Switchfoot is based in San Diego, California, and consists of four guys. They have been in both the Christian and secular worlds and are considered to be an alternative rock band. Let’s dive in and meet the members of this band
Is Switchfoot a Religious Band?
Switchfoot consists of four members. Jon Foreman is the lead singer and also plays guitar. Jon’s brother, Tim Foreman, plays bass guitar and does background vocals. Chad Butler plays drums and other percussion instruments. Finally, Jerome Fontamillas plays guitar, keyboards and does background vocals.
According to Jon, the term Switchfoot is a surfing term. Jon was quoted, “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 began in 1996, and was called Chin Up. It consisted of Jon, his brother Tim, and Chad. They had played several shows at the Foreman’s dad’s church, North Coast Calvary Chapel in Carlsbad, California, they were contacted by Charlie Peacock, who had been in the music industry for many years, and were signed to an indie label called Re:think Records under their current name, Switchfoot.
Re:think Records distributed Switchfoot’s first three albums, which were The Legend of Chin, New Way to Be Human, and Learning to Breathe. When Sparrow Records bought out the indie label, Switchfoot’s intention of being marketed outside of the Contemporary Christian world was put on the back burner. As a result, they were marketed to Christian radio and retail outlets in these early years. Jon had referred to that as a time when “half of who were was lost”
Out of Switchfoot’s first three albums, Learning to Breathe was the most popular. It received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Gospel Album.
In late 2002, the band’s music was featured in the movie, A Walk to Remember starring Mandy Moore. Mandy sang Switchfoot’s song Only Hope. Other songs featured in the film were You, Learning to Breathe, and I Dare You to Move. The original version of Only Hope was featured near the end of the film.
Due to the exposure from the film, Switchfoot gained recognition from numerous record labels. They ended up signing with Columbia Records/SonyBMG. Their debut album under that label was The Beautiful Letdown.
Their sound moved from an indie rock sound to a more layered, synth-influenced sound, which launched the band to popularity outside of the Contemporary Christian world. One thing that contributed to this shift is the fact that this was Jerome’s album with the band.
Nothing Is Sound was released in 2005, and debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. This was an all-time high for the band.
Prior to this album’s release, Switchfoot announced a fifth member, Drew Shirley. Drew was a guitarist for a band called All Together Separate. His inclusion into the band caused the sound to become even more densely layered and guitar-heavy. This made the album edgier and darker than any of their previous work.
Thei next Album, Oh Gravity was released in 2006 to considerable critical acclaim. It entered the Billboard chart at number 18 and peaked at number 1 on ITunes’ Top Album chart. Dirty Second Hands was the first single released from the album, which resulted in limited success at alternative and modern rock radio stations.
In 2009, the band released one of four albums they had been working on called Hello Hurricane. They had been looking for the right people to help distribute the songs on a global scale and announced that lowercase people records was licensing the album to Atlantic Records. With the first single off the album, Mess of Me, they hid copies of it all over the world and encouraged fans to share it by finding the discs. As a result of this, the song spread like wildfire before it was released to radio stations in the traditional manner.
The album Vice Verses was released in 2011, and was referred to as a cousin to Hello Hurricane by Tim instead of a sequel. Tim also said the album featured some of his brother Jon’s best lyrical work, and that he was also happy with the musical component as well.
In 2013, Switchfoot filmed a movie called Fading West. Guitarist Drew Shirley said it was a surf documentary mixed with behind the scenes footage of the band. The album with the same title was released in 2014 through lowercase people records and Atlantic Records.
The album Where the Light Shines Through was released in 2016. The band had signed with Vanguard Records and The Bicycle Music Company prior to this release. The album was produced by Switchfoor and John Fields, a man who they had worked with before.
Native Tongue was released in 2019 through Fantasy Records. The band went on tour in 2019 throughout the United States in order to support and promote the album. This tour was supported by Colony House and Tyson Mostenbocker.
When COVID hit in the spring of 2020, Switchfoot started working on an EP entitled Covers. It contained the band’s take on songs by Frank Ocean, Vampire Weekend, The Chainsmokers, The Verve, Harry Styles, and Jon Bellion and was released by Fantasy Records.
Interrobang was released in early 2021. A deluxe edition of the album was released in 2022 on the six-year anniversary of the release of the album Where the Light Shines Through.
For completeness, guitarist Drew Shirley left the band on February 21, 2022. Also, Switchfoot’s Christmas album, This Is Our Christmas Album will be released in November of 2022.
What kind of music is Switchfoot?
Some say that Switchfoot is a Christian rock band despite the fact that they have been on the secular side of music. They prefer to be called an alternative rock band. Each member has various influences:
- Jon Foreman: U2, The Beatles, and Keith Green. He also admires the vocal strength of Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash.
- Tim Foreman: Stevie Wonder
- Drew Shirley: U2, Miles Davie, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Tommy Walker, Phil Keaggy, Michael Jackson, Dave Matthew Band, and Brand New Heavies
- Chad Butler: Dave Grohl
Jon Foreman has been quoted as saying, “We’ve never fit in any of the genre boxes. I think that diversity is our strength.
Is Switchfoot a Christian Band?
Given they’re history, it is evident that Switchfoot is a Christian band. The fact that they have gone into the secular realm should not be a factor in the decision of whether they are a Christian band. Rather, it should be the message they are presenting through their songs.
Switchfoot doesn’t like to be boxed into the Christian Contemporary world. According to Wikipedia, Jon said, “We’ve always been very open and honest about where the songs are coming from. For us, these songs are for everyone. Calling us ‘Christian rock’ tends to be a box that closes some people out and excludes them, and that’s not what we’re trying to do. Music has always opened my mind–and that’s what we want.”
Jon also said that signing to Columbia was what they wanted because it enabled them to get the music out to everybody. When Sparrow bought out re:think Records, Switchfoot realized their goal wasn’t going to be met. Since they got to be on both Sparrow and Columbia, it was a dream come true because they were able to have songs that were outside the box.
Switchfoot has always had the philosophy, “We’re Christians by faith, not genre.” That’s an important philosophy because they wanted to get the Message out to everyone, and being able to be on the secular side enables them to reach more people.
Switchfoot Christian Songs
Christian songs include:
- The Day I Found God
- All I Need
- Dare You to Move
Is Switchfoot a satanic band?
Given the history of Switchfoot along with direct quotes from band members themselves, there is no evidence that Switchfoot is a satanic band. They are a Christian band who uses secular paths to bring the Gospel through music to people who would otherwise not hear it in this manner.
Conclusion
Switchfoot is a band who has gone into the secular realm to reach people who need to hear the Message. Though they have no doubtedly received criticism for doing this, they should be commended for having such courage.
Jesus Himself spent time with sinners. In the book of Matthew, He went to Matthew’s house for dinner. Let’s read Matthew 11:10-13:
While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
I think Jesus has summarized the reason Switchfoot does what they do. As Christians, we are called to make disciples. That’s exactly what this band does.
You see, in order for a ministry of any kind to be effective, you have to meet people where they are. Once you get their attention, they are more likely to be receptive to your message. This is exactly what Switchfoot does.