Add us on Twitter! plus, "Mess of Me" news, and other media selections

Hey folks. To stay up to date with us here, from anywhere in the world (almost), follow us on Twitter. :)

http://twitter.com/wereawakening

I promise to follow you back. And Jeanna, we're waiting for that LOBH twitter. Got it?? ;)

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"Mess of Me" continues to do well on the iTunes charts.

It is currently sitting pretty at No. 16 on the Rock charts and 156 on the overall charts. Spread the news to all your friends! Tweet about it, post it on Facebook, and buy it yourself or gift buy it for others (if your bank account so allows).

Buy it HERE.

If we can give it a solid first week on the charts, things will happen at radio as well. And, vice versa as well, which brings us to the Charts News…

------

Charts News (covering yesterday'ss action)

As you know, "Mess of Me" was officially released to rock radio stations yesterday, simultaneous to its release on iTunes and Amazon.

It had a great opening day, with several Alternative and Active Rock stations picking it up.

Adds for the week of September 29, 2009:

Format: ALTERNATIVE

WEND-FM (Charlotte)
WLUM-FM (Milwaukee)
KCXX-FM (Riverside)

Format: ACTIVE

WBUZ-FM (Nashville)
KFRQ-FM (McAllen)


Spins for September 29, 2009

(o) = same; no change
(+) = increase
(-) = decrease

Format: ALTERNATIVE

WBRU 18 (+2)
WEQX 11 (-1)
KBZT 10 (o)
WNNX (o)
KYSR (o)
WEND (o)
WLUM (o)

Format: ACTIVE ROCK

KZZQ 12 (+2)
WYBB 11 (o)
WIIL (o)
WRXW (o)
WBUZ (o)
KFRQ (o)

^Exciting times. I can't wait until one of the BIG stations like KROQ (Los Angeles) picks it up. Then, we'll be talking!

------

IndieVisionMusic has has posted part 2 of their weekly series of old Switchfoot reviews leading up to "Hello Hurricane"'s release. This week, they review "New Way to Be Human."

This sophomore release by Switchfoot takes everything they did on their debut and tweaks the sound enough to make it all improved. Everything from the moving lyrics to the wonderful sense of humor is still here and makes for a great album. Some might be disappointed in the lack of any drastic changes, but considering they weren’t treading water so much as becoming more efficient at it then it’s not a mark against them in my book. At least not yet it isn’t. As it is, New Way to Be Human is very enjoyable and a highlight in their discography.

Read the entire thing here

For Part 1 of the series ("Legend of Chin"), go here.

Also, they posted an explanation about the whole Switchfoot Celebration:

In case you were wondering why the heck we have two reviews of old Switchfoot albums on our site, let me explain. In celebration of their upcoming release “Hello Hurricane”, Michael came up with an idea to review every Switchfoot album in their discography, one per week, leading all the way up to “Hello Hurricane” on November 10th!! So there will be a different Switchfoot album reviewed every week all the way until the last review is posted on November 3rd for “Hello Hurricane”. So join in celebration of all things Switchfoot and read our reviews then comment with your thoughts. P.S. I am seriously considering “Hello Hurricane” as my number one pick for Album of the Year.

------

And last but not least, we got a tweet from Cameron Strang, the self-described Honcho at Relevant Magazine saying this:

- Finally home after a late deadline night. This issue is among our best. Switchfoot is the cover, with Tarantino, Matisyahu & a lot more. :)

^Dude, I will be looking for that one.

"Mess of Me" Single Available for Purchase on iTunes

UPDATE (8:50 PM PST):

"Mess of Me" is now at No. 18 on the iTunes Rock Charts and No. 160 on the iTunes overall charts.

UPDATE (5:38 PM PST):

"Mess of Me" has hit some pretty prominent charts on iTunes. It is currently sitting at No. 21 on the Top Rock songs chart, and is at 180 on the main iTunes.



---------

I know you all probably have it by now, but Switchfoot's single "Mess of Me" is available for purchase on iTunes. Go here to buy it, if you so wish.



Let's get it some chartage on iTunes!

Also, Amazon has it too, if you wish to get it there.

Notes: Actually, this iTunes version has a slightly altered mix from the "Mess of Me" Hunt version that has been floating around. The pre-chorus has a more prominent drum line than in the iTunes one. Also, the bridge's vocals are more prominent in this mix.

For those who don't really care too much about mixes and stuff, it's not a huge difference. But for those who care, it's definitely different. You will want to check it out!

---------

iTunes Rock New and Noteworthy



iTunes New and Noteworthy




:)

It has charted on iTunes' Top Rock Songs at No. 27



UPDATE: It's at No. 24.

---------

Also, switchfootpodcast has uploaded the 4-minute trailer for "Hello Hurricane."

Switchfoot re-tracking "Always" today in Los Angeles

via Twitter:

- Heading up with Tim to work with Rob Cavallo and Mike Elizondo on a song called "always" - excited to see where it heads! -Jon

^Should be great, guys. I wonder what else they could add to an already incredible song, judging by previews.

Tim Foreman:

- Tracking in LA with Rob Cavallo. Gonna be a late night tonight! Home by sunrise? We'll see...

Jon Foreman also tweeted about his escapades across town:

- Seems like I spend my time driving round LA these days...

- At breakfast this morning I overheard a lady argueing that she was a small time celebrity. Truth.

^Good times.

-------

Here's some information from the Switchfoot guys about how to help with the typhoon victims in the Philippines.

Via Twitter:

- Our friends in the Philippines need help. Typhoon victims in dire need of food/clothing. Call Red Cross to help. 1-800-435-7669.

^Please consider giving some of your time. This is our chance to make a difference in a real, tangible way.

-------

And lastly, Chart News. We are a day away from official impact day at radio! And it looks like the early adapters of "Mess of Me" can sense that; the spincreases are starting to happen.



September 28, 2009

(o) = same; no change
(+) = increase
(-) = decrease

Format: ALTERNATIVE

WBRU 16 (+5)
WEQX 12 (+3)
KBZT 10 (-2)
WNNX (o)
KYSR (o)

Format: ACTIVE ROCK

WYBB 11 (-1)
KZZQ 10 (+10)
WIIL (o)
WRXW (o)

Switchfoot and Jon Foreman live it up in LA

Switchfoot and Jon Foreman spent the afternoon yesterday in the City of Angels, Los Angeles. Minor trivia: I was supposed to go meet up and hang with them for the 987 hang out thing (complete with Red Light putting me and a friend on a special guest list), but 21 and over rules derailed those plans.

Anyhow, here's what went down.

Switchfoot and Jon tweeted about their time there.

Switchfoot:
- doin work on a rooftop in downtown la. don't worry about it. http://twitpic.com/j4fau


Jon:
- It's only a couple hours from where I live but...
- I like to observe LA through the eyes of an alien travelling in a strange and distant land.

Jon also talked to the 987 for about a minute about what they had going for them at the secret penthouse location they were hanging out at.

----------

Later, Jon, busy man that he is, went over to UCLA and play a show for some college frat kids. Here's the only video that has surfaced so far:



^I never realized how incredibly depressing those lyrics sound. Not gonna lie. I'm kind of unsure about this song right now. But anyhow, it's poetic as always.

