| Thursday, April 12, 2007 |
| Crunching numb3rs; supporting the 'Awakening' video |
It's 4:12 on 4/12. And I'm listening to "4:12".
switchFeed just crossed 100,000 hits. :) Thanks for sticking with us through thick and thin!
"Awakening" is already climbing up YouTube's weekly charts, in it's 2nd day on the site, with 5 days in the week remaining...
#21 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Entertainment - All
#19 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Entertainment - English
#71 - Top Rated (This Week) - Entertainment - All
#78 - Most Discussed (This Week) - Entertainment - All
#42 - Top Favorites (This Week) - Entertainment - All
#66 - Most Linked (This Week) - All
#19 - Most Linked (This Week) - Entertainment - All
Keep viewing, commenting, linking, and rating the video! Remember, you can rate it once every day. So go back every day to rate it! And leave a comment while you're at it. ;)
Here's some press on the video:
The Daily Reel
kotaku.com
Joystiq
randypeterman.com
cyanbane.com
punknews.org (I'm the "anonymous source". It's funny how barely any of the comments have anything to do with the video.)
Got it posted on absolutepunk.net as well, a site with a way more mature readership, as the comments reflect.
An update on the "Awakening the Airwaves" campaign. A slight change of plans from the HQ:
there are a few alternative stations that are lighter-leaning, that have been very supportive of SF, that will probably try Awakening out in light rotation. I say any station that is playing the song is fair game, regardless of genre. Let's support this song where-ever it's playing, regardless of format. ...so please let us know if you hear the song play at any mainstream station!
Lastly, I've rehashed some thoughts I'd posted on the official boards about the "Awakening" video as an attempt to explain why I thought the video is a good move from Switchfoot, to those who think otherwise.
I think some of us may be kind of forgetting that the #1 purpose of music videos is to be popular and win the band new fans who wouldn't listen to the music otherwise. For example, people who aren't into serious music, in this case. It's why the record industry began doing music videos in the first place - to expose the music in a new way for those who wouldn't hear it otherwise. Even it's role as an attempt to respresent the song is secondary to the primary function of the music video as promotional material. They don't really make money off the videos - even though now, in the iTunes age, you can buy them for a meagre buck - nor do they make it primarily to reveal some 'deeper meaning' (though that may be done in a balanced way), but the vids are like advertisements, you invest on them hoping for future results, hoping to have new people sucked into the songs. Even though the guys are wisely trying to spread this one in an understated, grassroots way, I'd say 'wide appeal' was on the minds of those who thought up the video, and why not, isn't that what you spend extra money from your pocket on a video for? I mean, they're not doing this in ways unworthy of respect, like some artists who need to show skin to sell records, for example. Instead, they're attracting the gaming audience (a HUGE market, which closely overlaps with the music industry), and the fans of the featured actors' shows. Well played, Switchfoot.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Switchfoot's about the numbers, they've never been about the numbers, but there's no evil in wanting to have your music heard as far and wide as possible, for the sake of the music and the message itself. Besides, regardless of Switchfoot's stance on the matter, I personally think they're a band for the masses - they have something important to say, and it's worthy of as many ears as possible - even though I also identify with the temptation to be selfish by wanting to keep the band all to ourselves. Here's to hoping they get bigger even amidst fears of how it might change things for us fams if they do.
Responding to someone who said that the video's comical images could ruin the deeply meaningful song for fans, and other thoughts:
The deeper meaning of the song does not depend on it's video. Like Tim said, the video cannot take away or add to the song. 30 years later, nobody will be talking about the video, but they'll be talking about the song. But it'd be the video that got many of them into the song... so I think they made a good decision in making it an accessible (but still quality) video.
I think Switchfoot by nature is a 'deep' band, so it's a good thing that they kept it fresh with a video like this - that they don't take themselves too seriously. It makes their message more palatable, less pretentious. Not everything has to be 'deep' always ya know, sometimes it's a simpler thing that does the job better. In fact, I know some people consider Switchfoot too serious for their liking, so I think this video is a great move as far as their image in the public eye is concerned, too.
I think one thing that's great about the video is that it doesn't draw too much attention to itself and lose the song in the process - which was probably the one weak point about the "Oh! Gravity." video. The simple, fun approach of this vid helps you appreciate the song more, while not distracting you from the song itself. I think it was a wise move to bank on the song to carry the video, instead of the other way round - because "Awakening" is such a great tune.
In conclusion:
Either way, ANY video they make would elicit opposing viewpoints, because their fanbase is so diverse. So we can just agree to disagree - it's not a big deal, it's just a music video intended to get the word out. We all know their music goes way deeper than all of this, nobody's denying that - a video cannot change that.
A new poll is up... vote and let us know your verdict on the video! Feel free to elaborate in the comments section. The Quote Hanger's found itself a new coat too, finally. Thanks for reading. |
posted by phil @ 4:12 AM  
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| 17 Comments: |
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haha nice play on the word numb3rs- I love the TV Show!
Congratulations on crossing 100,000 hits!
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haha nice. 4:12 on 4/12 listening to 4:12. I like that.
