The Poor, formed in 1986 in Darwin, Northern Territory, began as a covers band before becoming an original hard-rock outfit; founding members Julian "RV" Grynglas on guitar, Anthony "Skenie" Skene on vocals and rhythm guitar, and Matt Whitby on bass laid the groundwork. Their early breakthrough came with the 1992 EP Rude, Crude & Tattooed, released on Sony/Columbia and produced with members of The Angels, which positioned the band for a national tour and a supporting slot for Alice in Chains and Suicidal Tendencies. In March 1994 the band released the single "More Wine Waiter Please", reaching number 30 on the US Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and number 10 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart; in June that year the album Who Cares peaked at number 3 on the ARIA Albums Chart, earning international tours with the Scorpions, AC/DC, Kiss, and Van Halen. After disbanding in 2000, the band reunited in 2008, issuing Round 1 (2009) and Round 2 (2010) on Riot! Entertainment. A lineup change in 2019 brought guitarist Daniel Cox, and in 2025 bassist Stewart Williams replaced founding bass player Matt Whitby. The Poor released their fourth album High Price Deed on 2 February 2023 under Reckless Records, preceded by singles "Payback's a Bitch", "Cry Out", "Let Me Go", and "Take the World", cementing their continued presence in the hard-rock scene.
