Rod Laver (stylized .rod laver) was a Christian rap rock group from Los Angeles, formed in 1999. The band’s name came from an incident involving a member wearing Rod Laver–branded Adidas shoes, with no spiritual meaning intended. They released their debut album The Essence Of The Game (1999) on Screaming Giant Records, recorded shortly after signing and reflecting a raw, aggressive rap-rock sound. After drummer Joe Sidoti left, he was replaced by Joey Marchiano, whose hip-hop background contributed to a shift in the band’s style. Their second album, Trying Not To Try (2000), showed a more controlled and musically focused direction. The band continued touring extensively and released No Toque El Toro (2001) before signing with BEC Records for In a Perfect World (2001). Their album Rudolph Wayne vs. The Man (2004), was released on Uprok Records.
