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Switchfoot Interview: bassist Tim Foreman discusses "Hello Hurricane", current tour & charity...
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Platinum-selling So-Cal rockers, Switchfoot, to release new album, "Hello Hurricane", Nov. 10, 2009.
The faith-influenced, charity-minded alternative-rock band, Switchfoot, is about to release their seventh studio album, titled "Hello Hurricane", and embark on a five week US tour to promote it. Switchfoot has sold millions of copies of their previous six albums, and ruled the radio waves in 2003 with their hit, "Meant To Live", off an album called "The Beautiful Letdown". For a sneak preview of "Hello Hurricane", click here!
After a 2007 split with former label, Columbia Records, Switchfoot decided to go independent, building and recording music in their own studio, on their own time, for their own label, called "lowercase people records". Though Atlantic Records will distribute the new album, "Hello Hurricane" was recorded as an independent Switchfoot project.
Tucson-area freelance journalist, Jennifer Waite, spoke with Switchfoot's bassist, back-up vocalist and one of the original members of the San Diego-based band, Tim Foreman, last week to discuss the new album, current tour information, and lots more.
In a phone interview with Jennifer Waite, who writes for Examiner.com and Associated Content, Tim Foreman opened up about the making of "Hello Hurricane", the band's decision to distribute the album with Atlantic Records, the upcoming tour, as well as Switchfoot's charity involvement.
Jennifer Waite (Examiner.com/AC): Hi, Tim!
Tim Foreman (Switchfoot): Hi, Jennifer! How are you?
Jennifer Waite: Good, good! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me today.
Tim Foreman: No problem. Where are you at?
Jennifer Waite: I'm out of Tucson...I write for Examiner.com as their Rock Music Examiner. And we're really excited for the release of "Hello Hurricane"!
Tim Foreman: Yeah, we're really excited, too, to get out there [on tour]. And we have some good memories in Tucson!
JW: You guys are coming out this way on November 14, right?
TF: Yeah. And unless [the venue's] under a new name, I don't think we've played The Rock before.
JW: So, your first show at The Rock, that's cool! Hope to check it out. Let's talk about what you're promoting on this tour, "Hello Hurricane". What is your personal favorite track off the new album?
TF: Hmm, well, its a bit like choosing a favorite kid. We're actually rehearsing for the tour right now, playing the whole album start to finish....There's a few that are very fresh in my mind, since we've been working on them. There's a song called "Needle In A Haystack World", the opening track. That's a song that has a lot of heart to it. It's the type of song I could see us wanting to play for a really long time, so that's always a good thing.
JW: Can't wait to hear it. I read there are actually several more albums that may come out of the same studio sessions that produced "Hello Hurricane". When could we expect to see those released, and do any of them have titles yet?
TF: We don't have any master plan for releasing them yet, but yeah. We've done that before, and it always comes back to bite us, so we're being careful not to over-commit. But we're really excited about that material. We recorded close to 90 songs and wrote even more than that; its kind of an overwhelming amount of material. That was a challenge on making this record ["Hello Hurricane"], kind of trying to see the forest for the trees and figure it out. But we do have a working title, "Vice Verses", that will probably be the next batch of songs we release.
JW: Sounds good! So, I know you have your wife and son at home, and I can imagine it must be difficult to be away from them when you're on the road and touring with Switchfoot. How do you stay in touch with your family on the road? Do you call home every night, use web cams,...?
TF: Yeah, all of the above. We all stay connected with our families on the road. I try to bring my family out when I can...I also fly home on any days we have off. It doesn't always make sense mathematically, you know. You may look at it, "I'm only home for maybe six, eight hours", but...
JW: Its worth it.
TF: Yeah.
JW: So, how did this all start for you? When did you first start playing [bass]?
TF: My brother and I started a Led Zeppelin cover band when I was in 5th grade. So I think that's kind of where it started for me. I was learning every John Paul Jones bass line; along with that, I'm a huge Paul McCartney Beatles fan, so those were kind of the two people I learned from.
JW: And otherwise, self-taught. That's so cool! Now, Switchfoot went independent a while back [after a split with Columbia Records], forming lowercase people records [Switchfoot's independent label]. Why did you guys choose to have another major-label, Atlantic Records, distribute your new album ["Hello Hurricane"]?
TF: We tried to keep the label conversation as far from us as possible while we were making the record. We felt like we needed to have no strings attached and no time constraints. So we built our own studio, and that gave us an enormous amount of freedom. Once we finished the record, we felt like there were songs that we wanted to be heard, you know, around the world. And it became a matter of how to do that. Atlantic actually came to us; we weren't really looking at the major label situation, just because of, you know, just getting out of a bad relationship, and not eager to jump into a new one, so to speak.
TF (cont'd): so, we kind of politely said, "No, thank you" the first, like, four times they asked us. But they [Atlantic] were just relentless, they just had such a passion for the songs. Rob Cavallo, great producer, and then Craig Kallman, the two of them wouldn't let it go. They actually flew out to meet us at an airport lounge, and they were like, you know, "What do we need to do to make this happen?". That kind of excitement for the songs made us take notice, and think maybe a partnership could work.
JW: That maybe it would be different with Atlantic.
TF: Yeah, and we've got a whole different approach this time. We've got a lot more independence, having our own studio, you know. I'm excited for what's to come.
JW: I know Switchfoot fans are, too! And I know you're very busy, so I'll start to wrap this up. But first, tell me about the charity work Switchfoot does, because I know giving back is a huge part of what the band's message is about. You guys held your annual "Bro-Am" surf competition and music fest to benefit "Stand Up For Kids" in San Diego back in June. Any plans for the 2010 event, or other upcoming charity events?
TF: Yeah! On this tour specifically, we're doing a food drive, and we're encouraging everyone to show up with non-perishable food at the venues. We're using local food drive operators to collect and distribute the donated food. That's something that is really exciting for us, because its so simple. Anyone can do it, and its very tangible and immediate. There's no overhead, no wondering if the money got where it was supposed to go. Its just input, output. I think its an easy way for everyone to get involved there in Tucson, and the other places we're playing on this tour. And then the Bro-Am, we've already begun plans for the 5th annual. Its gonna be towards the end of June again, and we're even toying around with making it a several day event. It just seems to be growing, so we're trying to accommodate more people and raise more money for the kids.
JW: That all sounds like really good stuff; I think its really awesome that you guys get so involved. Tim, I really appreciate the interview. I wish you guys an excellent tour, and I can't wait to hear "Hello Hurricane"; I'm really looking forward to reviewing it!
TF: Awesome. Thank you so much! I appreciate it.
JW: Thanks again. Have a good one!
TF: You, too. Take care!
First single off new Switchfoot album, "Hello Hurricane", titled "Mess Of Me".
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