the fourth and final full-lenght album of the mexican band Dug Dug's, released back in 1975.

They plays a typical hard rock of the mid-seventies, with some psych/prog elements and use of synthesizer. The sound isn't particularly aggressive but tasty.The prog elements here are more prominent than in the other albums and there's also more synths here, but their earlier psychedelic sound is intact. 
                        

Dug Dug's – El Loco
Label: Sony Music – 194398084329
Format: CD, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo
Country: Mexico
Released: 2020
Genre: Rock
Style: Acid Rock, Psychedelic Rock

TRACKS

                       

01. Stupid People (Gente Tonta)   3:53
Accompanied By – Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán    
02. Let Me Breath (Déjame Respirar)    5:58
03. Joy To The People (Alegría Para La Gente)    4:29
04. We Always Hate Your Manners (Odiamos Sus Maneras)    3:36
05. La Gente    7:01
06. El Loco    3:08
07. Quiero Verte (Junto A Mí)    2:16
08. La Flauta Del Fauno (Instrumental)    1:41
09. I Got My Emotion (Estoy En Onda)    3:34

NOTES

Arranged By, Directed By, Written-By, Realization – Armando Nava

Flac Size: 211 MB

The Gruesomes: Cave In! 2000 + Gruesomology 1985 - 1989 (2003)

The Gruesomes are a Canadian garage punk band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, that formed in

1985. The band gained recognition following the 1986 release of their debut album, Tyrants of Teen Trash (Og Music), which led to an underground following in Europe, the United States (US) and Canada. Subsequent releases increased their fan base and, after periods of touring, the band established itself within the global garage music scene. 
                              

Original members were guitarists and singers Bobby Beaton and Gerry Alvarez, and a pair of brothers,

drummer Eric Davis and bassist John Davis. Drummer John Knolls replaced John Davis a couple of years later. The Gruesomes recorded three albums in the '80s and made a couple of music videos.
                                

 

Their first full-length album was Tyrants of Teen Trash, switching over to the Og Music label. The local

fan base had expanded greatly in that first year and the album did well, not only in the group's Canadian homeland, but also in the United States and Europe. In the middle of a heavy touring schedule, the group put out two more albums over the next two years, Gruesomania and Hey! Even with a number of its songs landing on the charts, and a continuous growth in popularity, the band called it quits in 1990. 
                              

For the new millennium, the members of the Gruesomes reunited. The group was welcomed back with

open arms in Canada, and found itself playing for a sold-out audience in Toronto, even though it had been a decade since the guys had shared a stage together. Along with a large live audience, the show was also taped for television. There was a new album for 2000 as well, Cave-In.
                                      

THE GRUESOMES - CAVE - IN! 2003

                         

Overshadowed by the reunions of the Guess Who and the Grapes of Wrath, Canada's other favorite G-

band got back together in 2000, and it's just like old times. Gruesomes' reunion album is everything earlier albums were: turbo-charged garage rock done extremely snottily (who would have it any other way?). Put on the go-go boots and get ready to rock, children. This may not be deep, but it's a heap of fun. 
                           

The Gruesomes – Cave-in!
Label: Tyrant Records – UNION004
Format: CD, Album
Country: Canada
Released: 2000
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock

TRAXS

                              

01. Cave-in!
02. Stop It, Girl
03. You Gotta Believe Me
04. You're Not The Boss Of Me
05. The Deal
06. No No No No No
07. Come And See Me (I'm Your Man)
08. Wish You Were Her
09. You Weren't Using Your Head
10. Serves You Right
11. Love Got In The Way
12. Who Dat?
13. Hip-no-tyzed
14. One Good Reason

LINE - UP

Vocals, Guitar – Bobby Beaton 
Vocals, Guitar - Gerry Alvarez
Bass – John Davis 
Drums – John Knoll

Flac Size: 250 MB

THE GRUESOMES - GRUESOMOLOGY 2003

                            

Top reissue label Sundazed makes a rare foray out of the '60s to present Gruesomology, a 25-track

retrospective covering 1985 to 1989. The songs were chosen from the band's three albums: 1986's Tyrants of Teen Trash, 1987's Gruesomania, and 1988's Hey!, as well as from the Jack the Ripper and Unchained EPs and various compilation appearances.
                                

