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section of the site, the section where we put our more controversial
opinions. Please read this article with an open mind, and tell us if you
agree (more on how to do that after you read it). With that said, I'm not
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P.O.D. SHUCKS THE DOVES
by Ben Forrest

P.O.D. is just about the biggest thing in Christian music right now. Their
recent disc, as you well know, was recently certified double-platinum. They
were nominated for a Grammy in a non-Christian category. They're all over
MTV like Tyronn Lue on Allen Iverson in last year's NBA Finals. But all
this, it seems, isn't good enough.

The group, though nominated for three Dove Awards (including in the prized
"Artist of the Year" category), again boycotted the awards ceremony (they
ditched the show last year as well, despite several nominations). Their
absence on April 25 was a cavernous one, and there appears to be no excuse
for it.

Maybe there's some bad blood between the band and the Gospel Music
Association (the organization that hands out the awards) that I don't
understand. In a recent interview with Nashville's Tennesean, P.O.D. lead
singer Sonny Sandoval called the nominations political, saying "It's like
the same people that banned us, now they're in their little office and
they're like, 'Our goal is to help them break into the mainstream.' No, it's
not. Let's be honest with ourselves, that's not your heart's intention.
You're just selling records. Whatever link you have to this, it looks good
on your plate."

We should also note that P.O.D. has gone to extravagant lengths to distance
themselves from the Christian music industry. They want to be known as
Christians who make music. Not Christian musicians. But forgoing the Doves
is taking that policy to foolish extremes.

"Look at someone like Lauryn Hill," said Sandoval. "She'll get up there and
she'll tell you what she believes in or what her faith is about.

"Look at what she accomplished, and you don't see her doing the GMAs."

True. But it should be pointed out that Ms. Hill has more talent in her
little finger than P.O.D. possesses collectively, and has likely
accomplished more as a twenty-something than this group will achieve in a
lifetime. Hill has sold millions (in this case more than three, as P.O.D.
has), both as a solo artist and as an integral part of the hibernating
Fugees. She can do can do more with an acoustic guitar and her voice than
P.O.D. can do with a Steve Forbes-like budget and all of the resources that
Atlantic Records has to provide. There's really no comparison.

The real motivation here seems to be fame and fortune, something P.O.D.
seems unable to get enough of. The group wasn't really a breakout success
until late last year, when they released a record (Satellite) that some
would say is watered down and commercial. You didn't see them in Rolling
Stone or inside the Spin "Top 40" in the Tooth and Nail days. Distancing
themselves from the Christian scene will help endear themselves to cautious
non-Christian buyers, and ultimately result in greater exposure and more
records sold. It's about the Franklins.

But the real sting here is that P.O.D. refuses to recognize their roots.
While quick to brag about flashing "the big SD" and rocking "the masses,"
the group seems to have forgotten the fans who got them where they are
today. Roughly 500, 000 copies of Satellite have been sold through Christian
bookstores alone. The ratio was much higher for 1999's The Fundamental
Elements of Southtown and all records before that. Refusing to recognize
their Christian fans and the industry that discovered them is nothing more
than biting the hand that has fed the success that they now enjoy.

Closing Statements...
I expect that Sonny and the boys will some day rue this time they've spent
in the spotlight. There will come a day when the reviews are less favourable
and OzzFest will stop calling. Christian fans are generally more forgiving
than the listening public at large (there's a reason why Michael W. Smith
still has a career after several premature mid-life crises and attempts to
breach the mainstream). But they can only be stretched so far. There will
likely come a day when P.O.D. comes crawling back. They might find
themselves unwelcome.

Find out more about P.O.D. on cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/rock/pod

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