--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we first started, I didn't know…" description: "\"When we first started, I didn't know there was Christian rock or Christian music. I just thought we were a rock band that stuck to our convictions... L..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/sonny-sandoval-9175_band_when-we-first-started-i-didn-t-know-ther_2799832.jpg" --- # When we first started, I didn't know there was Christian… ![“When we first started, I didn't know there was Christian rock or Christian music. I just thought we were a rock band that stuck to our convictions... Like every other hardcore band out there sang or screamed what they thought, we did the same thing.” quote by Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/sonny-sandoval-9175_band_when-we-first-started-i-didn-t-know-ther_2799832.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/sonny-sandoval-9175_band_when-we-first-started-i-didn-t-know-ther_2799832.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/sonny-sandoval-9175_band_when-we-first-started-i-didn-t-know-ther_2799832.jpg) > “When we first started, I didn't know there was Christian rock or Christian music. I just thought we were a rock band that stuck to our convictions... Like every other hardcore band out there sang or screamed what they thought, we did the same thing.” [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The band stayed true to their convictions despite genre expectations. **In simple terms:** Sticking to beliefs despite labels. Key Takeaway Stay authentic to your values. Themes authenticity music conviction genre integrity Mood determined inspirational Type musical personal When to use this quote - Band formation - songwriting - public image - genre blending Key Concepts Identity subculture faith Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain authenticity under pressure? - What role does faith play in your music? A Different Perspective Fans may resist genre shifts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-music/) [Christian rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-rock/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Rock band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-band/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I didn't necessarily grow up with country being my first priority as a music listener. I grew up listening to classic rock and Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-wallen/i-didn-t-necessarily-grow-up-with-country-being-my-first-priority-as/) [Morgan Wallen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-wallen/) > [We were always just a hardcore band that came out and said what we believed in, but we also talked about the streets and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/we-were-always-just-a-hardcore-band-that-came-out-and-said-what-we/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [We were never Christian enough for the Christian world, but were always way too Christian for the rock world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/we-were-never-christian-enough-for-the-christian-world-but-were/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [There is... a greater sense of divine purpose when we're playing at all-Christian rock shows. In clubs or bars, we know that the audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/there-is-a-greater-sense-of-divine-purpose-when-we-re-playing-at-all/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [I don't think we're metalcore. To me, metalcore is more like hardcore-influenced metal, with lots of breakdowns. I think we're a lot more diverse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/i-don-t-think-we-re-metalcore-to-me-metalcore-is-more-like-hardcore/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I like to put on hardcore when I have to clean my apartment, which I hate to do, but it's motivational. I like old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-steele/i-like-to-put-on-hardcore-when-i-have-to-clean-my-apartment-which-i/) [Peter Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-steele/) > [Nobody's gonna ever like all my music but if your talking about the core hip-hop fans that like hardcore rap, they're still gonna feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonreal/nobody-s-gonna-ever-like-all-my-music-but-if-your-talking-about-the/) SonReal > [For me, hardcore is simply unapologetic music, free of rules. By that definition, we are a hardcore band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bannon/for-me-hardcore-is-simply-unapologetic-music-free-of-rules-by-that/) [Jacob Bannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bannon/) > [When I was 16 I was in a neo hardcore band called Finger Charge. I played the drums with my shirt off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/when-i-was-16-i-was-in-a-neo-hardcore-band-called-finger-charge-i/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) > [I loved Fugazi, the D.C. hardcore band, because they always did everything themselves. They had their own label, and the CDs always cost nine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-jonze/i-loved-fugazi-the-d-c-hardcore-band-because-they-always-did/) [Spike Jonze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-jonze/) > [In terms of content and instrumentation, I feel we have been extremely ambitious on every one of our albums going back to high school.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zacky-vengeance/in-terms-of-content-and-instrumentation-i-feel-we-have-been-extremely/) [Zacky Vengeance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zacky-vengeance/) > [I was in a hardcore band that had no melody, no chance of finding any success, and I was just trying to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-bruno/i-was-in-a-hardcore-band-that-had-no-melody-no-chance-of-finding-any/) [Aaron Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-bruno/) > [“You know, the sound of a 45 rpm record being played at 33 rpm. But as soon as I remembered that this is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-washburne/you-know-the-sound-of-a-45-rpm-record-being-played-at-33-rpm-but-as/) Christopher J. Washburne > [Hey, Christian rock, if you want to be good, stop copying U2. U2 already did it. You know what I mean? There's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-corgan/hey-christian-rock-if-you-want-to-be-good-stop-copying-u2-u2-already/) [Billy Corgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-corgan/) > [When you are in the prayer room you forget about the outside world and fall into a Christian rock coma, and nothing else seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/when-you-are-in-the-prayer-room-you-forget-about-the-outside-world/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) ## More by Sonny Sandoval > [We're all confused and have problems and struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/we-re-all-confused-and-have-problems-and-struggles/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [I'm really not the biggest metal fan as it is. I'm more of a hard-street-punk kind of kid, but I also loved hip hop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/i-m-really-not-the-biggest-metal-fan-as-it-is-i-m-more-of-a-hard/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [Some kid who thinks he's cool can say, 'Hey, I'm down with Jah.' It's the same thing as saying, 'I'm down with God.' If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/some-kid-who-thinks-he-s-cool-can-say-hey-i-m-down-with-jah-it-s-the/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [I listen to a lot of old-school worship music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/i-listen-to-a-lot-of-old-school-worship-music/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [I love the nation of Israel. I love Jewish people. My King was Jewish, and I embrace that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/i-love-the-nation-of-israel-i-love-jewish-people-my-king-was-jewish/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [I think we've connected with our fan base on more than just a rock n' roll level. We really do care about our fans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/i-think-we-ve-connected-with-our-fan-base-on-more-than-just-a-rock-n/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [Even before the mainstream knew about P.O.D., we were going for several years underground. For me, those were the times where it really was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/even-before-the-mainstream-knew-about-p-o-d-we-were-going-for-several/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [When I joined this band, I never thought of myself as a singer. I just did whatever I could, which was rap. And then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/when-i-joined-this-band-i-never-thought-of-myself-as-a-singer-i-just/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [Some bands sound like one song the whole album through. We've been all over the place because we are punk, hardcore, rock n' roll,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/some-bands-sound-like-one-song-the-whole-album-through-we-ve-been-all/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [When you become a Christian, all of a sudden you start to live on this rapture mentality, like tomorrow the world's going to end.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/when-you-become-a-christian-all-of-a-sudden-you-start-to-live-on-this/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [I'm a daddy first; I'm a husband, and I'm a lover of God and people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/i-m-a-daddy-first-i-m-a-husband-and-i-m-a-lover-of-god-and-people/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [When we first started playing shows, we were all 17. Everybody started somewhere. There were guys throwing shows in condemned houses and backyards just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/when-we-first-started-playing-shows-we-were-all-17-everybody-started/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [We don't tell you what to think or believe in. That's not our job. We're rock musicians. Our job is to rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/we-don-t-tell-you-what-to-think-or-believe-in-that-s-not-our-job-we/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [I was never growing up saying, 'Dude, I want to sing in a band.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/i-was-never-growing-up-saying-dude-i-want-to-sing-in-a-band/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) > [Rock and roll has become entertainment that just says what the consumer wants to hear. There's no more edge or rebellion that sets it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-sandoval/rock-and-roll-has-become-entertainment-that-just-says-what-the/) [Sonny Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) [Explore all 74 Sonny Sandoval quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-sandoval/) ## More Band quotes > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [There is something to be said though when you have 4 or 5 guys playing with no net, there is a sense of urgency,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-mendoza/there-is-something-to-be-said-though-when-you-have-4-or-5-guys/) [Marco Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-mendoza/) > [My Nirvana experience was much different than the other three guys. For me, it was really new and exciting. I was just a guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-smear/my-nirvana-experience-was-much-different-than-the-other-three-guys/) [Pat Smear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-smear/) > [I think my music has always been a mixture, depending on whom I'm working with - what band, what musicians, what producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/i-think-my-music-has-always-been-a-mixture-depending-on-whom-i-m/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [I've always made sure that I tour with bands that people aren't expecting me to tour with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayer-hawthorne/i-ve-always-made-sure-that-i-tour-with-bands-that-people-aren-t/) [Mayer Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayer-hawthorne/) > [There is more to me than just having been in the Runaways. And even though I'm really, really proud of what the band accomplished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-fuchs/there-is-more-to-me-than-just-having-been-in-the-runaways-and-even/) [Jackie Fuchs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-fuchs/) > [I like the bad-boy types. Generally the guy I'm attracted to is the guy in the club with all the tattoos and nail polish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-like-the-bad-boy-types-generally-the-guy-i-m-attracted-to-is-the/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [Bass guitar is the engine of the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/bass-guitar-is-the-engine-of-the-band/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [I just became accustomed to being all the members of the band. That was something that was really exciting to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-collier/i-just-became-accustomed-to-being-all-the-members-of-the-band-that/) [Jacob Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-collier/) > [I guess because we're essentially a two-man band, we're attracting Wham's crowd. But Wham! are more of a businessman's band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/i-guess-because-we-re-essentially-a-two-man-band-we-re-attracting/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [I'm about as privileged as you can get. I'm a white, male, heterosexual front man of a rock band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-reynolds/i-m-about-as-privileged-as-you-can-get-i-m-a-white-male-heterosexual/) [Dan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-reynolds/) > [I'd been playing in bands for something like seven years at this point. 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