Mixing the News

Get it? "Selling the News"/Mixing the News? Ok. Anyways, we've been getting some exciting news from Switchfoot via Twitterland. Check out the recent messages from the band regarding "Vice Verses":






What are you guys most excited to hear, based on titles alone? "Blinding Light" sounds pretty sweet, but it seems "Selling News" is going to be uber funky.

"Dark Horses" being re-worked; new interview with Drew Shirley

According to the latest tweet from Jon Foreman, Switchfoot is working on a new version of the song "Dark Horses."


Could this possibly be "Rise Above It?"
To hear the live performance of "Dark Horses" from the last tour, check out this video.



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Also, check out Drew Shirley's new interview with KSSI 102.7 Rock in which he talks about the Grammy win, "Hello Hurricane," a possible new single from "Vice Verses"in the next month or two, and other topics.

LISTEN HERE.

Jon Foreman is "Restless"

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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On February 3rd, Switchfoot tweeted a new song title: "Restless." Check it out:



For more "Vice Verses" news and all other informational tid-bits, head over to our New Album page to get your fix!

"Selling the News"; Drew making "Vice Verses"

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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Switchfoot news has been slow lately, but we have gotten a couple of update tweets from the guys in the last few days.

On Sunday night, January 31, Switchfoot tweeted the following:

- Tim is laying down sweet bass. The song is called "selling the news"

If you recall, that song was one of the candidates for "Hello Hurricane." It'll be interesting to hear how that one turns out.

And today, the band posted a video via Twitter. Check it out:

- Drew in the studio making The Vice Verses - More videos to come... -jon http://yfrog.us/1aplwz



- Jerome aka: "the fountain of sound" working on the vice verses...

Progress.

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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Jon Foreman just tweeted that Switchfoot is making progress with "Vice Verses."

^6 songs in. Depending on whether or not this is going to be a double album, the band could be halfway done with the record.

Twitter Round-up: Switchfoot is tracking "Vice Verses"; new 2011 Canadian tour dates!

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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Switchfoot has once more taken to Twitter to update us on the making of "Vice Verses." Photographer Andy Barron posted this picture, saying

- here are the backs of @switchfoot heads looking at a computer. they're making new jams. for real.



Switchfoot then posted this picture of Jon Foreman tracking a song.

- this is literally happening right now. vice verses is being made.



Discuss: What do you think of the new record? Are you excited, and what direction do you think the band should take?

In my opinion, I think it's time for them to make the record of their lives! Double album? Bring it on. The band should take risks and kick some serious behind. They are fully capable!

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The band also made public the slew of Canadian tour dates they have coming up in April. Check it out on Switchfoot.com.

^Hopefully the band pulls out some new tunes for you Canadian folks!

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And in case you missed it in yesterday's quick post, Switchfoot's Japanese adventures have been documented in a new SwitchfootTV/Podcast episode. It was uploaded on a random person's YouTube channel yesterday, but got removed. It is now live on the band's official account.

Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) to appear on new Fiction Family record

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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Fiction Family bassist Tyler Chester tweeted the following:



Benmont Tench is the keyboardist and one of the founding members of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Switchfoot fans are familiar with Petty's work due to the band's performances of "Won't Back Down," a Heartbreakers classic.

Tench has also worked closely with original Fiction Family member Sean Watkins, playing as a sessions musician on Watkins' solo projects as well as the recent Works Progress Administration "supergroup" side project.

GAH!

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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Hey friends, sorry for the lack of updates. I know it's been almost an entire week since I last updated. But I promise it's not because I've lost interest or anything. I promise!

Anyways, here is an update on what's been going on lately in the world of Switchfoot. The Latin America tour is still going strong, and here are a few videos from YouTube:

Needle (Mexico)



Meant to Live (Mexico)



The Sound (Mexico)



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Talk Stoop did an interview with Switchfoot. Check it out:



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Ever wanted to know what Jon Foreman's guitar rig looks like? This blogger details all the equipment he uses during a Switchfoot show. Interesting, huh?

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Switchfoot is also participating in an effort called TwitChange to help benefit Haiti's rebuilding efforts. For details on all of that, head over to the page where they are auctioning off a Twitter prize!

