Grasping the Polins’ Twisted Pursuit of Happiness
By Ed Yashinsky

That said, if you meet them in a bar over a beer you will absolutely love The Polins, because they are four normal guys with day jobs who happen to make unique music and seem to enjoy nothing more, except perhaps a pint of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

"The band is into all kinds of different music, and our sound takes something from everyone’s tastes," explains Fritchey. "I really like English pop and I think that is obvious in our music, but there are many other influences that create our sound."

According to vocalist and guitarist Dave Aufiero, The Polins’ songwriting technique usually begins with a riff or a phrase that is fleshed out, ripped apart, contorted and reconstructed. "You have to have a pretty thick skin to bring a song into the group," says Aufiero. "But I think everyone would agree that the changes usually make the song better and they are always made democratically."

But what about the lyrics? With songs titles like "Suicide Star, " "Deeper Down" and "Shattered Pieces" and subject matter that regularly returns to disintegrating relationships, you might think these guys are terminally depressed. "Party bands are a dime a dozen," jokes Fritchey. "We’re the band that reminds you that your job sucks, the weekend is only two days long and your relationship is bound to break up."

When The Polins formed about four years ago, they had the simple goal of creating original music. Fritchey, as a member of the Screaming Lincolns, was a veteran of Harrisburg’s punk underground scene that existed almost exclusively in American Legion basements. Dave Aufiero, along with brother Pete (the sole member of the XYZ Orchestra on WITF’s travelogue news show "Examine Your Zipcode"), never got farther than their garage with their first project The Vicars, while Melchiorre had several years of stage experience with The Sensors and The Leaving Time. "I met John at a few Leaving Time shows and we started kicking around the idea of forming a band with Pete," says Dave Aufiero. "A few months after The Leaving Time broke up, Tony joined to complete the lineup."

All The Polins needed were some good songs and a name. Of course, the name was more of a formality until they had a scheduled show. "We were just about to go on at Rib-It for our first gig and Jen Shade needed our name so she could introduce us," explains Pete Aufiero. "We told her to call us The Polins, after a local promoter who had a bit of a sleazy reputation and just happened to get arrested the previous night for soliciting a prostitute."

"It was pretty much an inside joke," adds Fritchey, "but a lot of people knew about it and it really set the tone for the opening night. Four years later, we’re stuck with the name."

Since that first gig, The Polins have continued to clear more and more hurdles. In 1995, they released their debut CD and had a song included on Halfway There–A Central Pennsylvania Compilation. "When Halfway There came out, we received calls from about ten record companies, " says Dave Aufiero. "Most were only interested in buying the song ("Drag"), so we decided against it. But it really got us writing and recording more songs."

Those recordings became the basis for The Polins’ superb second release, starhartflower. "We recorded the second CD at Planet Earthy in Lancaster and it was a really relaxed atmosphere," explains Fritchey. "We decided to create a studio sound. This CD is not exactly how we sound live, but very few bands create in the studio what they create live."

With the success of their second release, The Polins have played in clubs in New York, Memphis, and Washington, D.C., but the members are realistic about their future. "Even if we got signed on a national label, I don’t know if I would be willing to give up my career," says Fritchey. "It would be really nice to have someone else pay to make our CDs, but I’m just looking forward to recording again."