Ok to start things off, a video from the Iowa State Fair. Not because it's related to anything recent, but because you need it:
As long as we're in vid mode I found one of Dare You To Move at the Big Exo Day in Australia. Jon's got some crazy new beginning vocalization goin' on. Video quality not exceptional, but it gets the job done.
Then there were the “big, national acts”…. Jon Foreman from Switchfoot and Sean Watkins from Nickel Creek joined up for the night to become The Real Sean Jon. {As in the real name of Diddy}.
Lastly but certainly not leastly, Switchfoot appears on the cover of the October '07 issue of Brio magazine (since our blogging software doesn't like embedding small pictures, view world's tiniest picture here), and inside that issue is also an interview with the guys. Definitely one of our favorites. Here are a few excerpts:
Brio: Some say Switchfoot started as a Christian band and then crossed over. Others say you weren’t ever a Christian band. Who’s right?
Jon: Well, what do you mean by a “Christian band”?
Brio: What will it look for you to “burn out bright” at the end of your life?
Jon: I’ve burned out very dull a few times already.
Tim: Our society teaches us that burning out bright is going out with a lot of toys, a lot of cash, a lot of recognition, at the peak of stardom—whatever that looks like. The kingdom of heaven is completely the opposite. The person who couldn’t care less about what she’s wearing is devoted to serving the people around her—that’s a star right there. The idea of burning out bright looks a lot closer to that than the guy who’s all talk and has it all.
Brio: What does the song “Dirty Second Hands” mean?
Jon: I think songs are like clouds, and they float by. It’s the same cloud, but it can resemble many different shapes. The cloud stays constant, but as it starts to cross, it changes a little bit.
That song for me has layers you can get into. When I sing it, I think about time and the idea the secondhand store is the end of us all. Proverbs says to look at the end of things is wisdom. To remember that the secondhand store is the end of all things is a good place to begin.
There are also the filthy second hands we all have. None of our hands are clean. There’s a certain amount of wanting to dismantle the pretense as well that somehow our hands could be clean. There’s a little bit of pulling off the façade of America. I think the last spoken word stands to sum it all up, the idea of fatality and that many times we’re the ones who put the handcuffs on ourselves.
Jon: I also love writing songs, which I know is the occupation, but it’s also my favorite thing to do. When I haven’t written a song in a long time, my wife will say, “You need to write a song” because I get antsy and ornery. She also says when I haven’t surfed in a long time that I need to get baptized. There’s something about staring infinity in the face and being reminded of a bigger picture.
Great update. The Brio interview really articulates the whole "Is Switchfoot Christian?" issue well. Good to here about The Real Sean Jon as well. As for the first two videos: is it just me, or is the country number developing? I don't remember Drew's electric part back when I saw them in February. On the "Dare You to Move" video I personally feel the distortion creates a cool, surreal effect.
Yet again I am reminded as to why I hate magazines like Brio. They never leave the subject of if they are a Christian band or not alone. Why does it matter? That's what I wanna know. But I'm going to refrain from stepping up on a soap box about "Christian" music or the Focus on the Family magazines. It's not the place. ;) I love how Jon responded to them though.
Brio: "Some say Switchfoot started as a Christian band and then crossed over. Others say you weren't ever a Christian band." Jon: "Well, what do you mean by a "Christian band"?
Other than the Brio article I loved the update. Dare You to Move video=amazing-ness and a half.
as much as i agree with shelly and am sick of the question, it's been a relief lately that people are kind of listening to what they're saying, and i think sf has developed a really interesting way of answering that ever-present question. for a while, every time i was on the boards it was a bunch of diehard boardies defending the guys against that question, it was ceaseless, but now it feels almost like people have (FINALLY) realized that they are not idiots, they are five guys that are true and have not sold out (i'm so sick of that phrase!) or anything, it seems like they're being accepted and embraced a bit more in that respect. it's hard to put it into words though... i'm so proud of switchfoot though, they really have put up with a ridiculous amount of crap from the peanut gallery of christian industry.. way to go! and plus, that interview is loaded with awesome quotables.. i love it!
love love love Jon's answers to Brio..... and Tim's answer about "burning out bright" is muchos awesome as well. our boys are such little geniuses, by the grace of God. haha.
geez, i want that SeanJon record to come out soo badly!! not to mention Jon's cleverly titled ep's.....
haha, yeah i was reading that and i thought(the last bit there)"thats from LOBH!" haha thats an awsome interview!(your wife is funny Jon!XD) i loved tim's answer...he puts alot into his answers, which i love, and burn out bringht is such an out there song for me, means alot!
the picture was rad, and the video....man, STARS FOR SWITCHFOOT(!) for that. Jon you really went all our with your amazing voice. thanks gellie....kudos, kudos! ~lydz
great update I loved Jon and Tim's answers in the Brio interview. They really know what they're talking about. And wow, that Dare You To Move video was so... wow. Such amazing musicians they are =)
Great update. The Brio interview really articulates the whole "Is Switchfoot Christian?" issue well. Good to here about The Real Sean Jon as well. As for the first two videos: is it just me, or is the country number developing? I don't remember Drew's electric part back when I saw them in February. On the "Dare You to Move" video I personally feel the distortion creates a cool, surreal effect.