----------

Saturday edition of Charts News:



September 23, 2009

(o) = same; no change
(+) = increase
(-) = decrease

Format: ALTERNATIVE

KBZT 12 (+1)
WBRU 11 (+2)
WEQX (o)
WNNX (o)
KYSR (o)

Format: ACTIVE ROCK

WYBB 12 (o)
WIIL (-)
KZZQ (o)
WRXW (o)

"Hello Hurricane" Vinyl prints; Kris Allen writing with Jon Foreman and Mike Elizondo

Andy Barron, the esteemed art director for "Hello Hurricane" and photographer/video person etc. for Switchfoot, posted a new blog and a new picture. Dig it!

hey guys. it is crunch week over here in andy barron headquarters (aka, my apartment) for all of the hello hurricane album art for switchfoot. the light at the end of the tunnel is close. can’t wait for you guys all to see it. i think it turned out pretty stinkin great.

i’m very excited that we got to make a vinyl version of the record. me being the vinyl guy that i am, this is near and dear to my heart, so rather than use my original idea for vinyl labels, i scrapped it and went with an old school atlantic look, but with a few embellishments. they didn’t have any old templates or anything, so i just made this from scratch, and i think it turned out pretty great. the record comes out nov 10. get one. love, andy.

And, here it is:



^Be sure to check out andybarron.com for more amazing artwork from this dude. Not only does he do amazing work with Switchfoot, but he's shot the Jonas Brothers, Paramore, Paper Route, Relient K, Mute Math, and more.

------

In other news, Kris Allen, the latest American Idol winner, tweeted yesterday that he was writing some new music with none other than Jon Foreman and Mike Elizondo. Oh, American Idol and it's hook-ups....

- Just hung with @jonathanforeman and mike Elizondo writing some sweet muzac. Both these guys are crazy talented.

^That is pretty cool though. We now know at least one of the songs will be somewhat interesting....

Either way, follow him at http://twitter.com/KrisAllen4Real.

------

And, for those of you who couldn't watch the 4-minute long "Hello Hurricane" Teaser Trailer, Brad from over on the official message boards recorded it and posted on Youtube (the universal language of video streaming)



^Thanks so much Brad. I have never seen Jon Foreman that close to tears. I'm not quite sure how to feel... so amazing.

------

Charts News

September 23, 2009

(o) = same; no change
(+) = increase
(-) = decrease

Format: ALTERNATIVE

KBZT 11 (o)
WBRU 9 (+3)
WEQX (o)
WNNX (o)
KYSR (o)

Format: ACTIVE ROCK

WYBB 12 (o)
WIIL 5 (o)
KZZQ (o)
WRXW (o)

"Mess of Me" purchasable single? "Always" single? Switchfoot, Hello Hurricane, Switchfoot, Hello Hurricane Tour, Switchfoot, Hello Hurricane!

^There was my lame attempt at a clever title for the day… blechh.

Anyways… hello! We've got lots of news for you today! Let's tackle these, one by one, shall we?

UPDATE (11:09 AM PST):

We just heard back from EMI CMG, and "Always" is still going to Christian CHR. Here's what they had to say:

"Sure is! The band is actually working on a new version of the song…SO excited! look for it in a couple of weeks."

^Oh sweet! A new version... I wonder if this is a radio edit or a straight-up album version edit.

--------

We have found "Mess of Me" single artwork!



^Isn't it beautiful? I have to thank our awesome writer, Bleah, for alerting me about this. THANKS! :)

Also, it will be available for digital download purchase on September 29, 2009, according to Amazon. That's impact day!

--------

EMI CMG, the other half of the promotional powerhouse team that will unleash "Hello Hurricane" upon the world, posted a blog about "Mess of Me," which is going up for Christian Rock adds tomorrow. They also have a link to a new "Making of Hello Hurricane" DVd promo. Now, whether or not it works is yet to remain seen. I've tried countless times on my machine, and it has not worked. But others have reported better success with it.

Hurricane Season

The first single “Mess of Me” just released to Christian ROCK radio. It goes for adds on 9/25!

Behind the scenes :: The making of Hello Hurricane (4 min):

http://media.emicmg.com/5099968779726/video/quicktime/300/new_promo.qtl

^If you can't view the video, ShineFM tweeted that they had an audio rip of it for your perusal.

- We've got a preview for Switchfoot's New Album Hello Hurricane the band talks about the album check it out http://bit.ly/12aF1M

Listen to it here:

Switchfoot Hello Hurricane Sampler.mp3 -

^Am I the only one who has fallen head over heels in love with "Always?"

--------

Next, to commemorate the 7 weeks remaining until "Hello Hurricane" comes out, IndieVisionMusic is writing reviews of all seven studio albums by Switchfoot. Here's a clip from their "Legend of Chin" review:

Overall: Switchfoot’s debut set the stage for an impressive career and it’s a must-own for any fan of the band. Even those who are only familiar with their later work would do well to see where it all began. There’s a raw energy of their youth here and sometimes it is just fun to see where a band began. Whenever I spin The Legend of Chin I immediately get in an upbeat mood and listen intently for the great bass grooves and the lyrical play on words. It’s an entertaining listen and that’s how music should be.

Read the rest here

--------

Continuing with the big-time press coverage, Switchfoot's "Hello Hurricane" release has been featured on the nationally renowned newspaper, The Los Angeles Times.



--------

Here's an updated Tour poster for the Hello Hurricane Tour.



Also, here are more details about tour sales, from the latest Switchfoot email:

Dear friends,
 
The Hello Hurricane Fall Tour is coming!   We are playing some of our favorite venues across the country as an "An Evening with Switchfoot."   We will be playing Hello Hurricane from start to finish, as well as some of our favorite songs from our past albums and a few surprises!

If you are a FRIEND OF THE FOOT or if you preordered the album, you will be emailed a code for the presale.

All presales start Thursday September 24th.  If you are a FOTF or preordered the album you will be sent the presale link on Thursday Sept 24th.  For general onsales, we will be posting this information on our website on Friday Sept 25th.

--------

And lastly, here's a great quality video of Switchfoot playing "Dare You to Move" at Sonfest a few days back



--------

Charts News:

September 23, 2009

(o) = same; no change
(+) = increase
(-) = decrease

Format: ALTERNATIVE

KBZT 11 (+1)
WBRU 6 (+6)
WEQX (o)
WNNX (o)
KYSR (o)

Format: ACTIVE ROCK

WYBB 12 (o)
WIIL 5 (o)
KZZQ (o)
WRXW (o)

Switchfoot Announces "Hello Hurricane" Tour

Announced via Switchfoot.com


11.11.09
West Hollywood ***, CA
The Roxy Theatre

11.13.09
Scottsdale *, AZ
Martini Ranch

11.14.09
Tucson *, AZ
The Rock

11.16.09
Oklahoma City *, OK
Diamond Ballroom

11.17.09
Dallas **, TX
House of Blues - Dallas

11.18.0
Austin *, TX
The Parish

11.20.09
Houston *, TX
Warehouse Live

11.21.09
New Orleans *, LA
Parish @ House of Blues

11.22.09
Nashville **, TN
Exit In

11.24.09
Atlanta *, GA
The Loft @ Center Stage

11.27.09
Anaheim *, CA
House of Blues - Anaheim

11.28.09
Ventura *, CA
Majestic Ventura Theater


All shows are pre-sale 9/24

* - on sale 9/26
** - on sale 9/25
*** - on sale 9/28

^That's a pretty conservative string of dates for this first leg of the tour. I'm sure there will be other chances! Check back here or switchfoot.com in the coming days for more details!

Switchfoot hits 10,000 Subscribers on Youtube!

6:41 PM PST. September 22, 2009

Congrats to Switchfoot for garnering their 10,000th subscriber on Youtube! I'm personally really excited about this milestone because my good friend, Corey Vidal, really has done an excellent job for Switchfoot's youtube presence. Since he's been brought on to help out, the subscribership has been steadily increasing and the "Mess of Me" has had the most successful opening week of any Switchfoot video ever.

A big round of applause for Switchfoot and Corey Vidal! Keep rockin' friends.

And if you haven't subscribed on Youtube yet, PLEASE go here now and subscribe by pressing the yellow subscribe button. It'd be greatly appreciated!

------

AllAccess is giving the song a lot of attention. Check out the "Impacting Songs" sections for both Alternative and Active Rock radio formats:


Alternative



Active Rock



^So the official impact date really is September 29, 2009. Regardless, stations are starting to play the song more and more!

------

NOW, for Charts News:

September 23, 2009

(o) = same; no change
(+) = increase
(-) = decrease

Format: ALTERNATIVE

KBZT 10 (o)
WEQX (-)
WNNX (o)
WBRU (o)
KYSR (o)

Format: ACTIVE ROCK

WYBB 12 (+ 1)
WIIL 5 (+2)
KZZQ (o)
WRXW (o)

------

Also, check back later today for TJ's latest FootColumn. He's written up a really insightful piece, this time, so you won't want to miss it!

UPDATE: HERE it is! Enjoy!

That's it for now friends. Have a great morning/day/evening/night!

FootColumn: "Hello Hurricane" anxiously being anticipated

November. November of 2008, I first heard the Fray’s new single (“You Found Me”), and was anticipating several new releases in the year of 2009. Namely, I was waiting for Red’s “Innocence and Instinct,” The Fray’s second studio effort, Jar’s of Clay’s opus “The Long Fall Back To Earth” (which by the way is a simply awesome record) and a new Switchfoot album, which I believed was to drop in March of that year.

September. Now, several new albums later, and almost a year from that day, I’m still waiting for a Switchfoot album. Not to say that I have of have been spent every waking moment thinking about it, (although I certainly think about it every day) but the wait’s starting to feel a little long, although I'm sure it will be worth it, and I know SF has reasons for the delay. From that day in November a year ago, I’ve been waiting nervously for the new album. It’s been a really interesting ride, and like any other, it’s had it’s ups and downs. When I learned Switchfoot was releasing four albums, I went around with a huge smile on my face for several days (I sure hope they’re still doing that, since I haven’t heard anything about the other three in a while, although there’s no reason to believe they won’t). Also, when I heard the new songs live, more happiness filled my day, as it did when they announced an Atlanta, GA tour date. But when they kept moving the album back month after month, it began to wear on me a little. I went through the whole summer checking and re-checking for new SF news, hoping that they would finally set a release date in stone. When the deal with Atlantic was announced, I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that it couldn’t be long now. Then, when “Mess of Me” finally hit youtube, I yelled in happiness, marked my calendar for November 10th, and emailed the link to all my friends.

So what’s the point of all this? Well, the point is that I’ve been waiting, (and waiting anxiously for a while now) and there’s a few things that worried me for a while about the album for some time. I won’t lie. Don’t hate me here, but I wasn’t a huge fan of “Oh!Gravity.” I didn’t hate it – on the contrary I liked it, and admired how Switchfoot toyed with their sound for the album. But overall, it fell short compared to “Nothing Is Sound” and “The Beautiful Letdown.” Why, you ask? Well, because of one thing: the lyrics. Not that they were bad, they weren’t and I enjoyed them. The problem is, they were nothing compared to their previous two masterpieces. Again I say, “Oh! Gravity.” was a solid work of musicianship. The problem was the lyrics weren’t Jon Foreman-esque enough. To put it plainly, there wasn’t a song to rival the magnificent thoughts of “Twenty-Four,” “On Fire,” or “The Shadow Proves the Sunshine.” There were ballads on O!G, but they weren’t anywhere near these songs, at least in my humble opinion, feel free to disagree.

I never worried that Jon Foreman had lost his breathtaking songwriting skills, and his solo works proved that beyond a doubt. But I worried, just a little, that the lyrics could be less than amazing on the new record. Almost every band I listen to has a quality that sets them apart. For example, Anberlin combines great instrumentals with a great voice and meaningful lyrics, Coldplay combines great piano work with honesty and and and epic endings on many songs, such as “Fix You.”. Switchfoot has a signature sound with some of the most thought provoking lyrics I have ever heard. They lost much of that on their sixth studio effort. When I first heard the live clip of “Hello Hurricane” I loved it, the lyrics, (what I heard of them) were solid, and the new-ish style sounded great. But after a few listens to “Mess of Me” I began to worry. In many ways this song paralleled “American Dream” which is a good song, but the lyrics weren’t what I was looking for. More specifically, I began to worry that Switchfoot was trying to do the same thing again, which is to talk about our problem with the temporal things in this world. Then I thought about it more. And it occurred to me that perhaps I was wrong. Yes, Switchfoot was ranting against the evils in our society again, but that’s a message we need to hear, and they do it very well. Pretty much nobody else even tries to sing about the ways we’ve gone wrong in this life. Secondly, the instrumentals were the best from any Switchfoot song I’d ever heard in their career. Then, as I threw myself into the lyrics more, I found myself finding the signature hidden meaning Jon so cleverly puts into every song. Once again that smile crept into my face, and as I looked over the lyrics for the rest of the songs from Hello Hurricane, all my fears left me, and the anticipation returned.

See, I’ve been disappointed a couple of times this year, or to put it more specifically, most of my favorite bands had disappointed me a little with their latest efforts. Mae’s “Singularity” was good, but fell flat compared to the “Everglow”. Same with Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida”. Skillet’s new album was a carbon copy of their previous one (although they’re not one of my faves by a long shot). But every time I heard a disappointing song, I would think, “Oh well, at least the Switchfoot album will be great.” Now I didn’t stake my life on it or anything, but the album has become extremely important to me, for various reasons. So for the album to possibly not meet expectations would have been awful to say the least. In the end then, I was very happy to find it was up to par with their previous works, and surpasses them in many ways. I actually was able to read all the lyrics from LOBH, and found them to be simply Switchfoot lyrics. (no other descriptions fit).

So, I’ve written an extremely long Foot Column about my anticipations this year, and my initial thoughts concerning the new album. If you’ve felt any of the things I mentioned here, or you’re also anticipating anxiously, I hope it was worth your time. I am happily awaiting the album (only one and a half more months!) and also enjoying Mess of Me to the fullest. So thanks for reading, and if you like/disliked/agreed/disagreed with anything I just wrote, please comment below. (do it anyways) Thanks!

-TJ

To the So Cali Peeps!

UPDATE (5:44 PM PST): Well, that was a cool contest. I didn't get tix. I was caller numbers 17, 27, and 35. Darn, oh well. Have fun to those who won! :)

Here are the tweets from beforehand:

- Secret Contest only 4 Twitter! @switchfoot is doing a private show at The @987LA Downtown Penthouse Friday at 3PM. 21+. info coming up at 5

- when you hear the new Switchfoot on 98*7fm between 5:30 and 5:45 today be callers 10 20 30 and 40 and win tickets to hang with Switchfoot!

Here are screencaps from the first time I ever heard "Mess of Me" play on a radio station. :)




----------

Check out the new tweet from Switchfoot:

- For our So. Cal friends: Follow @987LA for details on how to win tix to hang and listen to new tunes w/us in L.A. this Friday!

^I am so going to try to win this. I used to listen to 987 a couple years back, so it's always exciting to hear a local radio station pumping Switchfoot.

Here's what 987 had to say on their twitter feed about the event:

Any @switchfoot fans? We're hosting Ditch Friday w/them at our Downtown Penthouse. Hear "Mess of Me" on The New Music Show Sundays at 9PM

^More details to come hopefully! Looks like they're giving "Mess of Me" some spinnage… which brings us to our next section of today's update!

----------

Here is the Chart News section for "Mess of Me." It looks like the impact date really was yesterday, from the looks of things.

Adds for the week of September 22, 2009:

Format: ALTERNATIVE

WBRU-FM

Format: ACTIVE

KZZQ - FM
WRXW-FM

Also, as mentioned above, KYSR (987) is playing "Mess of Me" on Sunday nights.

Now, here is the breakdown of radio spins, based no the stations who have officially "added" the song so far.



September 22, 2009

(o) = same; no change
(+) = increase
(-) = decrease

Format: ALTERNATIVE

KBZT 10 (o)
WEQX 10 (+ 2)
WNNX (o)
WBRU (o)

Format: ACTIVE ROCK

WYBB 11 (+ 1)
WIIL (o)
KZZQ - FM
WRXW-FM

----------

Also, AllAccess had "Mess of Me" on their "Cool New Music" section, speaking of the Christian AC format.



----------

And lastly, our friend Bryant sent me this awesome wallpaper set to the lyrics of "Always." It's not his work, so if this is made by you, two things!

1. Email us at wereawakening@yahoo.com letting us know you made it, and we'll definitely credit you!

2. Could you forward us a hi-res copy? It's phenomenal!

"Hello Hurricane" featured/previewed in a couple HUGE publications

Ever heard of USA Today? How about the Entertainment Weekly? Yeah, those are some pretty hefty publications.

I did some research (cuz I'm a nerd like that :P) and found that USA Today has a whopping readership of 5.2 million readers, easily the largest newspaper audience in the country, according to this site. It may not mean much to you, but the journalism major in me is silently freaking out. Why?

Because, we just received word from Switchfoot's management saying that "Hello Hurricane" has been featured in the USA Today:




WOOT! :)

And the good news doesn't end there, friends. Entertainment Weekly has also done a feature on the album for their Fall Music Preview:



Here's to all the exposure and excitement that's building up for the record! Many people will be saying "Hello Hurricane" this fall, for sure!

---------

Now, for some Charts News. "Mess of Me" is reportedly impacting officially to radio today, although other reports have it releasing a week from now. Either way, the support is starting to steadily increase for the song amongst early adaptive stations!

September 20, 2009

(o) = same; no change
(+) = increase
(-) = decrease

Format: ALTERNATIVE

KBZT 10(+3)
WEQX 9 (- 1)
WNNX (o)

Format: ACTIVE ROCK

WYBB 8 (+ 2)
WIIL (o)

---------

We've had many reports over the weekend that Switchfoot continues to represent BIG TIME during College Football.

Our friend Travis told us that "The Sound" was played on ABC Football on Saturday, and "We Are One Tonight" was played yesterday. This is great news!

---------


UPDATE (1:45 PM PST): "Mess of Me" has been added to Switchfoot's Myspace player. Go on over and give it a listen, if by some strange chance you haven't heard the song yet.

Some Saturday charts news

Before we get started, we've been hearing that a lot of you are having problems finding/downloading the extras after pre-ordering "Hello Hurricane." So, to answer the basic questions, you can find your downloads by going to the "My Account" tab on the top bar in Bandfarm, and the download link should be in there.

If you are still having troubles, you can contact them here. They are usually very good at getting back to emails in a timely fashion.

Hope this helps. :)

---------

Happy Saturday! We've got some chart details for you all. Nothing too big going yet on the airwaves for Switchfoot. Here's what we've got for September 19, 2009

(o) = same; no change
(+) = increase
(-) = decrease

Format: ALTERNATIVE

WEQX 10 (o)
KBZT 7 (-)
WNNX (o)

Format: ACTIVE ROCK

WYBB 6 (+)
WIIL (o)

---------

Christianity Today has a short news piece about an upcoming documentary that will feature a song by Jon Foreman.

The documentary company that released Sara Groves: Just Showed Up for My Own Life in 2006 returns with a new title, The Great Reverse, releasing September 15. The soundtrack for the latest Nomad film, which follows nine young missionaries in West Africa, includes Groves, MercyMe, Jars of Clay, Jon Foreman, Sleeping At Last and Lori Chaffer (of Waterdeep). The songs are interwoven within the reality show-styled flick.

Here also is some more info from Soul-Audio.

---------

Switchfoot is playing Son Fest tonight in Ohio. Here are some early tweets about their journey to the Mount Vernon:

Switchfoot:
- Early morning flight to Ohio. Sleepy time. We'll be feeling a lot better in a few hours. -tf http://yfrog.com/0b1lszj



Jon Foreman:
- I'm pretty sure my flight takes off before the sun arrives- Ohio, here we come!

Switchfoot's "Mess of Me" radio news; another "Hurricane" review

Atlanta's 99x, which has been a great early supporter of Switchfoot early on in the radio cycle of, "Mess of Me," has the song as one of their top this week:

Top songs this week on 99X - Monday, September 14, 2009

1.   Muse - Uprising 

2.   Rise Against - Savior

3.   Kings Of Leon - Notion 

4.   Paramore - Ignorance 

5.   Silversun Pickups - Panic Switch 

6.   Linkin Park - New Divide 

7.   Weezer - I Want You To

8.   Blue October - Say It

9.   Dave Matthews Band - Why I Am 

10. Pearl Jam - The Fixer

11. Cage The Elephant - Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked

12. Anberlin - Feel Good Drag 

13. Jet - She’s A Genius

14. Metric - Help I’m Alive

15. Sick Puppies - You’re Going Down 

16. Green Day - 21 Guns 

17. AFI - Medicate

18. Kings Of Leon - Use Somebody

19. Dead By Sunrise - Crawl Back In

20. Owl City - Fireflies

21. Shinedown - If You Only Knew

22. After Midnight Project - Take Me Home

23. Alice In Chains - Check My Brain 

24. Flyleaf - Again 

25. Panic At The Disco - New Perspective 

26. Switchfoot - Mess Of Me

27. Three Days Grace - Break

28. Cage The Elephant - Back Against The Wall 

29. Anberlin - Breaking 

30. The Used - Blood On My Hands

31. Breaking Benjamin - I Will Not Bow

Yes, here's proof too. ;)



--------

Also, KBZT-FM in San Diego has given the song some early play, having spun the song 8 times within the last week.

"Mess of Me" has registered some plays at WEQX-FM in Manchester, Vermont as well, with 10 spins.

^All of this radio news, about two and a half weeks before official impact day is encouraging, to say the least. I'll be putting together a radio station request list, relatively soon, once I get the heads-up.

This is an exciting time to be a Switchfoot fan, friends. Keep promoting "Mess of Me" to your friends, blasting the song from the rooftops of your town or the subwoofers of your cars. Be proud! :)

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Here is yet another early review of "Hello Hurricane," this one from Wrecked.org. I've copied and pasted the entire review for your perusal here, and my thoughts on it afterward:

I can't say a lot about the new Switchfoot album coming out, but here's what I can say: It's different. Think U2 meets late Nirvana. Personally, it reminded me of Dashboard Confessional's transition from the very poppy A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar to a very different and unresolved Dusk and Summer.

Hello Hurricane has the endearing melodic quality of typical Switchfoot, but it is backed by a much more brash, less-polished ensemble. If you're part of the late majority in the Switchfoot world (in other words, "Meant to Live" was the first time you heard them), then you may find this new release to be a welcomed departure, but still fun to listen to.
 
Laden with power chords and a occasionally over-strained vocals, Hello Hurricane rocks as hard as The Beautiful Letdown, has as much angst as Nothing Is Sound, and is even more unresolved and raw than Oh, Gravity.
 
However, those who fell in love with the band after listening to Learning to Breathe set to "repeat" (as I did) or can hearken back to the days of Legend of Chin may miss the extra, inexplicable umph of a classic Switchfoot album. The presence of a strong ballad like "Only Hope" or "I Dare You to Move" isn't prevalent as with other Switchfoot projects.
 
That's not to say that there aren't powerful pieces that will certainly rock in concert, but there is nothing in the album that makes me want to pick up an acoustic guitar and play along (yet). This may be a premature diagnosis (I'm still planning on doing a more thorough review later), but it seems that Hello Hurricane is more of a statement as a whole than a collection of individual, memorable songs, as other Switchfoot records have been.
 
Some instant favorites are the title track (with Jon on the mandolin) and upcoming single "Mess of Me" (you can follow Switchfoot on Twitter to find where they're hiding copies of this single all around the world). With these and other songs on the new album ("Red Eyes" and "Always" make the honorable mentions list), you'll find the band revisiting common themes like entropy, dissatisfaction with the status quo, and a honest confession about humanity's own failings. And that's precisely the problem -- it all seems like recycled content from other projects. There is nothing particularly new or fresh about Hello Hurricane -- at least, nothing that jumps immediately after a few listens of it.
 
With Jon Foreman releasing four solo EPs and another side project this past year, a new Switchfoot release is nothing short of an amazing feat, to say the least. In my opinion, Jon and Time Foreman's songwriting ranks with the likes of Lennon and McCartney; it's original, simple, and inspiring. To be fair, I still need to give Hello Hurricane a few more listens before I make a final judgment call on it. However, for now, the album, like the release date, feels rushed and somewhat premature. Nonetheless, Switchfoot is still Switchfoot. And I'll continue to think and reflect on this new addition to their discography, while looking forward to future creations. Watch the video below and check back in for an upcoming song-by-song review of Hello Hurricane.

^ That review was unfocused and confusing to me. It also sounds a lot like the writer is confused himself as to what he thinks.

He begins the review saying "It's different."

Then, at the end, look what he says:

"It all seems like recycled content from other projects. There is nothing particularly new or fresh about Hello Hurricane"

So which is it? Is it different from any work Switchfoot has done in the past, or is it old and "recycled" news? I'm not sure.

In my opinion, it is a really well-written review, as is usually the case. Despite the positive/negative aspects of this album, I thought this line was pretty flattering for the two people mentioned:

"In my opinion, Jon and Tim Foreman's songwriting ranks with the likes of Lennon and McCartney."

That really is the redeeming factor for me. Also, in all fairness, "I (the writer) still need to give Hello Hurricane a few more listens before I make a final judgment call on it."

I'm noticing that there is a trend amongst the reviews we've seen so far to say that "it isn't as special as previous records." Amongst the more hardcore fans however, "Hello Hurricane" is being hyped as their greatest work to date, with "Nothing is Sound" enthusiasts very willing to pledge allegiance to the Hurricane.

I suppose we'll all eventually see on November 10, but until then, that's a trend I've noticed. What do you all think??

"The Making Of Hello Hurricane" Teaser Trailer, "Hello Hurricane" by Switchfoot out Nov 10

New trailer. It's epic. Watch it. (featuring a clip of the studio version of the chorus)



-----

And something is going on in LA today.

Jon Foreman Twitter:

- fun waves today at home, off to LA to shoot photos and such.

Drewcast (Drew Shirley) Twitter:

- Getting ready to get shot in Los Angeles... With a camera! Blaw!! -d http://twitpic.com/i3cgr

Switchfoot's "Hello Hurricane" Pre-sale has Begun!

Here are the links! As of 5:30 PST, it hasn't emerged on Switchfoot.com, but the Bandfarm Online Store links are live!

Buy the

Deluxe Edition

Vinyl

CD/DVD

Download

CD

Re-Watch the UStream Feed!; "Mess of Me" added to three more stations this week

Here is a re-broadcast/archive of the Ustream video the Switchfoot boys had last night. Boy am I relieved that they decided to record it.



Also, some tentative tour dates were announced during the show, and pre-sales start TODAY at 5 PM PST! Be sure to secure your early copy tomorrow!

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Also, some exciting radio news:

Another Active Rock Station has added "Mess of Me." WYBB-Fm in Charleston, SC has added it, according to Mediabase.

Also, this week, it was added on two Alternative (Modern Rock) stations, getting early support from San Diego's KBZT and Sirius Satellite radio's S021.

It has previously seen action on these following stations and formats

Alternative (Modern Rock)

- WEQX - Albany, NY 1
- WNNX - Atlanta, GA

Active Rock

- WIIL-FM - Chicago, IL 2

^Remember, the single officially releases to radio on the 28th of September. Early spins are always a great sign. Glad to see the boys getting early support from their hometown rock station! Shout-outs!

-------

Also, Bleah has a new FootColumn! Be sure to check it out here.

FootColumn: Hype or Reality?

There has been such a stir in the music world lately over one band...anyone care to guess who that band could be or why there such a stir? Well its Switchfoot of course and the cause: Mess of Me.

Switchfoot has used some of the most creative tactics to get their song out there, giving it alot of media attention. People everywhere know about the song and the band. But how long will this last? In my opinion...this is alot more then just "hype" as stated by sceptics (even though I must say sceptics still love the song so I think their basis of opinion is flawed in the first place).

I think this is something that will last, something that will last for a very long time. Never before has such an album been released by Switchfoot, its a feel that's never been displayed by them before and will surely never be forgotten. Many will appreciate this and many well have something negative to say, but its our job as Switchfoot fans to support them for what they do.

Now, anyone who knows anything about Switchfoot has got to realise that despite the difference in music style, the lyrics are classic. Almost every song I have ever heard come out from this band has been about redemption or the fulfillment of your destiny, making the most of your time here on earth as does MOM. I personally find that uplifting, and enlightening. But you can't please everyone. So even though this song, this album, has definitely broken records, and reached some of the highest standers ever placed on a song, there are still going to be people saying bad stuff about it. But just know that we as fans have already achieved greatness in spreading this thing world wide, and I believe that this is more then hype, this is something that people will remember. And I'm sure that Jon Foreman and then whole crew are proud of you all! So keep spreading the word, and supporting this band. They deserve it.

Jon Foreman wrote songs with Karl Denson

UPDATE:
In other updated news, we've heard back from management that Ustream AND the band will be keeping archived copies of the broadcast. So never fear if you have to miss it. I recommend you don't though, so you can ask questions and interact! :)

Also, the upcoming webcast is on ustream's front page!