My youtube must be stuffed, it's not showing 100,000 hits.
Did you stay up late or wake up early?
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Congrats Phil! You guys deserve it!
Also, great points on the Awakening video, bravo!
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Thanks for those thoughts, although I liked the video already, your words made me realise it's even better than I originally thought.
Switchfoot were indeed very smart in the making of this video.
"I personally think they're a band for the masses - they have something important to say, and it's worthy of as many ears as possible - even though I also identify with the temptation to be selfish by wanting to keep the band all to ourselves."
I have to say I agree with that (sorry about the long quote). I feel Switchfoot have something to offer everyone, and as much as I like it how not many people here know about them, I also want more people to hear what they've got to say.
sorry, this is too long a comment)
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I think Phil woke up in the middle of the night :p
Bro, I was going to post the video, but I just found out about Vonnegut, so I'm doing an RIP post for him. I'll put up the video et al. later today.
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man phil, you wake up early! :) thanks for the thoughts. you should write a book about switchfoot someday. i'd buy it!
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I couldn't agree with you more Phil! Great thoughts!
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As a first impression, I thought the video didn't meet it's potential. I'm not surprised that since my first impression, it's gradually grown on me. I think it's unfortunate though that many of the people on the boards needed Tim to say something about it, before they started to like it. That's what I really find odd, because I don't think Tim said anything that should've been news. Or at least I don't think that it should have been reason to change one's opinion instantly.
For me, my original dislike for the video had nothing to do with it looking more like Dare You To Move. I'm happy that it's not a video just showing SF playing the song — I can see that at their concert anytime I want to, a music video needs to be unique. The original skepticism I had had nothing to do with the concept, I like the concept just fine. The idea of bringing Guitar Hero and DDR into the mix is perfect in my books. It's just the way the video was presented that I thought could have improved.
Nevertheless, after watching it 20 times, I've grown to like it more. It's grown on me, and in that time I've looked at it from several angles. I still think the flow, plot, and some aspects of the video are what are holding me back from being completely astounded by it, but it's still an alright video imo.
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You weren't alone in listening to 4:12 on 4/12 at 4:12. I set my alarm to do it. Yeah, that's right. And it was quite fun ;D
I like your thoughts on Awakening. And wow, I had no idea it was most viewed/rated/discussed/etc. on all of those sources. It's great!
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Well said, phil. Especially the part about gaining a wider audience. Great commentary.
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great points phil!
'Awakening' is a great song and the guys creativeness in this video makes it even more enjoyable to the ears.
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The guys put out a video they wanted to put out. End of story.
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video is awesome.
wanna know what I think? Please visit: http://www.switchfootprincess.blogspot.com
!!! :D
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@Christina - your point makes sense, I agree. Although I can see how people might have been motivated to change their opinions once they realized more fully ( since Tim explicitly said that the vid was nothing less or more than the song) that they'd intended to ( as brent said) 'put out a video they wanted to put out'....if that makes any sense
@phil - "I think Switchfoot by nature is a 'deep' band, so it's a good thing that they kept it fresh with a video like this - that they don't take themselves too seriously"
I agree. I think lately, they've been trying to stress the fact that they try not to take themselves too seriously, and this video was a very enjoyable manifestation of that I think.
And I know the feeling, of wanting to hoard something so amazing, and keep it all to yourself! ah! But I think that with the initiative that you're taking to help put the video out there, we can indeed tap the gamer market...and who knows where that'll lead?
anyways...in short, good post!
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Phil! It's like you climbed into my brain and made my thoughts on the video more intelligible then I ever could! haha. I definitely think that this video has amazing potential to reach a new audience. I'm not going to lie and say that I picked up on the deeper meaning in alot of SF songs right away. I could get 'Dare You to Move' and such, I but I still remember being 17 and listenig to 'Adding to the Noise' and wondering why they wanted by to turn off their song. It wasn't untill a few short months ago that it felt like Mr. Jonathan Foreman put a bunch of bricks in a bag and hit me over the head with them, and quite frankly, it kind of hurt. Maybe I was just a dense 17 year old, but I think this video has the potential to grab people and eventually have a similar thing happen to them. It's hard to explain what their music means to me to now, I think I mostly get accused of teeny-bopper syndrome. I do wonder if people will miss the deeper meaning to the song, but I think that could even happen with a serious video. I have to say that I LOVE the video, but alas, I still find it and 'Awakening' a bit of an odd combination. But whatever, it's great fun, has lots of potential, and is, afterall, just a video (Which I do think has a meaning if you look for it..). Anyways.. I'm out.. I don't know why my comments always end up being SOOO LONG! Sorry everybody..
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phil!
(that was just to voice my excitment at your second post back)
when i read about your 4/12, 4:12, 4:12 experience i was bummed that i missed it, and then i realised that it won't be 4/12 here (au) until december. hooray :) i'm setting the alarm on my phone now...lol.
i played guitar hero at a friend's today...so much fun :)
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I couldn't agree with you more about the video.
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haha nice play on the word numb3rs- I love the TV Show!
Congratulations on crossing 100,000 hits!