Fiction Family tunes are coming; more news bits

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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The members of Fiction Family have been tweeting quite a bit lately about the upcoming project they're working on. Here's your digest:

@seancwatkins (Sean Watkins):

- September 1, 2010: Starting off the Fiction Family recoding day. http://tweetphoto.com/42706674



- September 1, 2010: Great productive day recording with fiction family. Tracked 2 new ones of mine, and finished off two of jon's that needed touching up.

- September 2, 2010: Couple pics from today http://tweetphoto.com/42797565




@TylerChester (Tyler Chester):

- August 31, 2010: Time to finish up this Fiction Family recording. This record is turning out so, so good.


@jonathanforeman:

- September 3, 2010: got some great fiction family jams recorded this week. Now boarding... plane sweet plane


^Who's looking forward to hearing these new tunes? I'm hoping the addition, officially, of Aaron Redfield on drums and Tyler Chester on bass will beef up the sound of this side project. Also interested to see what tunes come out of this record. Thoughts?

Oh, and Tim Foreman chimed in too:

- @Jonathanforeman is playing some new @fictionfamily jams on the bus on our drive to Kentucky. They sound great, dig em.

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Last week, "The Sound" was once again Stryker's No. 1 Requested Song on KROQ. GREAT WORK, footsoldiers. Keep it going by requesting the track here.

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Switchfoot's tour with The Almost has gotten a lot of disappointing reactions from the fans due to the lack of tour dates, particularly on the western portion of the U.S. These new dates should calm a few nerves, though not many, I'm assuming:

10/9 - Tyler, TX – The Venue Down Under (w/ The Almost)
10/28 – Santa Cruz, CA – Catalyst Club

^Head over to switchfoot.com for ticketing info and what-not. Let's hope for more tour dates! :)

Fiction Family slated for Spring '11? ; Switchfoot booking studio time in January for "Vice Verses" ; more Lollapalooza; Switchfoot community matters

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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Jon Foreman tweeted some Fiction Family news today. Looks like the guys are aiming for a Spring 2011 release. Check out his latest Tweet:

- @ryanclloyd: "just heard fiction family on the radio. When's the new album out?” springtime hopefully, getting the family back together!

^Now that that's said, we can expect a Fall 2011 release for Fiction Family. Just Kidding.

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Speaking of new music news, Chad Butler and Jon Foreman did an interview in which they discuss "Vice Verses" plans.

“We’ve got like, 20 songs… well, 40 songs, 20 that we’ve cut it down to (with a) bunch of songs left over from the last session,” he revealed, referring to the tracks that didn’t make Hello Hurricane. “It’s a matter of trying to figure out whether it should be a double record or what it looks like.”

For more, check out The Ralphie Radio Show's blog to download the interview or watch it on video.

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We've got more Lollapalooza news and coverage for you. Kevin Manno from Q101 (great DJ, great person, by the way) interview the band about their performance at Lolla and some news on Vice Verses. Looks like the band is entering the studio to finish up the record in January!

Video:




Donnie from The Point 1057 also talks to Chad, Drew Shirley, and Jerome Fontamillas about Switchfoot's gig at Lolla, the success of "The Sound" on his radio station, and other things. It's a great interview. Here you go:



Next, here are some more live videos from Lollapalooza:

Hello Hurricane



The Sound



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Next, Tim Foreman gives us news on the state of the Switchfoot Community.

hola amigos, Tim here. Thanks to all of you, these boards are alive and well! I love it. In fact, based on feedback from many of you, we've decided to do away with the newer "sound" community, and bring everyone back together under one roof here on these boards. It seems like most of us like these old boards better anyways. We're excited about having everyone back together in one place, hope you all are too. This community is unique because of all the amazing people that are here, and the way that everyone respects and embraces each-other's differences. Thanks for being a part of our family, we love you guys,
-tim

^Good to know the guys are still aware and involved in the community. Thanks Timmy.

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And, last but definitely not least, check out Jon's latest Huffington Post article

Jon Foreman plays new tune: "She Says (The Black Eyed Blues)" [Recording please!]

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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According to his Twitter feed, Jon Foreman played an aftershow last night and played some new tunes:

- Thanks for the aftershow, y'all! Played new tunes- "against the voices" "vice verses" and "she says(the black eyed blues)"

^Anyone have any recordings? It'd be really great if anyone of you recorded it and posted it to Youtube or emailed it to us wereawakening@yahoo.com ! Thanks!

