P.O.D. return with 10th album and new zeal: ‘It’s like, you love making records. But, then, you hate it...’

After 26 years, P.O.D. vocalist and front man Sonny Sandoval is understandably proud of his San Diego band’s longevity. But he’s also unsure where, exactly, P.O.D.’s high-octane metal/rap/reggae/hardcore-punk fusion fits in a pop-music world increasingly fueled by Instagram posts, Snapchat buzz, Spotify playlists, Shazam and YouTube Music Premium.

“It’s like, you love making records. But, then, you hate it, because: Who buys records (now)?” Sandoval said. “We’ve been through our ups and downs, and we’re so jaded by the music industry.”

Even so, P.O.D. — short for Payable On Death — isn’t growing complacent in its 26th year of existence.

Witness the band’s 10th and newest album, the carefully crafted “Circles.” It finds Sandoval, guitarist Marcos Curiel, bassist Traa Daniels and drummer Wuv Bernardo collaborating with the Los Angeles production and songwriting team The Heavy, which has co-written songs with such bands as Goo Goo Dolls and The Dirtyheads.

The 11-song “Circles” will be released Friday by the Mascot Label Group. P.O.D. harbors no illusions about becoming a Top 40 act or MTV favorite again, as the band was in its multi-million-selling commercial heyday, circa 2001-2003. And there are no plans for the band to reunite with such past collaborators as Carlos Santana and Katy Perry, who — as a young unknown in 2006 — sang harmony vocals on the P.O.D. song “Goodbye For Now.”

But the group wants its new music to appeal to younger fans, as well as longtime followers. And on “Circles,” P.O.D. manages to incorporate some contemporary touches while retaining the essence of its trademark sound.

“We still get to play around the world and that’s just because there are still people out there that love what we do,” Sandoval said. “But we changed it up a little bit by going (to record) with The Heavy. They’re used to working with pop and alternative artists. And we really went in with an open mind to even possibly co-write, which we’ve never done (before). …

“Whereas, this time, it was like: ‘Yeah, we want some outside opinions. We want some guys that are a little bit younger that maybe aren’t as jaded by the industry as we are.’ So they really brought some excitement to it. ... It’s not the heaviest record we’ve ever done, but it’s not so unfamiliar, either. It has elements we’ve incorporated in our music for 26 years. ...

“I’ll go for as many types of radio (format) spins as we can get.”

P.O.D. performs an album-release show Saturday at the Music Box. It will be followed by 22 shows, nationwide, in November and December, with a European tour set for February and March. Sandoval stopped by for a chat at the Union-Tribune’s downtown offices recently. Here are edited excerpts from that interview.

Q: What was the goal when P.O.D. started? Did you have any idea you would be here 26 years later?

A: No. I mean, we were just kids having fun. You know, it was a way to kind of avoid trouble here in San Diego. ... We were all going through changes in our lives, spiritual, just growing up, trying to figure out life. Music was a way to express that — and we never thought we’d leave San Diego. It wasn’t like we had some rock star, rock ‘n’ roll — you know — dreams of Hollywood... it was just something we did. It was part of our lifestyle. And we did things independently and we kept at it, and things just- you know. I feel lucky, I feel blessed. There’s so much good music out there, there’s so many bands and not too many people get to do it 26 years later.

Q: Some bands kind of find a meaning to their life by making their music. Some bands literally or figuratively find salvation through music. How about you guys?

A: Actually, it’s the opposite for me. I found my own personal salvation and my faith and I didn’t know what to do with it. Here I was, I was trying to allow it to, you know, shape me and form me and as this young teenage kid… I had just lost my mother. Music was kind of, it was a comfort for me. And here I was going through these changes and all these thoughts and things that I wanted to express. And, when I was given the opportunity, I took it. And I... never dreamed of this or thought that I would do it. I don’t consider myself a singer — or even somewhat of — not even really a musician. And I just, it kind of really fell in my lap. My cousin’s a drummer, my best friends, they were in the band. But I knew if I had that mic in front of me I was going to scream something — and I took the opportunity.

Q: For people who may not know: Why P.O.D.? Why Payable On Death?

A: Well, we were all young, you know. The guys were really into, kind of, the metal scene. And you had the big names, Metallica, Slayer. Payable On Death still sounded tough. At the time, one of (our) girlfriends worked at a bank. And it was a banking term — when someone passes on, what they leave behind. And here we were, with this zeal and passion, to go and tell the world about our faith. And so, really, we related that to our belief of Christ dying on the cross for our sins… But it wasn’t (just) this religious thing; it still sounded tough, still sounded heavy. It was three words in the name, not just one — all this crazy stuff — and Payable On Death just sounded cool, sounded tough. But after a while, you just shorten it up and it becomes P.O.D.

Q: Would it be accurate to say your faith and your music are stronger than ever?

