Hoi Polloi Biography
Who is Hoi Polloi?
Hoi Polloi (pronounced 'HOY puh-LOY') was a Christian alternative rock band from New Zealand, active in the US CCM scene in the early 1990s.
The band's roots date to 1984, when drummer József Fityus, guitarist David Ball and bassist Andrew Horst were members of Standing Joke. After Horst returned from traveling overseas, the three formed a new group with vocalist and keyboardist Brent Tasker and guitarist David "Steiny" Steunebrink. They initially used the name Hoi Polloi, but changed it to Jamboree because an Australian group already had the name. As Jamboree, they recorded the *Melt Down* EP in 1985 and performed around Auckland, supporting acts including Hello Sailor, Ardijah, Dance Exponents and Peking Man before appearing at the Mainstage Christian music festival in 1987. When Tasker left for Australia, the group auditioned for a replacement and found Jenny Gullen in 1988, subsequently reverting to the name Hoi Polloi.
Gullen's distinctive vocals helped give Hoi Polloi its direction. By the time they returned to the Mainstage festival in 1989, the band was highlighting the influence of U2 on its sound, including a performance of "Seconds." Hoi Polloi were also contenders to support U2 at Western Springs in Auckland, although they did not get the opportunity.
After a performance at the Shelterbelt Christian music festival in New Zealand in 1989 impressed American Christian rock musician Glenn Kaiser, Hoi Polloi were invited to perform at the Cornerstone Festival in Chicago. Their 1990 appearance became a breakthrough for the band when they played an extended set after scheduled headliner David Mullen failed to appear. They had also prepared a six-track independent demo EP, *Satisfy*, for the festival.
Hoi Polloi attracted interest from six record labels following their Cornerstone performance, with both Word and Reunion Records sending representatives to New Zealand. They ultimately signed with Reunion, which had been founded by Amy Grant's managers and had a distribution deal through Geffen. The band joined Grant's Australia tour, playing an additional set at a local club after each arena show, and also opened for her at Auckland's Logan Campbell Centre in February 1992.
Hoi Polloi recorded their self-titled debut album at Airforce Studios in Auckland with American producer Reed Arvin. Released by Reunion Records in 1992, the album established Hoi Polloi in the US Christian music market. Its songs generally dealt with personal experiences rather than directly religious subjects, while reflecting the band's Christian beliefs. Gullen described the band's approach as writing music with honesty and integrity rather than superficiality or piety.
The band relocated to the United States and toured extensively, often performing around 200 shows a year. Their US dates included appearances at CBGB in New York, the Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood, First Avenue in Minneapolis and BB King's Blues Club on Beale Street in Memphis. They also toured with Christian hard rock band Guardian. The band's time in the US included some tension with the conservative Christian music scene, as their approach did not always conform to the expectations of the CCM market.
Their second Reunion Records album, *Spin Me*, was released in 1993. The album produced "Angel," which reached No. 1 on the CCM singles chart, while "Take Me Home" became a live favorite that Christian audiences adopted as a worship song. Hoi Polloi also received a Dove Award nomination and continued their extensive US touring.
After the financial pressures of 18 months of touring led Ball and Fityus and their families to return to New Zealand, American guitarist Troy Daugherty and New Zealand drummer Scotty Pearson joined Gullen and Horst. This lineup recorded *Happy Ever After*, released by Via Records in 1995. The album moved toward a heavier alternative rock sound. Its single "Tiptoe" topped the Christian rock charts for eight weeks and reached the Top 10 on US college radio, while "Big Fat Happy Day" also received MTV airplay. That year, Hoi Polloi headlined a music festival in Brazil attended by approximately 40,000 people.
Pearson eventually returned to New Zealand because of visa issues and was replaced by American drummer Matt McGuyer. This lineup recorded the three-song independent EP *Only Flying* in 1996. After five years of extensive touring in the United States, Jenny and Andrew Horst decided in 1997 to end the band and return to New Zealand.
Hoi Polloi reunited in 2010 for the 20th anniversary of New Zealand's Parachute Christian music festival, performing on the main stage. The reunion brought together members of the band's best-known lineup and provided an opportunity to celebrate Hoi Polloi's place in New Zealand Christian rock and its success in the US CCM market.