The Iguanas


Members

Name

Instrument

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Discography

Release Date

Title

Writer

Producer

Time

Label

Catalogue #

A/B Side

Audio

Notes

1965.07 This Is What I Was Made For P.F. Sloan - Steve Barri P.F. Sloan - Steve Barri Ý Dunhill D-4004 A Mono Also released as a single with the same tracks in the U.K. by RCA Victor (RCA 1484) in 1965.
1965.07 Don't Come Runnin' To Me P.F. Sloan - Steve Barri P.F. Sloan - Steve Barri Ý Dunhill D-4004 B Mono Ý
1965 This Is What I Was Made For (Spanish version) P.F. Sloan - Steve Barri Ý 2:17 Ý Ý Ý Mono Ý
1966.02 Michelle Lennon - McCartney P.F. Sloan - Steve Barri Ý Dunhill D-3001 A Mono Ý
1966.02 Meet Me Tonight Little Girl P.F. Sloan - Steve Barri P.F. Sloan - Steve Barri Ý Dunhill D-3001 B Mono Ý
1966.11 Diana Paul Anka P.F. Sloan - Steve Barri 2:30 Dunhill D-4056 A Mono The original was a hit for Paul Anka in 1957. A stereo version was released on the "Dunhill Sounds Vol 7" LP in Japan.
1966.11 This Is What I Was Made For P.F. Sloan - Steve Barri P.F. Sloan - Steve Barri 2:25 Dunhill D-4056 B Mono Ý

Information

Background

The Iguanas are shrouded in mystery. They should not be confused with a similarly-titled group from the same period (which featured a young Iggy Pop), nor a group called The Matadors, who backed Jan & Dean. What is known is that there were 4 members in the group, and that they came from Mexico. The Dunhill label was set up in 1965 by Lou Adler, Jay Lasker and Bobby Roberts, and the Iguanas were among the first signings. Bobby Roberts was an ex-member of The Dunhills, a tap dancing group that inspired the company name, and it was he who was responsible for bringing The Iguanas to the company. It is believed that he noticed them performing at a hotel while vacationing in Mexico, and brought them to L.A. to record.

Here is an extract from the biography of P.F. Sloan, "Take Me For What I'm Worth" by Stephen McParland:

Sloan: "These guys couldn't speak a word of English - although the lead singer could speak pidgin English - but they were great guys, I mean, they were really great guys. I liked their voices, and so we (Steve and I) wrote a couple of songs for them. They recorded the songs phonetically. Steve and I were the producers and I think we recorded all the tunes over a week or two period. It was rushed so much because the boss of the company was so gung ho about the group - he was positive he had created a new Beatles. I was told the records got good airplay in Mexico."

The Years of Success

According to Brian Hogg, The Iguanas had Dunhill's first national 45 with "Meet Me Tonight Little Girl".

Where Are They Now?

"Diana" was reissued in Japan in stereo on the 1976.09 LP release, the confusingly titled "Dunhill Sounds Vol. 7, The Dunhill Sounds Story Part 2" (Nippon Columbia) (YZ-8017-AB).
"This Is What I Was Made For" (Spanish version) appeared, somewhat strangely, on the 1988 U.K. LP "Penny Arcade - Dunhill Folk Rock Vol. 2" (Big Beat Records WIK 77), although no mention that the rare Spanish version being included was made on the sleeve. According to Brian Hogg, who wrote the liner notes for the album, Ace Records in the U.K. had requested the master of the released (English) version from MCA, but received the Spanish version. By the time that this was discovered, it was too late to take action due to the deadline for finishing the project, so it was decided to use the Spanish version anyway, though the company hadn't really wanted to.
And since then, all has been quiet.
If you are an ex-Iguana, or know someone who was, then please get in touch.