THE ISLAND EAR- JULY 27,1987-
IGUANAS- REPTILES, LUST AND DOGS
Any Iggy fans out there? This is the nearest thing to that classic Stooge
sound you're gonna hear, what with the vocals bein' the spitting image of
Mr. Pop. Although this goes beyond mere influence into the realm of obsessive
tribute, it doesn't take away its charm: this is simply the hottest record
Midnight has ever released, period. The Iguanas' chunky hot rock never lets
go from the moment the needle hits vinyl to the lewd "Lawnboy"
("I'll trim your bush") and loud covers of "Hanky Panky"
and "Why Don't We Do It In The Road". This belongs in every self-respecting
grunge-lover's home.---GREG FASOLINO
ROCKPOOL- NEW MUSIC SEMINAR SPECIAL- JULY 17, 1987-
IGUANAS- REPTILES, LUST AND DOGS-
Out of a Kansas garage creeps the Iguanas to serve up REPTILES, LUST AND
DOGS, a twelve course meal of music for men. It's music to get dirty to,
slime and sweat in, slosh down the brew to-- frat rock at its best. "Coffee
OD" kicks it all in like the theme to "Easy Rider", injecting
the LP with the jolt that fuels the entire effort, rolling it along with
alternating, raunchy, rootsy, bluesy lapses. Allen Wilson belches out vocals
while his guitar crawls all over the turntable then circulates through your
bloodstream like a lethal venom dose in "Hello" and "Time
To Live". Although "Mad Dogs" and "Living In A Vacuum"
transform these creatures into Igg-Wanas with their Stooges inclinations,
they still make for some palatable vocal offerings on the LP. And despite
the fact that the abundant covers might have made for better live gig encores,
still a promising garage-sale find.--- CATHY WOJCIK
RATBEAT INTERNATIONAL #2-SUMMER 1987
IGUANAS- REPTILES, LUST AND DOGS-
When a band takes its' name from the very first band a certain Mr. J.J.
Osterberg ever formed it is no surprise to find out that the IGUANAS are
heavily influenced by the Stooges. Which is more than OK if you -- like
me -- believe the Stooges are the most important band who ever made a record...
REPTILES, LUST AND DOGS is not the definitive IGUANAS record, it's promising
but I feel there's something better still to be expected from the group.
I can always live with a record with modest sound (though the too-much-vocals-not-enough-guitars
mix gets on my nerves) and for a young band the lack of songwriting finesse
can be forgiven but the IGUANAS' disastrous choice of covers (or the arrogant
way they treat them) shows lack of good taste and insight. Take off the
three over familiar cover standards (and horrible blues cliche "Lawnboy")
and there's a great mini album here.
In spite of all the criticism I still believe in the IGS, there's much more
good than bad on REPTILES, LUST AND DOGS and I do expect to hear more from
the band in the future . After all the basic sound/idea is great and the
IGUANAS ARE the best band from Kansas since... since... Charlie Parker?---
MIETTNEN
DUCKBERG TIMES- JULY, 1987-
IGUANAS- REPTILES, LUST AND DOGS-
....old steppenwolves never die, they merely re-surface in olde burghs like
Topeka, Kansas, causing dedicated archivists like Midnight to grapple with
re-dedicating younger audiences to "sludge-kings". This LP makes
it easy, ploughing through bass riff'rock like horned lizards in rut, even
slipping through a Steppenwolf numero in "Rock Me" plus the take
on "Hanky Panky" must have been recorded at pervert central. Idiomatic,
perhaps, but a grand sleaze nonetheless...
OPTION SEPT 87
IGUANAS - REPTILES , LUST , AND DOGS
Rock and roll mania in its purest form. Out of Kansas creep these sleaze-mongers
to upset the balance of America's heartland. Hard- driving Iggy-like vocals
and guitar from the Iguana's master-snake Alan Wilson. "Mad Dog"
sounds like the Stooges doing Alice Cooper's "Eighteen". Covers
include "Rock Me," "Why Don't We Do it in the Road,"
and a pedestrian version of Tommy James "Hanky Panky." On the
whole, good songs, especially "Coffee O.D." and the lascivious
"Lawnboy", and I won't tell you what the Iguanas want to do with
their girlfriend's bush. You get the idea. ---PAUL GRANT
VILLAGE VOICE SEPT 1, 1987
IGUANAS - REPTILES, LUST , AND DOGS
The voice is more bullfrog than lizard, like Iggy or Buster in deep blooze
mode only more generic, fraternal twin to the single-minded guitar drones
that keep this Topeka trio raving. Both emanate from one Alan Wilson, who
succumbs to the style's bad cliches on "Hot Rod" (to h__l) and
defeats them only on "Coffee O.D.", recommended to morning jocks
everywhere. "B"--ROBERT CHRISTGAU
BUCKETFUL OF BRAINS , no. 21, August 87
IGUANAS - REPTILES, LUST, AND DOGS
...or Lizard KIngs, sleaze and guitars with a rabid canine bite. For nasty,
greasy urban rock'n'roll, this is the best Midnight release for some time.
Gog's drawn the Stooges/ Leather Nun comparisons in his review of "Living
in a Vacuum" 45 (on the LP), here there's another 11 red-blooded cuts-
including covers of "Rock Me," "Hanky Panky," and "Why
Don't We do it in the Road." Producer Alan Wilson has captured an addictive
brand of muscle-bound booting raunch: "Hello," "Mad Dog,"
and "Time to Live" are prime cuts and "Lawnboy" highlights
a humorous side to the leathery facade. They're honest too, "We're
not the world's greatest band, but we do rock," says the bio. I like
honesty and I like this. --JOHN STOREY
BUCKETFUL OF BRAINS , no. 21, August 87
IGUANAS - LIVING IN A VACUUM 7"
In the early 70's, just after Jim Morrison had broken on through to the
other side, for the last time, in Paris, there were rumors that Iggy Stooge
was going to be the Doors' new singer. If the arrangement had been reversed,
and Jimbo had joined the Stooges instead of that great rock and roll band
in the sky, they might have sounded something like this. Over a pounding
rhythm and slashes of guitar, the singer paints a sordid landscape of despair.
