Switched / Sw1tch


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

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 2002, and went on to sell over 100,000 records worldwide.

In mid-2003, the group severed ties with both their label Immortal Records and their former management team. Bassist Jason French was replaced by former Stuck Mojo and Stereomud bassist Corey Lowery, who would eventually leave the band to join Dark New Day. During the recording phase for their second album, they had planned to adopt a new name, Sky Fall Down, by January 2004 – a reflection on the new direction the band was taking. Instead, the band went on a two-year hiatus, with several members of the band moving 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 Leo in 2004 and then later joined popular post-grunge group Breaking Benjamin in 2005. Bassist Corey Lowery helped form alternative metal group Dark New Day, and later formed Eye Empire. Lead guitarist B.C. Kochmit joined then left hard rock group Rikets to form his own projects, called Tinjen, Shambella, and My Alter-Ego Experiment. He was the lead guitar player in Dark New Day for a short time, and Eye Empire with Lowery and is currently a member Nonpoint. Vocalist Ben Schigel found success as a producer working with bands such as Drowning Pool (2), 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.

Switched declared a second hiatus after Ghosts in the Machine but as of January 2010, according to Ben Schigel, there are no plans to continue with Sw1tched.

Bassist Corey Lowery and guitarist B.C. Kochmit have since formed hard rock supergroup Eye Empire with solo artist Dixie Duncan and former members of Submersed singer Donald Carpenter and drummer Garrett Whitlock.

APPEARANCES +


Various
Hunter: The Reckoning Redeemer Music Sampler
2003, CD, Comp, Promo, Smplr, Immortal Records (3)
Various
JägerMusic Rarities
2003, CD, Comp, Promo, JägerMusic, ,
Heavy Metal/Thrash/Hardcore/Nu Metal/Hard Rock
Various
Music With Attitude - Volume 34
2002, CD, Promo, Smplr, Rock Sound
Various
Concrete Corner - January 2002 Sampler
2002, CD, Comp, Promo, Smplr, Concrete Corner, ,
Hard Rock/Nu Metal
Various
Ozzfest 2002 Streetwise Summer Sampler 2002
2002, CD, Promo, Smplr, Streetwise Concepts & Culture, ,
Alternative Rock/Experimental/Nu Metal/Heavy Metal/Hardcore/Hard Rock/Industrial/Emo
Various
February 2002
2002, CD, Comp, Promo, Smplr, Concrete Corner, ,
Hard Rock/Heavy Metal
Various
Rock Sound Volume 62
2002, CD, Comp, Smplr, Rock Sound
Various
New Noise EMI New Music Sampler Vol. 2
2002, CD, Comp, Promo, Car, EMI Music Distribution
Various
FMQB Super CD Sampler Volume 39
2002, CD, Comp, Promo, Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report Inc.
Various
Promo Only Modern Rock Radio: March 2002
2002, CD, Comp, Promo, Promo Only, ,
Alternative Rock/Indie Rock/Pop Rock/Hard Rock
Various
The Album Network's Aggro-Active #22 & Rock Tuneup #249
2002, 2xCD, Comp, Promo, The Album Network
Various
HitDisc Prime Cuts 460P
2002, CDr, Promo, Smplr, TM Century,
Various
StreetwiseDVD Volume 1 Issue 1
2002, DVD-V, NTSC, GoBig! Records, Streetwise Concepts & Culture, ,
Nu Metal
Various
March 2002
2002, CD, Comp, Promo, Smplr, Concrete Corner,
Various
Pile Driver
2002, 2xCDr, Transcription, Premiere Radio Networks, ,
Heavy Metal
Various
Pile Driver
2002, 2xCDr, Transcription, Premiere Radio Networks, ,
Heavy Metal
Various
Pile Driver
2002, 2xCDr, Transcription, Premiere Radio Networks
Various
Pile Driver
2002, 2xCDr, Transcription, Premiere Radio Networks
Various
Pile Driver
2002, 2xCDr, Transcription, Premiere Radio Networks
Various
Pile Driver
2002, 2xCDr, Transcription, Premiere Radio Networks, ,
Heavy Metal
Various
EMI Mission Disc July DPRO Vol 16 POP
2002, CD, Comp, Promo, EMI Music Canada,
Various
Radioactive - Modern Rock Series June 2002
2002, CD, Comp, Promo, X-Mix, X-mix
Various
Buzz 00.5 kiBands Fall 2001 / Winter 2002
2002, CD, Comp, Promo, 99.5 KISS
Various
U.S.A. Rock Express 453R
2002, CD, Comp, Promo, Smplr, Radioplay
Various
VirtuallyAlternative # 137 02 . 22 . 02
2002, CD, Comp, Promo, The Album Network
Various
The Pledge Of Allegiance Tour 2001 Sampler
2001, CD, Enh, Promo, Smplr, Immortal Records (3), ,
Alternative Rock/Experimental/Nu Metal/Heavy Metal
Various
CMJ New Music Monthly Volume 95 August 2001
2001, CD, Comp, Promo, College Music Journal, ,
Alternative Rock/Hard Rock/Ambient
Various
East Bat Drummer Compilation Vol. 1
2001, CDr, Comp, Enh, mp3.com, mp3.com
Various
Rock Tune Up 244
2001, CD, Comp, Promo + DVD-V, Comp, Promo, The Album Network,
Various
Virgin Records 2002
2001, 2xCDr, Promo, Smplr, Virgin,
Various
Ozzfest 2001 Streetwise Summer Sampler
2001, CD, Comp, Enh, Hot Topic
Various
New Noise EMI New Music Sampler Vol. 1
2001, CD, Promo, Smplr, Car, EMI Music Distribution, ,
Alternative Rock
Various
Rock Tune Up 237
2001, CD, Comp, Promo, The Album Network, ,
Alternative Rock/Nu Metal
Various
2001 EMI: Unforgettable Music, Unparalleled Artists, Undeniable Quality
2001, CD, Comp, Promo, Car, EMI Music Distribution, EMI Music Distribution
Various
Jonny Moseley Mad Trix (Soundtrack)
2001, CD, Comp, Palm (2)
Various
Metal Masters
2001, CDr, Comp, MP3.com, ,
Heavy Metal/Nu Metal/Death Metal/Progressive Metal/Alternative Rock/Hardcore
Various
HitDisc 428B
2001, CDr, Promo, TM Century
Various
EMI Summer 2001 New Music Sampler
2001, CD, Album, Comp, Promo, EMI,
Various
Retail Vision (Hard Vision - Volume #47)
2001, VHS, Comp, Promo, NTSC, Hard Vision (2), ,
Heavy Metal/Nu Metal
Various
Retail Vision (Hard Vision - Volume #47)
2001, VHS, Comp, Promo, NTSC, Retail Vision, ,
Heavy Metal/Nu Metal
Various
VirtuallyAlternative 130 07 . 20 . 01
2001, CD, Comp, Promo, The Album Network
Various
Retail Vision (AlternaVision Vol. 98)
2000, VHS, Comp, Promo, NTSC, Retail Vision
Adema, The Apex Theory, Coal Chamber, Deftones, Downthesun, Drain (3), Dreadlock Pussy (2), Sevendust, Switched, System Of A Down
NU-Metal CD1