FootColumn #2: "We were meant to move..." Part 1 in an analysis of past singles and what that could mean for this new album

We finally know the approximate release date, and title for the upcoming Switchfoot record. Naturally, our thoughts turn to the possibility of a brand new single on the horizon and a new promotional campaign amongst the fans.. The “single” has really been one of the reasons Switchfoot’s career is where it’s at right now. As I begin part 1 of this series, we will look into the methods Columbia/Sony (the old Sony) took in marketing their singles for “The Beautiful Letdown,” and how effective they were in netting a larger audience.

When “Meant to Live” was first released back in 2003 as a single, no one (not even the label) really expected that it would ride the type of success that it did. The song helped propel “The Beautiful Letdown” to platinum status, but it wasn’t an overnight success by any means. By the time 2004 had come around, however, anybody who listened to radio or watched MTV had heard the song.

Analyzing the Billboard charts, we find that “Meant to Live” began charting the week of August 9, 2003, a little more than five months after “The Beautiful Letdown” was released. Switchfoot entered the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart that time at No. 36. It slowly, but steadily began to pick up a few more plays across that format, and by November it had reached as high as No. 11, beginning to achieve consideration for the Hot 100 Singles chart.

Then, crossover happened. Even as “Meant to Live” was peaking at No. 5 on Modern Rock radio, it broke into coveted Top 40 airspace in March of 2004, 7 months after it had first broke into the Modern Rock format. Later in March, “Dare You to Move” debuted on Modern Rock radio, while “Meant to Live” was crossing over into yet another format, the Hot AC/Hot Adult Top 40. The radio cycle for “Dare” followed much in the same path as the previous single’s, and two major hits with long-lasting chart runs were broken for the album. Columbia would go on to release one more single to radio, “This Is Your Life.” But for whatever reason, whether it was the band vetoing the idea of another huge marketing campaign for the single, or just the lack of attention overall from the label, no video was produced for it and it peaked at No. 30 on Modern Rock.

It is important to notice that the label, Columbia Records, recognized the exact market that Switchfoot’s music would immediately appeal to: rock fans. The buzzing guitar intro hook of “Meant to Live,” as well as Jon Foreman’s soaring, passionate vocals on that song was tailor-made for Modern Rock radio. As such, it was marketed heavily to that format, and crossover to the mainstream Top 40 and Hot AC formats soon followed, because of the buzz it got from the rock scene. Modern Rock gave Switchfoot a solid foundation, and they were able to branch out from there.

In the next segment, we’ll explore the marketing for “Nothing Is Sound” and “Oh! Gravity.”, and preview what needs to happen for the new record.

Chad Butler does some last-minute tracking; Some press about Switchfoot and an introduction to FootColumn #2!

Edit: NEWS FLASH -

Twitter update, April 30, 2009

- You never know when the muse might strike. Chad just had some last-minute drum inspiration, tracking now. Wow, the man is on fire!

^So the album is not QUITE done yet hmm...? interesting.

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Just a couple of press pieces/blogs about the new Switchfoot EP's and albums and everything else!

Punk Disasters

^Gotta love this comment on that story:

"wtf is wrong with this band?"

haha!

and,

The Sport of Death

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Here's another video of the new song, "Yet," with Jon Foreman introducing the song and talking about it. One of our favorite merch guys, Radar, (remember him?!) has declared this song as his favorite on "Hello Hurricane." Also, as I suspected, Jon said that "You have kinda imagine it being spacious and not just three dudes (playing)" the song. But here, you can listen for yourself. =)



BONUS: Download

To see other videos from this particular Youtube user's account, visit spanreb902

Here's a song called "Just Rob Me" that Jon has played a few times in the past. He played it at UCSD as well.



BONUS: Download

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Today, I'm going to be posting the first in a series of five essays (yes, overkill much) talking about how Switchfoot singles have fared in the past. The series will culminate in a post about what I would personally do if I was in charge at ATO Records and Red Light Management, in handling the band's lead single. Should be fun. =) Watch for FootColumn #2, Singles Essay #1, later on today.

Disclaimer: No, I'm in no way saying that the band's label or management team are doing a horrible job. They are doing an AMAZING job and I'm excited because Switchfoot are surrounded with such quality people who are smart about this music business thing. These essays are just a bit of fun, for those interested reading, and for myself, the writer.

Hear a new Switchfoot song!

Jon Foreman played "Yet" at a UCSD Pub After Dark last night, and here it is, captured in full on Youtube. Thanks Golden528!



^Initial impression of the song: Lukewarm. I'm not sure what to make of it, and probably because of the acoustic treatment, it sounds A LOT like Jon Foreman's solo songs. I also immediately thought of Augustana while listening to this.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS on this new song? Let me know, I'd love to discuss it with you!

To see more videos from this random show, check out loveyaaa's Youtube profile.

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And, Jon also played "Vice Verses" again. Here's the video:



^This, my friends, is probably closer to the way it sounds on the record. I'm even more sold on this song.

