The Method Actors

The Method Actors, a critically adored post-punk/new wave band from Athens, GA, was formed in 1979 by two members of the short-lived Tone-Tones: guitarist/vocalist Vic Varney and drummer/vocalist David Gamble. Though they gigged extensively throughout New York City in a concentrated burst a few months shortly after forming, it was back in their hometown where they were picked up by London, England’s Armageddon label, whose Peter Dyer was in town to sign Pylon, a like-minded band managed by Varney. From 1980 through 1982, the Method Actors recorded and released a number of well-received discs, including This Is It (a three-song 7” picked as a Single of the Week in the U.K.’s New Music Express), the Rhythms of You EP (trimmed of two songs for U.S. release as Dancing Underneath, issued on Athens’ DB label), and the double-LP Little Figures (reduced to a single LP in the U.S.). While touring in support of their album, they took on a third member, guitarist Michael Richmond (Varney had switched to bass), but Gamble was out before the end of 1982. The band was a quartet by the time it released its final album, 1983’s Luxury. Varney subsequently formed Go Van Go, which was active on and off through 1987, then carried on as a solo artist with several albums to his credit. Much of the Method Actors' early material was compiled on This Is Still It, released in 2010 by the Acute label.
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