Every Switchfoot fan dreams of playing with the guys… some even dare to dream about RECORDING with them. A pipe dream for most, but for one lucky fan, this dream became a reality with the 2010 Bidfire “RECORD A SONG WITH SWITCHFOOT” auction. Ruddy Gracia is a longtime fan of the band, and he graciously agreed to chat with us on his contest win, recording with the guys, and his trip to San Diego!
Land of Broken Hearts (LOBH): Ruddy thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us. Let’s start at the beginning… how long have you been a Switchfoot fan?
Ruddy Gracia: Awesome. Well I’m 18 now so when “The Legend of Chin” was released, I was like 5 yrs old… but my dad got that cd a year or two after and since then, I loved listening to Switchfoot! So I guess 10 yrs!
LOBH: Wow so you’re a long time fan! How did you hear about the contest?Were you bidding all day like a lot of the fans, or did you just get lucky?
Ruddy: Well, I’m subscribed to the newsletter… and when I got the email something inside me thought that I could actually win! It’s funny because I wasn’t even the one bidding for me. I was on my senior class/birthday trip in NY, New Jersey, and Washington. I turned 18 three days after the bidding started so my awesome friends spent hours and hours bidding for me as my birthday present!
LOBH: That’s fantastic! You’ve got some great people around you. That explains the username – “unlimited funds” – I know a few fans were wondering if that was actually the case!
Ruddy: hahaha! Well that actually wasn’t the case.. that was one of my friends ideas to “intimidate the competition.” I wasnt to sure about it actually!
LOBH: Was this your first time meeting the guys?
Ruddy: My first time ever…they are the coolest!
LOBH: What a great first experience! Can you take us through your time with the guys? Day 1 was…?
Ruddy: Day 1: Was a crazy day because our connecting flight got delayed, so by the time we made it to the San Diego fair switchfoot had just finished performing. We LITERALLY heard Jon say “goodnight San Diego!” haha but we still got taken to the back for the meet and greet, so that was awesome! And even though it was only for a couple of minutes, my sister and I decide that the guys were as awesome as we thought they’d be.
LOBH: What was Day 2?
Ruddy: Day 2: My sister and I got picked up at the hotel at 10:30 am and were driven to the Switchfoot studio… we got there and Jon foreman answered the door! They gave us a tour of the studio and from there we went to work… Jon pulled out a bunch of his guitars and told me to try some out. I picked the guitar and after a few minutes of soundcheck we started recording! After we recorded the acoustic part we had lunch with the guys in the studio (fish tacos!) and after that they asked me if I wanted to record the backing vocals (you know my answer). Tim taught me the harmonies, we recorded them and then it was back to the hotel for awhile.
LOBH: You recorded Your Love Is A Song correct? Were you expecting to record something new? Did they have that song already picked?
Ruddy: Yeah Your Love is a Song is the track! I was expecting something new, but I’m glad they had already picked that song. To tell you the truth, I was a little scared that if it was a brand new song I wouldn’t of had any practice playing it.
LOBH: Were the guys surprised to find out you can sing and play?
Ruddy: Yeah they were actually! It was so cool because the guys from my favorite band are complimenting me on my playing and singing!
LOBH: Were you nervous to start playing with them? I can imagine that would be extremely intimidating.
Ruddy: Well, I was really excited, but not so much nervous… not sure why. I wanted to play my best and i know being nervous doesn’t help.
LOBH: I had some fans submit a few questions for you as well… DanJosh asks “Do you play any other instruments besides guitar?”
Ruddy: well being a pastors kid its kind of an unsaid rule that you need to play every instrument! haha guitar, piano, drums and bass.
LOBH: Hey I’m a pastor’s kid too! *high fives* Did you ever imagine when you first started learning that you’d get such an opportunity?
Ruddy: Thats awesome! I think we might have a lot in common! And no, not with Switchfoot! I told the guys that I was at one of their shows 2 years ago and I didn’t even have good seats, so sitting all the way in the back I said to myself “What if I got to play with them one day?” And it came true.
LOBH: Here’s a question from MJ: “What’s the studio like?”
Ruddy: It’s exactly like it looks in the videos from the hello hurricane dvd!
LOBH: Were there any difficulties during the recording process? What’s something you learned from the experience/the guys?
Ruddy: 1. Well there was a note that kept ringing when I was playing one of the acoustic parts and Jon had to help me out with that until I got it.
2. One thing I didn’t know before is that the guys know so much about the technical part of recording… like Jon and Tim working the pro tools! Which makes them more awesome.
LOBH: Yeah Tim especially is pretty savvy with computers! Did they use a lot of pro tools in their recording?
Ruddy: Yeah Tim surprised me! They recorded into protools to cut, edit and add reverbs and stuff.
LOBH: Did you get to hear the final cut?
Ruddy: Yeah i did! I mean I’m sure they sent it to be mastered, but I heard it with all the voices.
LOBH: Did you like it? Eheh if you can answer without being biased?
Ruddy: I don’t think I can give an unbiased answer…but I LOVED IT!!
LOBH: Do you know when the song will be released to itunes?
Ruddy: I actually don’t.
LOBH: You also played with the guys at the Bro-Am auction that night. What was that like?
Ruddy: That night was awesome! I went to the charity auction and like 15 minutes before the band went on, Tim asked me if I wanted to play the song with them! Jon called me on stage before they played “Your Love is a Song” – amazing! I got to play Drews guitar and right before the bridge Jon came up to me and asked “Do you want to sing the next part?” and of course I said yes! It was really cool! everyone was congratulating me and having a good time! And I love the way the band played the rest of the songs.
LOBH: Sounds like a perfect day! Then you got to attend the Bro-Am the next day correct?
Ruddy: Day 3: We woke up pretty early and went to the Bro Am. We got to see the guys surf (awesome by the way) we even got to say hi to them a couple of times before they performed. It was great! But that night also had a sad part, beacuse the venue they werre performing at was 21 and over. And, me being 18 and my sister being 19, we couldnt get in. But since that would be the last time we saw them, the guys were cool and passed by the restaurant we were at to say bye. And that’s when they signed my guitar!
LOBH: Awesome! Did they write any special messages on it?
Ruddy: Yeah! Jon drew the switchfoot “S” on it and Tim wrote “Switchfoot loves Ruddy!”
LOBH: Here’s a question from ShannonLiesman who asks “Who is your favorite member of the band?”
Ruddy: hmmm hard question! Well it’s hard for me to like anyone more than anyone else because I love what each of them bring to the band… but if I had to give an answer I really enjoyed talking to Jon and Tim!
LOBH: Christie asks “Any funny jokes or stories from your time with the guys?”
Ruddy: I thought it was pretty funny that every time my sister was going to take a picture, there was something wrong with her camera! She did get it working, after a couple hundred blurry memories we now have.
LOBH: Final question: what was the highlight of the trip for you?
Ruddy: Definitely Jon Foreman asking me “Want to sing the next part?” I thought I was dreaming for a while!
LOBH: Ruddy thanks so much for your time – I’m glad you were the one to win!
Ruddy: Thank you!!! God bless, take care!
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