User:T-rex/switchfoot

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Switchfoot is also a surfing term.

Switchfoot is an alternative rock / power pop / post-grunge band from San Diego, California, United States, whose intelligent lyricism focuses on spiritual and social themes. The current members are Jon Foreman, Tim Foreman, Chad Butler, Jerome Fontamillas and Drew Shirley.

According to Jon Foreman, the name "Switchfoot" is a surfing term. "We all love to surf and have been surfing all our lives so to us, the name made sense. To switch your feet means to take a new stance facing the opposite direction. It's about change and movement, a different way of approaching life and music." Switchfoot gained mainstream recognition after the inclution of four of their songs in the 2002 movie A Walk to Remember. Which lead to their following album, The Beautiful Letdown becoming their major label debut in 2003.

[edit] Band history

When Switchfoot was first founded in 1997, the band consisted of Jon, his borther Tim, along with Chad on the drums. The band first signed with Sparrow Records who would produce their first three albums. Keyboardist Jerome Fontamillas later joined the band in 2000 for the album Learning to Breathe, which found Switchfoot taking more steps towards mainstream modern rock.

In 2002 Switchfoot had a large role in the music for the movie A Walk to Remember. Singer and actor Mandy Moore, who starred in the movie, sang Switchfoot's song "Only Hope" during a scene in the movie, and also did a duet with Jon Foreman for the soundtrack.

The Beautiful Letdown, their major label debut, represented the band's full evolution toward a more accessible, mainstream sound. The album was certified double-platinum, and went on to sell more than 2.5 million copies, on the strength of constant touring and huge radio hits "Meant to Live" and "Dare You to Move" (which received a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award in 2005). "This Is Your Life" was also released on radio, and the song "Gone" has also received airplay on Christian radio stations as well, but wasn't released as an actual single. In 2005, Switchfoot received five Dove Award nominations, including Artist of the Year.

Many people consider Switchfoot to be a Christian band, as Sparrow Records, who Switchfoot started out with is a Christian record label. Although the members of Switchfoot are Christians, they don't wish to be known as a Christian band. Tim Foreman clarifies, "We're Christians by faith, not by genre". "As a musician I guess the only thing I would ask from a listener is to put the CD in, close your eyes and forget about all the peripherals," says Jon Foreman. "I guess that's a dream that may not happen in my lifetime, but I listen to music from all sorts of people and I think there is an open-minded individual who will be able to listen to music of all types."

[edit] Nothing Is Sound

Guitarist Drew Shirley, after touring with the band since 2003, became an official member in 2005. Switchfoot's latest album, Nothing is Sound, featuring Drew's work with the band, was released on September 13, 2005. To promote this album Switchfoot had previouslly released "Stars" as a radio single and it is still being played on many mainstream radio stations.

The album debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, an all time high for the band, while bassist Tim Foreman attracted headlines by speaking out against the copy-protection[1] used by the label and providing fans a detailed workaround on the band's message board, which was quickly deleted by Sony. This copy-protection is known as Extended Copy Protection, which has been identified by leading anti-virus companies as a trojan horse and a root kit.

Their most recent single, "We Are One Tonight", has recently been released as a single on the alternative rock radio stations.

[edit] Other projects

Switchfoot has been actively involved in humanitarian causes, besides their support for DATA and the ONE Campaign. They recently made a trip to some South African villages, which inspired the song "Shadow Proves the Sunshine" (featured on Nothing is Sound). Seeing things like an orphanage filled with babies who all lost their parents to AIDS, palling around with orphan kids in the streets, and getting involved with a children's choir called "Kuyasa Kids" moved them to start an ambitious organization called Lowercase People. Lowercase People publishes a quarterly online magazine for music, arts and social justice. They've also produced a CD by the Kuyasa Kids (available at the magazine's or the band's website) so that the kids can be empowered by making money for their communities.

[edit] Members

• Jon Foreman: vocals, guitar
• Tim Foreman: bass
• Chad Butler: drums
• Jerome Fontamillas: guitar, keyboard
• Drew Shirley: guitar

[edit] Trivia

• On The Legend of Chin album jacket, there is a picture of an Asian boy. Jerome resembles this boy, so when he joined the band, many were asking if he were Chin. However, Chin is in fact Willis Chin, a good friend of the members of Switchfoot.
• Jon and Tim's Dad is the pastor of North Coast Calvary Chapel. Drew's Dad is the pastor of Lifeway Church in Vista, California.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

• The Legend of Chin (1997)
• New Way to Be Human (1999)
• Learning to Breathe (2000)
• The Beautiful Letdown (2003)
• The Early Years: 1997-2000: The Legend of Chin/New Way to Be Human/Learning to Breathe (2004)
• Nothing is Sound (2005)

[edit] Singles

[edit] Billboard Album Chart Positions

• New Way to Be Human, Heatseekers, #31
• New Way to Be Human, Top Contemporary Christian, #21
• Learning to Breathe, Heatseekers, #34
• Learning to Breathe, Top Contemporary Christian, #23
• The Beautiful Letdown, Top Contemporary Christian, #2
• The Beautiful Letdown, Billboard 200, #16
• The Beautiful Letdown, Top Christian albums, #1
• The Beautiful Letdown, Top Internet albums, #16
• Nothing Is Sound, Billboard 200, #3
• Nothing Is Sound, Top Internet albums, #1
• Nothing Is Sound, Top Christian albums, #1

[edit] External links

• Switchfoot (Official Site)
• Lowercase People e-zine
• Columbia Records
• Switchfoot lyrics
• Switchfoot interview
• Switchfoot message board