Switchfoot formed in 1994 when Jon Foreman (lead vocals, guitar) and his brother Tim (bass guitar, backing vocals) put their high school friends together, including Chad Butler (drums, percussion), Jerome Fontamillas (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), and Drew Shirley (guitar, backing vocals).
Nine albums and over a decade later, they have achieved multi-Platinum status, having sold over 4.4million albums and 3 million concert tickets worldwide and a Grammy Award.
The band has had three consecutive Top-10 hits on Modern Rock Radio. Their song Vice Verses debuted at number eight on Top-200 Billboard Charts and number five on iTunes Top 200 Charts.
With its play on words, "Vice Verses", the title of Switchfoot's new album, coherently suggests the album's theme: everything has two sides. "Every blessing comes with a set of curses," singer-guitarist Jon Foreman sings on the title track, all the while wondering if "there's a meaning to it all". That theme runs through the album's 12 songs and is even reflected in the album's black-and-white cover.
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 Tour dates for South Africa:
Johannesburg: Wednesday, 8 August 2012 @ 8pm: The Big Top Arena, Carnival City
Cape Town: Saturday, 11 August 2012 @ 8pm: Grand Arena, Grand West
Tickets from R220 - R350 via Computicket or 0861 915 8000).
