The Figgs


The Figgs are a rock ‘n’ roll band formed in Saratoga Springs, New York in 1987. Originally known as The Sonic Undertones, their output includes thirteen studio albums and multiple EPs and singles. They’ve served as the backing band for rock and roll legend Graham Parker on and off since 1996 and also toured with Tommy Stinson of The Replacements fame.

Background

The original lineup of Mike Gent, Pete Donnelly, and Guy Lyons, all went to high school together. Lyons temporarily left the band in 1989 and was replaced by Pete Hayes. When he returned in 1992, Hayes remained on drums and Lyons moved to lead guitar. Lyons left for good in 1997 after the recording of Couldn't Get High.
The band has continued recording and touring steadily and in 2017 celebrated their 30th anniversary with shows featuring Lyons sitting in on some of their earliest tunes.
In May 2013 Lexus used The Figgs' Je T’Adore in a commercial entitled First Sight for the Lexus RX. Je T'Adore was released on the album Palais in 2004.

1987-1993

By 1993 The Sonic Undertones/Figgs had been performing for over half a decade and already had an album under their belt. But the year ‘93 was a pivotal one for the group as it saw the release of both of the first two full-length Figgs records! “Ginger,” recorded throughout the previous year in various New Jersey locales and the immediate follow up, “Ready Steady Stoned,” recorded in the Donnellys’ attic, are monuments to early 90s DIY, full of aggressive punk and shimmery pop tunes.

1994–1998

Imago was the first label to sign The Figgs and the resulting album, “Low-Fi At Society High” led to wider recognition and deepening industry interest. 1996’s “Banda Macho” was the band’s lone release on Capitol Records but during their brief tenure at the label one relationship was formed that would help map the course of the group’s next decade and beyond. Graham Parker was a forgotten man at Capitol in the mid 1990s but he found kindred spirits in The Figgs. Their first of many collaborations is documented on Bloodshot Records “The Last Rock And Roll Tour.” Meanwhile, the band returned to the indie world to release 1998’s “The Figgs Couldn’t Get High” on Absolute A Go Go Records. Produced and arranged by Andy Shernoff at Mixolydian Studios, the record would be Guy Lyons’ last with the band. Once again they would carry on as a trio.

1999-2004

In June of 2000 the remaining trio recorded “Sucking In Stereo” at Zippah Recording Studios in Brookline, Mass. Produced by Donnelly, Gent, and Engineer Brian Charles with help from Hayes, “Sucking” shows the band yet again quickly finding their stride without Lyons.

The Figgs Discography