P.O.D. – Interview [2006]

tes-ti-fy : To express or declare a strong belief, especially to make a declaration of faith.

With their fourth Atlantic Records release, San Diego multi-platinum hard rockers P.O.D. are ready to Testify. Testify to the power of rock; to the sway of perseverance and sweat; to the valor of hard work; to the might of unity; and to the importance of remaining true to your convictions.

Chilling with Sonny!

When did you start working on Testify?

Over a year ago. Probably at the end of 2004. We rented out a pad in Palm Springs and started doing demo work and got away from everything for a minute. We hung out and made music organically and didn’t stress out.

How much of the album was done when you hooked up with the producer Glen Ballard?

We were pretty much done. By the end of the year we took the holidays off and went into the studio in January—we actually started the album with another cat at the beginning of February in Frisco and we were supposed to be up there for two months recording but by the time we hit vocals we felt like we were just duplicating the demo work and not taking a step forward. Come April we wanted to step out of the box. We talked about Glen before and we showed him what we had and he said he wanted in. What Glen did was— we brought in sketches and he helped us color them in.

Between recording and now what have you guys been up to?

It was such a busy process trying to finish the record and getting everything done even when we were waiting we went back into the studio and recorded new songs. There was a time in August when we took some time off. Wuv and I went to Italy. We took our families there all the way to Sorrento. My mother is from Italy and we met family we never met before. It was only the second time my grandmother has been back in fifty years. We got the chance to go represent for her. It was beautiful.

[We get off an a tangent about buying an Xbox 360 and getting one for the tour]

Is the writing process easier now that you’ve been together so long?

We just get in a room and jam. If someone has an idea we throw it out on the table. We have enough respect and love for each other to try it out. The cool thing about working with Glen was that he was open to the idea and new experience. There were songs we wrote with Glen that were more of his influence. They had more of a mellow feel and we had late nights jamming with him. We are open to that. We aren’t that crazy about our music. We are open about it and we want to grow within the music. It was cool working with a songwriter. He wanted us to jam and jam with us. There were bits and pieces we liked and it was all fun.

A lot of rock bands seem averse to taking any outside influence particularly when it comes to getting help with songwriting.

That is why a lot of records sound the same. We aren’t the same high school kids as when we started. A lot of bands are still playing the same three chords they played when they were kids. If you really know music you can hear the changes and progressions. The average fourteen year old isn’t going to hear that. We just want to grow. Our music might not be what people want to hear all the time.

I wonder when it became to uncool to use other songwriters songs. Bowie did it, the Beatles did it.

It’s happening more than you know.

They don’t admit it.

There were times when Glen showed us songs that he did for others. He had some songs but they weren’t right for us. He’s done songs for Dave Matthews but it wasn’t for us. So we’d just jam and have dinner at his house and have fun. It was a great process. I’m really grateful for his experience. He has all the backup in the world to be arrogant but he was the most humble spirit. I learn from people like that.

How did “Roots In Stereo” come about?

It was already done but we wanted to work with Matis for a while. At that time no one knew who he was. We had to find him on the streets of New York. We got a hold of his manager and talked to him and told him we respected his beliefs and personal convictions. He came in and was actually in the studio before us. Glen showed him “Roots In Stereo” and that wasn’t even the plan but he wanted to do it. So we showed him a little bit and he nailed it and he thought he was done. But we had another song so we went downstairs and laid a dub and it was only supposed to be a part but it became a whole song.

+ Charlie Craine