A: Twenty-six years has been a wild ride and rock ’n’ roll will definitely test that. We’ve been through our ups and downs, all of us; we’re on different levels. You know, as you grow, as you mature things change, your political ideas, religious ideas, all kinds of things change. We’ve been through the wringer. We’re no longer these kids from ... San Ysidro, National City, San Diego. We’ve had the experience to listen, to be involved, in a growing world. Me personally, my faith is stronger than ever. It’s what fuels me. It’s what keeps me married for 22 years. It keeps me grounded with my kids. it keeps me wanting to still do music, because it means something to somebody. And, without it, I think I would just be lost.

Q: The opening cut on your new album is “Rocking With The Beat”...

A: The Best.

Q: I’m sorry. “Rocking With The Best.” Are you kind of throwing down the gauntlet there with the lyrics?

A: A little bit. You know, for me it’s more like I’m an old-school guy. I’m big on respect. A lot of times, with these young kids, they have so many things handed to them, even wh.en it comes to music. Nobody’s paid their dues. No one respects where it comes from. Most of these kids think that they’re doing something new and (that) they’re creating something, and this is a sound that P.O.D. has pioneered. It is a Southern California... a San Diego sound. I know L.A might disagree, I know New York might disagree. This is a San Diego sound. There’s no other melting pot in the world that comes with these styles of flavors... and I just want people to recognize (that) and — today — (to) also just own your craft and have some integrity and some honor, just even in how you do music, and what you’re talking about and what you’re saying. But again, most people are so used to things being handed to them that they don’t — they’ve never paid any dues. Like I said, (after) 26 years, it’s not a “pat me on the back” or “pat my band on the back” (song). I just want people and bands to show respect.

Q: The world is very different from 25 years ago. The music world is very different. So, (regarding) your new song “On The Radio,” radio mattered a lot 25 years ago to young bands (and) very well known bands. Do you get played on the radio now? How important or not is it?

A: I mean, it’s still important in some aspects… for guys that have been around, you know, like us. And trust me, I’ll go for as many types of radio spins as we can get. But it’s like, that is the wizard behind the curtain that’s telling these kids, or whoever’s listening: ‘This is what is good,’ and that’s not necessarily the case. Now, does it (airplay) expose the band? Does it even maybe increase album sales? Well, maybe not so much album sales, ‘cause no one buys albums. But the ticket buyer to a concert? Yeah, of course! But it (airplay) is not the tell-all of what you should be listening to. And, nowadays, that wizard behind the curtain plays the same five bands all the time. It doesn’t matter what they put out; they can just throw up on a record and they’ll still get played.

So (the song is about) that thing of just wondering: Why is that. Who’s the wizard that says these are the five bands that you’re gonna listen to, and that’s it? And, all of a sudden, all the rest of us — and (this applies to) all kinds of music — and all the rest of us are walking around, like zombies, just eating up what they feed us. And that goes beyond the radio, that goes on in television, it goes on in everything in life.

Q: I interviewed Katy Perry a month or two ago. She fondly recalled doing backing vocals for you guys on a TV show, back in the day. And I’m wondering if you remember that particular...?

A: Oh yeah. She’s lovely. She did more than that — she did a video with us. She recorded on our record. We were recording a record with (producer) Glen Ballard at the time and she was kind of his protégé. And we were just saying: “Man this song would really sound nice with some beautiful female vocals over the top.” And he said: “I have the girl.” And she came and she was still young at the time.

Q: And she was part of the Christian music community if I remember?

A: I didn’t even know that (then). We had just met her for the first time and, you know, what was awesome about that time — which I remember — (is),: see, I don’t know Katy Perry, the diva. I know Katy Perry, the tomboy, who came in acting like one of us, picking her nose and being goofy, having dinner with us, and we’d sit around like a family. That’s the kid I know, you know. And she went on to become Katy Perry, which is crazy. But when you’re around 26 years, you see it all. I see guys now, and there’s guys that are in bands now, that were giving us their demo — years ago — and they’re on top of the world. And they don’t remember you, you know what I mean? So it’s that kind of — that’s the (music) industry. So I’m just glad she remembered that.

Q: As you know, longevity is not the rule in music. Usually it’s like the flavor of the month, you’re here and you’re gone. To what do you credit the fact that POD has been here for 26 years?

A: Well, honestly, I just believe it’s the realness, it’s the integrity. I think there (are) still people out there — a small percentage — but there are still those of us out there that recognize what is real and what is true, what is work, and what is quality. Again, we live in a day and age where there are just so many sheep out there that are force-fed so many things. But there are still some of us out there that love it. We wouldn’t be doing it after 26 years if these people still weren’t coming out and showing love and giving us support. And it really is — it still is — a passion, of ours, after 26 years. And we take it one day at a time.

P.O.D., with with Nonpoint, Islander and Bossfight

When: 9 p.m. Saturday

Where: The Music Box, 1337 India St., Little Italy

Tickets: $27.50-$47.48 (must be 21 or older to attend); $106 (dinner at Indigo and concert package for two)

Phone: (619) 795-1337

Online: musicboxsd.com

george.varga@sduniontribune.com

Twitter @georgevarga