I remember Rock Paper Slap - I probably shouldn't tell my brothers about that one...
Jon wrote a new blog on his space informing us about who actually wrote the songs he's put up.
Most of you fine people already know this, but I want to make sure that credit is given where credit is due. The songs up on my space are covers written by a few of my favorite musical folks...
Switchfoot revamped the pictures section on their myspace. Out with the old pics, in with the new - polaroids? yup. Each pic complete with a caption of the event and location.
Hello friends. Welcome to this lucky number 7 Scoop.
I have, sadly, never seen The Beautiful Letdown performed live. Needless to say, I was thrilled to see this live version of the guys singing the title track.
Well, I'm not sure who made this unusual version of Oh! Gravity, but I found it amusing...
I'll wrap this up with a sweet video of Gone (at the Campbell U show earlier this year). Keep watching through the bridge to see Jon make his signature jump off Romey's keys.
Hello, readers (or if you only come for the pictures, that's ok too). Just a heads up (or three) for this one.
Heads up #1: New blog on the Switchfoot myspace, entitled "Bikram yoda."
It's late or early and I'm back from lestats. "hot hot hot" would be the words describing the evening...Yes, it was there that I let the cat out of the bag- we're tracking a few tunes for the next projecto this week. Can't wait. ridiculous.
So if you read that right, you should be getting excited for more music from the Foot sooner than you probably expected. (!)
Heads up #2: Thanks to Mr. Andrew Barron for the most recent Daily Foot entry about the Creation West festival, accompanied by many shots of Chad. I guess it was just his day.
Heads up #3: Jon put a new song up on his myspace - "boxing." Good stuff. Go listen.
Oh and also, I came across an interview the guys did at Creation East that I hadn't seen before. Watch it here. (If your computer is slow like mine, it may take a bit to load. But patience is a virtue...it will come.)
Holaa! 'tis phil with your Switchfoot updates. Jon has posted two new blogs at his myspace. jonblogs are among my favorite things to read, so don't miss 'em. He's almost going at the rate of one blog per day...crazy boy.
One of our readers, Job, who runs a blog in support of "Awakening", started a campaign called "100 4 SF" in support of the single. He invites us switchFeeders to join in voting for the song on various channels. Visit his blog, and make the pledge. It's all for a good cause (world peace is part of it, promise. Just don't ask me how.) ;)
Now for the title item. A video that mixes WWE and Switchfoot. It made me laugh, especially during the bridge, when you're trying to see the connection between the lyrics and the video. Talk about chalk and cheese.
The benefit concert for the Life Rolls On Foundation, that Jon performed at, raised $370,000 for people affected with spinal cord injury, according to this report.
Some of you longtime fans may have read and enjoyed "The Beautiful Scrapbook", a tour journal Jon used to maintain that had a sad demise in late 2003. But, I don't know if you are aware, a resourceful fan managed to save the diary, and not just that, but host it on a site where we can read it... so, those of you for whom Jon's writing is like morning coffee, there's enough in here to keep you going for weeks.
Jon will be playing an acoustic set with Molly Jenson and Greg Laswell, TOMORROW, the 27th of July, at Lestats (3343 Adams Ave, San Diego, California 92116). If you live near there, I am very very jealous, to say the least.
We're here. It's number 20. 6 months of MOTW's. This is simply astounding. And so today I'll post a song that I absolutely enjoy, and have for the last couple months. I've probably heard it over 100 times easy, and probably close to 200. Yeah, it's good.
The artist is Cary Brothers. No, it's not two guys, it's just one: first name Cary, last name Brothers. There you go - cleared it up for half of you. Now you might've heard of him because of a certain Scrub named Zack Braff. He's put his songs in two movies now, Garden State and The Last Kiss. And for good reason. Brothers does pop right.
The song that I've fallen in love with is 'Ride', and it's easy to see why it would be. It's got elements of driving mixed in with elements of love. I enjoy both, and so this song just works:
If I told you you were right, Would you take my hand tonight? If I told you the reasons why, Would you leave your life and ride?
The lyrics may be simple, but they convey a great deal to the listener. Simplicity is one of Brothers' signatures in songwriting, and it's one of the reason I listened to his album, Who You Are, as many times as I did. The heartfelt nature of the verses is felt over and over again, and I adore the chorus, a call to action, above all. Would you leave it all behind?
I hope you enjoy this song/album, and if you do, Brothers is on tour right now, so you might wanna go see him if he's passing through your locality!
Which is why they're playing a concert there in September! - September 10th in Manila, according to this site. They are also playing to benefit the International Justice Mission, a human rights agency that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery, and oppression. (This is the same organization that Jon played to support at The Freedom Project benefit back in April). So if you live in the Philippines, enjoy amazing live music, and are passionate about justice, then get excited for September.
