Biography
Born in Durango, Durango in 1946, singer and multi-instrumentalist Armando Nava fronted the Mexican garage rock legends Los Dug Dug's. He picked up his first guitar at age 15 and two years later joined Xippos Rock as a member. Once the original vocalist departed, Nava stepped into the lead singing role. Following high school graduation, the band hit the road through the Tijuana area while his father, a traveling salesman, drove the van and handled business stops en route. During those travels Nava chose to rename the group Los Dug Dug's, shortening the name of their hometown and home state. While performing in Texas the musicians obtained early Beatles albums, becoming the first act in Mexico both to cover the Fab Four and to deliver every number, whether covers or originals, in English.
After a long residency as house band at Tijuana's Fantasitas strip club, Los Dug Dug's moved to Mexico City in 1966. Repeated personnel shifts left only Nava and vocalist Jorge de la Torre from the original Durango lineup. Building a devoted following in the capital, the group landed an RCA contract and cut its debut single, the children's television theme "Chicotito Si, Chicotito No." They also starred in the 1967 films El Mundo Loco de los Jovenes and Cinco de Chocolate y Una de Fresa. In total the band recorded ten singles for RCA in Mexico City, among them covers of U.S. hits such as "California Dreamin'" and "Hanky Panky."
Returning to Tijuana in 1968, Los Dug Dug's—now featuring Nava, de la Torre, guitarist Gustavo Garayzar, bassist Genero Garcia, and drummer Jorge Torres Aguayo—settled in as the regular act at the Sans Sous Ci club. American tourist Frank Mangano caught a performance and offered to finance a trip to New York City. The group played several live shows and cut demos there, yet Mangano declined to cover the $5000 musicians' union fees required for access to larger Manhattan venues. Forced back to Mexico, the musicians began work on their first RCA Mexico LP. Creative tensions between Nava and de la Torre culminated in the singer's exit once the album was finished. By the time the psychedelic opus Lost in My World appeared in 1971, Los Dug Dug's had effectively disbanded. The singles "World of Love" and "Eclipse" nevertheless became major Latin American successes.
In 1972 Nava relaunched the band as a power trio. With most Mexican groups now singing in English, he shifted to Spanish-language performances on that year's Smog album. For 1974's Cambia Cambia the lineup adopted a clean-cut image that matched a turn toward shorter, more melodic pop songs. RCA provided minimal promotion, and 1975's El Loco marked the end of the original run. Despite countless membership changes over the decades, Nava has kept Los Dug Dug's active, most frequently appearing at his Mexico City nightclub La Reunion.
After a long residency as house band at Tijuana's Fantasitas strip club, Los Dug Dug's moved to Mexico City in 1966. Repeated personnel shifts left only Nava and vocalist Jorge de la Torre from the original Durango lineup. Building a devoted following in the capital, the group landed an RCA contract and cut its debut single, the children's television theme "Chicotito Si, Chicotito No." They also starred in the 1967 films El Mundo Loco de los Jovenes and Cinco de Chocolate y Una de Fresa. In total the band recorded ten singles for RCA in Mexico City, among them covers of U.S. hits such as "California Dreamin'" and "Hanky Panky."
Returning to Tijuana in 1968, Los Dug Dug's—now featuring Nava, de la Torre, guitarist Gustavo Garayzar, bassist Genero Garcia, and drummer Jorge Torres Aguayo—settled in as the regular act at the Sans Sous Ci club. American tourist Frank Mangano caught a performance and offered to finance a trip to New York City. The group played several live shows and cut demos there, yet Mangano declined to cover the $5000 musicians' union fees required for access to larger Manhattan venues. Forced back to Mexico, the musicians began work on their first RCA Mexico LP. Creative tensions between Nava and de la Torre culminated in the singer's exit once the album was finished. By the time the psychedelic opus Lost in My World appeared in 1971, Los Dug Dug's had effectively disbanded. The singles "World of Love" and "Eclipse" nevertheless became major Latin American successes.
In 1972 Nava relaunched the band as a power trio. With most Mexican groups now singing in English, he shifted to Spanish-language performances on that year's Smog album. For 1974's Cambia Cambia the lineup adopted a clean-cut image that matched a turn toward shorter, more melodic pop songs. RCA provided minimal promotion, and 1975's El Loco marked the end of the original run. Despite countless membership changes over the decades, Nava has kept Los Dug Dug's active, most frequently appearing at his Mexico City nightclub La Reunion.
Albums
Singles