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Also, Fiction Family is featured in the new issue of Relevant Magazine. Those guys over there make great 'zines. Check out the article here

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We also got an email from Red Light Management confirming that there indeed is an EP out there that exists called Eastern Hymns for Western Shores.

"we have an unreleased EP that we recorded before this new album. Not sure when it will be released yet... hopefully sometime in the next year."

Awesome. So there you have it. =) Thanks again to LOBH for first breaking this story. =)

Switchfoot is home...

Twitter:

April 28, 2009:

- Home sweet home.



^ Sorry, just couldn't resist. ^_^

NEWS FLASH: New Switchfoot EP coming to our "Shores"

This just in from our friends at Land of Broken Hearts. They have news from inside sources that a new Switchfoot EP has been recorded and could be arriving soon:

2008/2009 has been a great time to be a Switchfoot fan hasn't it? Not only did we get Jon's EPs, and Fiction Family, but we learned that the guys have actually recorded four new albums when we thought that they only were recording one. But now... the news gets even better. Switchfoot inside sources have shared with Land of Broken Hearts EXCLUSIVELY the following information: there's another release coming. It's called "Eastern Hymns for Western Shores" and it's an EP of unreleased Switchfoot songs. (AKEE!) The guys are really excited about this, however they're just not sure how and when to release it... but it will be coming soon.
Cue mass fan freak-out.
We'll post more information as it is revealed.

^mass fan freak-out commenced. What do you all think of this news?

Switchfoot plays Kansas City, then comes to The Rescue

Last Saturday, Switchfoot was in Kansas City playing their first show since February, and later participated in Invisible Children's "The Rescue." Here's their twitter feed from that day, chronicling the events:

April 25, 2009

- 8:32 AM: Now boarding all rows to Kansas City. http://twitpic.com/3ysfm



- 12:14 PM: Foot has landed in KC.

- 4:33 PM: Van broke down on the way to the gig but we figured it out! http://twitpic.com/4035t



- 7:27 PM: Wow. Thanks Kansas City. Felt great to play live music again. We love you guys.

- 8:13 PM: On our way to the rescue with invisible children here in kc. Gonna rescue us some college folk. I feel like jack bauer. -tim

- 9:32 PM: KC has been rescued. What a night; amazing individuals standing in solidarity for change. Really impacted me, honored to meet you all. -tim

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I'm going to try to get Part 1 of the Switchfoot Singles Analysis essays I've been writing up sometime this week. Be on the lookout for it. Official FootColumn #2.

If you would like to write a FootColumb for us, email us at wereawakening@yahoo.com with your ideas. We'd love to have other writers for this site, besides me. :)

"lets make this new album do even better!"

Amidst the wondrous elation amongst the Switchfoot fams on the official boards, I noticed one sound bite of wisdom from a guy screenamed lilguitardude:

hey everyone we need to make sure we actually buy this album instead of downloading it (or download it then but the actual copy) cuz oh gravity isnt even certified gold, which is sad. so we need to make sure HH sells more like the Beautiful Letdown which sold 2.6 million. we can do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lets make this new album do even better!

^Way to be man. That one post in particular lit up my day a little brighter amidst all the great news that has been pouring out of the Switchfoot camp these days. Let's keep his philosophy in mind friends. ;)

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Alright. We have heard the new album name. We know what it'll be called now. What you may not have known though, is that a few weeks ago, some people on the official message boards decided to start a thread for the song titled "Hello Hurricane," which had been mixed on Tuesday, April 7. None of us knew what the song sounded like, much less whether it would be any good. The group was based on the merits of such an epic song title alone. Yesterday, we found out the ALBUM was going to be named that, much to the joy of many of Switchfoot fams.

So, I would like to invite you to join the movement. As you can see on our sidebar, we've got links and banners to the two incarnations of the "Hello Hurricane Fan Club": Facebook and Switchfoot Boards.

This will be the first step in our long-awaited promotion cycle for this new album. Friends, we are going to need EVERYONE'S help to get the good word out to the world about the new and upcoming Switchfoot album. So join the movement. And, KEY to the group's significance and success, please invite ALL of your friends to join the group on Facebook. The more people join, the more people will hear about the album, and possibly be equipped and excited to spread the word about Switchfoot and "Hello Hurricane." Thanks folks. And also, LOBH did the banners on our sidebar, but if you would like to post them as forum signatures or on your own websites, here they are:






Here's the link to the Facebook group:

HELLO HURRICANE

REMEMBER. Invite all your friends. The movement starts with us.

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Indie Vision has another article/news piece about Switchfoot's album announcements. Read it here

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And lastly, Switchfoot update their Twitter with a post that closes the book on the "Hello Hurricane" sessions. It's been great guys. We wish the Switchfoot boys all the best.

April 24, 2009

- Mixing the final track now: red eyes. This record has been an emotional and spiritual journey. So eager to share it with you, friends.

