Formed in the early 1980s, The Polkaholics emerged from the heart of Toronto's anarchist punk scene, operating out of the notorious co-op Cathedral A, the other notorious shared house Cat B, and other unsavoury places. The core eventually became—Rick (guitar/vocals), Soon (bass/vocals), David (drums), and Mike (brass)—augmented on recordings by ex-band members (reflecting their open and collaborative ethos), keyboardist and vocalist Tanya, and the enigmatic Sri L Ron Von Amway of rehearsal-space mates Believers Voice of Victory, who added unexpected textures on keyboards. Visual artist Norma Jean contributed more than just her stark, iconic artwork. This fluid lineup was a testament to their belief in a creative community over a rigid band structure, as well as Rick’s sometimes combative nature.

Their songs were a fiercely intelligent and volatile concoction: an amalgam of thrash's breakneck speed, punk's raw minimalism, and the daring improvisation of jazz. Apt comparisons can be drawn to the deconstructed blues of Captain Beefheart's Magic Band, the industrial clatter of Pere Ubu, and the sinister swagger of The Birthday Party. This complex vision was captured on their two records: the self-titled 1983 EP and their defining 1985 full-length album, Zap The Universe, both released on their own label, Utility Grade Music. We are forever grateful to Andre Cyr, who paid for the recording and pressing of these records; we truly couldn't have done it without him.

For these sessions, they enlisted the talents of producer and drummer Michael Phillip Wojewoda, a revered figure in the Canadian studio scene known for his work with artists like Rheostatics and Barenaked Ladies, whose technical prowess and eclectic taste made him the perfect ally to harness their chaotic energy without sanitizing it.

True to a rigorous DIY ethos, the band's reach extended beyond Toronto's alternative music bars. They were distributed by three seminal international labels for avant-garde music: the UK's Recommended Records, founded by Art Bears alumnus Chris Cutler; Systematic (also UK); and the revered New York-based imprint run by jazz composer Carla Bley, New Music Distribution Service. This affiliation placed them alongside the most experimental acts of the era. They toured a circuit of east coast art galleries and clubs, frequently sharing stages with Toronto's legendary Riot Grrrl pioneers, Fifth Column.

In a defining contradiction, they dismissed political and musical movements while proclaiming their art as an essential lifeline—a vital bulwark against what they bluntly called "hell or another stupid job."

The Polkaholics' legacy endures not merely for their recordings but as a testament to a fiercely independent and artistically restless spirit. Theirs was a legacy of attitude: a messy, thoughtful, and gloriously pretentious refusal to be categorized. The band's story was tragically punctuated by the untimely death of guitarist and co-founder Rick in 2017, solidifying their status as a crucial, yet underheralded, chapter in the history of Toronto's underground music—a band that was, in every sense, defiantly and entirely their own creation.