In this CD review of a band called Green River Ordinance, the writer compares the lead singer to Jon, saying that he has "One of those voices you could listen to for hours on end" (alongside Chris Martin of Coldplay). I've never heard someone describe his voice that way before, but now that I think about it, I'd have to agree.
The Real SeanJon gets a plug in this article about Nickel Creek's "Farewell For Now" tour:
Sean has been collaborating for a while with his neighbor, Switchfoot singer Jon Foreman on a humorously titled group called "The Real Sean Jon" that they recorded at their houses and hope to have out later this year.
Later this year, eh? Sounds good to me.
Lastly, the guys did a short interview (and acoustic performance of Awakening) with a San Diego radio station back on July 2nd. Click here to listen. The DJ is completely amazed with Switchfoot's live show, and he doesn't hide it. Good to know I'm not the only one who thinks their stage presence is high quality.
Well apparently I've been stranded on the switchFeed island all alone, so that means I get to update you guys today!
We have a new (very funny) Daily Foot from the Sonshine Festival. Don't worry guys, you'll never hear us call you longhairs or girls. :P
Jon has contributed two songs to an Australian movie called Bella that was named "People's Choice" at the Toronto Film Festival. Click here to watch "Eduardo's Story" and hear This Is Your Life. The movie also features songs by Sufjan Stevens. Kudos to whoever is in charge of the soundtrack for this film.
This Sunday night, you can find Jon performing at a charity event in L.A., benefiting Life Rolls On, a foundation that helps young people affected by spinal chord injury. For more info on that event, check out Surfline.
lowercase people has posted a new blog on their myspace and website. Here is what they had to say:
dear friends,
we have some exciting activity at work at LP headquarters, and our vision for LP is closer to our hearts than ever before: we want to be a conduit for change, an advocate for justice. we're currently overhauling the present setup of the site, and making some very exciting changes, and we'll be returning, better than ever. a blog section is being built (at lowercasepeople.com) even as we speak.
check back soon, and join us in dreaming and thinking out loud. We plan to do this together, as a community, - to have you guys be as much a part of it as those of us behind the scenes. thanks for reading, see you soon,
-lowercasepeople
I am definitely looking forward to what lp has in store. Always good things coming from there. If you're not familiar with lowercase people, check it out here.
I hope everyone is enjoying their Friday. Oh, and, if you see Gellie or Phil wandering around, tell them to get back to switchFeed! ;)
I hope everyone is enjoying this column as much as I am. Thanks to everyone who has been watching with me, and of course, thank you to the YouTubers providing this priceless material.
This video, from the Del Mar Fair, has great sound quality, picking up nicely on the strings, horns and Jon's vocals during Only Hope. Plus, it's neat seeing what the stage and crowd look like from far away.
This is a pretty chill version of Meant To Live; and if you like listening to Switchfoot in Spanish, you're in luck!
For many of us, this weekend is very special. It marks the end of a whimsical ten years we spent with "the boy who lived". To honor this momentous occasion, I give you an Oh! Gravity-ized Harry Potter movie trailer.
The following is a short'n'sweet review of the Del Mar Fair show, by Hailey Gillen, with some media attached. Thanks, Hailey! (Don't forget to check out her pics and videos, there's some really good ones in there! ...including some footage of songs translated to sign language, on stage. fun.) --
I've seen Switchfoot in 5 different states, numerous cities, and even a couple countries, but there is something undeniably special about a hometown show. (Their hometown that is, I'm only a wannabe San Diegan). This was my first time seeing them in the San Diego area, and it was an amazing show to say the least.
Only Hope was certainly a standout, with Karl Denson playing the saxophone. It was an interesting and definitely very cool addition. American Dream was also a favorite of the show for me, with one of the longest pauses I've seen. (1:15 in case you were wondering.)
Is there a better way to end a lovely day in San Diego than rocking out to Switchfoot while the sun sets? I think not.
Also, here is what jon said during a blend of We Are One Tonight and Shadow Proves the Sunshine:
"When I was a kid, going to the original Soma, I think that was like 3 incarnations ago, and the idea was, we'd go to see our friends bands play from high school, and the point was, at the end of the night, you probably didn't know half the people there, but you were all singing the same songs, you were all filthy with the same sweat, and that's the reason I started playing music, because of the unity. and, I think for me, I always want to see music be something that brings people together. So, thank you so much for singing along with us tonight, it's the biggest honor in the world. To think that our songs might be something that you would listen to in the car, and might be part of your life, that's an incredible honor, so thank you for that. Thank you."
