Broadcaster John Derry spoke to Sonny Sandoval, the veteran frontman of hard music survivors P.O.D.

Sonny: It's doing really good: our first single went number one in the rock charts in the USA. We released a couple more, it's high up on the charts, and now "Beautiful" just came out; we've been touring for the past year and a half, so it's just non-stop.

John: The controversy with the F-word on "I Am" - why did you do that?

Sonny: We never said, 'This is Christian music'. People saw the fruit of that and labelled us as Christians. I got saved and I just wanted to walk with Jesus: I'm learning the ropes. I didn't know there was two different industries: I didn't know there was a Christian industry and an evil, secular industry. We just made music for anyone and anybody who would listen. Back then, 21 years ago, I was never Christian enough for the Christian industry anyway, because I had tattoos, my music was too loud. I never felt like I was this Christian guy in a Christian band making Christian music in a Christian industry. I'm not saying that allows me to say a swear word in a song, but I understand the crowd that's listening to our music. If believers are encouraged by our music, and empowered by it, I'm stoked by that - because we're together, we're family.

But when I'm in the real world, when I'm talking to real people that are addicted to everything under the sun, thinking about suicide, that are dealing with demonic forces, the last thing they're thinking about is a swear word. In some countries, I'm more shocked [at the reaction], because it's so minor an issue. On the record, it's blurred. We knew that believers were going to make such a stink about it rather than give it a chance. The sad thing is that the world expects that. When people go, 'I'm not going to listen to P.O.D. anymore because he said the F-word and it's so un-Godly', the world says, 'That's foolish. I love that song; he's talking about me. That's why I don't want to be a Christian: people like you.' The institution of Christianity is so feeble: we don't think for ourselves. In my whole journey with God I've been on the fence. I don't want this fake thing: when I got saved it was real. I don't think the world has a problem with Jesus, I think they have a problem with these religious people that our church has become that has got in front of Jesus and said, 'This is what Jesus is'. Jesus is behind them saying, 'Wait a minute, I need to clean this up so you can see me!' That's 2000 years of history. I'm so sorry if it offends people, but when I'm talking to someone that's two steps away from Hell, they understand what it means.

John: What are your plans when you finish up here?

Sonny: We'll go home for a little bit, then we're going to do a co-headline gig with Flyleaf in the US. Already we're trying to make our way back; if we're going to be busy, we try to stay busy. It's been 10 years since we've been here, and Lord willing, with this record it'll allow us the opportunities to keep coming back. There's talks of South America, there's talks of Asia. I take it one day at a time. My next biggest goal is just to get home to my family.

John: Is there anything you want to say to the guys in the UK?

Sonny: I'm glad that we can come back 10 years later and still pack out a tiny little club, have some fun. I'm grateful for all the warriors out there who have always kept us in their prayers, have seen us in the good and the bad and haven't judged but walked their own salvation with fear and trembling - and believed for us. I'm grateful to be here and I think tonight's going to be awesome.

John: Is there anything else you want to cover?

Sonny: If you get a chance, check out theWhosoevers.com - it's a non-profit brotherhood that I started. Head's in it, couple guys from Metal Mulisha (the clothing line), Lacey from Flyleaf - a bunch of different people. It's just a brotherhood who walk and talk with believers who understand and get it, who need the real Church to pray for them and to walk with them and keep them accountable. In the meantime, we get to do a lot of cool things for the community.