Two late-80s Kiwi indie bands Hoi Polloi and P.D. Corp re-form for a special show at Auckland’s Juice Bar.
With very special guest Ruby Frost.
The February 5th Juice Bar show will feature Hoi Polloi’s and P.D. Corp’s line-ups from 1989.
The two bands last played together at Auckland’s Gluepot on December 28th 1989 and Shelterbelt Festival two nights later. This will be a chance for the bands and their old fans to re-live those good times again.
Party like it’s 1989!
HOI POLLOI:
Jenny Gullen – vocals/guitar
David Ball – guitar
Andrew Horst – bass/vocals
Jozsef Fityus – drums
P.D. CORP:
Jono Jack – vocals/guitar
Myke Dowson – guitar/vocals
Andrew B. White – bass/vocals
Scotty Pearson – drums/vocals
HOI POLLOI:
Originally known as Jamboree and releasing a critically-acclaimed 12” EP ‘Independence Day’ in 1986, the band changed it’s name to Hoi Polloi in 1988 when Jenny Gullen replaced original vocalist Brent Tasker. In the late ‘80s, Hoi Polloi became one of New Zealand’s most progressive bands, rapidly building a name for itself on the live circuit. The NZ Herald called Hoi Polloi “one of NZ’s more talented mainstream (sic) bands”.
In 1990 Hoi Polloi were invited to perform at the Cornerstone Music Festival in the U.S. The performance was deemed the “hit” of the festival, and set off an underground buzz among rock aficionados and a signing frenzy among record companies.
In 1991, Hoi Polloi signed with crossover label Reunion Records, becoming the first NZ band to sign such a deal and breaking new ground for New Zealand artists.
An intended six-month stint in the US in 1992 to promote their debut album became a five year stay, with a rigorous touring schedule with gigs in small clubs like CBGB’s to large festivals and audiences of up to 50,000.
Hoi Polloi released two more albums - Spin Me and Happy Ever After which both generated top ten singles and MTV play.
In 1994, David Ball and Jozsef Fityus returned to NZ and Scotty Pearson (ex-P.D. Corp drummer and later of Elemeno P) joined on drums, with American Troy Daughterty on lead guitar.
Family reasons forced Hoi Polloi to disband and returned to NZ in early 1997.
P.D. CORP:
Formed in mid-1988 for a one-off gig to back songwriter/guitarist Jono Jack, the name P.D. Corp was a tongue-in-cheek reference to the state of New Zealand politics in the late 1980s; State-owned assets were being sold-off and privatized. ‘P.D. Corp’ might have been a name for a privatized prison service (P.D. standing for ‘periodic detention’). The name stuck and P.D. Corp became more than a one-off gig band.
In early 1989 Myke Dowson joined on second guitar and Scotty Pearson replaced original drummer Malcolm Lofroth,joining original members Jono Jack and bassist Andrew White. With Myke’s electric 12-string complimenting Jono’s guitar the band
developed a strong set of original, melodic songs, healthily influence by the likes of R.E.M., Guadalcanal Diary, Hunters & Collectors etc.
P.D. Corp established themselves as a hard-working live band playing several gigs a week up and down New Zealand in diverse venues from bikie gang parties (no chicken wire required) to 80s Auckland venues the Gluepot, Powerstation and The Venue.
Although many of the songs penned by Jono and Myke featured heavy social and political themes (vivisection and the Mafia amongst them) P.D. Corp also knew how to break out into self-gratuitous rock moments as this live March 1990 review of P.D. Corp’s Waikato University show says: “(P.D. Corp) Impressive band that have sounds of punk, new wave, R&B, and just about everything else. A song penned by skinhead (sic) Myke called ‘Oh Baby Baby’ was described as “romantic bullshit” but have you ever heard a band that sounds like the Clash at their hardest'” 8/10.
In late 1989 P.D. Corp put out a self-released EP called Piece of Plastic featuring one of the band’s most popular songs ‘Make It Reel’.
One of the band’s many live highlights was playing to several thousand people at the inaugural Shelterbelt Festival on New Years Eve 1989, playing straight after the headline act, Chicago’s Rez Band on the main stage. A mini-poll at the festival placed P.D.Corp first for ‘best live band’, right alongside Hoi Polloi (although it was Hoi Polloi who went on to get the record deals!)
In mid-1990 Myke and Scotty left the band and Jono and Andrew continued on with a new lineup including Chris Paki (later of Mobile Stud Unit) until disbanding in late 1991.
