About
Gary Myrick and the Figures emerged from the Los Angeles new wave scene at the turn of the 1980s, with Texas-born guitarist and vocalist Gary Myrick leading the charge. Signed to Epic Records, the band blended post-punk energy with polished pop hooks and a distinctly guitar-driven swagger that set them apart from some of their more synthesizer-heavy contemporaries. Myrick's sharp, angular guitar work gave the group a raw edge while the tight rhythm section kept things radio-friendly enough to turn heads.
Their self-titled debut in 1980 introduced a sound that caught on with college radio and MTV audiences alike, and the follow-up She Talks in Stereo from 1981 refined that formula with stronger songwriting and a slicker production sheen. The title track became their most recognizable moment, landing decent chart action and earning rotation on early MTV. Myrick had genuine chops as both a player and a frontman, which gave the band credibility beyond pure pop appeal.
Though they never quite broke into the mainstream stratosphere, Gary Myrick and the Figures remain a fondly remembered act among fans who dig that early-80s intersection of new wave cool and rock muscle. Myrick continued recording and performing well into subsequent decades, and his catalog holds up as a solid snapshot of an exciting transitional moment in American rock.
