1) Hey boys, welcome back to Malaysia again. This is definitely not the first time you’ve been to Malaysia. What surprises can we expect?
Well, first of all, we haven't played any songs from our current album "hello hurricane" for you guys yet, so we're really excited to play some of those songs. Hopefully, what you can
expect from us is a good ole' fashion rock show.
2)What’s different about your upcoming new album Vice Verses and how is the general direction of the album?
We definitely were more direct as to which songs we wanted on the album. That gave us time to really explore how to creatively create the song in a unique way. Some songs were built on just drum and bass, while others were built on us playing the song live together and building from that. It's definitely a direction in which we haven't gone before but we're glad we did.
3) Any expectations for any track in Vice Verses to top “Dare You To Move?” What do you think was the success factor in that particular track?
"Dare you to move" is a special song that a lot of people really connected to when they heard it. I believe there are songs on the new album in which I feel a lot of people will be able to connect with.
4) We read somewhere that you guys actually built your own studio in hometown San Diego. We always wanted to know why do you feel the need to build one of your own, and what are the awesome stuff we can find in your own studio that we won’t be able to see in other studios?
The great thing about having your own studio is that you're not pressed for time to get things done. We can go in there and record something and take our time doing it. Plus, it also serves as a place we can rehearse and to store all our gear at.
5) Everyone make mistakes along the way. What mistakes have you guys made in the previous albums and how has it contributed to a learning curve/improvement to Vice Verses?
I'd like to think that the mistakes we made were "good" mistakes, such as accidentally creating a great guitar tone or finding a drum fill that fits a certain part of the song, or simply playing a part that you would never really think about playing and pleasantly find out it was instrumental in making the song what it is.
6) You guys had always disagreed with the moniker “Christian Rock Band”, citing that “it’s a faith, not a genre” ever since you guys debuted. How do you generally react nowadays since it’s been many years down the line with that label?
It really has not changed much. We stand firm in the fact that it's a faith, not a genre.
7)Jon released several solo projects. Were there any elements or songs that you brought over from your solo projects into your studio album?
Yes, the elements of a songs simplicity yet how it conveys so much depth and emotion. The fact that you don't need a lot of instrumentation to make a song breathe. It can be just as powerful with just a guitar and vocal.
8) Your music has evolved significantly since 1997. You once quoted that Dave Grohl was your influence for The Beautiful Letdown. It’s been 8 albums down the road. Who do you think is your major influence for Vice Verses?
I think we've grown exponentially since then. We're 8 albums in, and I think the fact that we have been through life a bit more and have grown up a bit more, you can say is a big influence in the creating of "Vice Verses"
9) So what’s in store for the near future for Switchfoot?
Well we're excited for the new album "Vice Verses". We just finished recording it. Hopefully it'll be out by July, Aug sometime. And then we'll be touring for the next year or so.
10) What makes good music to you guys?
It starts with a good melody. Then, the song needs to make you feel something. It needs to impact you somehow. This is where the instrumentation comes into play. If the song has a great melody, then all the instrumentation should just fall into place fairly easily.
11) Being veterans in the music industry, who do you think shows the most potential to go far down the road?
I think any band can go far down the road if they are persistent enough and dedicated enough. I've seen a lot of good bands not do well because they aren't as dedicated to touring and performing the songs live to as many people as possible.
12) Any tips for the newbies in the industry?
Don't get too caught up in the next big show. Enjoy the "now". Your last show might just be the best show of your life whether it's in front of 5 people or 1000.
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