Switched (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Switched


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Alias = Sw1tched
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Origin = Cleveland, Ohio, United States
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Genre = Nu metal, hard rock
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Years_active = 1999 – present
Label = Immortal Records Corporate Punishment
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URL = [http://www.switched.tv/ www.switched.tv]
Current_members = Ben Schigel BC Kochmit Joe Schigel Josh Jansen Angel
Past_members = Chad Szeliga Shawn May Jason French Corey Lowery
Notable_instruments =

Switched (previously depicted as Sw1tched) are a nu metal/hard rock music group from Cleveland, Ohio.

History

Forming in 1999 as Sw1tch, the band played shows around Ohio and released a demo entitled "Fuckin' Demo". The songs "Anymore", "Wrongside", "Inside", "Darkening Days", "Last Chance", and "Skins", which appear in their demo versions on this CD, went on to appear on the "Subject to Change" album. This demo was later re-released on disc two of the "Ghosts in the Machine" album in 2006. Since a funk band already had rights to the name Switch, the band had to change their name to Sw1tched, and was later signed to Immortal/Virgin Records. After recording all of the bass for the "Subject to Change" album, bassist Shawn May left the band for unknown reasons, and was replaced by Chimaira drum tech Jason French. French did play bass on one song on the album, though, since the band re-recorded the song "Walk Away" before the album was released.

Switched rose to prominence playing at popular festivals such as Ozzfest in 2002 and on the Vans Warped Tour in 2001 and 2002. Their debut album titled, "Subject to Change" was released via Immortal/Virgin Records in 2001, and went on to sell over 100,000 records worldwide.

Sometime before the band began work on their second album, they fired bassist Jason French for unknown reasons. They then replaced him with former Stereomud/Stuck Mojo bassist Corey Lowery, who would eventually leave the band to join Dark New Day. They also parted ways with drummer Chad Szeliga sometime in this time period, and as a result, most of the drums on the "Ghosts in the Machine" album are programmed. During the recording phase for their second album, the band decided to go on an indefinite hiatus, mainly due to the band's poor relationship with Immortal Records. The hiatus more-or-less signaled that they had broken up, and members of the band went on to other projects.

Former bassist Shawn May, who had left the band in 2001 prior to the release of "Subject to Change", started a custom bass shop in Michigan. Drummer Chad Szeliga joined popular post-grunge group Breaking Benjamin in 2004, bassist Corey Lowery helped form alternative metal group Dark New Day, lead guitarist BC Kochmit joined then left hard rock group "Rikets" to form his own projects, called "Tinjen", "Shambella", and "My Alter-Ego Experiment", and is currently the lead guitar player in Dark New Day. Vocalist Ben Schigel found success as a producer working with bands such as Chimaira, Breaking Benjamin, Rikets, Bleed the Sky and Allele.

With help from their first manager, Thom Hazaert, now co-president of Californian indie label, Corporate Punishment Records, the group reformed (with a modified lineup) and released their second album titled, "Ghosts in the Machine" on January 10 2006. The two-disc album contains rarities, b-sides and demos. The first disc includes eleven tracks that were intended for the band's second Immortal release, while the second disc includes four live songs plus several demos and the unreleased track "She Blinded Me with Science". The quality of the first disc can be described as "rough" as the tracks weren't yet mastered and still in the demo phase.

A repackaged version of "Subject to Change" was also released which features the b-side track "Spread", the Howard Benson produced alternate versions of "Walkaway" and "Inside" and the Rick Will mix of "Inside". Two videos for "Inside" are also included.

Band members

Current

* Ben Schigel – Vocals
* BC Kochmit – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
* Joe Schigel – Guitar
* Josh Jansen – Bass
* Angel – Drums, Percussion

Former

* Chad Szeliga – Drums, Percussion
* Shawn May- Bass
* Jason French – Bass
* Corey Lowery – Bass

Discography

External links

* [http://www.switched.tv Official site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/switched MySpace site]
* [http://www.corporatepunishment.com/artists/Switched/ Corporate Punishment Records page]
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