The Iguanas (Ann Arbor)
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The Iguanas was one of Iggy Pop's first bands. James Osterberg was the drummer while in high school, and in 1964 got his nickname Iggy from the name of this garage band formed in 1963 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Osterberg grew up in Ypsilanti, Michigan.)
The line-up was:
- Jim McLaughlin - electric guitar
- Sam Swisher - saxophone
- Jim "Iggy" Osterberg - drums
soon augmented by
- Nick Kolokithas - electric guitar
- Don Swickerath - bass guitar
They originally performed in high school dances and later clubs in Ann Arbor.
In 1965 they were an opening act for bands such as Four Tops, the Shangri-Las and the Kingsmen at Club Ponytail in Harbor Springs, a local resort area. Osterberg left the group soon afterward, and with another drummer they sought but did not get a recording contract.
The group broke up in 1967.
Some early "demo reel" recordings have survived, notably from when The Iguanas recorded at Detroit's United Sound Recording Studio, and the following tracks are known to be available on CD:
- Mona
- I don't know why
- Again & again (the first Osterberg original)
- Out of limits
- Twist & shout
- California sun
- Slow down
- I feel fine
- Blue moon
- Walk don't run
- Things we said today
- Louie Louie
- Wild weekend
- Tell me
- Slow down
- Summertime
- Outer limits
- Johnny B. Goode
- Perfidia
- Travelin' man
- Surfin' bird
- Walk don't run
- Tequila
- Pipe line
McLauglin, Kolokithas and Swickerath sought to revive The Iguanas in 1996 after the release of some of their early music.
