Since forming in 1992, P.O.D. have developed an enormous national following
through relentless touring and performances with many well-known bands such as
GREEN DAY, MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES, BAD BRAINS, KID ROCK and CYPRESS HILL. All
of this, along with selling over 30,000 units INDEPENDENTLY of their "Brown" CD,
caught the attention of numerous major labels and ultimately landed them a deal
with Atlantic Records (August '98).
Back in the Day
The story of P.O.D. turned its first page when Marcos and Wuv were introduced
by a friend who, taking matters in hand, suggested, "Hey, you guys should jam."
"The next thing you know, Marcos and I were practicing in my parents’ living
room," says Wuv, who’d learned to play drums along with Cheap Trick, AC/DC, and
the first Cars album. "From there, we started playing a lot of house parties in
the neighborhood." Sonny, who would dutifully attend these early gigs to help
keep his cousin Wuv out of trouble, took it all in and was moved by the
excitement the band could generate. At the same time, Sonny was struggling to
cope with the loss of his mother to cancer. The only thing that seemed to see
him through was the support of family. "I wanted to get Sonny involved with the
band to get his mind off what was going on," says Wuv. "Where we’re from, it’s
so easy to get caught up in everything our friends are doing – getting high and
just hanging with the fellas. I just said, ‘Hey dude, why don’t you come join
the band.’ He was doing some hip-hop stuff with our friends and he was tight. So
we started off trying to incorporate his skills into what Marcus and I were
doing."
Something’s Going On Here
By 1992, Payable On Death had finally taken shape and the
band went to work in earnest while booking themselves into any hall that would
have them. The band’s first show found them opening a local show with Face To
Face, followed by a New Year’s Eve gig opening for Green Day. "I still remember
when Wuv said to me, ‘Yeah, my cousin’s in a rap group,’" recalls Marcos,
reflecting on the band’s earliest moments. "I was like, ‘Dude, Sonny never talks
to anybody in the first place – how does he get in front of an audience?’ It’s
was true. Our first show with Sonny was kind of like a scene from The Doors.
Sonny had his back turned to the crowd the whole time. It was hilarious." As the
band’s presence on stage grew more dynamic and Sonny found his confidence, the
P.O.D audience expanded from a Southtown crew to a wider regional following.
Soon the group was opening local shows for the likes of Cypress Hill, HR, Mighty
Mighty Bosstones, Pennywise, and the Vandals. Within the space of a year, the
group was up and ready to get into the studio. Taking cues from their numerous
D.I.Y. heroes, the band struck their claim for independence and began
formulating plans to launch their own label. Rescue Records to the rescue. The
self-financed start-up served as the label home to the group’s first three
independent releases, beginning in 1993. That same year, the band’s line-up was
solidified with the arrival of bassist Tra_. His formal entrance into the P.O.D.
arena came on the eve of a show at the Whisky in Los Angeles. The band was in
desperate search for the right four-stringer to see them through.
"My dad
suggested we give Tra_ a call," remembers Wuv. "He was playing, at the time, in
my uncle’s funk band. We weren’t trying to steal him but when Tra_ played with
us, it was just dope." "It was more of a spiritual thing than anything," says
Tra_, a Cleveland native who grew up on the sounds of James Brown, George
Benson, and Larry Graham. "It was right. Playing with these guys allowed me to
expand into playing a whole new kind of music." Earlier this year the quartet
renewed their relationship with Tooth & Nail with the release of their "THE
WARRIORS" EP. Originally designed as pre-production demos for "FUNDAMENTAL
ELEMENTS OF SOUTHTOWN," the seven-track disc includes early versions of
"Southtown" and "Follow Me" – heard here as an instrumental called
"Sabbath."
Tribal Warriors
Today, the road-hungry P.O.D. average more than 150 shows
a year – playing primarily for all-ages audiences. With gigs often promoted by
young fans, grass roots bookings have led to P.O.D. tour stops at alternate
venues in small towns and suburbs across the States. Over the course of eight
years and numerous national tours, they’ve headlined skate parks, county parks,
coffeehouses, colleges, and local youth centers, setting up their gear on
driveways, flatbeds, beaches, and in gymnasiums. "We could play in an abandoned
building and somehow the kids would find out about it and be there," says Sonny
with a laugh. Such is the band’s connection to their fans that often times, the
performance accounts for only part of any show’s events. After a set, it is not
uncommon to find all four members of P.O.D. drawn into long conversations with
kids that just want to talk, whether it’s about music, school, parents,
anything. As far as the guys are concerned, such interaction is as inherent to
the band’s purpose as the music itself. "I’ll spend hours talking after a show,"
says Sonny. "That’s what this band is about -- we’re just honored to have that
kind of opportunity to connect with young people, y’know." "The style of music
we play – it’s an important part of life for a lot of kids," says Wuv. "The way
they feel this music, that’s the way they’re living life – hardcore. It’s there
in the way they dress, the way they do everything. It’s not about some fad they
run in and out of." That dedication to the band has led to the creation of the
P.O.D. Warriors crew, a loosely affiliated team made up of dozens of fans from
across the country who take an active roll in putting out the word on the band
and in locally promoting their concerts. The Warriors are connected via the
band’s website and an active subscribers e-mail list.
Taking It On The Positive Side
As they have from day one, P.O.D. thrives within an atmosphere of common love and respect, emboldened by
individual spiritual convictions. For each member of P.O.D., their distinctly
individual steps towards faith began well outside Sunday School and not until
their later teens. "My dad was one of the biggest drug dealers in South San
Diego," says Wuv, recounting his own experience. "He was living in the streets
for three years before God actually touched his heart. After that, he would
bring me to church and I started to see God change my dad’s life. I was like,
‘Dude, this is a trip.’ Also, God totally restored my parent’s marriage. They
both had it hard. I saw it all growing up but I also saw a real God change my
family and bring them back together. That made an impact on my life. I wanted to
do good because I saw what God did in my family. And God used my dad to get
Sonny’s mom reading the Bible. She gave her life to God and started being an
example to Sonny." "When my mom passed away, that’s when I made the decision to
start straightening out my life," says Sonny. "A lot of people, who know where
we’re coming from on the spiritual side, will be watching us to see what we do –
even to if its something ridiculous like finding out if we smoke cigarettes or
whatever," says Wuv. "I tell those people, ‘Don’t be watching me because I’ll
disappoint you over and over. I’ll be stumbling all over the place.’ I’m never
gonna be perfect. I’m gonna do things bad all the time. Still, you live your
life and have a relationship with God while just trying to have a positive
effect on the people around you."
P.O.D.'s mission is characterized by passion,
dedication and hard work They are deeply committed to delivering groundbreaking
music with a message for the people.