{"id":10432,"date":"2012-07-22T09:00:32","date_gmt":"2012-07-21T23:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/?p=10432"},"modified":"2012-07-21T17:20:17","modified_gmt":"2012-07-21T07:20:17","slug":"sonny-sandoval-of-p-o-d","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/2012\/07\/sonny-sandoval-of-p-o-d\/","title":{"rendered":"Sonny Sandoval of P.O.D."},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n<\/a>\u201cWhen we get together and start jamming we have no more outside influences, it\u2019s just us four and that\u2019s the way it started twenty years ago in a garage we were just kids jamming and I think that\u2019s just how we wanted this record to be and we just started to write music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Four years since their last release, P.O.D. are back with \u2018Murdered Love\u2019 a collection of rockin\u2019 tunes and a return to their trademark sound.\u00a0 Sure you may know P.O.D. for songs like \u2018Alive\u2019 or \u2018Youth of the Nation\u2019 which were massive back in 2001 but with this new album, given the chance; we could expect some new hits.\u00a0 Have a listen, you\u2019ll dig it.<\/p>\n

P.O.D. front man Sonny Sandoval took some time to talk about the new album \u2018Murdered Love\u2019 with us, how it was put together, as well as a look back at a couple of their biggest hits.<\/p>\n

Over to you Sonny\u2026<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been four years between your last album and this one, was it a conscious decision to take this long to make this album or was it a needed break?<\/strong>
\nIt was a well needed break ha ha, I don\u2019t think we planned it being that long, but I think once we set out it was just more of a personal thing to get away from the industry and music and I\u2019ve been blessed to be a part of this band and I think for me it was more about loving it so much that I was willing to lay it down if it wasn\u2019t what I thought it was supposed to be.\u00a0 So for me, just taking time to be a daddy and husband and part of my community and when I felt it was right to make some more music, it just kind of happened.<\/p>\n

Tell us about the title \u2018Murdered Love\u2019 and where that came from?<\/strong>
\nMurdered Love stems from the day that they murdered love and it was you know, again like we said, we took so much time off we were thinking of putting out just a little heavy EP out. Marcos had this idea of the day that they murdered love, speaking about the crucifixion and just the very moment that Christ died and the scriptures say that the clouds went black and the ground split open and the religious veil cut in half and it was just desperate moment and a desperate time not really knowing the outcome of the situation.\u00a0 So we were like why don\u2019t we just do a heavy, crazy EP, put it out for free just for fun, and once we started the record it just kind of ended up being the title track.<\/p>\n

Song wise, what was the writing process for these tracks?<\/strong>
\nI think that all kind of comes last, it just stems from us four all sitting in a room and going through riffs and just jamming, it really is just a natural process, you just start to jam and you\u2019re like, hey that feels good, or that\u2019s awesome or that sucks, you know?\u2019 Or you just kind of flow with it, once you have the structure and all the main parts, then I sit with it and the music just inspires the lyrics and the melodies and then I bring it back to the guys and say \u2018Hey this is what I\u2019m thinking\u2019 and you just kind of tear apart and add from there you know?<\/p>\n

There are so many elements musically on this album jumping from metal to reggae to rap to an almost 70\u2019s feel at times\u2026<\/strong>
\nHa ha ha yeah\u2026
\nWas that the intention when creating it or was it a case of that\u2019s just how it played out?<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s just how it played out, it\u2019s never the intention, if you listen to our demos from twenty years ago, we had a DJ back then, we were influencing loops and beats, way back then because it\u2019s just the music we love.\u00a0 We come from the hard-core punk scene and the metal scene, here in South San Diego the genres of music just run wild through the neighbourhood so we\u2019ve always had a love and appreciation for all that stuff and it\u2019s just something that comes natural when we jam you know?\u00a0 We never want the record to sound the same, like twelve songs on the record to sound like one song you know?\u00a0 Plus as I said, we started when we were teenagers and I\u2019ve watched the guys progress in their craft and art in twenty years, you know, they love what they do.<\/p>\n

