Pod People band
Encyclopedia
Pod People are a doom metal
band from Canberra
, Australia
that formed in 1991. The band has since recorded six releases, playing a blend of stoner and sludge
traits, with lyrics typically covering themes relating to either cannabis
in their early days to topics themetically based around The Divine Comedy
. During 1993-1996 founding members shifted drastically altering not only the make up of the band but their sound too.
, Alchemist
, Psychrist, Slug, Precursor and Exceed to name a very few.
The early lineup was fairly liquid early on, but founding members Ivan (guitar) of Precursor and Brad Nicholson (Vocals) of S.I.D. were joined by Duncan (Bass), Paul (guitar) and Adrian (Drums) the band built upon momentum of some successful party shows in their homebase of Havelock House and began playing regularly as well as recording their first demo at 2XX Radio studios called “Just One”.
The sound was a blend of early 90’s stoner bands, Tumbleweed
in particular was a band who’s sound the early material was referenced too, however a little heavier and more overtly influenced by Black Sabbath
which the band covered frequently in the early period.
The band played on numerous festivals and shows around the Canberra region and in Wollongong, which also had a thriving scene at the time, home to Tumbleweed, Dawn Patrol, Proton Energy Pills and many other bands playing a similar brand of fuzzed out heavy rock.
A CD EP was recorded in Sydney and released in 1995, the band played some launch shows before the beginning of a long period of line up changes which finally solidified in 1996 with the current line up of Brad, Dave or DD(Bass), Josh (also known JJ Lawhore from his 3 year stint in Blood Duster
, guitar), Maggs (Drums) and Mel (guitar).
Pod People solidified their line up in late 95 with guitarist Mel Walker joining other new recruits Maggs (drums), Josh (guitar) and Dave (bass). They began writing and performing a heavier darker style than the previous line up. 1998's 'Swingin' Beef' EP sowed the seeds of the doom/stoner rock sound that lead to the 'Soil' EP in 2000. Before they signed with the High Beam Music label in 2001.
Recording "Doom Saloon" at Backbeach Studio’s in Victoria with DW Norton
that the band had worked with on the EP’s, the album was very well received and lead to a number of high profile international supports. The Backbeach studio was expensive for the self funded band but Highbeam Records footed the bill and allowed the band time to produce the 10 track album over 9 days including mixing. However the result was the most realised combination of a style their bio at the time was touting as "stoom" or stoner doom among others.
The band had played two supports on successive tours by English doom lords Cathedral
, but had not expected when through a friend and local doom aficionado, who sent Doom Saloon to Cathedral front man Lee Dorian’s doom uber-label Rise Above Records
in the UK, that the album would be secured for an international licence.
The album received extremely positive reviews worldwide and a film clip for the opening track "Filling The Void" was added to high rotation on Australian domestic music TV.
Notable was the artwork for the Australian release. A 4x3 CD fold out cut into an upside down cross showing an interpretation of a map of Inferno from The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri by Canberra artist Roy Torkington of Alchemist. The artwork is significant as the band have taken the Divine Comedy
as a theme for a three album series based loosely on the Divine Comedy.
In 2005 the band frustrated by the lack of doom acts coming out to Australia bit the bullet and promoted Electric Wizard
's first Australian national tour, doing a thorough tour of the east coast of Australia.
The band had a hiatus whilst recording, yet maintained live shows with bands like Celtic Frost
, Clutch
and a slew of great Aussie bands like Whitehorse, Looking Glass, Clagg, Dread, Sons of the Ionian Sea, Grey Daturas
and Peeping Tom.
The band then recorded over late 2007 and early 2008 largely self-financed after the High Beam Music label closed in 2004. Toyland Studios in Northcote Melbourne was the first session followed by three follow up sessions at Goatsound Studio’s and home the engineer and now label manager Jason PC of Blood Duster
.
Jason and Matt Collins, Blood Duster guitarist had started the Goatsound record label for Blood Duster albums and had also just worked on albums by Australian grind acts The Day Everything Became Nothing and Captain Cleanoff.
The ten track album was recorded with the theme of Purgatory
in mind and in keeping with the theme’s set out on the first album. Looking for a different artistic approach and having worked with Sydney artist Glenn Smith on the Electric Wizard tour, Glenn took to the theme with gusto and produced an immaculate painting for the album cover based on Mount Purgatory.
The album is entitled Mons Animae Mortuorum, Latin for “Mountain of the souls of the Dead” and was released in 2008.
