From Colombia to Wacken: Poison the Preacher on Passion, Genre Freedom, and Latin Pride

The conversation focused on the band Poison the Preacher’s journey from Colombia to the world stage, their recent performance at the legendary Wacken festival, and their unique approach to music and genre. One concept discussed was the importance of representing Colombian culture in metal and hardcore scenes, as well as the necessity of breaking away from musical labels. The discussion explored the evolution of the band’s sound, their experiences on tour, and the vibrant Latin American music scene.Main Topics CoveredJourney to performing at Wacken and the band's European tourThe viral success of "Hazardous Vegetation" and how it helped secure the Wacken slot 00:56Experiences as Latin metal artists representing ColombiaThe role and significance of national pride and culture in musicComparisons between American and European festival scenesReflections on musical genre labels and the freedom to experimentEvolution of Poison the Preacher’s sound, including their new EPOpenness in musical influences beyond metal and hardcoreBuilding community and fighting stigma about ColombiaUpcoming music, tours, and ways for listeners to connectKey Discussions & StoriesPerforming at Wacken & Touring EuropeThe story of how a viral video led to an invitation to Wacken 00:56Coordinating with Phantom and booking a full European tour and festivals such as Obscene Extreme 02:23Experiencing the diversity and welcoming atmosphere of European festivals compared to US festivals, and the feeling of performing to a large crowd of Latin Americans in Germany 04:33Representing Colombia & Cultural IdentityA key theme that emerged was the pride in representing Colombian people, art, and culture, with an emphasis on differentiating the country’s people from its politics 05:57Displaying the Colombian flag on stage and its significance to the band and fans 05:47Celebrating the diversity of Colombian music and fostering unity with Latin American scenes 07:05Breaking Genre Barriers & ExperimentationDiscussion of avoiding genre labels, instead focusing on making the music they want to hear and embracing variety 14:31Stories about the evolution of famous genre terms like thrash and nu metal, and how these were coined by outsiders, not the artists themselves 15:01The variety within hardcore and metal scenes, referencing the ability of festivals like Wacken to embrace multiple sub-genres 18:03The importance of musical diversity, both as listeners and as artists, including listening to salsa, vallenato, reggaeton, and more 18:47Challenging Stereotypes & StigmaAddressing common misconceptions and negative stigma associated with Colombia due to its past, highlighting the country’s transformation and hospitality 10:54Parallels drawn between international misconceptions and insular attitudes within music scenes 12:21Fan Engagement & New ReleasesSharing excitement over the band’s EP, noting that it represents the true core of their sound and signals their artistic direction 28:08Describing the evolution from their early work (“our Kill ‘Em All”) to the current EP (“the first step towards building on that foundation”) 28:28Outlining future plans for tours, particularly hopes to visit the States and Europe again, and ongoing new music production 31:01Notable Quotes"We have the need to represent Colombia... It's to represent the people that live in Colombia, the culture, the food, the vocabulary, the art, the music, the literature that we have." 05:59"You can fucking hate the government, but don't hate the people." 06:39"The artists don't get to name the things that they do... We just do the things that we would like to hear." 14:31"Our greatest virtue is that from our records you can get out a lot of different stuff." 25:10"We use the Colombia-style motto... We're a hardcore band at heart, but we are also a metal band at heart." 26:19"We're getting better at making songs... so the style that we want to represent or show to the world is naturally going to come out." 29:56Resources & Links MentionedPoison the Preacher Socials:Instagram, YouTube, Bandcamp, Facebook: @poisonthepreacher or search "Poison the Preacher"Spotify and streaming services: "Poison the Preacher" 30:39New EP:Title: "Things I Want" 30:55Features guests from the band SpeedStay Connected:Follow Poison the Preacher on all major social media and streaming platforms to support their journey and latest releases.For merch: Use links via official band social media accounts.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-adventures-of-pipeman--941822/support.Click Here to Subscribe for PERKS, BONUS Content & FREE GIVEWAYS!Follow @pipemanradio on all socials & Pipeman Radio Requests & Info at www.linktr.ee/pipemanradioStream The Adventures of Pipeman daily & live Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays at 1PM ET on W4CY Radio & Talk 4 TV. Download, Rate & Review the Podcast at The Adventures of Pipeman, Pipeman Radio, Talk 4 Media, iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, YouTube & All Podcast Apps.