There are only a few artists who I feel truly privileged to have stumbled upon, and Deas Vail (read: day-ahs-vale) is one of them. Although they are a relatively young band and have just released their first full-length album, All the Houses Look the Same, earlier this year, they seem to effortlessly make music that is original and accessible and interesting. Their brand of indie rock breaks away from the norm because of the ambient instrumentation and "nursery rhyme-ish" melody lines (as leader singer Wes says); they manage to avoid excessive use of heavy guitars in favor of melodic pianos and synths. The song structures on this album defy traditional rock formulas, which sometimes makes it difficult to grasp onto the hooks or choruses of their music at first listen. However, I consider this to be a good thing, because after a few listens, one begins to appreciate the complexity of their instrumentation and lyrics; there are consistently new things to discover, which keeps Deas Vail's music far from being boring.
The song I have chosen for today's MOTW is one of the last on their album and is called "This Place is Painted Red". There are so many things I love about this song that it's hard to know where to begin. The track starts with a drum solo by their (unbelievably talented) drummer, Kelsey Harelson. The instrumentation stays simple during the verses, with each instrument playing very separate, distinctive roles in the song. This simplicity continues until the chorus, when all the instruments present combine in a way that is both rhythmic and melodic. The song grows even more in complexity and emotional appeal as the chorus gives way to the heart-wrenching string section that accompanies the final bridge of the song, before ending with a simple, but beautiful, piano solo. The lyrics of this song give it much of its charm. Like the instrumentation, they defy formulas, even to the point of never rhyming. The lyrics read like a story and don't necessarily sound like poetry, but they are so honest and full of imagery that they instantly capture the imagination and make the listener really contemplate the issues of relationships and pain and hope that they discuss. The lyrics also manage to fit flawlessly with the music, which helps to make this track a pleasure to listen to from beginning to end.
If you like this track at all, I highly recommend buying the album, because I have absolutely no doubt that you will love the whole thing. And also, if it is at all possible, go see them on tour, because they are amazing live. Not to mention that they are incredibly kind people. Alright, enough shameless band promoting. Go enjoy the song!!
I get up and I walk away. I swear I won't get caught in this mold. I live in sacred days. What's the point if I'm reconciling past positions? No one sees this, I am so naive. Put the pressure on. I'm only human, but I'll do this with you if you will speak through me. Take me to that place; I was a boy there. I was so alive, but now I am lost in life. So my friend, you tell me over and over, and I said again: Why won't you open up? I want to be held again while the walls are falling down. Cause I forget what it was like before you were asleep there underground. Give me back my life. I am so weary, I am barely breathing. When can we sail away? If you're the open skies, I am the oceans, and horizons make the place we can meet again. We were so lost...
Hola mi amigos. Please allow me a moment to thank all you lovely folks who read, comment, don't comment, subscribe, don't subscribe, like, dislike - basically, everyone reading these words right now. Just for being here. From time to time it's nice to remember what common love brings us together, in spite of no two of us being alike. It's liberating to realize that being alike and being one are two different, unrelated things. :)
The results of that fun little quiz we had a few posts ago are overdue. I had promised to put it out in the next post, and I had the results typed out in a text file, but the computer had to crash before I could save it. Such is life. After some procrastination, I've counted the winners again... but first, the answer.
Question: How many times is LA city referenced in Switchfoot songs? / How many Switchfoot songs mention LA?
Answer: #5 - Two of the above (more than 1, more than 2).
LA city is mentioned in Switchfoot songs 4 times. ("Home", "Love Is The Movement", "Awakening", "Let Your Love".)
The following 9 people gave the best answer, #5:
rachel
natalie
Steph
vee
mary
kitty
Mike
chris byerly
x3beccamariex3
Other correct answers (honorable mentions), i.e., people who got it technically right by picking "more than 1" (choice #4) or "more than 2" (choice #1): ashneth, sarah, megan, anonymous, jess/JLee91587, sophie
Good job, guys! :)
Some of you may be wondering why I made the options so confusing. Well, I was just mimicking universities' style of multiple-choice questions, to make it more fun/competitive. If I didn't do that, we probably would've had 27 people to list above rather than 9, ha.
Thanks everyone for your honesty. There's really no "winner" here. Needless to say, knowing the answer to a silly question about Switchfoot doesn't mean much as far as winning or losing in life goes. But everyone who participated in the spirit of community, with honesty, wins. And by the way, the 162 comments on that post is a record for this blog... highest ever, in our 266-post history. Go us! --
Clarifications/notes (read these if you think your name should have been mentioned above):
If you broke any of the rules mentioned in the post, your answer wasn't counted.
Only the first time you answered was counted and your subsequent comments weren't.
Yes, "Los Angeles" counts as a mention of LA city. If I had put LA in quotation marks (like this: "LA") then it would've meant only the exact string "LA" counts and "Los Angeles" doesn't. Also, driving on the 405 (in "Amateur Lovers") is NOT a mention of LA city, even though the 405 is in LA.