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Switchfoot.com has a new page dedicated solely to "The Sound" and John M. Perkins. Here's what it looks like:



Check out the rest of the page HERE.

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Air1 posted Jon and Tim Foreman's performance of "The Sound" in their studio. Check it out:



^They really did a great job with this one.

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Video from Cornerstone:

"The Sound"



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Footsoldiers HQ has a new daily mission posted. Head over now to check it out, but I've posted it here too. We need all the help we can get, friends!

Hey friends. I thought we should start a radio poll thread in which we all share voting links for the two current Switchfoot radio singles: “The Sound” and “Your Love Is a Song.”

Currently, we have the following:

“The Sound”

+FM 1021 in Milwaukee
+Ratethemusic.com

1. Sign up for an account on Ratethemusic.com. Be sure to indicate that your favorite music style is “Alternative”
2. There will be a list of songs that you flip through and rate on three scales: how familiar you are with the song, how much you like it, and whether or not you’re tired of hearing it on the radio. Once you reach “The Sound,” be sure to say you are familiar with the song, love it, and are not tired of hearing it on the radio

+Sirius Alt Nation

“Your Love Is a Song”

+Alternative Addiction (bonus: fill-in vote for The Sound)

If we all fill these polls out every day, we can do some damage.

So if anyone finds any other polls (online or otherwise) for us to vote on or call in and request, let us know, and we’ll add it to the list. Let’s do this, Footsoldiers!

Switchfoot's "Always" on The Hills; Switchfoot's London show

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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As reported last night, Switchfoot's "Always" was featured on the Californian-tween-angst television show, "The Hills." Whatever your views on this show are, it's still sweet Switchfoot got placement on a show that has close to 2 million viewers. Click the link below the picture to watch:



The Hills (Season 6) | Ep. 6 | 'Ghost From The Past'

go to 13:23 to hear "Always."

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It's interesting to note that "Always" has now gotten placement in two major TV shows now (the other being Grey's Anatomy back in February). It's also gotten the expected sales spike on iTunes, now sitting just behind "Dare You to Move" as the top-selling Switchfoot song.

Does this put the song in line for potential single status; a possible follow-up to "Your Love Is a Song" at mainstream AC radio? Only time will tell, and we are only on single #2 with "The Sound" after all, but it's interesting to think about. What do you all think?

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Now, to the ongoing Switchfoot tour out in the UK. The guys played a memorable show in London last night, one that Jon Foreman called their "first proper Switchfoot show" in the Great Britain.

"london, thank you for a night I will not soon forget. some of my favorite moments in life and music have been here in your town- thank you" - @jonathanforeman

"London = Amazing. Off" - switchfoot

Here are a few videos from the evening:

Needle and Haystack Life



Your Love Is a Song (with bits of Gone and Bullet Soul)



Sabotage



Happy Is a Yuppie Word/Free



Yet



On Fire



Meant to Live



Dare You to Move



^Looked like a great show. Germany tonight!

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CHARTS WEDNESDAY

It's time for the Billboard charts update for this week!

"Your Love Is a Song" stays strong, vaulting 6 spots from 43-37 on Christian Songs.

With even more good news on the Christian scene, "The Sound" jumps back up to No. 6 on Christian Rock, up three spots from No. 9 last week.

On the Alternative Songs chart, "The Sound" holds at No. 32. This is pretty impressive, considering the long weekend and the typical holiday slump for radio songs. Let's hope it gets a resurrection in the upcoming week!

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Head over to Footsoldiers HQ for more details on the latest campaign. We got to No. 5 on 91x last night! Let's keep it going!

Bonus Coverage: Jon Foreman and John M. Perkins

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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Courtesy of an Andy Barron (@andybarron) tweet.

- just got done shooting @jonathanforeman & john perkins. i'm inspired, and my head hurts. http://twitpic.com/1nv0qz



UPDATE (May 15, 2010):

Jon Foreman (@jonathanforeman) has been tweeting about how excited he is for this music video. Check it out:

- wow. yes. amen & thank you, Mr. Perkins. "the sound" video could quite possibly be the best video I've ever been a part of.