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
band from Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
that formed in 1991. The band has since recorded six releases, playing a blend of stoner and sludge
Sludge metal
Sludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that melds elements of doom metal and hardcore punk, and sometimes incorporates influences from southern rock, stoner rock and grunge. Sludge metal is typically abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting...
traits, with lyrics typically covering themes relating to either cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
in their early days to topics themetically based around The Divine Comedy
The Divine Comedy
The Divine Comedy is an epic poem written by Dante Alighieri between 1308 and his death in 1321. It is widely considered the preeminent work of Italian literature, and is seen as one of the greatest works of world literature...
. During 1993-1996 founding members shifted drastically altering not only the make up of the band but their sound too.
History
Pod People began in 1991 from the then thriving local heavy music scene that began in the very healthy underage youth centre all ages shows and as the generation came of age centred around the Terrace bar, a beloved venue that closed in 1995. Other Canberra bands of note that were around and some who continue now include Armoured AngelArmoured Angel
- External links :*** *...
, Alchemist
Alchemist (band)
Alchemist is an Australian progressive metal band from Canberra whose style combines death metal, progressive rock, psychedelic, Eastern, Aboriginal and electronic influences. The band formed in 1987 and has so far released six studios albums, an EP and a compilation album. Work began on a new EP...
, Psychrist, Slug, Precursor and Exceed to name a very few.
The early lineup was fairly liquid early on, but founding members Ivan (guitar) of Precursor and Brad Nicholson (Vocals) of S.I.D. were joined by Duncan (Bass), Paul (guitar) and Adrian (Drums) the band built upon momentum of some successful party shows in their homebase of Havelock House and began playing regularly as well as recording their first demo at 2XX Radio studios called “Just One”.
The sound was a blend of early 90’s stoner bands, Tumbleweed
Tumbleweed (band)
Tumbleweed are a Wollongong-based rock group in Australia, popular during the grunge years of the 1990s. As an opening band for Nirvana on their 1992 tour of Australia, Tumbleweed reached out into the mainstream with their crunchy-psychedelica...
in particular was a band who’s sound the early material was referenced too, however a little heavier and more overtly influenced by Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
which the band covered frequently in the early period.
The band played on numerous festivals and shows around the Canberra region and in Wollongong, which also had a thriving scene at the time, home to Tumbleweed, Dawn Patrol, Proton Energy Pills and many other bands playing a similar brand of fuzzed out heavy rock.
A CD EP was recorded in Sydney and released in 1995, the band played some launch shows before the beginning of a long period of line up changes which finally solidified in 1996 with the current line up of Brad, Dave or DD(Bass), Josh (also known JJ Lawhore from his 3 year stint in Blood Duster
Blood Duster
Blood Duster is a extreme metal/stoner rock band from Melbourne, Australia. Their name comes from the song "Blood Duster" by John Zorn, from the 1989 album Naked City.-History:...
, guitar), Maggs (Drums) and Mel (guitar).
Pod People solidified their line up in late 95 with guitarist Mel Walker joining other new recruits Maggs (drums), Josh (guitar) and Dave (bass). They began writing and performing a heavier darker style than the previous line up. 1998's 'Swingin' Beef' EP sowed the seeds of the doom/stoner rock sound that lead to the 'Soil' EP in 2000. Before they signed with the High Beam Music label in 2001.
Recording "Doom Saloon" at Backbeach Studio’s in Victoria with DW Norton
Superheist
Superheist was an Australian nu metal band that attained a significant degree of success with a string of EPs and singles and two full-length albums that charted in the Top 40 before suddenly disbanding in 2004.-Formation and early period:...
that the band had worked with on the EP’s, the album was very well received and lead to a number of high profile international supports. The Backbeach studio was expensive for the self funded band but Highbeam Records footed the bill and allowed the band time to produce the 10 track album over 9 days including mixing. However the result was the most realised combination of a style their bio at the time was touting as "stoom" or stoner doom among others.
The band had played two supports on successive tours by English doom lords Cathedral
Cathedral (band)
Cathedral are a doom metal band from Coventry, England. The group forged a link between early doom metal and a 1990s extreme metal aesthetic, making doom slower and heavier. Their debut album, Forest of Equilibrium, is considered a classic of the genre. They later on changed their doom style,...
, but had not expected when through a friend and local doom aficionado, who sent Doom Saloon to Cathedral front man Lee Dorian’s doom uber-label Rise Above Records
Rise Above Records
Rise Above Records is a London, England based independent record label owned by Lee Dorrian . It is named after a Napalm Death song from their EP Mentally Murdered. It was formed in the late 1980s and originally made to sell live releases by Napalm Death and S.O.B., but by 1991 had changed to cater...
in the UK, that the album would be secured for an international licence.
