Taproot

Taproot Overview:

Taproot emerged at the height of the rap-rock movement of the late ‘90s, balancing heavy riffs with rap-influenced vocals. As the scene became less popular, Taproot evolved into a more straightforward hard rock group. The quartet formed in Michigan in 1997 thanks to the friendship of lead singer Stephen Richards and guitarist Mike DeWolf. Bassist Phil Lipscomb and drummer Jarrod Montague soon joined the group, and the original lineup has remained intact ever since.

A Rap-Rock Debut:

Taproot put out a series of self-released albums at the end of the 20th century. Soon after, the band attracted the interest of Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit, who wanted to sign the band. However, Taproot eventually went with Atlantic, causing friction with Durst. Regardless, Taproot’s first album, Gift, was released in 2000. Gift featured occasionally rapped lyrics from Stephen Richards that touched on male aggression and self-doubt. Listening to Gift, it was understandable why Durst would take a liking to the group: Taproot shared a definite lyrical and sonic similarity to Limp Bizkit.

Finding Their Voice on Second Album:

2002’s Welcome represented a step up from the overly familiar Gift. Peaking at No. 17 on the Billboard album chart, the group’s highest ranking to date, Welcome moved away from rap-rock conventions. In their place, Taproot continued to pound away on the guitars, but vocal melodies started taking on greater importance. Two singles, “Mine” and “Poem,” made some headway on both the mainstream and modern rock charts, although the album failed to reach even gold-certified sales.

A Shift to a Moodier Sound:

Taproot released their third album, Blue-Sky Research, in 2005. Blue-Sky Research showed no traces of rap-rock influences, and the band embraced the moody textures of modern rock within the confines of their angst-driven mid-tempo songs. Though the album suggested that Taproot were chasing trends, Blue-Sky Research proved to be the most confident record of the band’s career. However, significant commercial success continued to elude Taproot, despite Blue-Sky Research’s solid singles “Calling” and “Birthday.”

'Our Long Road Home':

Taproot and Atlantic parted ways after Blue-Sky Research. Undaunted, the band released their fourth album, Our Long Road Home, on September 16, 2008.

Current Lineup:

Mike DeWolf – guitar
Phil Lipscomb – bass
Jarrod Montague – drums
Stephen Richards – vocals, guitar

Key Taproot Songs:

“Mine”
“Poem”
“Calling”
“Birthday”

Discography:

Gift (2000)
Welcome (2002)
Blue-Sky Research (2005)
Our Long Road Home (2008)

Taproot Quotes:

Stephen Richards, on the chemistry in his band.
“We’re just four normal guys. Not one of us has an ego in any one shape or form, and that’s probably the biggest thing … We just love being around each other. We make each other laugh, and we think that people understand that when they get to know us.”

Phil Lipscomb, on how the band’s sound has evolved.
“Well, when I first started in the band, it was a rapcore band, more along the lines of Limp Bizkit and Korn – you know, just like more rappy, with hip-hop beats. The way we’ve changed is that the music has become more emotional and more melodic, and has more of a vibe to it.”

Stephen Richards, on playing shows in Los Angeles.
“When you play in L.A., it’s kind of like you’re playing for a whole bunch of rich kids that just want to stand there and throw their name around.”

Taproot Trivia:

• Every song on Welcome has a one-word title.
• Taproot have toured with 30 Seconds to Mars, Disturbed, Papa Roach and Chevelle.
• While working on Blue-Sky Research, Taproot spent six days with Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins to get his feedback. Corgan ended up co-writing three tracks on the album.
• The band got the name Blue-Sky Research from an article about companies who hire consultants to brainstorm about new innovations. The consultants do what is termed blue-sky research.