Local Hardcore Band Returns Home

By Adlin Rosli
Daily Arts Writer

Ann Arbor's Taproot has been playing everywhere it possibly can since its formation about three years ago. Our very own Blind Pig, Ypsilanti's Cross Street Station, St. Andrew's Hall - why, the band has even played a show at Harpo's of Detroit. However, band will be playing the mother of all local venues soon. Taproot's lead singer, Steve Richards explained, "We will be playing Pine Knob for this year's Ozzfest Michigan stop on the show's second stage."

If you can't wait to see Taproot in Pine Knob later this summer, perhaps a better option is to check out the band play what it dubs as it's "home coming" show at the Blind Pig this Saturday night. A "home coming" show as the band has not had a chance to play a local gig in months thanks to the fact that the band got signed to major label, Atlantic Records and have been busy out in Los Angeles recording its debut release.

Richards said that "the album is called 'Gift' and we have recorded about 14 songs for it. It looks like there is going to be 12 songs or so on the album and we are probably going to use the other songs for soundtracks or something like that." Gift is slated for a June release.

Although June is still a couple of months away, the buzz surrounding Taproot has been absolutely deafening. The group has already made an appearance in this month's CMJ magazine, MTV's "News 1515" show as well as appearances in a number of other major glossy magazines publications on the way. Why even early self released Taproot albums have been surfacing on ebay.

Most of Taproot's press appearances have focused around the band's former relationship with Limp Bizkit's mainman, Fred Durst, and how Durst's wrath was incurred when Taproot decided to shop around with other interested record labels as opposed to immediately signing the record deal Durst offered. Consequently, Taproot appears to be quickly growing under the tag of "the band that pissed off Fred Durst."

Richards clarifies that this is a situation he and the band do not really intend to be in for long. "Our album isn't out yet so it's okay with me if this goes on right now. When 'Gift' comes out though, I think we should be able to leave all this behind. I want to make it clear that I don't have any grievances with Fred for anything. If nothing else, all he did was help us early on in our band's career and anything he may have said about us seems to only be hurting him anyway. I have no hard feelings for him or from this situation," Richards said.

Although most people would see the long stretch of touring dates in Taproot's immediate future as an arduous task awaiting to be taken, the band sees it as a great opportunity for itself. "This is what we have been wanting to do. I am actually looking forward to touring actually since we have made so many friends across the country through our music. I think this is a great chance to meet these people in person," Richards said.

The group has even done some preparation to deal with the touring ahead. "Well, right now all we have done is practice in a tiny room in my house. The sound system sucks but that doesn't matter. Were ready to go out there and play!" Richards said.

(photo by: SAM HOLLENSHEAD/DAILY)