What do you think it is that keeps P.O.D. relevant in today\u2019s ever changing music industry and tastes?<\/strong>
\nYou know what, in taking that break you really do just get away from that industry completely, so I\u2019m not hip on what\u2019s trendy or hot, if I like something I like something, but most of the stuff is all bubble-gum and cookie cutter and it does nothing for me. So I don\u2019t have nothing to keep up with, you know what I mean, when we get together and start jamming we have no more outside influences, it\u2019s just us four and that\u2019s the way it started twenty years ago in a garage we were just kids jamming and I think that\u2019s just how we wanted this record to be and we just started to write music.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>You\u2019ve worked once again with Howard Benson on this album, first time since \u2018Payable on Death\u2019 in 2003, what was he able to bring out of the band on this album that you feel may have been missing on previous releases?<\/strong>
\nWell you know we\u2019re his first gold and platinum record, so we\u2019ve got love for him and he\u2019s got a special spot in his heart for us, his career took off as well as ours and he\u2019s been able to go on and do platinum records over and over since then.\u00a0 You know, when we took our break, he was with us and said well when you guys decide to do a new record, I want to do it and I think he just gets us and allows us to be us and he\u2019s an outside ear and amazing at what he does.\u00a0 I think it\u2019s just really natural with him, he can be mister superstar producer to all these new bands, but to us it\u2019s kinda like we\u2019re all just old friends you know what I mean? Ha ha and we\u2019ve learned so much from him and we\u2019re not afraid of him like he\u2019s not afraid of us, to just speak his opinions and feelings and we fight and make up like a married couple ha ha, that\u2019s what makes the music awesome.<\/p>\n

Last time we saw you here in Australia was with Disturbed and Alter Bridge in 2008, what are your memories from that tour?<\/strong>
\nOh that was an awesome tour man, I was just shocked to see how well that Disturbed has done, I remember them coming out to our shows before they were even a band back in the day you know what I mean ha ha, I guess when you\u2019ve been in the business this long you just watch all these young guys come up and skyrocket to the moon.\u00a0 We\u2019ve always had love down in Australia and even New Zealand, two of my favourite countries, and that was just an awesome tour to be a part of.<\/p>\n

When do you think we can expect to see you back?<\/strong>
\nUm\u2026 actually with this record taking off, so many opportunities are opening up and so I would definitely hope we\u2019d be back there by the beginning of next year, I know we plan on being busy and staying busy and its never for us to turn down Australia, trust me.
\n That would be around Soundwave time, that could be good\u2026<\/strong>
\nDude\u2026 I hope so man\u2026 ha ha<\/p>\n

A track like \u2018Alive\u2019 which was huge for you back in 2001, what was it that you feel connected with people to make it the song that it was?<\/strong>
\nObviously our record released on 9-11 here in The States and that song was already top of the radio charts and the number one video on MTV, and obviously with the tragedy of 9-11, it was a desperate situation where people were looking for answers you know\u00a0 I think with that song, what I\u2019m most proud about it was it was pre 9-11, it was a song that was already offering hope and saying \u2018hey I\u2019m just grateful to be living, I\u2019m not taking life too fast and I\u2019m not taking this life for granted\u2019 and obviously with 9-11, that song really resonated, especially amongst Americans.\u00a0 You know, we\u2019ve always tried to offer that in our music, and continue to put positive vibes in our music, so whoever is listening to it is never going to walk away depressed or empty, but hopefully moved and touched what we do.<\/p>\n

On the other side of that, a song like \u2018Youth of the Nation\u2019, written over 10 years ago now, the content was relevant to issues at the time, but if you were to try and write that song now, what do you think would be the main focus of it?<\/strong>
\nYou know like I said we always write for the moment and what we\u2019re going through and even at that time it was almost trendy, at least here in The States that were going in and pulling off these school shootings you know what I mean?\u00a0 I think just being a part of rock and roll, I feel like I\u2019m young and even though I\u2019m getting older and just being a daddy I just relate to kids in general.\u00a0 I feel for what the young person goes through today and even though that song was kind of based around the school shootings, we have songs on the record like \u2018Beautiful\u2019 or \u2018I Am\u2019 that just get down the flesh of what we do as people, but at the end of the day we\u2019re still trying to give hope.<\/p>\n

Looking back over the last twenty years as a band, if you could pick just one, what would you consider being the defining moment?<\/strong>
\nAww man\u2026 that\u2019s tough, there\u2019s so many cool moments.\u00a0 Well first of all, recording a song with Santana and then actually playing the Latin Grammy\u2019s here in The United States, that was huge, I was like wow, we\u2019re on TV at the Latin Grammy\u2019s playing with one of our heroes. That was amazing.
\n I\u2019ll give you another one\u2026<\/strong>
\nUm, I would have to say, New Year\u2019s Eve on the Pontiac Garage stage, it was on top of a roof overlooking Times Square and there must\u2019ve been a million people in New York City and we played on top of the roof it was amazing ha ha ha.<\/p>\n

Well, thanks for your time Sonny, this album is great and I hope it relights a fire for you and hopefully we\u2019ll see you down here soon!<\/strong>
\nThanks man, I appreciate that.<\/p>\n

Essential Information<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n

From:<\/strong> San Diego, CA, USA<\/p>\n

Band members: <\/strong>Sonny Sandoval – Vocals , Marcos Curiel \u2013 Guitar, Traa Daniels \u2013 Bass, Wuv Bernardo – Drums<\/p>\n

Website:<\/strong> http:\/\/www.payableondeath.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Latest release:<\/strong> Murdered Love (Razor & Tie, Shock Records)
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