Season 2 — Episode 13 — July 20, 2022
Gary Myrick of Havana 3am
THAT’S A WRAP FOR SEASON 2
When I first created Abandoned Albums, I knew it would be the perfect podcast for artists like Gary Myrick. You know, artists you knew of but maybe didn’t know know.
When I first approached Rob Janicke about working with him on the show, I was confident that he would be able to contribute a particular side of music that wasn’t necessarily in my wheelhouse — like Havana 3 am.
And that’s what makes this closing episode to Season 2 so fantastic; it’s the perfect merging of the concept:
In one way or another, you’ve heard Gary Myrick’s work… even if you don’t know the name.
While I had heard of Havana 3 am, I had never heard Havana 3 am… and might not have listened to it if Rob hadn’t suggested it.
On this episode of Abandoned Albums, we chat with Gary Myrick, founding member and lead guitarist for Havana, at 3am.
Myrick is a multi-hyphenate, triple threat kinda musician (singer-songwriter-virtuoso guitar player) with a CV as impressive as anyone from The Wrecking Crew. Gary has played with artists as varied as those musicians that made up The Wrecking Crew.
He’s played with everyone from Beach Boy genius Brian Wilson to Jackson Browne to Todd Rundgren to Bonnie Raitt to Wilson Pickett et al..
As Rob notes in the episode, Gary Myrick is to music as Kevin Bacon is to acting; everyone is six degrees of separation away. It’s a spot-on analogy because when you’re that good, who wouldn’t wanna work with you?
But should we expect anything less from the man who replaced Stevie Ray Vaughn in the band Krackerjack after Stevie embarked on a solo career? — Let that one sink in.
Should we expect anything less from the guy who provided that memorable guitar hook on the #1 hit song, 1984’s “Missing You” by John Waite?
— Gary also co-wrote four tunes on Waite’s platinum album No Brakes.
Should we expect anything less from the guy who would befriend and play with two of the most seminal figures from the British punk scene and helped shape the modern rock sound?
— Gary played with Sex Pistol guitarist Steve Jones and formed Havana 3 am with The Clash bass player Paul Simonon.
No, we should not expect anything less from a guy of Gary Myrick’s tremendous skills.
The birth of the band Havana 3 am is as organic as you could want from any rock and roll band. Born out of a motorcycle ride with bass player Simonon and singer/rhythm guitarist Nigel Dixon (of the rockabilly band Whirlwind), the three musicians decided to get together, and thus a band was born.
The band name is taken from Cuban musician Perez Prado’s 1956 album Havana 3 A.M.
And if you take that kind of Latin vibe, mix in some good ol’ rock and roll, a dash of surf & punk, some western flair & rockabilly, and a heavy-handed pour of attitude, you would get a band that sounds an awful lot like Havana 3 am does on this 1991 self-titled debut album.
Gary has quite the career, and we are thankful he swung by Thunderlove Studio. With a CV like his, this means there are loads of stories… which is good for you, dear listener because Gary is from Texas… which means he can not only play his instrument like a mutha-fluckah, but he can also weave a good yarn.
This interview was so much fun, and we’re so grateful for Gary Myrick stopping by to chat with us. I couldn’t think of a better way to top off this second season.
Thank you.
We’ve got a few more things cooking in the kitchen so look out for those in the coming weeks. In the meantime, “be cool bitches” — wink (no spoilers, you gotta listen to get the reference).
LISTEN:
