These days, you probably know Poli van Dam as one of the singers, guitarists, and founding members of The Bombpops. The Los Angeles-based band has quickly earned notoriety in the punk rock realm and they recently released an excellent sophomore album, Death In Venice Beach, on Fat Wreck Chords. Before she was touring relentlessly and sharing the stage with some of punk’s premier projects, Poli was a teenager playing bar shows and D.I.Y. concerts with her (much older) band mates in a SoCal group called The Vodka Dolls.
Recently, My First Band host Tyler Maas got in touch with Poli to talk about the process of making the new Bombpops album, the record release show and lengthy tour the band hand to cancel on account of the COVID-19 crisis, how she’s keeping busy with her family in quarantine, and some of the amazing opportunities the band has given her through the years. Of course, they also discussed her musical origin story, including her years playing piano as a kid, joining a band with her guitar teacher at the age of 14, inadvertently starting a riot at her high school battle of the bands, and much more.
My First Band is sponsored by Mystery Room Mastering. The show is edited by Jared Blohm. You can listen to My First Band on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and wherever else you get podcasts. Music used in this show comes courtesy of Devils Teeth (“The Junction Street Eight Tigers”) and The Bombpops (“Double Arrows Down”).