Switchfoot New Album Title: Hello Hurricane

Fresh fresh news from the Twitter feed:

- Sept. 2009: "Hello Hurricane."
TBD 2010: "Vice Verses"

Much love, amigos. -jon, tim, chad, jerome, drew



"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" - Job

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, I'm a little more calm now. hehe. So the press and media has begun to heat up again over the past few days with these new announcement of four albums from Switchfoot. Here are some links:

Indievision Music
Punk disasters
Driveby Media
Absolute Punk.net
Tunelab

Nice to see that we can finally add the label "In the News" to this post again. Feels so good.

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So, the Dove Awards happened a few nights ago, and as usual, Switchfoot got shut out in all their nominations. However, 'Prince Caspian' took home a Dove Award for "Instrumental Album of the Year." Congrats to Disney and everyone involved for the honor. Too bad "This Is Home" stood no chance...

Read the story here

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And, for your random Switchfoot/Jon Foreman/Fiction Family sighting of the day:

Fiction Family's song "Look For Me Baby" was featured in hardcore band Underoath's latest video update:



?? Nice.

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And, some Twitter posts that got lost in translation:

April 23, 2009

- jon and I to the studio after a very fruitful morning of photo shoot prep. luv, @andybarron http://twitpic.com/3uoza



- Lunch break. Keith came by, romey is hangin tough, drew and tim look slightly confused. http://twitpic.com/3v0ft



early April 24, 2009

- Just finished mixing 'sing it out'. Back later today to announce the album title... http://twitpic.com/3vsxp



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So, we have the new album titles for the next two records coming from Switchfoot. Love em? Hate em? Let us know. We'd love to hear your opinion. I for one enjoy both titles greatly; "Hello Hurricane" has got to be one of the more epic album names in quite a while.

A Happy Earth Day yesterday; and the BIG Switchfoot Release News Aftermath

Hello friends. Still reeling from the new announcement about Switchfoot's upcoming record(s)? So am I. Here are the complete Twitter updates from yesterday, Earth Day, and then some.

April 22, 2009:

- Happy earthday.

- Jerome says what's up. New tune called Needle and haystack life is making us happy. Mixing now, turn it up! http://twitpic.com/3siql



- At Norm's. Amazing vintage guitar store. http://twitpic.com/3suhs



And, of course the double Twitter posts heard 'round the world (or, the Switchfoot world, at least)

- So we haven't been entirely honest when we said we've been recording a new record. The truth is, we actually recorded 4 albums, 80+ songs.

- We'll be releasing them one at a time, starting with the first one this aug/sept. We'll announce the album title this Friday when we finish!

And, lastly:

- Chad is competing for the largest kick drum award. Wow. http://twitpic.com/3tgkr



^That is one ENORMOUS kick drum. Holy cow.

- jon and I to the studio after a very fruitful morning of photo shoot prep. luv, @andybarron http://twitpic.com/3uoza



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Apparently also, Jon Foreman posted a myspace bulletin last night. Thanks to Timmay! on the boards:

So... here we are april 22.
In california it's like summer the past few days

we're a few days away from the completion of new foot record. can't wait to get it out into your hands! chad is tracking drums on a song called "sing it out" could be the last thing we record for this thing.

So here's what midnight feels like north of LA tonight: the smell of cloves cigarettes through the open studio lounge window, the cool night air on my face, the low pulse of the kick deep in my stomach... shaking the picture of J. Lennon on the wall.

I'm gonna get back at it,
jon

Almost done... we can't wait either Jon!

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And, in honor (sorta) of the new Album release, I thought I'd kick off one of this sites new features. We want to start a section on this site called "FootColumns." Quite simply, they are going to be essays, writings, original poems, songs, etc. about Switchfoot that offers a unique perspective on the band. We're accepting writers of all kinds. If you would like to write for this site, PLEASE PLEASE let us know. I'm excited to see what other SwitchFams' perspectives on the band are. If you are interested, comment here with your email address, or Facebook, or Myspace, or AIM/Yahoo/MSN/Skpye account, and I'll contact you.

Or, you can just email us at:

wereawakening@yahoo.com


Well, anyways, for the the inaugural FootColumns post, I'm going to be posting a short essay I wrote up this morning with reaction towards the new Switchfoot Announcement. (what do we even call that?).

Read it here

So, hope you enjoy that, and please comment with discussion points or improvement tips or anything.

Thanks! Peace and love,
- Job

FootColumns #1: Switchfoot – 4 Albums? Oh! The possibilities.

As we all know by now, Switchfoot has announced the stunning news that instead of one traditional studio album, they have recorded 4 full-length albums, having tracked 80+ songs. Do you realize the sheer magnitude of 80 recorded songs? Now, granted, that's spread out over the past 2 1/2 years since Oh! Gravity. was released, but few bands can truly say they have recorded and finished 80 songs over that time period.

Now, if you've been reading, following, or writing in the "New Album Thread" on the official message boards, you'll know that there is a concern that this much material this fast could be a signal that Switchfoot is getting ready to call it quits. First off, this notion is pretty unfounded, not to mention simply silly. Folks, this isn't going to be the end for the band, don't worry.