- Here's a shot from Andy: http://twitpic.com/1nv0qz ...I hope to put the whole thing up online somewhere... (same shot as above)

Switchfoot (@switchfoot) tweet:
- The filming for "the Sound: John M. Perkins' Blues" is done. Spent yesterday with Mr. Perkins himself- remarkable.

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Also, check out the new Daily Foot entry that was just posted here.

Fiction Family tunes; Possible Dashboard Confessional tour

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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Hey everyone! Just checking in with some quick news. First of all, Jon Foreman tweeted yesterday that he was in the studio working on some Fiction Family songs!

- My Fictional Family and I are making rock and such...

^Excellent. We look forward to hearing what will come of it.

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Also, ConcerIdeas tweeted the following:

- Dashboard Confessional, Switchfoot, and Augustana are looking for dates together in October.

And our friend Jeanna had this to say:

"I checked in with Switchfoot's management for some confirmation, and they said while they are looking at a lot of touring options for the Fall/Winter, nothing is confirmed yet."

We'll keep you posted friends. That would quite an interesting tour.

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"The Sound" is up for voting on RadioU. It is currently winning by 92% against the defending Battle of the Buzz champion, so let's keep it that way!

Click here to vote now!

Switchfoot's "Bullet Soul" opens the NCAA Sweet 16!

For up to date (most of the time) news and original opinions before they hit the update, follow us on Twitter!

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It's one of the greatest times in a sports fan's year. March Madness is watched by thousands (if not millions) across the country as college's best basketball teams take their shot at tournament glory.

The sweet 16 is the point in the tournament when there are only 16 teams left on the bracket; pretty big deal.

Yesterday, Switchfoot opened the Sweet 16 telecast with "Bullet Soul." There could not have been a better song for that spot than Switchfoot's anthem that ferociously asks, "Are you ready to go??" Good on the San Diego boys.

Here's their tweet about it:

- Basketball fans, our song Bullet Soul is opening tonight's sweet 16 on CBS at 7est. Fun stuff.


^I hope someone got that on tape.

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In other Switchfoot tweet news, the San Diego band Angels and Airwaves will be playing a benefit show in their hometown. Prizes include Switchfoot passes. Check it out:

- Our friends angels&airwaves r playing benefit show/auction @ belly up Fri in SD. Auction includes @Switchfoot passes. hurricaneolympics.com

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CD101 uploaded some OLD videos from when Switchfoot came in through their studio back in 2004. Fun fact: "Let Your Love Be Strong," the closing track of 2006's "Oh! Gravity.", is played here in raw form!

Let Your Love Be Strong (early version)



Dare You to Move



Meant to Live



^Cool, huh?

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Make sure to keep voting for "Mess of Me" on FUSE!

BREAKING: "Always" featured in tonight's episode of Grey's Anatomy; Switchfoot Dove Award nominations

Apparently "Always" was played on tonight's episode of Grey's Anatomy. Another tv drama that loves Switchfoot. Hey, it's exposure! Thanks to Emma for sharing!

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Also, the Tennessean reported on the Dove Award nominations, and Switchfoot was chosen in two categories!

Rock Recorded Song of the Year
Song; album; artist; writer; label
“Bring Me To Life”; Welcome To The Masquerade; Thousand Foot Krutch; Trevor McNevan, Steve Augustine, Joel Bruyere; Tooth & Nail
“Fight Inside”; Innocence & Instinct; Red; Jasen Rauch, Rob Graves, Jason McArthur, Bernie Herms; Essential
“Hero”; Awake; Skillet; John L. Cooper, Korey Cooper; Atlantic, Ardent, INO Records
“Mess of Me”; Hello Hurricane; Switchfoot; Jonathan Foreman, Tim Foreman; Credential Recordings
“Mystery of You”; Innocence & Instinct; Red; Jasen Rauch, Anthony Armstrong, Rob Graves, Jason McArthur; Essential Records

Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year
Song; album; artist; writer; label
“Always”; Hello Hurricane; Switchfoot; Jonathan Foreman; Credential Recordings
“Can't Take Away”; MIKESCHAIR; MIKESCHAIR; Sam Tinnesz, Mike Grayson, Jason Ingram; Curb Records
“How He Loves”; Church Music; David Crowder*Band; John Mark McMillan; Sparrow Records/sixsteps Records
“Lay 'Em Down”; The Outsiders; NEEDTOBREATHE; Bear Rinehart, Bo Rinehart; Atlantic Records
“You Gave Me A Promise”; Unbreakable; Fireflight; Dawn Richardson, Justin Cox, Glenn Drennen, Wendy Drennen, Phee Shorb, Rob Hawkins; Flicker

^Good luck to them, although I'd much prefer a Grammy nod next year. ;)

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And lastly, we found a tweet, that we are waiting to confirm. But apparently....

