P.O.D. // Being A Band Of Substance

Rap metal forefathers P.O.D. need no introduction. Satellite was the album that put the band on the map internationally. Alive, Blue Crush and the rally against gun violence committed by children; Youth of the Nation make it the band’s most successful record to date. P.O.D. hit our shores this April.

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Vocalist Sonny Sandoval informs that last year was actually the album’s 15 year anniversary. He believes that you have to create new opportunities because “we’re so oversaturated with music and bands these days.” Satellite was their most successful record and they have toured with it over in the states and they want to grab every opportunity they can with coming over to Australia. “Why wouldn’t we?” Sonny exclaims.

P.O.D. started as a garage band and the guys never thought they would leave San Diego. “Once we signed to a major label and we started selling records and then they started pushing us all around the world. We hit the jackpot as a band!” The band had some of the best times of their lives and also learnt many things. “We made a lot of mistakes, just learning the industry.”

Their first record, Fundamental Elements of Southtown, went platinum in the States, surprising the band and even their label at the time. “We worked our butts off and then all of a sudden that album went platinum.” They had to push Satellite, the following record. “I guess in my 26 years experience in this industry, at that time, it felt different. There was still this expression of who you were and where you’re from and a certain style that’s blending genre-wise.”

Sonny doesn’t feel it’s the same excitement these days. “It’s not about your culture. We were connecting with kids in Australia that were skating and surfing. There was just something that we were connecting, and it didn’t have to be on all these elements… Now, it’s more just entertainment and kind of really Hollywood. To me, it’s just not the same, and I miss those days.”

One of the biggest pushes for their Satellite record was the fact that it did come out on 9/11. “There was a huge ordeal over in the States where nobody wanted to hear certain kinds of music, or didn’t want this negative presence. P.O.D. happened to be one of those bands that filled that gap. They were just saying, Hey, man we want to be positive. We’re talking about love and faith and hope. These are all things that we need in this moment’”. With everything that the states was going through, and the world as a whole, that kind of music was needed.

“Like everything else, you know, out of sight out of mind. People go back to their regular ways and then they want to be entertained again. I think for us, that moment was so huge. Everybody was forced to recognise the situation that we were in.”

We’ve always had the intent to be a band that speaks on those things. We weren’t just trying to entertain people… Even though we get that this is entertainment, we’re always just a little bit deeper with the things that we wanted to say.
[Sonny]

The band weren’t going to just speak on the normal sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll topics, they wanted to be a band of substance. They respected the bands that were about something, whether they agreed or not with them. “We always played with bands that had different ideologies, had different faiths, they thought completely different. That was the melting pot that was our genre.” P.O.D. didn’t have a set agenda. They wanted to be open-minded and let everyone have their chance to express.

“When we wrote Youth of the Nation, we were two blocks away from the shooting when it happened. We were just writing, and so we’d seen the cop cars and the helicopters and the fire department and all of a sudden we’re helpless and yet we’re supposed to be in the studio writing. That was just the mood and the sombre surroundings. That’s all we can do is just be honest with what we’re feeling, and that song was birthed on that day.”

Listen to P.O.D on Hysteria Radio here.

The band tries not to be overly political, they still want to keep a fun and light side. “Obviously, there’s always something to write about in today’s world. We could be as serious in this moment, and then we can just be as lighthearted as fun in this moment… we’re trying to be this well-rounded kind of conversation.”

P.O.D. are not trying to be a band that argues with everything. They want to state their opinion and they’re open to listening to yours.

What we really need is well-rounded conversation. We need to listen more than we talk and goddammit, the world could do with another P.O.D. album for sure!

P.O.D. Australian Tour
Tickets Available here.

Tuesday 17th April – MELBOURNE, 170 Russell
Wednesday 18th April – ADELAIDE, The Gov
Friday 20th April – SYDNEY, The Factory Theatre
Saturday 21st April – BRISBANE, Eatons Hill Hotel
Sunday 22nd April – GOLD COAST, Coolangatta Hotel