As some of you pointed out, there is no indication that Jon Foreman, nor Switchfoot, are going to be slowing down ANYTIME soon. Over the past two years since Oh! Gravity., Jon has released four solo EP's, a compilation record, a Fiction Family side project, and even wrote a song with Switchfoot for one of the biggest movies of 2008.

So, here's my Reason #1 on why this isn't the end for Switchfoot:

Freedom of Creativity, Art, AND Commerce

All of these side projects happened, if you remember, because the band gained it's independence from Columbia Records/Sony. The freedom for creativity and when they want to release these projects is limitless. They wouldn't have gone through the long, tedious process of leaving a label if they were thinking of mailing it in anytime soon. If Switchfoot was done with music, they could've taken the easy way out, releasing a CD of throwaways, and a greatest hits record to fulfill their contract with Sony. Then they would be free to go and work regular day jobs at the local burger joint. Come on people, who really wants to work a 9-5 if they can surf all morning, record and write music all afternoon, and then go on tour playing these tunes for months?

Reason #2

Switchfoot is entering a BRAND NEW era.

...so why not do something radical? They just founded lowercase people records to release their music. They just built a brand new studio in San Diego. All these new concepts and ideas would of course lead to the conclusion that the band is done, right? Of course not. This is a new day for the band.

I think it's brilliant that they're working on releasing all these albums one after another; these songs will hopefully be arranged according a certain theme or sound, so that each release will sound different. Whatever it is, we know Switchfoot knows exactly what they're doing.


And lastly, Reason #3

Switchfoot LOVES music

Honestly, how can we even imagine these dudes never making music? I'm pretty sure they'll be writing songs even when they're older in some form or another. But all five of these guys are entering their prime (age-wise), and I'm sure their musical prowess has continued to grow since last they recorded and release a record. I don't think they would just quit on the music that has changed their lives and the lives of thousands around the world.

THAT'S why this isn't the end for Switchfoot.Take heart, and sit tight folks. These next few years are going to be incredible.

Switchfoot Stuns with announcement that they are releasing 4 studio albums!

On an April 22, 2009 (which was yesterday) Twitter post, Switchfoot announced that they had been LYING to us. Yes, they were openly deceiving us in saying they were working on a new record:

- So we haven't been entirely honest when we said we've been recording a new record. The truth is, we actually recorded 4 albums, 80+ songs.

And, that's not all:

- We'll be releasing them one at a time, starting with the first one this aug/sept. We'll announce the album title this Friday when we finish!


HOLY CRAP! I don't think ANY of us expected this. This is quite the announcement. Just got back from the Angels game and working of minimal sleep, so I'll be writing up a more detailed analysis tomorrow... er, or today...? haha. Wow. So floored. This is going to be epic.

By the way, at said Angels game, none other than Mr. Andy Barron, photographer/podcaster for Switchfoot, sat in a seat directly three rows in front of me. WOW. Ok, peace out, good night. =)

...or is Switchfoot track 10 called "Needle and Haystack Life"...?

Twitter update, about 2 hours ago.

April 21, 2009:

- Mixing track 10 now, "needle and haystack life," love this one.. Just noticed we're about to pass 10k followers. Thanks for the love amigos!

Oh, and Jon Foreman Facebook status:

Switchfoot mixing song today, called "Bullet Soul"

First, two twitter posts from yesterday's studio activities:

April 20, 2009

- Jon sings it like it is... http://twitpic.com/3og6a



- Its tough being a drummer. After a long day of woodshedding, chad naps as the water whispers gently in his dreams. http://twitpic.com/3oq1r



haha!

Now for today's updates:

April 21, 2009

- Yes yes y'all... jon here, northbound on the 101 ... and yes! today is pretty freakin hot out there- song up on the boards: bullet soul

- Take a moment to appreciate the subtle beauty of one of my favorite songs: Low Rider. No joke. The percussion alone is worth the ride.

DISCLAIMER: When Jon Foreman says "up on the boards," he does not mean it was posted anywhere on the Official Message boards. He's referring to the song on tap to be mixed today.

Switchfoot mixing songs 8 and 9 today

Via the great and awesome Twitter feed:

April 20, 2009

- Driving north on 405, no traffic, ready to mix tracks 8 and 9 today. Drew says hi. http://bit.ly/4Ipgq http://twitpic.com/3o0wb




^dang, no traffic on a So. Cali. freeway?! Just kidding... this phenomenon actually does happen on a weekday. It's a strange feeling indeed... but I digress.

So songs 8 and 9 are being mixed today. If they finish that, we could see a complete 12-song album mix by the end of the week! Possibly... ~fingers crossed~

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UPDATE (11:57 AM PST):

Twitter update:
- Spoke too soon re: traffic. Oh well, Credence Clearwater on the radio, good happy driving music. Oh yeah, its 90 degrees outside, what?!


^haha. Ah, gotta love the cursed 405.