Amy_ymA: 90.5 in Virginia said that @switchfoot would be playing in the closing ceremonies for the Olympics. Is this true?!

Hmm... well, we're waiting for confirmation. Will let you know as soon as we hear anything!

A how-to on Switchfoot crossover success...? ; more tour videos

Well, looks like the $5 deal on Amazon for "Hello Hurricane" has been extended even further. So, ff you haven't gotten any copy of "Hello Hurricane" yet, or if you want to help support the band with some extra change, or if you want to buy it for a friend, go grab it here now!

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BeliefNet posted an interesting analysis of Christian music and crossover success. They highlight how Switchfoot did it, and I find their ideas interesting:

The first story I was assigned on the topic of Christian music, back in the early '90s, was an investigation into whether Christian bands used religious talk shows the way mainstream bands boosted their records on the "Tonight" show or Letterman.

The answer? Not really. But it occurred to me while watching Switchfoot perform "Mess of Me" on the "Tonight" show this week--above, I embedded their "Kimmel" appearance from two weeks ago; it was hotter--that when Christian record producers first dreamed of bands that could play both on mainstream TV and at Christian festivals, Switchfoot was what they pictured. How did they do it? Some lessons of Switchfoot's crossover success:


Build a Christian audience first. Though bands hate to be restricted to Christian CD racks, gospel Grammys and CCM radio--one group of rocking believers sued their mainstream label when they were shunted to the Christian subsidiary--church basements and Christian festivals give a band a safe place to tighten their sound and find their voice. Think Beatles in Hamburg.

Get riffy with it. The crossover rock bands of the '90s tried to translate their Christian numbers into mainstream success without getting a grip on what drives the secular market: aural hooks to fight through the bigger, noisier crowd. From "Dare You to Move" to "Hello Hurricane," Switchfoot has stripped down from alt-jangle to a sound centered on gritty riffs.

Stay Christian. While they adapted to mainstream sound, Switchfoot has never stopped writing songs that make sense to both its audiences, unlike bands that tried to smuggle themselves across the Christian divide with secular pop. Even when they hit, they soon died because they had stopped doing what made them good. Witness "Mess of Me," which screeches about drugs and misspent days, but is ultimately about redemption.

^I like how the writer likened "church basements and Christian festivals" to The Beatle's time slogging and laboring in Hamburg before dominating the world. I do think this isn't something bands can look at as an end-all formula for crossover success. The situations are slightly different.

I'm not sure if the band was intentionally looking to crossover into the mainstream by toiling in the Christian scene, but they never wanted to start out in the CCM scene in the first place; rather, it was forced on them when Re:Think got bought out by Sparrow. Either way, whatever it was, it worked for the band... but to any upstart acts out there, i wouldn't recommend this method as a do-or-die.

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The Lords of Pain, a wrestling news site, posted a recap of the weeks events and mentioned "Bullet Soul":



^I still find it quite hilarious that "Bullet Soul" is associated with WWE. I expected it to be snatched up by some form of extreme sport, like BMX or skating or something... not... er... wrestling! But that's ok.

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The popular alternative band Cartel, who I used to listen to A TON, is opening for Switchfoot tonight in Atlanta. Check out what Cartel had to say about Switchfoot:



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Here is the "To Save a Life" movie trailer that features "Mess of Me," now on Youtube for easier streaming. Rate, comment, and share it with your friends!



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Now for some Tour Videos from the show in Asheville

Free



Red Eyes



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Have a good weekend friends! Be sure to check back on Monday for something kinda special... depends on whether you think it is or not! Anyways, I digress. Peace out!