Someone asked, "So, are we supposed to have 2 answers: One for the reference of LA and another for the actual times LA is said? Or add those two answers together to form one answer?" Good question. I didn't mean to count the 405 mention, which could be seen by some as "referencing" LA (one of the two phrasings of the question). I apologize for this confusion. Both the questions were one and the same... just phrased differently (one simpler than the other) so everyone could understand the question. I thought the slash would make it clear that both questions were one and the same, but the word "referenced" (in one of the questions) was probably not the best word choice.
Those who picked the right choice (#5) but then went on to explain the answer, and gave the wrong number of songs that mention LA - your vote wasn't counted.
Conversely, those who gave the right number of songs, but picked the wrong multiple-choice option were also not counted.
Those who answered after the next post (by gellie) were not counted.
Someone said "it's unfair for us canadians who doesn't know places in the states!" My sincere apologies to those who didn't know that LA stood for "Los Angeles"... it wasn't my intention to be unfair to you non-Americans (I'm not American either.)
If you have any questions, or I somehow didn't count your name but you feel I should have, then feel free to ask in the comments section of this post.
Welcome to #5. Hope this edition finds you doing well.
Our first video is from a talented dance group performing a cleverly choreographed routine to Oh! Gravity. (Who else thinks it'd be rad if we could see them perform this on stage with Switchfoot?)
For those of us who haven't had the pleasure of seeing a Switchfoot soundcheck, here's a taste. (exciting stuff, right?)
This video is a promo for Oh! Gravity and features a short interview with Jon and Tim:
Thanks for watching, friends. See you next week ;)
:D That was totally worth the wait. Thanks, Mr. Barron.
As most of you would know, Sean Watkins (of Nickel Creek) and our own Jon Foreman are planning a collaboration called The Real SeanJon. Be sure to visit their myspace, it's full of hilarity. They've had a sample clip up for a while, but they just uploaded a video of a song called "Look For Me Baby" (embedded on the MySpace) which makes me stoked beyond measure about this album. So check it out, add them up, and you'll be laughing your way through it. Also don't forget to check for who's in the Top 8. (Jon also posted a blog update yesterday on his myspace, about the goings-on.)
We have some good news on the email-subscription front. We've moved over to a new service, which is explained in more detail in the email below that I sent out to all our subscribers. Apologies for sending two notifications about the same post today - I'd forgotten to disable the old service. Shouldn't happen again. Anyway, here's the email, in case you didn't get it in your inbox by any chance (in which case, the part below in bold font might help). And if you're not a subscriber, this might make you wanna be one. ;)
Hello friends,
To serve you, our email subscribers (793 and counting), in a much better way, we have upgraded our email delivery service!
What this means for you, our subscriber:
1) You will receive alerts about blog postings within 15 minutes of the post being made. No more waiting for anywhere up to 24 hours to receive the email notifications (if you didn't notice, our previous delivery service used to send out the notification only at a fixed time every day.) The emails' subject will no longer be "New updates!" but will be the title of the post it notifies you of.
2) A "permalink" is included for each post (as demo-ed under the title above), i.e. a link to the permanent location of the post (on switchfeed.com). Say you're on vacation for a week, and you missed a post or two that outlived it's time on the switchfoot.com homepage (which displays the newest 5-8 posts at a time) - or you need to refer to a post in your inbox anytime in the distant future, then you can use the permalink.
3) You can now rate posts, giving them anywhere between 1-5 stars. The latest overall rating when you open the email in your inbox (collected from all the readers who rate), will be displayed below the post in the email. This could be useful when you have very little time but don't want to miss those posts that everyone else thinks is really special.
4) You now also have the option of receiving updates on AOL, Skype, etc., if email or feed readers aren't your thing. This, other features, and your delivery settings can be accessed/changed through a page linked at the bottom of every email update...
5) ...and more! which you shall see as you begin using the new service. ;)
Tell your friends! Sign-up is easy, just point them to this URL to sign up for free updates (and more) from the only official Switchfoot blog: http://www.feedblitz.com/f?Sub=232679
To ensure that your subscription is not mistaken for junk mail, please add the delivery service's email address FeedBlitz@mail.feedblitz.com to your safe list or address book.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, feel free to reach us at switchfeed@gmail.com, or reply to this email!
The lowercase people MySpace is back - all cleaned up. Apologies to those who've had to wait for up to a month to have their friend requests approved, and those who've had to endure spam, but those shall be problems no more. Befriend us, myspacers, if you haven't yet!