Switchfoot Twittering like crazy; 7 Songs mixed, working on song 8 tonight

April 17, 2009

2:18 AM
- Wow, late night. The moon looks otherworldly right now, copper and huge. Driving home to Sandy eggo. Gnite! -tim http://twitpic.com/3g45o

3:06 PM
- Stopped for gas on the 405 N... Honk if you see four dudes in traffic drinking Oreo milkshakes! http://twitpic.com/3hca4

8:16 PM
- Firepit hangout on a Friday night, love it. mixing a new tune called "yet" tonight. http://twitpic.com/3i1ku

April 18, 2009

- Good laughs while listening to today's mix... things are feeling really good http://twitpic.com/3ig82

- Another late one. 7 songs mixed! For all you so. cal folks, come hang with jon and I at the new verizon store in la jolla at 1:30 today(sat)

- Great to see so many of you today in la jolla, place was packed! Just got done surfing, mixing track 8 tonight! Fleece and love, -tim

Switchfoot mix the 6th of 12 total songs; Fiction Family's "When She's Near" on Private Practice

April 16th Twitter updates:

- Going for a morning surf in Ventura. Mixing another new tune today, song number 6!

- Chad barefoot at the pump. Rock it sans shoes today to raise awareness for kids without them. www.tomsshoes.com http://twitpic.com/3ent3



- Morning baptism in ye ol' pacific pond. Off to mix song number six, halfway done witcha wreckahd! http://twitpic.com/3eyha



- hola. the dudes are hanging in the street. I quadcammed them. luv, @andybarron. http://twitpic.com/3fqii



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Fiction Family just posted two new blogs as well:

First:

Thursday, April 16, 2009

"When She's Near" on Private Practice TONIGHT!
Check out the newest episode of Private Practice to hear “When She’s Near” by Fiction Family tonight!

Thursday, April 16th on ABC
10/9 Central
Right after Grey’s Anatomy!

http://abc.go.com/primetime/privatepractice/index?pn=index

(that link at the bottom is a way you can rewatch the episode online, in case you missed it last night)


Second:

Thursday, April 16, 2009

NPR: Fiction Family on Mountain Stage: Listen now!
Click below to check out a live performance from Fiction Family on NPR.org!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103135835

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Have you been keeping track with us on the new album's progress? If not check out our New Album Timeline and see virtually every news tidbit that has happened since we first started hearing about this album. Thanks! =)

Switchfoot asks Tony Hawk to rescue them; come to JCCC's rescue

Continuing in the vein of Invisible Children Rescue videos, where they have asked the Jonas Brothers to rescue them, Switchfoot has two more to share.

In this first one, they ask pro skater and fellow local San Diego native Tony Hawk to The Rescue:



They then actually respond to a school's (JCCC) request to rescue them:



These are pretty awesome, I have to say.

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Twitter updates were a bit slow yesterday, but they were there nonetheless:

April 15, 2009:

- Burger stop on our way north. http://bit.ly/54LAR http://twitpic.com/3d7ev



- The futures so bright, yoda needs his shades... Hmmmm http://twitpic.com/3djsg

Of Botched Switchfoot release dates and other tweets...

As we said last night, Switchfoot torpedoed the supposed release date of July 14th for the new album, saying that it's going to be a late-August/September release. Needless to say, there is disappointment going around at the pushing-back of yet another purported release date. But there is still plenty to be optimistic about! Here's what been going down with Switchfoot on the Twitterfeed, and the news is (mostly) good.


April 13, 2009

- Making the familiar trek up to north LA from San Diego. More mixing this week. Finishing up a song called "Enough" today. Sounding great!

- This is one of the few months out of the year when So. Cal turns into Switzerland. Hills are bright green, wild flowers are blooming.

- A few of us will be hanging this Sat, April 18 from 1:30 to 2:30p at Verizon Wireless, 8867 Villa La Jolla Dr, La Jolla, CA. Come hang!

- Vocals by locals... http://twitpic.com/3apkq



- One of these things is not like the other... http://twitpic.com/3appo



April 14, 2009

- Official Tweet: Just added a new show in PA and news about a chance to meet the band in CA. http://www.Switchfoot.com - (@dalemanning)

- Looking for surf in Ventura, listening to yesterday's mix. Love it.

- Hurley.com posted a story about Friday's Ventura show and some surf shots http://www.hurley.com/blog.cfm

- @melgirlb yeah, 5th annual Switchfoot Bro-am is June 27, Moonlight Beach, Encinitas, CA. Should be all-time! See you there.

- Mixing a new tune called "this is the sound", and contrary to the rumors of an early release, new record will coming out in aug/sept. Yup!

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That's all we've got for now. And the wait for this new album continues...

UPDATE: Switchfoot's album release date has been pushed back.

Switchfoot JUST updated their Twitter with this slightly disappointing news:

- "Mixing a new tune called "this is the sound", and contrary to the rumors of an early release, new record will coming out in aug/sept. Yup!"




Alright then.

Switchfoot New ALBUM RELEASE DATE

UPDATE: Swichfoot has officially denied this release date, saying that it's actually going to be August or September when this album is released. We sincerely apologize for any misunderstanding we may have caused. We're just as disappointed as the rest of you.

