Fiction Family
Collaboration between Jon Foreman and Sean Watkins.
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Fiction Family is the project of Jon Foreman (Switchfoot) and Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek). The duo picked the name because, as Watkins explained, two musicians making a record together are often called "the something brothers," but they aren't siblings. Foreman said the words "fiction" and "family" resonate with him, noting that much of modern culture leans toward fiction, and that people are searching for a sense of family—making this a "fiction family" of sorts. The band later added drummer Aaron Redfield and bassist Tyler Chester.
The collaboration began in 2005 when Foreman and Watkins started writing songs together. They recorded in pieces during breaks from touring, initially calling themselves "The Real SeanJon" as a joke, hoping Sean "Sean John" Combs would sue them.
By March 2008, they had changed the name to Fiction Family and finished the record, which was originally titled "Betrayal." There was a rumor that Starbucks might release it in summer 2008, but Foreman later confirmed a January 2009 release. The self-titled album came out on January 20, 2009, via ATO Records, debuting at number 71. The first single, "When She's Near," was offered as a free download, with a music video released in December 2008.
The band's first tour ran from early January to February 7, 2009, featuring Redfield and Chester. They played cities on both coasts, including Boston, New York, Charlottesville, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Nashville, Seattle, and San Diego.
Fiction Family Reunion
In March 2010, Foreman told fans at a Switchfoot show in Birmingham, Alabama, that they were working on a new Fiction Family album, with eight tracks completed, and played a new song called "Just Rob Me." He tweeted in October 2010 that the album was "getting close," and Watkins tweeted in December about an 11-hour mixing session. On June 14, 2011, the band performed live for the first time in months, debuting songs like "My Girl," "Damaged," "Reality Calls," and "Against the Wall."
On October 14, 2012, a Twitter post claimed the new album, tentatively titled Fiction Family Reunion, was available on SoundCloud. Within 12 hours, it was revealed the account was fake and the album had been leaked by a fan. The account was shut down the next day, and Switchfoot fansites asked fans to delete or not share the files. The official album, Fiction Family Reunion, was released on January 29, 2013.
History
The collaboration began in 2005 when Foreman and Watkins wrote songs together, according to a blog post on Watkins's website. Around mid-2006 they began recording the songs in bits and pieces while off the road, initially announcing themselves as "The Real SeanJon"—a name jokingly chosen in the hopes that Sean "Sean John" Combs would sue them. On March 13, 2008, it was reported that the name had changed to Fiction Family; the completed record had been tentatively titled "Betrayal" before the change.
There was a rumor that Starbucks might release the record in summer 2008, but Foreman later stated it would come out in January 2009, and a Nickel Creek press release confirmed the January 20, 2009 release date. The first single, "When She's Near," was offered as a free download on the band's website, with a music video released in December 2008. The band's first tour, lasting from early January to February 7, 2009, debuted members Aaron Redfield (greyboy allstars, Brooke Fraser) and Tyler Chester (producer, Brooke Fraser, Nikka Costa) and included cities such as Boston, New York, Charlottesville, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Nashville, Seattle, and San Diego.
On March 29, 2010, at a Switchfoot after-show in Birmingham, Alabama, Foreman told fans they had been working on a new Fiction Family album with eight tracks down and played a new song called "Just Rob Me." On October 27, 2010, Foreman announced via Twitter that the new album was "getting close." In December, Watkins tweeted that he and Foreman had conducted an 11-hour-long mixing session for the new album. On June 14, 2011, Fiction Family performed live for the first time in months, playing songs including "My Girl," "Damaged," "Reality Calls," and "Against the Wall."
On October 14, 2012, it was reported through Twitter that the newest album, tentatively titled Fiction Family Reunion, was available for listening on SoundCloud; within 12 hours it was confirmed the account was not legitimate and the album was leaked by a fan-created account. The following day, the account was shut down and the album removed. On January 29, 2013, the album, titled Fiction Family Reunion, was released.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Fiction Family from?
Fiction Family originated in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Encinitas, California, U.S.
What genre of music does Fiction Family play?
Fiction Family's music is classified as Indie folk.
Which record labels has Fiction Family released music on?
Fiction Family has released music on ATO, MapleMusic and lowercase people.
More in ATO Records Artists
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Fiction Family (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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