Switchfoot video-fest (aka Slow news day)

Since it IS a slow news day, you all probably have more time on your hands. So, take some time to go request "Mess of Me" on your local Rock Radio stations! ;) Info below!

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Twitter:

- watch our san diego version of the 'rock star guide to the galaxy' over at rhapsody! http://bit.ly/1zhyRr

Yupp! Check it out. Tim Foreman and Drew Shirley give you a guided tour of their favorite locations across San Diego in this awesome video. I'm moving there someday.

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allmusic finally posted their review of "Hello Hurricane. Can't tell, but I think it's favorable.

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Now for videos videos videos...

First up today, BennyTek1 on Youtube uploaded an oldie-but-goodie video of Switchfoot playing "On Fire" almost two years ago at the Irvine show during the Appetite for Construction Tour. I was at that show, so that's why it holds some special meaning to me. Here's the raw, HD footage:



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Here are some great videos from tour

You (OKC)



Sing It Out (Dallas)



Your Love Is a Song (Texas)



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VOTING

Don't forget to take the time to vote! It's not that much of a time-waster (only a couple minutes at most). Also, remember, remember to request "Mess of Me" on your local rock stations. "Hello Hurricane" has already debuted and made a mark on the Billboard charts. It's now our job to make this a very long and fruitful album cycle for the band! The way to do that is to help with radio and voting. Thanks friends for your time. :)


- WRRV

- 98.7 (Los Angeles) Badass 8 WE WERE NO. 3 LAST NIGHT! We need to continue to put pressure on and get higher! The station is starting to spin the song more... VOTE.

- 91x (San Diego) Christy Taylor's REALLY BIG Countdown Keep requesting each day to keep it on the countdown! We were no. 1 last night. YES!

- RadioU's Top Ten Most Wanted. We still have the top spot! Well done! Let's keep it that way!

- We need to get "Mess of Me" on to KROQ, in order to get this single off the ground. Go HERE to request it! Keep it up friends! Don't slow down, WE NEED THIS. Keep going.

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Again, go here to see a list of stations already playing "Mess of Me" and phone numbers to call in and request the song with!! This is our time to shine, friends!

"Hello Hurricane" No. 6 on iTunes Weekly Sales

The Associated Press released the charts of iTunes album sales released on the week of Nov. 16, 2009.

Albums:

1. "Before I Self Destruct," 50 cent
2. "Glee - The Music, Vol. 1," Glee Cast
3. "Play On," Carrie Underwood
4. "The Circle," Bon Jovi
5. "Attention Deficit," Wale
6. "Hello Hurricane," Switchfoot
7. "Memento Mori," Flyleaf
8. "Alter the Ending," Dashboard Confessional
9. "Ocean Eyes," Owl City
10. "Fearless," Taylor Swift

^Notably, it finished ahead of Flyleaf and Dashboard Confessional. We'll be hearing other album charts news very soon, so sit tight!

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Patrol Magazine reviewed "Hello Hurricane," giving it 6.9/10 stars. Read it here

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Our friends over at LOBH had an exclusive interview Andy Barron, the photographer for Switchfoot and the man responsible behind the artwork for "Hello Hurricane." Here's an excerpt:

Land of Broken Hearts (LOBH): Can you tell us the story behind the Hello Hurricane CD cover photo? Where was the photo taken? How did you take it?

Andy Barron: It was on the Up In Arms tour in New Jersey and we had a show on a pier over the water. There was a window through the bathroom that you could use and sneak out onto the roof, so we did. The guys were running around having fun with the birds and at one point I laid down and looked up and snapped [the shot]. I was hoping a bird wouldn't poop on my lens.


LOBH: I have to ask... is there ANY photoshopping on the image? Color correcting? Sharpening? Contrast? Layers?

Andy: As much as I would love to say there was no PS work to it, there is. Nothing crazy though. I adjusted colors and whatnot to my liking, and then there was one bird we affectionately called the 'hammerhead bird' because it lined up with another bird to make it look like a bird had a whole other bird for a head. I hope that makes sense. Needless to say I cleaned that up a little bit, but nothing too drastic was done to it.

^I loved it! Be sure to check out the rest!

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Today marks the release of the latest American Idol winner, Kris Allen. Significant is that one of Allen's songs was co-written with Jon Foreman.