Apologies my dear friends for the lack of post-age lately. Gellie's excuse would be that postage stamps are too expensive these days. Since working for Switchfoot has made me a millionaire and all, I can't use that excuse. Okay, jokes apart, it's just that we've been away, without much internet access. I was at a picturesque hill-station with some friends - full of breathtaking moments... including one that threatened to literally take our breaths away, on the way up there. So thankful that I'm alive. That someone's still here to write this blog. That you're still there to read it. That my fingers somehow know which key to hit to produce these symbols that somehow represent the words in my mind, turning them into sentences full of meaning, that leap off a screen halfway around the globe, and through your eyes, fill your brain. With the same words, meanings and ideas. All in a matter of seconds, driven by 1's and 0's. Mere symbols. But so powerful. There's really just too much to be thankful for.
So while I was away, my buddy Hailey (who was at the Del Mar Fair show, and who I'm thankful for) reported that Jon was up to some extra-terrestrial behavior. Good thing she caught it on tape, and found an ET picture to compare:
So now you know - it's not a joke when we say Jon is from outer-space.
Postage may be sparse for the rest of this month due to other projects (and heightened extra-terrestrial activity, of course), but come August, we should be back on elephant feet. August has always been good to me. Especially the 3rd.
The following is a review of the Creation East festival written by one of our readers, Emily Makar.
Creation Festival in the northeast (and northwest) is a Christian music festival that happens annually, next year being their 30th. Not knowing what to expect, my mom, sister Michelle and I (Emily) set out for the experience.
We arrived after a long drive at around 4:00 pm on Wednesday, June 27th. The line of cars to enter the festival at Agape Farm was miles long. We didn't want to miss the first few bands before Switchfoot and Relient K, so me and my sister Michelle set out to walk to the entrance; we definitely wanted decent places to view the show.
We checked in, got a deal and paid a little over $80/person for the 4 days, got wristbands, and headed in. We arrived near the first camping field and saw thousands and thousands of people already there; tents were set up, people were walking around eating and heading to the beginning shows. We walked far to find the main stage and when we found it, we were shocked. There were hundreds of people already standing in front of the stage, and no one had even started playing yet. We thought we were doomed to mediocre seats, which we were not used to, especially for a Switchfoot show ;).
Fortunately, there was a huge thunderstorm. Ha ha! This clearned out thousands of people from the fields, sending them back to their tents and cars. Of course, the die hard Switchfoot and Relient K fans did not budge from their spots at stage, so we still faced a challenge. The staff workers forced us all to back away from the metal barricades but many insisted on sticking around. My mom caught up with us at this time and had a towel with her. All three of us ducked under it while others hid under huge plastic tarps freshly torn off the ground, moist blankets, and a few umbrellas. Purple lightning spread across the sky as rain poured. At that point I thought we should walk around behind the stage and try to find the SF guys! It turned out that we were the only people who thought of this, somehow.
As the drum sets and guitars were being covered onstage, we walked around back and stood by the gate near the tour busses. Some of the Switchfoot and Relient K guys were walking to and from their tour buses. We called over Matt Thiessen who chatted with us for a while about their tour with Switchfoot, saying they were excited. We asked if they’d be playing “Deathbed” this fall and he said there were a few complications, but they would try to get it worked out. I think they’re planning on having Jon and all of Switchfoot on stage with them for it and therefore are laying out a plan on how they’ll perform the song.
Minutes later Jerome came over; incredibly nice guy as usual. He recognized us from the last two concerts we went to, where we also had the chance to speak. He said, "One of you is Emily!" Correct Jerome! I said "Yeah that’s me!" :D We gave them silver rings last time that said "Switchfoot" on the front, had the bolt on the back, and engravings inside. He remembered that we gave them to him and said his wife loved the ring. Got a quick pic, chatted a bit more, and he headed off.
Later Tim walked by and after recognizing us we chatted about whether the show tonight would continue since the incredible lightning and rain continued. He said, "We came here to rock!" Rock on Tim :) Snapped a photo, and he was off to the bus.
After some more waiting we saw the other guys walk by, but they seemed too busy to chat. We then heard some ruckus over by the front of the stage and darted off at once. The second we arrived at front stage, the staff allowed the push of the crowd to regain their spots. We got incredibly lucky with front row on Tim's side. The guys came out looking classy, as always. Although it was a short set list, only eleven songs, each song was sung with passion. We could tell that Jon totally got into a lot of the songs; very moving and beautiful. Lots of jumping, jamming out, hair flips, and guitar swings accompanied.
Creation's setlist: oh! gravity stars dare you to move american dream ammunition this is your life gone we are one tonight on fire awakening meant to live
(Photo by Tim Landis. To see more official Creation Fest photos, go here.)
Starting out with Oh! Gravity is always great. Really awesome rock. Dare You to Move was moving as always! The American Dream pause was long and still so the crowd got LOUD. Really cool to hear Ammunition live again. During We Are One Tonight, the moshing and slam dancing (Relient K kids?) got really rough and hard to deal with. My mom hated it. A few girls actually passed out and had to be carried out.
