By Brett Ratner

Hoi Polloi means "common people" if taken literally.

In regards to this band, the name is where "common" ends. The New Zealanders have managed to build quite a following in their native country and the U.S since their 1988 inception. The band's success is marked by two successful independent releases and the recent Happy Ever After on Via Records.

Still waiting for their "big break," Hoi Polloi is touring a breakneck pace, performing show after show, spinning sonic webs of atmospheric alternative rock.

"Stylistically, it's been called noisy pop. I just call it modern rock," vocalist and founding member Jenny Gullen, said. "But it has an aggressive edge to it, but it's also mixed in with some catchy melodies. When we write, I try to write melodies that are warm and accessible. That's what I enjoy myself when I listen to music."

To Gullen, bassist/co-founder Andrew Horst, drummer Scott Pearson and guitarist Troy Daugherty, there is more to music than hooks.

"Lyrically, I think music for me is simply an outlet for what's going on in my head and my heart," Gullen said. "For me, it's a form of self expression and a therapy in a way, giving vent to what's inside."

The depth and complexity of the lyrics extends to the music.

"Musically, it's a combination of the players in the band, we feed off each other really well," Gullen said. "There's quite a lot of diversity in what we write. We don't want to create a musical monotone. We want to explore dynamics and feel and mood."

Hoi Polloi recently got the opportunity to explore dynamics and mood at a very important benefit concert. The band participated at Brazil's S.O.S., which raises proceeds to benefit homeless people and orphanages. Culture shock and 40,000 unfamiliar faces didn't prevent the band from having a great show.

"It was amazing," Gullen said. "We were all kind of scared that they wouldn't like our music, being in a different culture and we were listening to the radio and it was all techno music. They did like us, fortunately. We got on stage and pretty quickly they were into it."

While the benefit concert was a very positive experience for the band, life on the road has been anything but easy. Due to the recent government shutdowns, for example, the process to renew Scott Pearson's work Visa was delayed past the start date of their current tour. Confident that a temporary Visa could be issued due to the circumstances, Pearson and the band flew to America. The individuals in customs were less than understanding and Pearson was sent home. Hoi Polloi was left temporarily without a drummer and they had gigs that week. Fortunately, Wayne Giberet from the contemporary Christian band "The Prayer Chain" was available to fill in for the time being.

Despite the setbacks, Hoi Polloi keeps plugging away, writing and performing new material for a hoped upcoming release.

"We're fighting at the bit to get something out in June," Gullen said.

In the mean time, the band constantly searches for a label to help them in their fight.

"We have several labels that expressed some interest in us," Gullen said. "We're hoping that we can get one of them to jump on board so that we can get the machine behind us which will enable us to do what we want to do."