Switchfoot
From Free net encyclopedia
Current revision
- Switchfoot is also a surfing term.
Template:Infobox band Switchfoot is an alternative rock / power pop / post-grunge band from San Diego, California, United States, whose lyrics focus on spiritual and social themes. The current members are Jon Foreman (vocals, guitar), Tim Foreman (bass, backing vocals), Chad Butler (drums), Jerome Fontamillas (guitar, keyboard, backing vocals), and Drew Shirley (guitar).
According to Jon Foreman, the name "Switchfoot" is a surfing term. "We all love to surf and have been surfing all our lives so to us, the name made sense. To switch your feet means to take a new stance facing the opposite direction. It's about change and movement, a different way of approaching life and music." Switchfoot gained mainstream recognition after the inclusion of four of their songs in the 2002 movie A Walk to Remember. This recognition led to their major label debut, The Beautiful Letdown, which was released in 2003.
Contents |
Band history
When Switchfoot was founded in 1997, the band consisted of Jon and his brother Tim, along with Chad on the drums. The band signed with Charlie Peacock's re:think records, a division of Sparrow Records, who would produce their first three albums. Keyboardist Jerome Fontamillas, also of Mortal and Fold Zandura, joined the band in 2000 for the album Learning to Breathe, which found Switchfoot taking more steps towards mainstream modern rock.
In 2002 Switchfoot had a large role in the music for the movie A Walk to Remember. Singer and actor Mandy Moore, who starred in the movie, sang Switchfoot's song "Only Hope" during a scene in the movie, and also did a duet with Jon Foreman for the soundtrack.
The Beautiful Letdown, their major label debut, represented the band's full evolution toward a more accessible, mainstream sound. The album was certified double-platinum, and went on to sell more than 2.5 million copies, on the strength of constant touring and huge radio hits "Meant to Live" and "Dare You to Move" (which received a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award in 2005). A DVD of the band's live concert, Live in San Diego, went platinum as well. "This Is Your Life" was also released on radio, and the song "Gone" has also received airplay on Christian radio stations as well, but wasn't released as an actual single. In 2005, Switchfoot received five Dove Award nominations, including Artist of the Year.
Nothing Is Sound
Guitarist Drew Shirley, after touring with the band since 2003, became an official member in 2005. Switchfoot's latest album, Nothing Is Sound, was released on September 13, 2005. To promote this album Switchfoot had previously released "Stars" as a radio single, which continued being played on many mainstream radio stations. "We Are One Tonight" was released as a single in early 2006.
The album debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, an all-time high for the band, while bassist Tim Foreman attracted headlines by speaking out against the copy-protection [1] used by the label and providing fans a detailed workaround on the band's message board, which was quickly deleted by Sony. This copy-protection is known as Extended Copy Protection, which has been identified by leading anti-virus companies as a trojan horse and a root kit.
In Spring of 2006 the band began to introduce free "on the road" video podcasts available via iTunes. In addition to featuring snippets of upcoming songs and live performances of hit singles, the videos give fans an inside look at the more casual aspects of the band members' touring lives. [2]
Influences
Switchfoot's frontman and guitarist Jon Foreman cites his musical influences as U2, The Police, Beatles, Bach, Ronny Jordan and Miles Davis. Guitarist Drew cites U2, Miles Davis, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Tommy Walker, Phil Keaggy, Michael Jackson, Dave Matthews Band and The Brand New Heavies, while bassist Tim pays tribute to Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder (who's also drummer Chad's main influence). [3] Though they draw from a varied number of influences, they sound very different from any of their heroes. “We’ve never fit in any of the genre boxes,” says Jon. “I think that diversity is our strength.” [4]
On a lyrical level, Jon acknowledges that his faith, and the lyricism of artists like Bono (of U2), Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash, often inspire his hopeful tunes. [5] C. S. Lewis being one of Jon's heroes, it would be reasonable to assume the influence of his works on Jon's writing. Besides, Jon alludes to the works of other philosophers like Søren Kierkegaard and Augustine of Hippo, in the songs "Sooner or Later (Soren's song)" and "Something More (Augustine's Confession)", featured in their early indie albums. "Meant to Live", the band's runaway hit, was inspired by TS Eliot's poem "The Hollow Men", [6] while "Stars", the lead single off Nothing Is Sound, briefly "looks at things from Descartes' perspective," according to Jon. [7] "We try to make music for thinking people," [8] says Jon Foreman.
Switchfoot and Christian music
Switchfoot is often referred to as being a Christian band, mostly due to their involvement with the Christian rock scene in their early days. But Tim Foreman insists, "we're Christians by faith, not by genre," [9] indicating that they do not wish to be known as a Christian band. Duly, their lyrical approach avoids being preachy, and instead resorts to questioning the status quo, pondering existential questions, faith-related issues and doubts, through "Socratic dialogue," according to Tim, in which they answer questions with more questions. [10]
As a result, the band's fan base transcends different beliefs and lifestyles. "As a musician I guess the only thing I would ask from a listener is to put the CD in, close your eyes and forget about all the peripherals; I guess that's a dream that may not happen in my lifetime, but I listen to music from all sorts of people and I think there is an open-minded individual who will be able to listen to music of all types." [11] Though they hold this position, they have not alienated their Christian fans: as in their indie days, they are still distributed to Christian retail outlets through Sparrow Records, thereby being featured on Christian radio and charts, even though they're now signed to Columbia Records, a mainstream label. They have also accepted all the Dove Awards the Gospel Music Association has bestowed upon them.