(Photo by Tim Landis)
During On Fire, Jon jumped off the 7 foot high stage and ran into the crowd as the staff people freaked out; they were very taken aback. Funny! At the beginning of Awakening, you can see our video of the staff hoisting Jon back on stage. Meant to Live was the last song and it sounded so perfect. The only downer about the ending was that the staff and roadies ran out on stage to clean up before Drew even finished the end of the song! They began gearing up for Relient K and Switchfoot had no chance for an encore or the final bow and hug. This was probably due to the almost 2 hour delay from the thunderstorm, ah well.
The 8 hour journey home took longer than expected, having to stop a few times to sleep on the way, but proved to be feasible. My mom says she’ll never camp again, but even after all the mishaps, lack of comfort, rain, and swollen feet, you realize there’s so much good that overrides the bad! I’d go back to Creation Fest next year in a heartbeat.
(Photo by Tim Landis)
Check out some videos of the event taken by Emily's sister on Youtube.
It's true. For the band and people making the new merch, it means a new opportunity to express their creativity and a new way to represent themselves. For the people buying/wearing the new merch, it means a new way to display their pride by stylishly supporting a band they love. And for the people observing the wearers of the new merch, it means a new opportunity to be made aware of quality musicians. So really, nobody loses in this situation. We are currently in one such winning situation, as Switchfoot has some NEW MERCH (new t-shirts, to be more specific) for sale at their summer shows (not yet available on Bandfarm). For those of you who are unable to make it out to a show this summer, observe:
(Thanks, Hailey)
(Thanks, Becca)
(Thanks, Lisa)
(Thanks, Nikki)
There is also reportedly a white tee with the Oh! Gravity. album art faces and black dots going down the shirt (Thanks, Nikki), a white and black tee that says "I Was Meant To Live" (Thanks, Kate), and a shirt that says, "Me Gusta El Switchfoot" (Thanks, Natasha). Alright, brand new T-shirts! You probably want to go check out the merch booth at your next show.
Most people cover Switchfoot songs on guitar, so here's something you don't see often: a cover of Awakening on the drums! This percussionist performs the song with precision and adherence to the original, while adding in some of his own well-placed improvisations. Here's a small tribute to Chad, the man with the iron foot.
(Thanks, Dan)
P.S. If you're wondering about the contest in the previous post, Phil will deal with that one in the near future. He likes to count.
Well then, let's test your Switchfoot Quotient. Choose from the 7 answers to the question below.
How many times is LA city referenced in Switchfoot songs? / How many Switchfoot songs mention LA? 1) More than two 2) Less than three (yes, <3) 3) Less than four 4) More than one 5) 2 of the above | 6) 3 of the above 7) Uhh, I don't know...
NOTES: - No using Google. Be sincere... don't kill the fun. - When you answer, don't list the songs, as that will make it easy for others to cheat. - The prize for answering correctly is: a mention (by commenting name) on the next post (alongwith the correct answer and song names). Wait...maybe I'm taking this too seriously. Oh well, whatever. - Again, no cheating. I'm trusting you here, so please honor that. =D - Submit your answer only once. If you answer again, it won't be counted. - Only answers submitted before the next post is published will be counted.
Good morning. My name is Vicky Chiri. Phil has disappeared again, but the YouTube Scoop is back! (click here to view this column, past entries, et al.)
Our first video is an interview with Tim and Chad that apparently never surfaced, from the Rob Machado surf contest.
Here is an absolutely exciting adaptation of Learning To Breathe. It doesn't get much more hardcore than this. :p
For any of you who stayed up countless hours last summer with the studio web cam, you'll enjoy this montage of memorable moments.
I'll end this comeback issue of the scoop with a short but up-close-and-personal video of Jon doing what he does best, at the Rock The Boat performance. (note how someone pets the back of his head....)
I've been talking about this artist (at least in the cbox and such) for a while now, but Jeff Buckley, in my opinion, is one of the greatest musicians to have ever lived. If you disagree, I will punch you in the face. Sorry, I'm seeing a therapist right now. Anyways...
Jeff Buckley, the son of cult folk singer, Tim Buckley, was like his dad in many ways. He was musically inclined, he had a limited following, and, unfortunately, he died at a very young age. I always tell people that if there was one musician or one person that I wish was still alive, it would have to be Jeff Buckley, one of the greatest talents known to man.
So I boast about him. But why? What's so great about Buckley? Well, for one, the man could sing in eight octaves. For those that aren't musically inclined and have no idea what I'm talking about, Celine Dion sings in about six or so (the more the better). There are songs that Buckley sings where you would easily think that a woman was singing if you didn't know any better. And so what song of his is worth talking about? Well, really every one of his songs is freakin' amazing, but the one that stands out above them all (his cover of 'Hallelujah' excepted) would be 'So Real'.