The Gruesomes – Gruesomology 1985-89
Label: Sundazed Music – SC 11132
Format: CD, Compilation, Stereo
Country: US
Released: Aug 26, 2003
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock

TRAXS

                          

01.  (Theme From) Bikers From Hell    2:44
02.  No More Lies    2:01
03. Jack The Ripper   2:07
Songwriter – Wray, Sutch    
04. Things She Does To Me    2:54
05. What's Your Problem?    3:04
06. Get Outta My Hair    2:23
07. Cry In The Night   2:01
Songwriter – F. Nuyens, J. Baar, W. Bieler    
08. Unchain My Heart   2:15
Songwriter – Jones, James    
09. My Broken Heart Will Never Mend (Unless You Come Back With The Glue)   1:14
Songwriter – The Way-Outs     
10. Your Lies   2:13
Songwriter – Stanley    
11. Way Down Below    2:14
12. Je Cherche   2:41
Songwriter – Murphy, Brouillard, Laurendeau, Lambert    
13. Buzz Off    2:13
14. Why Me?    2:25
15. You Said Yeah    2:32
16. I'm Glad For You    2:47
17. Time's Gonna Come    2:23
18. Won't You Listen?   2:50
Songwriter – Splinter, Tax    
19. Nowhere    2:20
20. Tell Me How You Feel    2:21
21. Thanks For Nothing    3:46
22. So Far, So Bad    2:08
23. Hey!    1:48
24. Three Men, One Coffin   2:07
Songwriter – Van Herk
25. For All I Care    3:10

LINE - UP

Bobby Beaton - Vocals, Guitar
Eric Davis - Bass
Gerry Alvarez - Vocals, Guitar
John Davis -  Bass
John Knoll - Drums

NOTES

                           

Tracks 1, 3, 5 to 7, and 9 are from the 'Tyrants Of Teen Trash' LP (Og 10).
Tracks 2 and 4 are from the 'Jack The Ripper' EP (PR-001).
Tracks 8 and 10 are from the 'Unchained' EP (PRI-004).
Track 10 is also from 'It Came From Canada, V.3' (Og 13).
Tracks 11 to 17 are from the 'Gruesomania' LP (Og 15).
Tracks 18 to 23 are from the 'Hey!' LP (Og 20).
Track 24 is from the 'A-billy' 7" (What Wave Mag #18, WW-10) / 'Live In Hell' (Cass.).
Track 25 is from 'It Came From Canada, V.1' (Og 8).

Flac Size: 438 MB

The Gruesomes Jack The Ripper on Urban Aspirines HERE 

Epoxies: Studio Albums

 

The Epoxies were an American new wave band from Portland, Oregon, formed in 2000. Heavily influenced by new wave, the band jokingly described themselves as robot garage rock. Discharging

a ferocious batch of punk rock tunes propelled by powerful signs of new wave and pop, the Epoxies categorically offer a daring punk mixture. Members included FM Static on synthesizers, guitarist Viz Spectrum, lead singer Roxy Epoxy, bass guitarist Shock Diode, and drummer Ray Cathode. They grew in popularity due in large part to extensive touring in both the United States and Europe where they showcased frantically paced, highly energetic on-stage productions. They were known for using special effects for their live act and sporting home-made costumes, sometimes made mostly of duct tape.
                                    

The single "We Are Sold Out,", the group's first record issued via the Seattle-based Dirtnap Records label, confirmed the crew's inventive aptitude and audacious tunes, opening the way for the recording of their

first album. In March of 2002, the Epoxies presented their self-titled full-length debut, again through the Dirtnap logo, confirming their recognition within the punk rock scene way beyond their state frontiers. The group's music is a novel synthesis of punk rock and new wave but their lyrics are strictly focused on science fiction themes, Atomic Age futurism, alienation and consumerism. Robots, androids, clones and nuclear weapons all figure prominently in the Epoxies' lyrics. 
                            