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New Release Tuesday (which is seldom wrong on these types of things) has announced a RELEASE DATE for the brand new Switchfoot record that is coming out.

And the big day is... ~drum roll please~:

JULY 14th, 2009

Mark your calendars folks. Probably one of the most anticipated Switchfoot albums EVER is going to be released two weeks into the month of July. Can you say, STOKED?!



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In another piece of interesting news, the Switchfoot guys call on the Jonas Brothers(?!?) to rescue them:



I thought this was rather humorous; especially the fact that the tone of theirs makes makes it sound like they are talking to little children (which, in fact, is true!)

Anyhow, check out Invisiblechildren.com for more info on The Rescue

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That'll do it for today's updates. We'll go back to a more regular schedule of Twitter updates and recaps and what-not. For today, let this news sink in. The new Switchfoot record is nigh!

New Jon Foreman song titled "Vice Verses"

UPDATE:

Full version:


----------------------------




Thanks to Olivia and LOBH for this partial recording that happened during the acoustic benefit show Jon Foreman played last Friday. They also report that the song will NOT be on the new, upcoming Switchfoot record, but it WILL be on the next release they do.

It is unclear whether this will be next Switchfoot release, or a Jon Foreman side project. Regardless, enjoy this beautiful new song, called "Vice Versus."

Olivia also posted the lyrics on the video description. Here they are (now complete, thanks to the full version of the video):

Walking along the high tide line
Watching the pacific from the side lines
Wonder what it means to live together?
Wanting more than just guidelines

Looking for signs in the night sky,
Wishing that I wasn’t such a nice guy
Wonder what it means to live together?
Wonder what it means to die?

- Chorus -
I know that there's a meaning to it all
A little resurrection every time I fall
You got your babies, I got my hearses
Every blessing comes with a set of curses
I got my vices, I got my vice verses
I got my vice verses

The wind could be my new obsession
The wind can be my next depression
The wind goes anywhere it wants to
Wishing that I learned my lesson

The ocean sounds like a garage band
Coming at me like a drunk man
The ocean tells me a thousand stories
None of them are lies

- Chorus -
I know that there's a meaning to it all
A little resurrection every time I fall
You got your babies, I got my hearses
Every blessing comes with a set of curses
I got my vices, I got my vice verses
I got my vice verses

Let the blessed be glad
Be all my epitaph
With these rising and falling
And after all, we're just water
And I am just soul
With a body of water and bones
Water and bones

Where is God in the night sky?
Where is God in the city light?
Where is God in the earthquake?
Where is God in the genocide?

Where are you in my broken heart?
Everything seems to fall apart
Everything feels rusted over
Tell me that you're there

- Chorus -
I know that there's a meaning to it all
A little resurrection every time I fall
You got your babies, I got my hearses
Every blessing comes with a set of curses
I got my vices, I got my vice verses
These are my vice verses
These are my vice verses

Yeah
These are my vice verses

Jon Foreman, Timmy Curran, and Tom Curren play acoustic benefit show; Switchfoot wishes Happy Easter

Lots of Twitter updates over the weekend. Here's the rundown, in case you missed any of it.

April 11th (the show happened the night before)

- Wow, a lot happened today. We shot surf footage for Hurley this am with timmy curran. Fun waves. Then soundcheck/hang/show in Ventura.

- Acoustic set, with tom curren and timmy curran. They sounded great, lot's of fun, great night. http://twitpic.com/3584e



-Now come's the amazing part: this photo tells it all. Chad and I are only 5 miles into our 4 hour drive... oof. Could be a long night! - ...

- One more try: the photo of our ill-fated gas pump. Hmmmm... http://twitpic.com/35atq

(Whoops...)

- Happy day-before Easter. I saw a lot of egg hunts today. I sometimes wish there were adult egg hunts. http://twitpic.com/36q45



- New @Switchfoot video podcast from guatemala/costa rica is up on iTunes. As always, free for your enjoyment. Have a great Easter amigos.

--------------------------

Don't forget to check out the new Switchfoot podcast (if you haven't already). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa6pDMlUXuA Happy Easter everyone.

Switchfoot Podcast 39!

Switchfoot participates in The Rescue; Jon Foreman to play a benefit show for breast cancer

How much more can these guys give to causes? Thanks to the wonders of Twitter (again), we now know that yesterday, some good people from Invisible Children filmed the Switchfoot boys for The Rescue effort.

April 10, 2009

- some guys from Invisible Children are here and they're filming our guys for The Rescue. get into it. - andy http://twitpic.com/32p3m

- Find out more about The Rescue at invisiblechildren.com and get involved.

And today, Jon Foreman is going back out to Ventura to play a MoMoo benefit concert. Here are the details they posted on Twitter:

April 11, 2009

- It's midnight, happy Good Friday. Some of us will be cruising up with Jon tomorrow to hang/play some tunes at a benefit in Ventura at zoey's

- It's a breast cancer benefit. Good cause, good event. At the Elk's Lodge in Ventura, Tonight (Friday). www.Zoeyscafe.com , come hang.

