Policy of 3 was a band that was influenced by the works of bands on the
Dischord label.
To me, their lyrics are what make this band so note-worthy--they are urgent and deal with very difficult topics such as rape (in their song "Space Cadet") and abuse (in their song "Nine Years Old"). Though not much is known about them, it's obvious that they were passionate about their work.
To quote their Anthology Insert (taken from
their Myspace):
"
Though Policy of 3 is probably considered an Emo band due to the era in which we existed, I will always think of us as a hardcore/punk band, because the band was inspired by the best elements of the New York City hardcore/punk and Dischord scenes of the late 1980's and early 1990's. However, the real motivation behind the band and the urgency directed to our music probably had more to do with the absurdities which were frequently and consistently expelled from the hardcore/punk scene before and during our early days as a band. This was a time of skinheads and the spectacular implosion of the straightedge scene on the East Coast when the self-righteous fell off the wagon. This was a time of Hare Krishna and vegan facism; two brief epochs which made so many punks look so stupid. This was a time style seemed to triumph over substance. This was a time of creeping commercialism and slick professionalism. This was a time when hardcore bands praised the Gulf War. This was a time when Punk Rock merged with metal then merged with Grunge. This record might sound hopelessly dated and irrelevant in the year 2004 (and beyond). However, at the time these songs represented an attempt to create something all our own, something that was removed from the machismo of the pit and the esoterica of post punk." - Chris Fry"
When I first listened to the song "Nine Years Old," I was blown away by the story-telling and tragic sense of the lyrics such as:
"
... scared and stammering he told his mom of the boys, the knife, and the water. She beat him for being somewhere she told him not to go. Where was the love this child was supposed to know? Never cried, held it all inside..."
On their 2-disc Anthology, they included live songs at the end of the second disc that do a great job of tying up the set.
Here's their Anthology from Ebullition Records:
Disc One
Disc Two