EPOXIES - EPOXIES 2002

                         

On their debut, the Epoxies' sci-fi punk looks back to new wave more exuberantly than the Faint, with

more gusto than Chomsky and with as much joyful energy as original wavers like Blondie and the Go-Go's. Still, Roxy Epoxy's band of black-and-white clad, skinny-tie-wearing droid rockers isn't all retro gloss.
                          

Epoxies – Epoxies
Label: Dirtnap Records – ZZZ-15 2002
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2002
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave, Punk

TRAXS

                     

01. Need More Time    2:30
02. Walk The Streets    2:15
03. We're So Small    2:43
04.  Science Of You    1:50
05. Cross My Heart    1:57
06. You    0:59
07. Stop Looking At Me    4:02
08. Losing Control    2:59
09. Bathroom Stall    2:45
10. Molded Plastic    2:13
11. Please Please    3:43

LINE - UP

Vocals – Roxy Epoxy
Bass – Kid Polymer
Drums [Rhythm Prescription] – Dr. Grip
Guitar – Viz Spectrum
Keyboards, Vocals – Fritz M. Static
Written-By [All Songs By] – The Epoxies

NOTES

It is unclear if the 2002 is supposed to be interpreted as part of the catalog number, but it is consistently presented as ZZZ-15 2002 all over the release.

Flac Size: 218 MB

EPOXIES - STOP THE FUTURE 2005

                          

"Robot"'s just one example of how the synth-fueled Portland punk-pop combo keeps its shtick alive. The rub: they take things further. Yes, their principal influences are as obvious as an episode of VH1's I Love

the '80s. But the Epoxies buoy those keytar melodies and Betamax love songs with wrangling, punk rock guitar, and the supporting vocals from FM Static and Shock Diode are fantastic. The Epoxies know how to stretch a simple idea into powerful songs that whir like tiny good-time dynamos. Their articulated mascara, crinkly vinyl outfits, and skinny sunglasses give it away. But when you discover that there are real live songs behind the throwback references, that's when Stop the Future starts sticking around. 

                               

Epoxies – Stop The Future
Label: Fat Wreck Chords – FAT689-2
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: May 17, 2005
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave, Punk

TRAXS

                               

01. Radiation    2:13
02. This Day    2:18
03. Synthesized   2:48
Drums – Doctor Grip    
04. Robot Man   2:45
Written-By – Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker    
05. Wind Me Up    2:24
06. Everything Looks Beautiful On Video    3:03
07. Stop The Future    2:06
08. Struggle Like No Other    1:56
09. No Interest    3:06
10. You Kill Me    2:31
11. At The Seams    1:40
12. It's You    2:39
13. Toys    4:47
14, Crystal Clear   2:44

LINE - UP

Bass, Vocals – Shock Diode
Drums – Ray Cathode 
Guitar – Viz Spectrum
Synth, Vocals – F.M. Static
Vocals – Roxy Epoxy
Written-By – The Epoxies (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 13)

EPOXIES - ROBOT MAN  LYRICS

                        

Crave communication
See me this is my life in the crazy robot man reservation
Do you feel him, the cold vibration
'Cause a man everywhere, produce a crazy science fiction creation
And I say oooh, oooh
I'm a robot man
And I say oooh, oooh
I'm a loser
I say oooh, oooh
I'm a robot man
I lost my mind
I lost my life
I lost my soul
Babe, it's a magic station
Where we live what we do with our magic from my generation
I say babe, it's not a vision
It's reality, this is a robot scene what we live in
And I say oooh, oooh

                       

I'm a robot man
And I say oooh, oooh
I'm a loser
I say oooh, oooh
I'm a robot man
I lost my mind
I lost my life
I lost my soul
And I say oooh, oooh
I'm a robot man
And I say oooh, oooh
I'm a loser
I say oooh, oooh
I'm a robot man
And I say oooh, oooh
I'm a loser

NOTES

Produced, engineered and mixed at Jupiter Studios, Seattle, WA
Basic tracking on tracks 1, 2, 8, 11, 12 at Motor Studios, SF, CA
All song published by the Epoxies © 2005 (ASCAP) except Robot Man, published by Slezak Rudolf Musikverlag GMBH (GEMA)

Flac Size: 288 MB