Switching up the symposium

Literature Karl Martin interviewed Jon Foreman, Switchfoot lead singer, during the third night of the Writer’s Symposium. Richie Furay was originally scheduled for the evening as well, but was unable to attend due to surgery. Photo by Bronson Pate

Jon Foreman slipped into Crill Performance Hall on Wednesday night without the lights, the smoke, the screaming crowd and his four silhouetted comrades ready to rock. He passed rows full of students as he walked down the aisle in a black hat, carrying two guitars, a harmonica and a journal filled with lyrics.

“I didn’t know what to expect. I thought it was just going to be a concert,” said junior music major Brendan McClenahan. “I was thrilled to find out it was an interview—delving deep into the mind of Jon Foreman.”

The lead singer and guitarist of Switchfoot was the guest of the night during the third night of PLNU’s 13th annual Writer’s Symposium by the Sea. He was originally scheduled alongside songwriter Richie Furay, who was unable to come at the last minute. Literature professor Karl Martin, who conducted the interview that night, was forced to shift the focus of his preparation after weeks of anticipating an interview with Furay.

“I spent the last week before the interview listening to nothing but the six Switchfoot albums,” said Martin. “I really enjoyed the interview. It was a bit strange because we only met a few minutes before the interview began, but once we started, the conversation felt very natural.”

During the interview, Foreman talked about his music and the songwriting process.Some of Foreman’s inspirations include Sting, The Beatles, James Taylor, Led Zeppelin and Motown. He compared writing songs to an oyster with a grain of sand.

“Sometimes you wrestle with the grain and nothing comes of it, and other times you come out with a pearl,” he said.

After six successful albums, Switchfoot has gone from a little-known local band to an established alternative rock group in both the Christian and mainstream music industries.

In October 2007, Switchfoot ended its contract with mainstream label Columbia Records after nearly five years, announcing that its next CD would be independent.

While Foreman stated Wednesday night that he bore “no ill will” towards Columbia, he acknowledged that being an independent band has allowed him to work on special projects, including his EPs. Two of the four planned EPs, Fall and Winter, have already been released.

In between answering questions from Martin, Foreman shared three songs that he had been working on recently, including two from his released EPs and another, “Betrayal,” written in collaboration with Nickel Creek’s Sean Watkins. Together Foreman and Watkins make the duo The Real SeanJon and have recently completed an album that will be released soon.