Other projects
Switchfoot has been actively involved in humanitarian causes, besides supporting DATA, the ONE Campaign, the Keep A Breast Foundation and Invisible Children.
- The Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am Surf Contest is a benefit contest/concert run by the band to raise money for Care House, an organization serving homeless kids in the band's hometown.
- The band recently made a trip to several South African villages, which inspired the song "Shadow Proves the Sunshine" (featured on Nothing Is Sound). Seeing things like an orphanage filled with infants who all lost their parents to AIDS, palling around with orphans in the streets, and getting involved with a children's choir called "Kuyasa Kids" moved them to start an ambitious organization called Lowercase People. LP publishes a quarterly online magazine for music, arts and social justice. They have also produced a CD by the Kuyasa Kids (available at the magazine's and the band's website) so that the kids can be empowered by making money for their communities. [12]
Trivia
- On The Legend of Chin album jacket, there is a picture of an Asian boy. Jerome resembles this boy, so when he joined the band, many were asking if he were Chin. However, Chin is in fact Willis Chin[13] a good friend of the members of Switchfoot.
- All the members of the band, except Jerome, are pastors' kids. Jon and Tim's dad is the pastor of North Coast Calvary Chapel. Chad's dad, Chuck Butler, who was the lead singer and songwriter for the 70s band Parable and The Chuck Butler Band, now pastors Calvary Chapel of San Marcos, California, while Drew's dad is the pastor of Lifeway Church in Vista, California.
- E. E. Kennedy made a documentary on Switchfoot, titled "Everything to Lose," which follows Switchfoot's life on tour and at home. The film is not going to be released to the public, but was shown at various film festivals around the US in 2003. E.E. Kennedy was a film student at USC and approached Switchfoot, proposing this documentary. Some of its footage was used in the Switchfootage DVD.
- Jon and Tim were in a Led Zeppelin cover band in Junior High. [14]
Discography
Albums
| Title | Year | Label(s) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Legend of Chin | 1997 | re:think | |
| New Way to Be Human | 1999 | re:think | |
| Learning to Breathe | 2000 | re:think | Gold |
| The Beautiful Letdown | 2003 | Red Ink Columbia | Double Platinum |
| The Early Years: 1997-2000: The Legend of Chin New Way to Be Human Learning to Breathe | 2004 | Red Ink | |
| Nothing Is Sound | 2005 | Sparrow Columbia EMI | Gold |
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | ||
| US Hot 100 | US Modern Rock | US Mainstream Rock | |||
| 2003 | "Meant to Live" | #18 | #5 | #36 | The Beautiful Letdown |
| 2004 | "Dare You to Move" | #17 | #9 | - | The Beautiful Letdown |
| 2004 | "This Is Your Life" | - | #30 | - | The Beautiful Letdown |
| 2005 | "Stars" | #68 | #16 | #39 | Nothing Is Sound |
| 2006 | "We Are One Tonight" | - | - | - | Nothing Is Sound |
DVDs
- Switchfootage - (2003)
- Live in San Diego - (2004)
- The Beautiful Letdown - DualDisc (DVD side) - (2004)
- Feet Don't Fail Me Now - (2005)
- Nothing Is Sound - DualDisc (DVD side) - (2005)
Billboard Album Chart Positions
| Year | Title | Chart positions | ||||
| Heatseekers | Billboard 200 | Top Christian Albums | Top Internet Albums | |||
| 1999 | New Way to Be Human | #31 | ||||
| 2000 | Learning to Breathe | #34 | ||||
| 2003 | The Beautiful Letdown | #16 | #1 | #16 | ||
| 2005 | Nothing Is Sound | #3 | #1 | #1 | ||
Awards
San Diego Music Awards
- 1997 - ASCAP award for "Best New Artist"
- 2001 - "Best Pop Artist"
- 2001 - "Best Pop Album" — Learning to Breathe
- 2002 - "Best Adult Alternative Artist"
- 2003 - "Best Pop Album" — The Beautiful Letdown
- 2003 - "Album of the Year" — The Beautiful Letdown
- 2004 - "Song of the Year" — Dare You To Move
GMA Dove Awards
- 1999 - "Modern Rock Song of the Year" — New Way to Be Human
- 2004 - "Rock Recorded Song of the Year" — Ammunition
- 2004 - "Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year" — The Beautiful Letdown
- 2004 - "Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year" — Meant to Live
- 2005 - "Artist of the Year"
- 2005 - "Short Form Music Video of the Year" — Dare You To Move
- 2005 - "Long Forn Music Video of the Year" — Live In San Diego
- 2005 - "Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year" — Dare You To Move
- 2006 - "Short Form Music Video of the Year" — Stars
Other Awards
- 1997 - ASCAP award for "Best New Artist"
- 2001 - Jon Foreman awarded the "Les Paul Horizon Award" at the annual Orville H. Gibson Guitar Awards in Los Angeles
- 2006 - Jon Foreman awarded the ASCAP Impact Award "to celebrate the success and influence of his songs in mainstream rock music." [15]
External links
- Switchfoot Official Site
- Lowercase People e-zine
- Columbia Records
- Sparrow Records
- Lyrics and song-stories
- Switchfoot interview
- Switchfoot message board
Template:Switchfootca:Switchfoot es:Switchfoot fr:Switchfoot