-----------------------

Please take time to get involved, or at least become informed. I'm sure the guys would appreciate it just as much as the people who work daily for these causes would.

Invisible Children
MoMoo Benefit

-----------------------

And for those of you who are believers, have a happy Good Friday. Remember, He is risen. God bless you all.

Drew Shirley takes a ride in Mike Elizondo's Porsche

Not only does Switchfoot's new producer have incredible mainstream chops as Dr. Dre's right-hand man and the co-writer of Eminem's "The Real Slim Shady," he's also got a sweet ride! Not only does Drew Shirley play guitar for the band nowadays, he also takes rides in said "sweet ride." Here's a Twitter collage about Drew's experience in Mike Elizondo's Porsche:

April 8, 2009

- Drew is out on the 101 in Mike Elizondo's Porsche, Go speedracer go! http://twitpic.com/30v1z



- Drew just walked in smiling with wind blown hair, showing us the video of the joyride in Mike's '59 spyder http://twitpic.com/30wtu



And today, the Switchfoot boys do what they do second best besides music: surf!

April 9, 2009

- Looking for waves with Timmy Curran, looks surprisingly fun. http://twitpic.com/31yq6



- Post surf grub at Yolanda's! http://twitpic.com/32g3j

Jon Foreman, Timmy Curran to play MoMoo Benefit; Switchfoot has 7000+ followers!

As announced last night on Twitter:

April 8, 2009:

- Jon will be playing with Timmy Curran this Fri in Ventura. Several of us will be hanging there, should be fun! http://twitpic.com/2zieq



Also:

- About to hit the 7000 mark. Who'll be our 7000th follower? Thanks for the twitter love amigos.

- Congrats @jbsnead. Lucky number sleven (thousand, that is). 7k followers and counting, thanks everyone.

Then, this morning:

April 8, 2009

- Morning fridge raid... good morning friends. Back to mixing in a few hours. http://twitpic.com/30da1

Switchfoot mixing their first song today! (Hello Hurricane)

But before we get to that, here are some "leftover" tweets Switchfoot posted to Twitter late last night. Gah, flat tires suck!

April 6

- Flat tire! Who put a nail in the street?! http://twitpic.com/2y1zl



cant decide if Drew is calling whales or aliens with this guitar tone... Either way it's awesome http://twitpic.com/2y3cv



And today:

April 7

- Coffee? Check. Steel-cut oats? Check. Now for a morning surf. Oxnard looks fun. We're mixing our first song today! http://twitpic.com/2yrdh



- Fun surf, met up with tom curren and timmy curran, good hang. Time for mexican food. wow my stache is gross. http://twitpic.com/2z0ut



- Wet drops landing on our windshield here in la, wierd. I think I've heard about this phenominon called rain. http://twitpic.com/2z8mf



AND, a BIG BIG kicker for people who are ALREADY fans of this song:

- Mixing a new song today called Hello Hurricane. Feeling really great!

-------------------

Again, can I emphasize how ridiculously jealous I am of Switchfoot's job?? They start out any given day with coffee, a nice breakfast, a morning surf around Oxnard, then off to a day at the studio mixing songs for the "record of their lives?"

'tis a wonderful thing to be Switchfoot. =)

But dude! Exciting... they are mixing their first song today, a day earlier than they first said.

Considering mixing will take a good 2 weeks or so, I think it is quite plausible to expect a new single/preview/etc. to emerge by late April or early May!

Switchfoot decides to replace the Webcam with Twitter; to begin final mixing Wednesday

April 6, 2009

- Amazing day home yesterday (check sunset), picking chad up at lax right now, then stu stu studio. http://twitpic.com/2xbx7



- Harmonies are flowing, new swell filling in... planning to surf in the morning http://twitpic.com/2xnvn



- A lot of folks asking us about the studio webcam. We decided that we'd never finish the record if we left it on, too much fun.

- So twitter is the new webcam for now. Starting to mix the new record on Wednesday, almost finished! (Bold added)

- I turn my camera on... http://twitpic.com/2xxg5



---------------

So the Switchfoot Webcam is officially done, for this album at least. It's been a lot of fun while it was on, but the band is probably right. They will never get any work done if they keep that thing on.

So, if you miss watching the webcam, or totally missed the webcam, head on over the Switchfoot Webcam 2008 blog for piles and heaps of recaps, photos, and videos. Hope you enjoy those as much as we did in putting those together.

But so the final mixing will begin on Wednesday, meaning tracking and vocals and guitars and keys and drums are officially done! The album is near completion folks! Exciting, exciting, exciting!