Kansas City's answer to the Leather Nun at their best, circa "Prime
Mover." --GOG
ROCKERILLA JULY 1987
IGUANAS - REPTILES, LUST, AND DOGS
2-column review in top Italian mag. The album was cited as "Fascinating,"
with "Extraordinary strength."
RUTA 66 SEPT 87
IGUANAS - REPTILES, LUST AND DOGS
Rave by the best Spanish rock magazine: 'Brutal sound'...'Savage'! And concludes:
"Amenazador y fascinante." --JAIME GONZALO
THE BOB
SEPTEMBER 1987
IGUANAS - REPTILES, LUST AND DOGS
Midnight strikes paydirt on this one. A previous 45 piqued my interest,
the dark menacing Iggyesque (junk and ludes period) "Living in a Vacuum"backed
with the bizarre sexual signature tune, "Flight of the Iguana."
Here, Alan "Iguanaman" Wilson continues his quest for THE most
INTENSE rock and roll song, be it a steaming original or a stripped-then-rebuilt
cover (such as "Hanky Panky" "Rock Me" and "Why
Don't We Do it in the Road?".)
Somehow I kept thinking this trio oughta be from Texas instead of Topeka,
Kansas. Lucky us -- there's only one swamp in Kansas and the IGUANAS are
the industrial wastedump swamp things that made it out alive. The Stooges
remain a prime influence, but others figure prominently:Chuck Berry, Blue
Oyster Cult, John Fogerty, numerous blues artists."Lawnboy" in
particular takes the 12-bar walk off the plank with greasy axeing and finger-lickin'
harp blowing. Basically, the Iguanas rock nonstop swallowing musical cliches
whole, chomping down on em and gnashing them around an then spitting out
the leftovers. And hey, any band that'd write a theme song for my mornings
at the typewriter ("Coffee O.D.") is a winner from the first groove.
-- FRED MILLS
CMJ NEW MUSIC REPORT - JULY 17, 1987 #122
IGUANAS - REPTILES LUST AND DOGS
Out of the FUNHOUSE comes a new species of musical reptiles, the IGUANAS,
with a form of 60's garage rock that will probably ring a bell to anyone
brought up right in the 70's and beyond . It consists of ripping guitar
grunge, sinister vocals, and a fuck-all attitude. These are the hallmarks
of the Iguanas- who once belonged to an outfit that called themselves the
Stooges (hint, hint) - a monster rock Trio hailing from Topeka, Kansas that
plays a mean set of licks. The vocals sound like their founding father.
Guitarist / songwriter Alan Wilson has more than just a frog in his throat.
They throw together an interesting set of covers and originals for their
debut LP REPTILES, LUST AND DOGS-- rockers full of fire and brimstone and
a lot of revivalism.
HARTBEAT -GERMANY 6/87
IGUANAS - REPTILES, LUST, AND DOGS
Midnight's still coming up with one or the other real classic...this is
one of them if you dig ultra-fast and heavy R & B. Gosh, the Iguanas
quite beat up a storm. I haven't heard the like for quite a while. This
is R & B vitality 100%...rare moments. The IGUANAS go forward! FORWARD!
FORWARD! No mercy, they come to conquer...if these lads haven't got their
legs firmly apart on stage! I hate "Hanky Panky", it is junk,
but the Iguanas lash out the only version that makes any sense to me..some
genuine feel. The Iguanas have their legs apart, didn't I promise. And they
use echo on their vocals. "My bay-ay-by does the Hanky-y Panky-y!"
Why the Iguanas feature any cover versions at all will remain their secret
for a while, maybe they didn't want the LP to get TOO HOT. Their self-penned
songs, anyway, are 100% better than those 3 covers (one fourth of the record!)
Forward! Forward! Forward ! Alan Wilson, guitars, vocals, song-writing is
backed by a solid bassman John Allhiser and a rockin' drummer Anthony Gomez.
"The Market", "Coffee OD", "Mad Dog", "Living
in a Vacuum", and "Hot Rod", all classics, exploding with
energy, crying for a second guitarist to give the guitar sound a wider scope
and means to develop still further. Standing still is deadly for a band.
Anyway, the first brick in a solid wall of red hot records is laid with
"Reptiles Lust and Dogs" --self-descriptive title. "Hello!
Get more of these records coming!" Good ni-ia-ia-ia-ia-ight-t!"
-- HANS JURGEN KLITSH
8/9/88
JET LAG - DECEMBER 88
IGUANAS -- REPTILES, LUST AND DOGS
There's some primitive, undeniable force that makes "Wild Thing"
or "Born to be Wild" a great song, and the Iguanas know what it
is. This Kansas/Topeka trio has perfected that certain brand of Neanderthal
grunge. The easiest comparison is Alan Wilson has Iggy's tonal quality and
apparent ability to sing on key with shredded vocal cords. Without ever
going over the edge into sloppiness, the Iguanas suggest something dangerous
and primal. This could appeal equally to glammers, skinheads, revivalists
and death punks. The record includes nine meat-eating originals and swell
covers of "Why Don't We Do it in the Road" and "Hanky Panky."
--JOE Williams.