Los Dug Dug's

Los Dug Dug's
Also known as Xippos Rock
Origin Durango, Mexico
Genres Psychedelic rock, progressive rock, rock and roll, garage rock, hard rock
Years active 1964-1985
Labels RCA, BMG
Website raybrazen.webng.com/dugdugs.com
Past members Armando Nava
Jorge Luján
Alberto Escoto
Jorge de la Torre †
Sergio Orrante
Moisés Muñoz

Los Dug Dug's are a rock group from Durango, Mexico, best known for their work in the 60s and early 70s. They were one of the first Mexican bands to adapt The Beatles' influence and are noted as one of the first Mexican bands to write their own songs, as well as cover songs British and American acts in English, thus breaking what had up to then been an unwritten rule in Mexican rock.[1] They continue to perform today.

Early years

In 1960 a seven-member rock and roll band known as Xippos Rock was formed by several high school kids in the city of Durango in the state of Durango, Roberto Miranda and Moises Munoz. Miranda was the lead guitar and Munoz was the bass player. While studying in the university of their home town, Durango, in the center of Mexico, after a while they invited Armando Nava, they always see him carrying a guitar in his bike, so they asked him to join the band. Nava had a cousin Jorge Luján that was very close to him and Nava teach him how to play the guitar, then he was invited to the play in the band, after a while SERGIO ORRANTE, the drummer, join the band,in a few months FRANCISCO ALCALDE join the band as a singer,at the very last moment JORGE DE LA TORRE join the band as a second singer,they did not have electric guitars, neither drums, but play with acoustic guitars with pick ups home made pick ups and as drums they used a still chair, they even play at a local radio station with a chair and acoustic guitars and some events in local places and theatres, such as Ricardo Castro Theatre (known as Cine Principal back then) and in several parties. The songs they used to play in those early years were covers from Mexican rock bands such as LOS TEEN TOPS, LOS LOCOS DEL RITMO, LOS REBELDES DEL ROCK, ETC, ETC,

Armando Nava's father was a sales person and wished to take his family to TIJUANA, Baja California, and as a salesman he used to travel a lot.[2] One day, after a year or so, ARMANDO wanted to go back to DURANGO and try to take the band "XIPPOS ROCK " to TIJUANA. He talked to his mother, MRS NAVA, to let the band travel with them back to TIJUANA. At the time MR NAVA was in Tijuana. The line-up consisted of: ARMANDO NAVA (LEAD GUITAR), Jorge Lujan (vocals and guitar),JORGE DE LA TORRE (VOCALS), SERGIO ORRANTE (DRUMS), and MOISES MUNOZ (bass guitar). They started playing in mazatlan, in OBREGON SONORA, and, at the request of Nava' father, who was their manager, they changed their name to "Los dug Dug's", and decided to continue their journey all the way up to Tijuana.[3] After two months in Tijuana the drummer (SERGIO ORRANTE) decided to go back to Durango and continue with his regular life as high school student. In 1964 Xippos Rock began the road trip from Durango to Tijuana and halfway through the trip,in the city of Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, the name was changed to Los Dug Dug's, an abbreviation of the band's native city and state.

Once the band had arrived at Tijuana they commenced their ascent of Mexican Rock. At first they had to play at various bars and strip clubs on both sides of the border.[4] But soon they landed a regular gig at Mike's Bar, where they firmly established their reputation.[5] Los Dug Dugs were the first group to sing covers and original songs in English, creating what would be known as La Onda Chicana, movement that would include bands like Bandido, Three Souls in my Mind (currently known as El Tri), Peace and Love, El Ritual, among others.

From Tijuana to Mexico City

After several months of success in Tijuana, Armando Nava had decided to move to Mexico City, where they started playing at EL HARLEM CAFE this places were called Cafes Cantantes, soon they moved to El Trip Cafe, after a while they moved again to Hullabulloo Cafe, They started making themselves a name in the biggest city of the world, and even members of other bands would go to their shows and get some ideas for their own, as Alex Lora (from El Tri) has recalled[[<sup>1</sup>]]. The success in Mexico city was so big that even TV stations asked them to perform and record songs for their shows, specially kids-oriented shows (they recorded Chicotito si, a kids song).

In New York City, return to Mexico City and epilogue

In early 1968 LOS DUG DUGS's moved to New York City, where they got a record some original songs at a local recording studio. Even ARMANDO NAVA recorded songs AS A SINGER with studio musicians. The band was required to pay a $5000 fee in accordance with established rules by the local musician union, which was required of any acts at that time who wished to play larger venues such as in Manhattan. The band returned to Mexico, but due to creative differences between Nava and de la Torre, de la Torre left the band. The album they were working on, Lost in My World, finally appeared in 1971. At this time and with the departure of de la Torre, Los Dug Dug's were essentially no more. The singles "World of Love" and "Eclipse" from the album became Latin American hits, and in 1972, Nava started the group up again as a trio. While pop groups in Latin America were now singing in English as part of a new trend, the band performed in Spanish on 1972's Smog. For 1974's Cambia Cambia, Los Dug Dug's went with a well-groomed, clean look, bucking yet another trend among popular Latin American acts which leaned toward singing in English and wearing long hair and beards. Despite stylistic innovations, the RCA label under which they were working did not expend great effort with publicity and support for the act and thus their 1975 release El Loco was to be their last work at that time. Since then, Nava has kept the band going in various incarnations with multiple lineup changes, based out of Mexico City. They most often perform at Nava's club, La Reunion. Their reputation stands today as being largely responsible for Mexican rock music and the first and arguably most popular of their kind.

Selected discography

Studio albums
Compilation albums

References

  1. ↑ Ankeny, Jason. "Los Dug Dug's: Artist Biography." Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/los-dug-dugs-mn0001459070/biography
  2. ↑ Ankeny, Jason. "Los Dug Dug's: Artist Biography." Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/los-dug-dugs-mn0001459070/biography
  3. ↑ Ankeny, Jason. "Los Dug Dug's: Artist Biography." Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/los-dug-dugs-mn0001459070/biography
  4. ↑ Ankeny, Jason. "Los Dug Dug's: Artist Biography." Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/los-dug-dugs-mn0001459070/biography
  5. ↑ Ankeny, Jason. "Los Dug Dug's: Artist Biography." Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/los-dug-dugs-mn0001459070/biography
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