Star Wars Cars and Jonny (Foreman) Rockets

Twitter, Twitter, Twitter updates! The Switchfoot boys (particularly Tim Foreman) were at it all day yesterday giving us a rundown of a particular Star Wars car that caught their attention on the freeway. here's what they had:

April 4th, 2009:

12:38 PM:
I-5 north, listening to copeland. Sun is out, ready to finish the tune we started yesterday, feeling good. http://twitpic.com/2tskl



2:13 PM:
Wow, just saw the most amazing car ever: star wars. R2d2 in the back, yoda riding shotgun. Check it: http://twitpic.com/2tze7



2:15 PM
Unbelievable. Here's another angle. Don't worry, jon is driving. http://twitpic.com/2tzl1



3:20 PM
More awesomeness (as witnessed at a toys r-us) http://twitpic.com/2u1cz - the interior of the star wars car. (via @nicoleedralin)



3:22 PM
http://twitpic.com/2u1ip - @switchfoot - & this is the owner.(via @nicoleedralin) Also, @goEDstudyabroad has informed us that r2d2 spins...



5:15 PM
Bass for the place... Timmo lays it on down http://twitpic.com/2ucgq



6:39 PM
Jonny rockets. http://twitpic.com/2uhwk



----------------

All I can really say is, wow. Hope that was just as entertaining to you as it was to me.

"Hahhy" Birthday Drew Shirley

Today is the big day for the infectiously hilarious Drew Shirley, of Switchfoot fame. The guitarist has been touring with the band since 2003, and the move to make him an official shredder has been one of the greatest moves they have made.

Here's a video commemorating some of his more hilarious escapades on many a Switchfoot podcast. May your day be brightened!



--------------------

Speaking of Drew, much Switchfoot's recent twitterful moments have been filled with his awesomeness! Here's what's been tweeted recently:

April 2nd, 2009:

- Jon's journal, penning some new thoughts/lyrics. Good stuff. Check out John Perkins for a challenging read. http://twitpic.com/2qqhu



- Tim bringing out the old t-bird. A thunderbird played through a thunderbolt amp... Wow that's a lot of thunder. http://twitpic.com/2r0a0



- Drew playing a golden oldie. http://twitpic.com/2r4rp



April 3rd:

- OFFICIAL NOTICE: Just posted 3 new tour dates to site. Shows in NJ, WA and IN - (@dalemanning)

- Happy Birthday dear Drew! http://twitpic.com/2s3iw



(Lookin' great man!)

--------------------

And to close it off, the band sent out a new email. Here's a portion of it:

Dear Amigos -

NEW ALBUM
We are very excited to let you know that we are close to finishing our
new record and it will be released later this Summer. Get ready for new
Switchfoot music in the Summer of 2009!

MERCH SALE FOR OUR FANS
Starting today, ALL merchandise will be 15% off in our online store. This sale will last until Friday April 10th. We hope you enjoy the sale and gear up with new Switchfoot merchandise Click here for the online store

SPRING AND SUMMER TOUR DATES, FESTIVALS, BRO-AM 2009
We love when the weather starts to get warmer, because it means more
tour dates, and that means we get to see you on the road!

We are playing a very special hometown show on Friday June 26th at the
Del Mar Fair in Del Mar, California.


And, the 5th Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am has been set for Saturday June
27th, 2009. This is a FREE beach event open to the public with a surf
contest, concert, and vendors. The Bro-Am was created to give back to
the San Diego community while also benefiting a local children's charity
through funds raised at an auction night event, as well as from vendors
on the beach day-of, sponsorships, and an after-party at the Belly Up
Tavern.

We are delighted to announce that this year's event will again benefit
the San Diego and Oceanside branches of StandUp For Kids, a national
nonprofit volunteer outreach organization that started right here in San
Diego and is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of at-risk,
homeless, and street kids. (www.standupforkids.org)

Stay tuned for more info on this exciting event.
http://www.switchfoot.com/bro-am

Also, we are playing 2 shows with Dave Matthews Band on September 12 in
Chula Vista, CA and September 13 in Irvine, CA. Both of these are ON
SALE now. Complete show and ticketing info is listed below.

TWITTER, FACEBOOK, MYSPACE
As we gear up to hit the road, as well as release the record, the best
way to stay in touch with the band is through our website, as well as
TWITTER, FACEBOOK and MYSPACE.
Click on the following links to make sure you are connected to us!

Click here for Twitter feed
Click here for Facebook page
Click here for Myspace page

JON FOREMAN - VINYL
Due to overwhelming demand, Jon has printed an additional 500 more
copies of his vinyl box set. It contains four 12" black high quality
vinyl records (fall, winter, spring, summer) and a beautiful four page
book-style cover featuring a few of Andy Barron's best shots of Jon over
the years. Each box set is numbered 501-1000 (we're only making 500 more
of these guys!). Click here to
buy.

FRIENDS OF THE FOOT
Right now is the best time to join if you are not already a member. The
band has been incredibly active in posting exclusive content about the
new album, and will continue to offer special access to the band as they
gear up to release the album. In addition to the exclusive content and
downloads, you receive:

1. Tour laminate good for meet/greet
2. Limited edition t-shirt
3. Discount on merchandise in online store
4. Access to Pre-Sale tickets on future tour dates
5. More Surprises to come!