Not only does this song give you an idea of his vocal range, but it gives the listener an insight into his guitar skills as well. Yeah, that's why I wish he was still around today. And if you delve in further, you see that his lyricism is just as amazing as his musicality:
I love you, But I'm afraid to love you...
Has anyone other than myself been in the midst of those verses right there? What you feel you can't deny, but you can't help but doubt yourself, and wonder if you're worthy of the love that's on your doorsteps. You feel absolutely hopeless, worthless, but you know what's really true. Buckley talks about being there, about how real both sides of the coin feel, and how he'd rather hold on to the memories than forget them altogether.
Check out this song, and I dare you to say that you don't like it. I'm putting my foot down this time - if you can't appreciate this song, you need to go get your ears checked. Seriously.
Full lyrics: Love, let me sleep tonight On your couch.. And remember the smell And the fabric Of your simple city dress..
Oh... That was so real...
We walked around 'Til the moon got full like a plate, And the wind blew an invocation And I fell asleep at the gate, And I never stepped on the cracks 'Cause I thought I'd hurt my mother, And I couldn't awake from the nightmare That sucked me in and pulled me under, It pulled me under...
Oh... That was so real...
I love you, But I'm afraid to love you... I'm afraid...
The following concert review was emailed to us by Rebecca V. (who comments here as xbeccamariex). Thanks, Becca! --
Cornerstone Festival is something I’ve always wanted to go to as soon as I heard about it. So when the opportunity presented itself to go, I seized it. I went to see Switchfoot but the experience was a whole lot more than just them.
After a long seven hour drive up through the farm land and highways in Missouri and Illinois, and about a couple hundred thousand rows of corn, we made it to our hotel. We started towards Cornerstone, and I honestly had no idea what to expect. After paying a 45 dollar a person day pass, we parked and went into the festival to find my friend who was there. He was going to make sure we didn’t get totally lost, and was going to go see Switchfoot with me later on that night. Right away, you could hear a band playing in one of the smaller tents, and people came up and gave out CDs from their bands and flyers. I could see it’s a great way for smaller bands to get fans and exposure. My friend showed me the way and all the stuff Cornerstone has to offer. Besides the bands, this included about a million camp sites, random people asking for hugs and yelling corny jokes from the side of the road, golf carts that you can hitch rides on, a huge dirty lake, people dressed up in banana and gorilla suits (:D), and my favorite was a huge crane with people dropping (safely harnessed) and swinging back and forth. It was pretty amazing.
We went to the merch tents, three times as a matter a fact, and nobody was at the booths that I wanted to buy stuff at (To Write Love On Her Arms, and Anberlin). I later met the guy that was doing merch for Anberlin at my hotel, and he said he was probably just down talking to the Copeland guys while I was there. But in the end we just gave up and went back to the main stage to watch the concert. The main stage…is huge. Walking toward it, you can barely see more than the roof of the stage, until you get to the top of a massive hill. It’s a steep incline into a huge flat area where the stage is. It was an awesome site, and seeing so many golf carts parked on the top of the hill and what seemed like thousands of people sitting on the steep incline was quite the sight.
My friend told me that none of the bands that he had seen had been able to make it out on the runway that came out into the crowd, at least not with a microphone and continuing sitting. I told him Jon would, and would do it well. I almost was going to make a bet with him on whether Jon would or not, and I would’ve won the money. My friend also told me that the people that just wanted to listen sat on the hill, and the people who were really into the band went up near the stage. Needless to say we went up to the stage.
We settled near the railing on the far left side in front of Jerome, and though we had a railing it wasn’t really first row. Later on it sucked because all of the photographers were in front of the railing and decided to stand up in front of us to get good pictures. Of course we didn’t know that then. We waited for awhile, and a guy came out and played Amazing Grace. After about seven minutes after that, Jamie from To Write Love On Her Arms came to introduce the band. I got took a video of him speaking.
Switchfoot came on and started with Oh! Gravity, then straight into Stars. I’m not sure what exactly was next, but I’m almost sure that they played Dare You To Move for the fourth. Throughout the concert they played Ammunition, American Dream (crazy good pause), Gone, Meant to Live, This is Your Life (personal favorite of the concert), Dirty Second Hands, and Awakening. I’m sure there’s more that I’m forgetting but that’s all that comes to mind. During the concert, Jon talked about the hardships that Relient K was going through, and for everyone to keep them in their prayers. He also said that they were bringing them on tour this fall. I’m glad that Relient K will be able to bounce back quickly. After they ended with Meant to Live, we were all shouting "one more song!" They came out and played We Are One Tonight/The Shadow Proves The Sunshine. It was amazing; I had never experienced them mixing the two songs together:
Thanks ktlouuu!
