My Favourite band: P.O.D.

We only have one youth and for many people that is a good thing! When we look back at old photos we often cringe at what we were wearing and whatever fashion trend was popular at the time. However, there is one thing that I will never be ashamed of and that is my passion for P.O.D. (Payable on Death).

It was 2001, one of the biggest years for nu-metal and when the genre was at the height of its popularity. Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach, Linkin Park and Slipknot were amongst the most popular bands. Papa Roach’s single Last Resort, Limp Bizkit’s Rollin’ and Linkin Park’s Crawling could be heard almost every lunchtime in my school as students brought in their walkmans and portable speakers as well as bellowing the choruses...often badly... in the playgrounds and classrooms. Nu-metal pioneers Korn and Deftones were also favourites amongst the more ardent, hardcore nu-metal fans. Although it wasn’t until 2002 that Untouchables was to be released, Korn’s back catalogue of albums was among the must have albums of any discerning nu-metal head. It was at this time that Korn’s song Daddy touched upon a darker, more visceral and cathartic side of teenagers; not that they would have been able to articulate it in such a way back then. This was also the time when a legion of devoted Linkin Park fans could be seen sporting their Hybrid Theory hoodies and music videos became compulsory TV viewing.

It was into this context that I discovered P.O.D. (short for Payable on Death, originally a banking term but appropriated by the band to represent their spiritual beliefs in Jesus’ sacrifice). To myself, initially, and many others P.O.D. was thought of as a new band, but their warriors (die-hard fans) knew better. In fact P.O.D. had one of the best nu-metal pedigrees of all the most commercial and successful nu-metal bands as their original album Snuff the Punk was released in 1994, the same year as Korn’s self-titled. P.O.D. were not just another band to me; they were a cultural phenomenon. Within a year or so I had bought all of their back catalogue and their DVD Still Payin’ Dues, which received a favourable review in Kerrang magazine, a metal magazine typically critical of them. I also did my best to imitate their fashion sense and half-heartedly learning the guitar. The lexicon of their lyrical and social culture also impacted my vocabulary and although I often smirk condescendingly nowadays on white English kids from respectable backgrounds, as they use gangster slang unconvincingly, when I think about it I probably wasn’t that much different! P.O.D. championed their San Diago roots, or as they referred to it ‘the Southtown’ and their SoCal roots impacted upon my colloquial expression.

But I digress; I think you get the picture – an impressionable teenager who discovered a band that tapped into a radical (yet paradoxically mainstream) form of musical and cultural expression. So to P.O.D. ...

P.O.D. began life in 1992, as the youthful and enthusiastic garage band of founding members, guitarist Marcos Curiel and drummer Noah ‘Wuv’ Bernardo. The specific events that led to the formation of the band as it became known professionally are tinged with tragedy. Vocalist Sonny Sandavel’s mother passed away from cancer in 1992. Wuv, Sonny’s cousin asked him to join the band in order to have something positive to hold onto to get him through the difficult time. Sonny’s mother had been a Christian and had converted after seeing God transform Wuv’s own family. Just before she died Sonny himself made the decision to become a Christian after witnessing the peace that his mother had as she lay dying in hospital. Although the pain was acute, Sonny had hope that he would see her again and thus rather than singing about pain and tragedy chose to speak of the power of God through P.O.D.’s music. Later in 1993 bassist Traa joined the band completing the line up that would soon go on to multi-platinum success. The inclusion of Sonny and Traa would forever change the complexion of P.O.D.’s music and come to define P.O.D.’s eclectic and distinctive sound. Sonny brought with him his passion for rap and hip-hop music and Traa added a dimension of funk and jazz, originally coming from an R’n’B background.

Fundamental Elements of Southtown

P.O.D.’s aforementioned first album Snuff the Punk combined Marcos and Wuv’s Metallica inspired thrash metal riffs with Sonny’s - at that time – raw rap vocals. It was a totally grass roots experimentation, not the polished and commercial sound that would come to characterise the nu-metal albums of the 1999-2003 era. P.O.D.’s 1996 sophomore album B.R.O.W.N saw the band branch out and experiment with their other musical passions, including their penchant for Reggae, while still remaining heavy and to an extent gritty. Lyrically Sonny opened up more on a personal level; singing about his faith in light of his mother’s passing. Having established themselves as an indie act within California with a strong core fan base dubbed the warriors, P.O.D. broke through into the mainstream with their major Label debut The Fundamental Elements of Southtown in 1999, the same year as Korn’s Issues album. The album went Platinum as their singles Southtown and Rock the Party (off the hook) hit radio waves with the music video for Rock the Party reaching No. 1 on MTV. Musically, the album was more akin to the polished sounds of their contemporaries Limp Bizkit and in my opinion is a nu-metal masterpiece. To my mind it is the quintessential P.O.D. album. Coming off of the back of the success of F.E.O.S. the band released Satellite, their most successful album, in 2001. Satellite was the album that truly broke the band onto the world stage and world tours soon followed including performances at the prestigious metal festivals Ozzfest and Rock am Ring in Germany. P.O.D.’s ability to write anthemic choruses was epitomised by Satellite’s first single Alive, which to this day remains one of their all time greatest songs. The song, again epitomising the band’s penchant for positivity speaks of joy and a passion for life born from their faith. The title track Satellite itself is a metaphor for God, an example of P.O.D.’s ability to write songs with spiritual depth without being offensive.

