Photo by Andy Barron

 

Switchfoot Bro-Am, the band’s annual daylong surf contest and beach concert in Encinitas, California, has raised over $400,000 for children-focused, San Diego-based charities in the past six years. We spoke with front man Jon Foreman about the event, his love of surfing, and the perils of being pigeon-holed.

 

interview by Chase Larson

What prompted you to take this on?
The first one came out of the realization that music and surfing were two of the more positive influences on all the guys in the band — and trying to think of ways that we could give back to the community. The things I love most about San Diego are the local music scene, the surfing community and the community that we grew up in. It feels like a family where everyone cares for each other. Those were the things that inspired us.

Which did you develop a passion for first — surfing or music?
I discovered [pro surfer] Tom Curren and Led Zeppelin in junior high, and my life has never been the same. I was in a Led Zeppelin cover band and dreaming that I could be a pro surfer from the seventh grade on.

Do surfing and music mix well together as part of the creative process?
They’re very different outlets, but surfing is an incredibly creative sport. There are no rules, and musicians might gravitate towards surfing more than something a little more formulaic. As much as I love baseball or football, surfing’s a great outlet for an iconoclastic kid in junior high who doesn’t mind breaking a few rules.

Is it true you try to plan your tours around good surfing spots?
It’s rarely true, but when it is the case it’s such a gift. Last tour we were in the South Pacific and got a chance to surf in Australia and Indonesia. But in the tour right after that, we were land-locked in Canada for a couple weeks. Most of it is like the second tour, but every now and again we get the chance to experience some great waves.

Do you have any favorite spots you’ve hit up in the past?
One of my favorites was a trip I took to Hawaii this year with my best friend from college. We went over to Maui, hitchhiked across the island, and slept on the beach. It was epic. There’s a spot there — Honolua Bay — that has some of my favorite waves. But we were there when the tsunami hit. We heard the sirens, but we were exhausted because it was our first day on the island. On the fourth siren we figured we should probably vacate the beach and find somewhere else to sleep.

Last year you raised more than $135,000. Do you expect an even better turnout this year?
We’ve got high hopes for more, but money can’t solve it all. Hopefully people will volunteer their time and check out the local shelters. That’s even better than money. It’s a national organization, so there are a lot of major cities that they’re involved with. 

You’ve tried to avoid being pigeon-holed as a Christian rock group, but how does your spirituality affect how you use your music to help others and spread a message?
With everything you do and say every day of your life, the way you spend your time, your money, your energy and the way you treat people, you show what you believe. I couldn’t care less about what you’re singing about. I would much rather see people treated with human dignity and love and compassion. This feels like the closest we’ll come to being a Christian band — actually living out what we believe in. As a believer, I’m honored to be affiliated with the name of Christ. But I shy away from the commercialization. I’d rather talk about helping people than what it means for some specific genre of music.

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The 7th annual Switchfoot Bro-Am kicks off June 16th with an auction night, and the surf contest and concert take place on Saturday the 18th. Click here for more details.

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