--------



And the record, "Brother's Keeper" is out today! Here is a snippet of the review from AllMusic, talking about Jon Foreman's involvement:

Denson wrote or co-wrote 10 of the set's 11 tunes, two of them with Switchfoot's lead singer Jon Foreman (the set opener and first single "Shake It Out," and "Mighty Rebel"). Foreman penned the stellar "The Drums of War,"

Here's Jon's tweet about it:

- Twas honored to sing/write tunes on my friend/hero Karl Denson's new record-it's out mañana! info: http://bit.ly/3Yp6qQ

Be sure to pick up a copy on iTunes if you have some cash to spare!

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My good friend Bryant designed a new t-shirt featuring lyrics from Switchfoot's song, "Always." It is personally my favorite line of the song: "every breath is a second chance."

Check it out HERE

We're going to need you to VOTE for it, by going over, signing up, and giving him a 5 vote. If he wins, I believe the clothing company will adopt his shirt. Wouldn't you like an "Always"-themed t-shirt? I know I would.

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UPDATE: ON THE OFFICIAL CAMERA STREAM, IT'S LOOKING LIKE THE SHOW IS STARTING AT 5 PM PST, RATHER THAN 5:30 PM PST. Plan accordingly!

Today is the day of Switchfoot's live stream. Make sure you go here for the stream, or you can watch it right here on our site. We've embedded the player and live chat at the top of our page!

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The "Mess of Me" video has been a HUGE success, my friends. 110,000 views in one week, is one of the best opening performances by a Switchfoot I've ever seen. Take a breather. You've all done an excellent job promoting, spreading, and (dare I say) spamming this video to all your friends. More music videos are coming, so we'll need to have energy to go at it all over again. :)

AGAIN, HIGH FIVES ALL AROUND!

Switchfoot tweeted their appreciation:

- thanks for getting our #messofme video http://tinyurl.com/mykb5c up above 110,000 views! pre-order is soon, I swear!

Switchfoot rocks opening for Dave Matthews Band; streaming live Tuesday

Here's a video of their performance of "Always" in Irvine, CA last night.



Check out the rest of the videos by this Youtube user here

The setlist was also posted:

Learning To Breathe (incomplete)
This Is Your Life
I Won't Back Down
Always
Dirty Second Hands
Meant to Live
On Fire
Dare You to Move

Switchfoot tweets about the evening:

- thanks to @DaveJMatthews for a great couple nights to end the summer. Home this week and a swell on the way!

From Jon Foreman:

- Thanks to @davejmatthews and co. for a great night... had a great time playing our songs and listening to yours

-------

Switchfoot has some exciting news for us, from their latest email blast:

Big news.  So to commemorate our new record coming out soon, we will be doing a live broadcast from our studio.  We will be answering questions, talking about the new record, and even debuting a clip from our "Live at Spot X" in studio performances, which frankly, we think turned out pretty great.  It'll be for the song "Mess Of Me", which is our new single, but this video is totally different from the one we just put up on youtube.
 
We're pretty excited about it because we'll also be LIVE in our studio talking to you guys directly, which is how we prefer it. Good times.  The link you're going to want to remember is
 
www.ustream.tv/switchfoot
 
Mark your calendars for THIS Tuesday, September 15 at 5:30 PM PST.  We will go live, and it will be awesome.  
 
Speaking of awesome, thank you SO much for your overwhelming response to the "Mess Of Me" clip we recently put up over on youtube.  We just surpassed 100k views, which is crazy.  If by some small chance you haven't seen it yet, cruise on over to this page and check it out.
 
Remember, Tuesday, 5:30 (west coast).  See you there.
 
Jon, Tim, Chad, Jerome, and Drew.

^who wants to record this for us? I'm going to be out working on a reporting assignment for my class.

-------

Keep it coming! the "Mess of Me" video has these honors:

#4 - Most Discussed (This Week)
#1 - Most Discussed (This Week) - Music
#47 - Most Discussed (This Month)
#8 - Most Discussed (This Month) - Music
#27 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music - Australia
#35 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music - Canada
#100 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music - United Kingdom
#67 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music - India
#16 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music - New Zealand
#22 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music
#68 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music - Czech Republic
#42 - Top Favorited (This Week)
#10 - Top Favorited (This Week) - Music
#72 - Top Rated (This Week)
#3 - Top Rated (This Week) - Music
#49 - Top Rated (This Month) - Music

^Also, we've reached 2000 favorites, 100,000 views, and 2000 ratings within our first week. What a success! Great work friends. :)

"Mess of Me" video back to No. 1...!

...on the Most Discussed This Week (Music) Honor on Youtube! Thanks to your tireless efforts, "Mess of Me" continues to dominate all forms of discussion-related honors on Youtube's channel. Now, here are the honors we've accumulated to this point:

#8 - Most Discussed (This Week)
#1 - Most Discussed (This Week) - Music
#66 - Most Discussed (This Month)
#10 - Most Discussed (This Month) - Music
#31 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music - Australia
#41 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music - Canada
#78 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music - India
#19 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music - New Zealand
#29 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music
#94 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music - Czech Republic
#44 - Top Favorited (This Week)
#7 - Top Favorited (This Week) - Music
#81 - Top Rated (This Week)
#5 - Top Rated (This Week) - Music
#69 - Top Rated (This Month) - Music

^This is great news! But we aren't quite there yet, friends. We need to keep the momentum of this video going. We are doing VERY WELL. Here are the next goals, straight from Corey Vidal's mouth:

Next big goal is 100,000 views.
Also, 2,000 Favorites.


IF you haven't favorited the video yet, please do so. And when you send this video around to your friends, ask them for a simple favorite and rating as well. Those will go a long way into making this video spread.

SO, here's what's been happening so far. We've been doing really well with comments, but the ratings and favorites are the stats that are really holding us back from this video spreading all over the 'net.

Let's make it a point to ask fro RATINGS and FAVORITES next time we post the video. Keep up the good work though. There was a good hour-long window tonight in which the "Mess of Me" video was seen regularly on the home page of Youtube, for the world to see. That's what we want. We are so close. Let's keep it up!



------

Switchfoot opened for Dave Matthews Band last night, and they all seemed pretty stoked about it.

Andy Barron tweeted this from the side stage:

- watching dave matthews band from sidestage while listening to his in ear mix. snare was really loud. http://twitpic.com/hjmj7



Jon Foreman had this to say:

-Thanks to DMB and Co. for a wonderful night... And thanks to San Diego for being the place where my bed resides!

------

Here's a nice little video recap from the Florida show last Thursday.



------

Our friend Anothersffan reports that "This Is Home" could be heard during the Kids Choice Music Choice channel last night.

"Mess of Me" still doing well; another "Always" video

Keep it rolling... we're doing a great job friends! Been in contact with Corey Vidal the past few days, and he is pretty stoked about how well the "Mess of Me" video is doing. But again, we still need to keep the ball rolling. Keep on commenting and rating and sharing! We're very close to the point where this video will start to promote itself, meaning the comments and views will start pouring in from outside the Switchfoot fan base. But until then, our work continues. Here are the honors we are currently sitting on.