By 2002 the band had reached the peak of their popularity. However, controversy was about to strike at the core of the band. Ever since they entered the mainstream P.O.D.’s faith had been the subject of debate. The band, who proudly displayed long dread locked hair and tattoos were not the clean cut, stereotypical image of a Christian band. Their image was a stumbling block to many in the Religious Right Wing of America. Conversely, the band also felt discriminated by the media for pigeonholing them as a Christian band. Unusual for a faith-based band, P.O.D. had enjoyed mainstream success and had played many secular music festivals and enjoyed exposure on MTV, but they had always considered themselves a band made up of Christians, not strictly speaking a Christian band, who belonged in Christian music charts only. Finally in late 2002 founding member and guitarist Marcos Curiel left the band. There were conflicting accounts from the band and Marcos as to the precise nature of the split – the band citing musical differences as the primary cause, whereas Marcos painted a different picture of a band whose spiritual integrity was in question. Marcos went on to play full-time for his then Prog-Rock side project the Accident Experiment.

I was devastated! My favourite band, which I had looked up to, had given me strength as a Christian and had made me proud to be a Christian was now torn apart. His replacement came in the way of Jason Truby, ex-guitarist of Christian metal legends Living Sacrifice. Jason’s selection assuaged many fans fears of Marcos’ insinuations and their 2003 self-titled album ‘Payable on Death’ was a conscious and deliberate statement to their fans and critics alike. It was a statement that this was, at one and the same time, who P.O.D. are and always were but also that this was a new chapter, a fresh start and on one level even a chance for redemption. Songs such as Find My Way, I and Identify and Asthma spoke of spiritual struggle and a search for truth. The album showcased a more poignant, refined and mature melodic style, with Sonny extending his vocal range, proving he is more than a rapper, adding another colour to the rainbow of their musical spectrum. The album sold relatively well going Gold, but by this time nu-metal as a musical and commercial force was waning. 2006 saw P.O.D.’s last album on Atlantic Records ‘Testify’ as well as a departure from long time producer Howard Benson, this time favouring Glen Ballard. The album was an ambitious feat, which aimed to combine styles from all of the band’s eras. The album, for me, was a slow burner; some songs became instant classics, whereas other tracks took longer for me to truly appreciate them.

In 2007 something extraordinary happened. Jason Truby left the band to pursue his own solo career. Once again the band was without a guitarist. Jason had been the only natural replacement to Marcos at the time due to the band’s close friendship with Jason from their days touring with Living Sacrifice. Not being the sort of band to audition for a player this left them with a problem. It was at this time that Marcos, almost miraculously returned to the band. I do not know for sure who made the first move, whether it was Wuv or Marcos, but one way or another the two reconnected as friends. At first the band just spent time reconnecting with their old friend before, to the warriors delight, they began writing their seventh studio album When Angels and Serpents Dance and their first album with Marcos since 2001. The album was met with mixed reactions from both fans and critics alike due to its pure hard rock direction. Songs such as Addicted and Kaliforn-eye-a exhibited some of the old P.O.D. sound but the album took an even further step melodically than their 2003 self-titled. It was clear that during his hiatus from the band Marcos had matured and grown as a musician and artist. Lyrically the album dealt with the spiritual struggle of good and evil. Nevertheless, WA&SD was a very significant chapter for the band, who had forgiven past transgressions and let bygones be bygones. Marcos had returned to the band that he had made famous and that had made him famous, a band of openly Christian members. Spiritually, the reconciliation was monumental and healed many of the old scars that many of the warriors, including myself had been carrying.

In 2009, just a year after the release of WA&SD the band announced they were going on hiatus. This came as a shock and disappointment to their warriors, who by this time had seen many other fair-weather fans come and go from the P.O.D./nu-metal bandwagon. Sonny went on to establish the Whosoevers – an evangelistic organisation focussing on spreading the Gospel through alternative music and youth culture, including members such as Brian ‘Head’ Welch former guitarist of Korn who had become a Christian in 2005. Traa created his own indie Record Label, Pheonix Records, as well as publishing a book, while Marcos and Wuv continued to make music with their respective side projects. Eventually after two years the band began touring again, first touring South America and then touring America on the Rock Allegiance tour. As of November 2011 the band entered the studio to write their as yet untitled eighth studio album with producer Howard Benson, who produced both of P.O.D.’s Platinum selling albums F.E.O.S and Satellite. This collaboration, once more with Howard Benson is a great sign of things to come.

So 2011 has seen the second great revival of the band since Marcos’ return back in 2007. The band’s longevity is truly admirable considering its history and its place within a predominantly secular music scene. P.O.D. have always stood apart from their contemporaries and peers, while always pushing the envelope musically and never being afraid to experiment. Famously P.O.D.’s philosophy has always been that of a jam band, who make music in the moment, never as they once explained ‘reheating’ old songs. This commitment to writing in the here and now has always produced a very honest sound, whether fans and critics love it or hate it. There is nothing contrived in P.O.D.’s music.

I look forward in eager anticipation for 2012 to see what new music it will bring from my favourite band, a band who I feel I’ve grown up with and who have grown up with me; a band who have become an intrinsic part of my identity and who I will forever associate myself with. I learnt long ago never to put people on a pedestal, I know the band are just ordinary human beings, who make mistakes just like the rest of us, but I also know that their music has great spiritual depth and meaning, as well as being full of energy and even sometimes aggression. P.O.D. is my happy place band; they are the band I can turn to no-matter what mood I am. One of the greatest things about P.O.D. now that I am in my middle twenties is that I can claim ownership of them – they were the band of my generation and no one can take that away from me! I still listen to new music and I am into anything from Death Metal to Dubstep; but P.O.D. were and forever will be of ‘my time’ – that time in my youth where I began to discover the world and learn who I was. P.O.D.’s music is indescribably precious to me and while subsequent generations of teenagers may scoff at P.O.D.’s music, it makes no difference, because they will never understand what they mean to me. At the end of the day that is the beauty and power of music; that ability to transcend language and reach into you spiritually and emotionally.