They ended with a bow still rocking out on their instruments, which I absolutely loved. Besides the really loud speakers that vibrated my throat and my ears, and the intense cold as it got later, it was an absolutely amazing concert. I did enjoy the Springfield show better because of the intimate setting, but this concert was filled with intense energy and was a whole lot of fun.
After everybody was clearing out, we went up to the stage to see if I could get a set list. Unfortunately the lady I asked looked and said there weren’t any more left. We stayed up there for a few more minutes, my friend got a free Frisbee from somebody who he had played ultimate Frisbee with sometime in the week, and then people from the stage started throwing hand towels out into the crowd. My friend caught one and gave it to me. It was a tad wet…Gross? I guess it’s just good memorabilia.
We were starting to go up the hill to find my mom, but then I wanted to go see if there was a merch tent down the hill on the other side of the stage, so we started back down. I am forever grateful that we did. I spotted Jamie from To Write Love On Her Arms in line to get coffee. I was wearing my TWLOHA shirt, and when he saw me he smiled. I went up to him and thanked him for everything he’s done, and we talked for awhile about my city. It was one of the best moments in my life; he is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. I admire him so much for doing what he does every day. I got a picture after a few attempts and said goodbye.
Meeting Jamie and hearing Jon talk through the concert was worth the 90 bucks I paid for my mom and me to get in. And the added bonus was being able to hang out with a friend I hadn’t seen in awhile and listening to my favorite band play. I’m probably going to camp out for the week next year, because it looks like a great experience besides the showers and mud. It’s an experience I won’t soon forget. --
Hello folks! How goes it? It's phil, and it's good to be back. Had an amazing time away, mission trip-ing south India, last couple weeks. (sorry, no charger story this time.) Three cheers and a round of applause to the radsome Gellie for keeping us posted meanwhile! [hip hip...]
Yes, I missed you all. But only a little. ;p Before I plunge into a few things I've collected during my time away, here's a shot that probably sums up my trip. There are some things worth risking your life for. And then on the other hand there's something like attempting the Switchfoot jump atop a mountain...
Sorry, I'm no rockstar, but you gotta admit, that picture is just too awesome. Almost worth risking my life for, even. Anyway...
If you haven't checked out our friend Luke's amazing shots from Creation Fest (on his flickr, linked a few posts ago), here's a random shot - Jon's "JF" buckle - to remind you to do so.
Here's an interview with Brandon Dickerson (director of the "Awakening" video), who discusses the video and related things in great detail. Good questions, too. One of them is something people have asked me: Was the YouTube distribution a deliberate marketing decision? His answer:
Yeah, there was a discussion of that. With the talent involved, had we done big-budget gloss it would have lost its charm. Right now, music fans turn on YouTube because a band like Switchfoot has a strong, loyal fan base that’s interested in seeing a keep-it-real mentality from the band, and that’s what we were trying to accomplish. It was intentional that this would feel hand-crafted, and that the band’s involvement in the concept would be higher than in previous videos. It was all calculated in that way.
A concert review by a fan on MySpace featured this pretty rad picture:
One of our friends, Lindsay, posted a review of SF's performance at the Evan Almighty premiere, on her blog. A little excerpt:
Jon still does the “Cowboy Song,” which for the occasion went like this:
I’m not a comedian because I’m not funny Every time I try to make a joke, it won’t sell That’s why they didn’t cast me as Evan Almighty, And instead they chose my buddy Steve Carrell.
An article-cum-interview on the Ichthus festival, on which Jon has some really great things to say. To excerpt...
"We grew up playing in bars, and we grew up playing in churches, and we never saw a disconnect between the two. Of course I am going to be true and honest about what I believe as far as my faith is concerned. But as far as the venue I'm playing, I guess I believe in a God that is much bigger than that. I believe in a God that is large enough to be everywhere.
"You believe in a very small God if the venues you're allowed to play become much smaller, the songs you're allowed to sing become much smaller, the clothes you wear and everything becomes much smaller. There's a freedom in actually believing in the maker of heaven and Earth."
And Foreman expresses a little unease with American Christian culture, saying some things he sees "do not represent the person of Christ."
"I have no stones to throw, but I would challenge everyone to truly be thinking about what we're doing and saying, because what we do now affects eternity."
Switchfoot fans in New Zealand, your turn has come. Come September, Switchfoot will be gracing your country. For more details, click here.
For those who haven't checked out last week's 'mp3 of the week', from a band called "Dirty On Purpose", here's a reminder to do so. It marks the return of our indie music guru, Arpit, who'd been away for a while. Actually, I haven't checked it out either, being away for a couple weeks and all. So let's head over to switchfeed.com and listen to the song together now, shall we...
