Switchfoot Biography

Switchfoot is an alternative rock / post-grunge / power pop band from San Diego, California, United States, known for its spiritually evocative and socially aware lyricism. The current members are Jon Foreman (vocals, guitar), Tim Foreman (bass, backing vocals), Chad Butler (drums), Jerome Fontamillas (guitar, keyboard, backing vocals), and Drew Shirley (guitar). With three guitarists in the line-up often operating simultaneously, and Jerome's work on the synthesizer, the band works up a densely layered sound that's melodic and catchy, often driven by guitar riffs. Switchfoot gained mainstream recognition after the inclusion of four of their songs in the 2002 movie A Walk to Remember. This recognition led to their major label debut, The Beautiful Letdown, which was released in 2003, featuring their best-known singles, "Meant to Live" and "Dare You to Move".

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 was founded in 1996 as Chin Up, consisting of Jon and his brother Timothy, along with Chad on the drums. After only playing a handful of shows, in 1997, the band was contacted by Charlie Peacock, and signed to his re:think Records, a division of Sparrow Records, under the current moniker "Switchfoot". Re:think would distribute their first three albums, The Legend of Chin, New Way to be Human and Learning to Breathe.

Of Switchfoot's first three albums Learning to Breathe was the most successful. The album was certified gold by the RIAA, and received a grammy nomination for Best Rock Gospel Album.

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. The movie's sound track also featured a duet with Mandy Moore and Jon Foreman, and as many as four other Switchfoot songs, besides Mandy Moore's cover of "Only Hope".

Switchfoot's frontman and guitarist Jon Foreman cites his musical influences as U2, The Police, The Beatles, Johann Sebastian Bach, Ronny Jordan, Miles Davis, Keith Green and Nirvana. Guitarist Drew cites U2, Miles Davis, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tommy Walker, Phil Keaggy, Michael Jackson, Dave Matthews Band and the Brand New Heavies, while bassist Tim pays tribute to Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder . Chad also cites Stevie Wonder as his main influence, besides Dave Grohl. Though they draw from a varied number of influences, they sound very different from any of their heroes. “We’ve never fit in any of the genre boxes,” says Jon. “I think that diversity is our strength” .

Songwriters like Bono, Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash, have inspired Jon's hope-laden lyrics . "We try to make music for thinking people," he mentions , which is evident in his allusions to the works of philosophers like Søren Kierkegaard and Augustine of Hippo in the songs "Sooner or Later (Soren's Song)" and "Something More (Augustine's Confession)" respectively. "Meant to Live", the band's runaway hit, was inspired by T. S. Eliot's poem "The Hollow Men" , while "Stars", the lead single off Nothing Is Sound, briefly "looks at things from the Descartes perspective," according to Jon .

Switchfoot has been actively involved in humanitarian causes, including DATA, the ONE Campaign, the Keep A Breast Foundation, Invisible Children and To Write Love On Her Arms.