#13 - Most Discussed (This Week)
#2 - Most Discussed (This Week) - Music
#90 - Most Discussed (This Month)
#13 - Most Discussed (This Month) - Music
#38 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music - Australia
#50 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music - Canada
#91 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music - India
#24 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music - New Zealand
#38 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Music
#64 - Top Favorited (This Week)
#14 - Top Favorited (This Week) - Music
#89 - Top Rated (This Week)
#6 - Top Rated (This Week) - Music
#93 - Top Rated (This Month) - Music

^We are working on getting to No. 1 most discussed this month, and we have already secured the spot. Youtube is just slow in updating, because we have already beaten the No. 1 video. So keep it up! We want to build some distance between us and the rest of the competition!

Our goals by the end of today:

- 100,000 views
- 2000 ratings
- 2000 favorites
- 10,000 comments

^WE can do it! Let's go!

UPDATE: We've reached 10,000 comments today!
UPDATE2: We've reached 2000 FAVORITES today!

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Here's a video of another live performance of "Always" "that was recorded live at a private VIP event hosted by EMI CMG on 9/11/09 at Walt Disney World Hollywood Studios."



ENJOY!

Switchfoot Song Stories!; "Always" debuted live

"Mess of Me" Promotion:

- Keep rating, commenting, and viewing the "Mess of Me" video! We have new goals!:

Ratings: 2000
Faves: 2000
Comments: 10,000
Views 100000

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Live at the Ft. Lauderdale Culture Room last night, Switchfoot played "Always" for the first time live.



^Check out Jon rocking' that keyboard! It's as good as I thought it'd be!

--------

And, LOBH found the song stories for the upcoming "Hello Hurricane" record.

READ LOBH for more!

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Also, last night:

Twitter:
- NFL kickoff game just played Mess of Me in the opening kickoff show! High fives everyone, -d http://twitpic.com/h940e

BREAKING; "Mess of Me" has made it! VIRAL

UPDATE (4:19 PM):

Here are our NEW GOALS for this video, to be had by the end of tomorrow:

Ratings: 2000
Faves: 2000
Comments: 7500
Views 100000

Read below to find out how to help!

--------

Yes, friends, I've just spoken with Corey Vidal, and Switchfoot's "Mess of Me" video has entered Youtube's rotation of 100 Most Popular Videos. This, my friends, is no small feat. We have done some good work here!

HOWEVER, our work certainly isn't done. The goal now is to keep this video on THERE, solely for the purpose of bringing in the non-Switchfoot fans.

Pretty much every Switchfoot fan and their grandmothers and dogs and cats have seen "Mess of Me" already. It's now time to bring this song to the rest of the world!

So, here's what's happened. So, Corey tells me that its been seen on the FRONT page of YOUTUBE! Here's what we need to do now.

FIRST:

Keep on refreshing the Youtube home page, until it shows up under "Videos Being Watched Now" section. When you find it, make sure you click from there. Youtube registers that it was clicked from the home page. This will then help to boost its rankings!

So, here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9lg7Utdnyk&feature=popular

Make sure you click into the video from here, to help in boosting "Mess of Me"'s Popularity. The "feature=popular" tag at the end is what denotes to Youtube that this video was clicked from their home page. This is one way of doing it.

BUT, we definitely want you to find the video FROM THE HOME PAGE, and click on it. This will be a more powerful indication to Youtube than simply going to the link.

Now, people who have no idea who Switchfoot is will be able to stumble upon it. That is our goal. Those are the people we WANT.

SECOND:

Keep rating, commenting, and sharing the video. The more we talk about and spread it, the more popular it becomes, the more new viewers we get!

"Mess of Me" starting to spread; Switchfoot debuts "Free" live

Great work yesterday on the video, friends! We surpassed 4000 comments last night, which is INCREDIBLE for a first-day video. To put it all into perspective, the video for "Awakening" has 5,991 comments – TOTAL.

Also, just right now, I found that we have reached the goals we set out for the first day of this here video:

- 2000 comments (CHECK)
- 500 ratings (CHECK)
- 25,000 views (CHECK!)

~high fives all around~ Switchfoot would be proud of you all!

Over the last two days, we've amassed quite the array of honors. Always a good sign we're getting close to going viral:

#7 - Most Discussed (Today)
#1 - Most Discussed (Today) - Music
#70 - Most Discussed (This Week)
#8 - Most Discussed (This Week) - Music
#51 - Most Discussed (This Month) - Music
#70 - Most Viewed (Today) - Australia
#41 - Most Viewed (Today) - New Zealand
#81 - Most Viewed (Today)
#72 - Most Viewed (Today) - Music - Germany
#10 - Most Viewed (Today) - Music - Australia
#10 - Most Viewed (Today) - Music - Canada
#57 - Most Viewed (Today) - Music - United Kingdom
#22 - Most Viewed (Today) - Music - India
#7 - Most Viewed (Today) - Music - New Zealand
#8 - Most Viewed (Today) - Music
#52 - Most Viewed (Today) - Music - Mexico
#44 - Most Viewed (Today) - Music - Netherlands
#44 - Most Viewed (Today) - Music - Brazil
#30 - Most Viewed (Today) - Music - Czech Republic
#16 - Top Favorited (Today)
#4 - Top Favorited (Today) - Music
#66 - Top Favorited (This Week) - Music
#46 - Top Rated (Today)
#5 - Top Rated (Today) - Music
#20 - Top Rated

Also, it can now be seen on the second page if you click on the "Videos" tab at the top of Youtube.com!



^That is some major damage done! We've accomplished so much, and the video has amassed over 4000 comments and over 1000 ratings. Today is the last day our video will be eligible for the "Today" honors, but we can go for "Monthly" honors!

Also, part of getting a video to go viral is to spread the song like a virus ourselves! Keep sharing it with your friends, tweeting about it, posting it on Facebook and Myspace, and just saturating your surroundings with the sounds of Switchfoot! We can do it! We need to give the song as much momentum as we can before it gets sent to radio (sometime this week).



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MissAnnaBee was at the 99x Radio Event that Switchfoot apparently played yesterday in Atlanta. Look what she got on tape! "Free," live and acoustic for the first time ever. ENJOY:



^thanks so much MissAnnaBee!

---------

Paste Magazine has a new feature on Switchfoot's new album, "Hello Hurricane." Much of it is what we already have known and heard, but they have a schnazzy new press photo:



---------

Radio News

- "Mess of Me" has been added to the Albany, NY Alternative station, WEQX!

We'll keep you updated as more adds start to come in. It's officially available for adds at Alternative/Modern Rock and Active Rock radio this week.

---------

And last, but certainly not least, our newest writer Bleah makes her debut with this FootColumn she wrote up! Give her a big round of applause guys!

Go HERE to read it! YOU ROCK BLEAH!

FootColumn: *Be generous with Compliments and Stingy with Critisism*

Hey all you fellow Switchfoot fans. I would like to introduce myself. My name is Bleah Briann and I am the newest author for...well this blog. :)

I've been blogging since January first of this year but just recently did I get a spot to be a columnist on this blog. So anywho, I will be giving you my personal opinion on anything Switchfoot related, and since its only appropriate for whats been going around lately, I'll give you my report on the new single, Mess of Me.


When I heard "Mess of Me," I was taken back, but I shouldn't have been surprised. Switchfoot is different from any other band I've been able to find, by that I mean, their lyrics. They're certainly not scared to tell people what they really think, how they really feel, or their opinion on the condition of the world today. I find that completely refreshing. And MOM spoke so true to me. Yeah its different, maybe a little bit more on the rock side of Switchfoot, something we don't see all too often. But that's who they are. Are we really going to ask them to put themselves in a box because we don't want them to change? I think that would be selfish of us, and I personally want to see every angle of that band. So back to what I think of the song...I think its phenomenal, and I think that anyone who says otherwise needs to go listen to it again.