He tells MTV that he learned a lot from writing with the Switchfoot singer:

But it was fellow dude rockers Jon Foreman (from Switchfoot) and the Fray's Joe King who Allen said he learned the most from. "As an artist, I feel like I can relate to them. And obviously, Jon Foreman's lyrics are outta this world," Allen gushed. Foreman and King's efforts resulted in the inspiring anthem "Lifetime" and the jumpy, George Harrison-inspired "Alright With Me," respectively.

^That's awesome. Be sure to check out "Lifetime" on iTunes or Amazon if you can.

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It's tour time! And Switchfoot have been busy tweeters, keeping the Twitter feed interesting. Here are highlights:

- Had an amazing time tonight in OKC. Thanks for the bonus encore! Played "you" for the first time ever. Dallas HOB tomorrow! -tf

- Up early, getting ready to play some tunes live on Good Morning Dallas TV.

- Done with tv, now on our way to 102.1 the EDGE. Drew's mustache says hello. http://yfrog.com/79mghj



- Here's jon playing Stars on guitar while crowdsurfing http://bit.ly/2p0GVI don't think he's played it better! -tf



- Good news Nashville. For those of you who can't get in to our sold-out show this sunday, we are adding a second night on Monday!

- Chad's tracking a cover of a tune by The Verve on the verizon bus right now, guess which one? http://yfrog.com/13kerytrj



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CHARTS

"Mess of Me" moved up a slot today, and is now No. 28 on the Alternative charts! Keep up the requesting! It's working.

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VOTING

Don't forget to take the time to vote! It's not that much of a time-waster (only a couple minutes at most). Also, remember, remember to request "Mess of Me" on your local rock stations. Again, it's re-surging at radio, so be sure to help keep the pressure on!

- WRRV

- 98.7 (Los Angeles) Badass 8 We need to continue to put pressure on and get higher! The station is starting to spin the song more... VOTE.

- 91x (San Diego) Christy Taylor's REALLY BIG Countdown Keep requesting each day to keep it on the countdown! We were no. 1 last night. YES!

- RadioU's Top Ten Most Wanted. We still have the top spot! Well done! Let's keep it that way!

- We need to get "Mess of Me" on to KROQ, in order to get this single off the ground. Go HERE to request it! Keep it up friends! Don't slow down, WE NEED THIS. Keep going.

-

Again, go here to see a list of stations already playing "Mess of Me" and phone numbers to call in and request the song with!! This is our time to shine, friends!

Mid-day UPDATES: "Your Love Is a Song" charts in iTunes top 100; Exclusive Switchfoot song?

For the main update for today, and a recap of Switchfoot's huge opening day yesterday, you can go here.

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Great news this morning, thanks to Jeanna from LOBH for pointing these out.

"Hello Hurricane," according to apple.com's iTunes chart, is listed twice in the Top 10.



^That's amazing and looks pretty comical!

Also,

"Your Love Is a Song," a potential SMASH single (in my opinion), is getting some early returns, being the 95th ranked song overall in the entire iTunes music store.



^If you have any extra cash, please contribute...? If we can get a Billboard charting for that song also, what a great message that sends to Atlantic!

Other charts:

On Amazon.com it's currently:
#32 in Music
#1 in Music > Christian
#17 in Music > Rock
#30 in Music > Pop

As for the songs... iTunes Top Alternative Songs:
#13 - Your Love is a Song
#32 - Enough to Let Me Go
#98 - Hello Hurricane

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In other news, Switchfoot once again have a surprise of their sleeves. Check out this tweet from them... I thought it was rather cryptic at first:

- recording 1 song exclusively 4 #Verizon..best part is you guys get to choose the song. follow @vcastmusic for details

Vcast then kinda sorta cleared it up, but I'm hoping to get more details.

- @Switchfoot will be recording 1 song exclusively for Verizon & they want YOU to choose the song! We'll post song choices noon PST 4 voting!

UPDATE (1:46 PM PST):

Now this makes more sense:

- Tweet us which song u want #Switchfoot 2 record an acoustic version of: “Mess Of Me”, “The Sound” or “Always.”Voting closes 11/13 @ 11am PST

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Here's a list of food banks Switchfoot will be supporting throughout the Hello Hurricane tour.