The album received extremely positive reviews worldwide and a film clip for the opening track "Filling The Void" was added to high rotation on Australian domestic music TV.
Notable was the artwork for the Australian release. A 4x3 CD fold out cut into an upside down cross showing an interpretation of a map of Inferno from The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri by Canberra artist Roy Torkington of Alchemist. The artwork is significant as the band have taken the Divine Comedy
The Divine Comedy
The Divine Comedy is an epic poem written by Dante Alighieri between 1308 and his death in 1321. It is widely considered the preeminent work of Italian literature, and is seen as one of the greatest works of world literature...
as a theme for a three album series based loosely on the Divine Comedy.
In 2005 the band frustrated by the lack of doom acts coming out to Australia bit the bullet and promoted Electric Wizard
Electric Wizard
Electric Wizard are a stoner metal band from Dorset, England that formed in 1993. The band have since recorded seven albums, at least three of which are now considered to be landmarks of their genre: their self-title debut, Electric Wizard, Come My Fanatics..., and Dopethrone...
's first Australian national tour, doing a thorough tour of the east coast of Australia.
The band had a hiatus whilst recording, yet maintained live shows with bands like Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost was a metal band from Zürich, Switzerland. They are known for their heavy influence on the extreme metal genres. The group was first active from 1984 to 1993, and re-formed in 2001. Following Tom Gabriel Fischer's departure in 2008, Celtic Frost decided to break up again...
, Clutch
Clutch (band)
Clutch is an American rock band from Germantown, Maryland, formed in 1990. The band's first release was an EP entitled Pitchfork, which debuted in October 1990. Their first studio album, Transnational Speedway League, was released three years later in 1993. To date, Clutch has released nine studio...
and a slew of great Aussie bands like Whitehorse, Looking Glass, Clagg, Dread, Sons of the Ionian Sea, Grey Daturas
Grey Daturas
Grey Daturas were a noise rock band from Melbourne Australia known to have formed on stage at their debut live performance at The North Melbourne Town Hall Hotel, in August 2001. The band's final live performance coincided with the closure of the original Tote Hotel in Melbourne on Friday 15...
and Peeping Tom.
The band then recorded over late 2007 and early 2008 largely self-financed after the High Beam Music label closed in 2004. Toyland Studios in Northcote Melbourne was the first session followed by three follow up sessions at Goatsound Studio’s and home the engineer and now label manager Jason PC of Blood Duster
Blood Duster
Blood Duster is a extreme metal/stoner rock band from Melbourne, Australia. Their name comes from the song "Blood Duster" by John Zorn, from the 1989 album Naked City.-History:...
.
Jason and Matt Collins, Blood Duster guitarist had started the Goatsound record label for Blood Duster albums and had also just worked on albums by Australian grind acts The Day Everything Became Nothing and Captain Cleanoff.
The ten track album was recorded with the theme of Purgatory
Purgatory
Purgatory is the condition or process of purification or temporary punishment in which, it is believed, the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for Heaven...
in mind and in keeping with the theme’s set out on the first album. Looking for a different artistic approach and having worked with Sydney artist Glenn Smith on the Electric Wizard tour, Glenn took to the theme with gusto and produced an immaculate painting for the album cover based on Mount Purgatory.
The album is entitled Mons Animae Mortuorum, Latin for “Mountain of the souls of the Dead” and was released in 2008.
Current members
- Brad Nicholson – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, - Melinda Walker – electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
- David 'DD' Drynan – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Damian 'Maggs' Saunders – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Josh 'JJ LaWhore' Nixon – electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
Studio Releases
| Year | Title | Label |
| 1995 | Pod People (EP)>Pod People | Self Release |
| 1998 | Swingin' Beef | Self Release |
| 2000 | Soil | Self Release |
| 2001 | Doom Saloon | Rise Above Records |
| 2008 | Mons Animae Mortuorum | Goatsound Records |
External links
- bma magazine Pod People - Prepare to Meet Thy Doom
- PyroMusic.net Interview of: Josh Nixon - Pod People
- PyroMusic.net Review of: Pod People - Mons Animae Mortuorum
- Tartarean Desire REVIEW: Pod People - Doom Saloon
- http://www.podpeople.com.au/bio.html at Pod People Homepage
- http://www.myspace.com/doompodpeople at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....