The heart of these people are so sincere. Here's what I'm going to leave you with today. Just take a look on how Jon Foremans heart was touched by the suffering of others:

We arrived home in San Diego early this morning, back from a run of shows up the coast with Switchfoot. The sun is setting over the pacific and my hair is still wet from an evening surf. In the distance I can hear the whistle of the Amtrak from LA heading south. I'm grateful to be home, grateful to have a place to live, grateful to have been given another breath alive on this planet. But today my thoughts are divided, split between two worlds. As the sun sets over California it begins to rise over Darfur. The same sun. The same planet. Can it be possible that right now, two and a half million people are waking up in camps and refugee camps having been driven from their homes by violent means? Under the same sun, could it be true that almost half a million people have died of starvation, violence, and disease over the past six years in Darfur? Is this true?! And if this is true, why has the media remained almost completely silent on the issue? Why has our government maintained it's current stance of inaction? When presidential hopeful Obama was running for office he stated that "We can't ignore the genocide in Darfur. The international community can't turn a blind eye when children are being slaughtered and women are being raped. We have to do everything in our power to make it stop. We have to act. Now." Nothing has happened. And yet the sun is still rising over Darfur. And the sun still rises over me. And the sun still rises over capital hill... the same sun. Today we celebrate mother's day with our moms and grandmothers. My thoughts drift overseas to the mother who is just now waking up, wondering whether she'll be able to give her children anything to eat. Tomorrow I begin a three day fast for Darfur. Why fast? Because quite frankly, I can't think of a better idea. I reckon the best way to enter into the suffering of a group of people halfway around the world is to start with the basics. These folks are fasting without alternative, for three days I will fast with them.

Isn't that amazing? Like I said these people aren't just singers, they aren't just a great band. They're people, people like you and me. People with hearts...

Make "Mess of Me" VIRAL

The "Mess of Me" video has been a pretty solid hit on Youtube so far, thanks to the help and support of the fans of Switchfoot. We have met two of the three highlights/goals that Switchfoot's Youtube Manager Corey Vidal outlined, namely:

- 2000 comments (CHECK)
- 500 ratings (CHECK)
- 25,000 views

^Ok, that last one may require some work. As of 1:50 AM PST, the video has only logged 4,340 views. We have our work cut out for us.

Here's what we need to do. Everyone who has twitter needs to tweet and rewet this video like heck, and to incorporate the #messofme hashtag. If we can make it a trending topic, with a link to the video, we can totally blitz the video and bring in the unique views we need to make this video viral.

That being said, yesterday's work was an epic success. Look at the big-time honors we pulled in for the video:

#18 - Most Discussed (Today)
#1 - Most Discussed (Today) - Music
#44 - Most Viewed (Today) - Music - Canada
#56 - Most Viewed (Today) - Music - New Zealand
#37 - Most Viewed (Today) - Music
#49 - Top Favorited (Today)
#9 - Top Favorited (Today) - Music
#8 - Top Rated (Today) - Music
#55 - Top Rated (This Week) - Music

^The more No. 1 Honors we get, the more likely its going to go viral.

WHAT IT MEANS for a video to go "VIRAL"

If a video goes viral, it means it spreads across the internet like wildfire. Those can net widespread exposure for the creator, and in this case, Switchfoot's "Mess of Me" campaign would gain a HUGE boost if this first video goes viral. So, we've got our work cut out for us footsoldiers. "Mess of Me" goes to radio this week. Let's give radio programmers something to chew on.

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Absolutepunk.net has a new news piece/press release on Switchfoot.

http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1313752

HELLO HURRICANE, SWITCHFOOT'S SEVENTH FULL-LENGTH ALBUM,
SET FOR NOVEMBER 10 RELEASE ON ATLANTIC RECORDS

BAND WILL PLAY SELECT DATES WITH
DAVE MATTHEWS BAND IN SEPTEMBER

SWITCHFOOT'S BRO-AM CHARITY EVENT HAS ITS MOST SUCCESSFUL YEAR TO DATE,
RAISING THOUSANDS FOR AT-RISK YOUTH
On November 10, Atlantic Records will release Hello Hurricane, the seventh full-length album from the multi-Platinum, San Diego-based rock band SWITCHFOOT. Hello Hurricane is the group's first album on Atlantic Records and its first studio album since 2006's Oh! Gravity, which debuted at No. 18 on The Billboard 200. SWITCHFOOT has been hard at work on Hello Hurricane, tracking more than 80 songs at the band's self-built home studio and selecting the very best of them for the record. The band recorded the album with noted producer/bassist Mike Elizondo (Dr. Dre, Rilo Kiley, Eminem, and Pink). The edgy, driving lead single "Mess of Me" goes for adds at Modern and Active Rock radio this week.

The back-to-basics approach employed has yielded a career-defining album that lead singer Jon Foreman views as "a new beginning." Elizondo's unique background facilitated a departure for the band, allowing it to build on SWITCHFOOT's foundation, punctuated by hard-hitting instrumentation and soaring choruses, and elevating the music to a new level.

"Hello Hurricane acknowledges the storms that tear through our lives," states Foreman. "This album is an attempt to respond to those storms with an element of hope, trying to understand what it means to be hopeful in a world that keeps on spinning."

The band recently kicked off the co-headlining Crazy Making Summer Tour with Universal Motown Records group Blue October and featuring special guests Ours and Longwave. Following that outing, SWITCHFOOT will open for Dave Matthews Band, on two Southern California dates (September 12th & 13th). See below for itinerary.

SWITCHFOOT - comprising Jon Foreman (vocals/guitar), Tim Foreman (bass), Chad Butler (drums), Jerome Fontamillas (keys/guitar) and Drew Shirley (guitar) - has hosted the annual BRO-AM, a surf contest, charity auction and concert, for the past five years. The June 2009 BRO-AM benefited local San Diego area chapters of StandUp for Kids, a non-profit organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of at-risk and homeless youth. Final numbers are still being tallied, but it is estimated that this year's event grossed approximately $93,000, making it the most successful to date. (www.standupforkids.org)

Moved by the moral and universal consciousness of events like BRO-AM, Foreman created http://www.theworldyouwant.com, an online destination people can visit for daily doses of inspiration and to share their own stories. "Every day you're alive you change the world - with every breath, every action, and every thought," he writes. "What is the world you want? Let your life live out your decision. The World You Want website is a place where goodness, beauty, and truth in everyday life are given the spotlight. Who are the people in your life who are creating the world you want? We want to know...we want to hear their song...we want to sing along."

The track listing for Hello Hurricane is as follows:

1. Needle and Haystack Life
2. Mess of Me
3. Your Love is a Song
4. The Sound (John M Perkins' Blues)
5. Enough To Let Me Go
6. Free
7. Hello Hurricane
8. Always
9. Bullet Soul
10. Yet
11. Sing It Out
12. Red Eyes


SWITCHFOOT Playing With DAVE MATTHEWS BAND:
Sep 12 Cricket Wireless Amphitheater Chula Vista, California
Sep 13 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Irvine, California

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Slightly speaking of punk, Mike Shea, founder of Alternative Press had this semi-flattering thing to say about "Hello Hurricane" and Switchfoot:

Twitter:

- i usually hate Switchfoot- but this new record "Hello Hurricane" is actually really good..check it out when you can..