In 1997, Taproot sent their demo to Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst. Impressed with their material, he offered to get them a recording contract through Interscope Records. However, after extended negotiations, Taproot looked elsewhere, where they finally landed a lucrative record deal with Atlantic Records. Durst heavily cursed the band on vocalist Stephen Richards' answering machine. He also put some blame on System of a Down, who assisted Taproot in securing the Atlantic deal. In retaliation, Durst also kicked System of a Down off the 1999 Family Values Tour, replacing them with Staind. Taproot later went on to independently release three albums: ...Something More Than Nothing (1998), Mentobe (1998) and Upon Us (1999).
The band released their debut album Gift on June 27, 2000. With the album's lead single "Again & Again" gaining heavy exposure through MTV2, the band's mainstream rise gained momentum. With the help of Ozzy Osbourne's son Jack, Taproot landed a spot on the second stage of the 2000 and 2001 Ozzfest tour.
After spending seven months in Los Angeles, the band released their second album Welcome on October 15, 2002. Considered to be a more melodic effort, the album debuted at #17 on the Billboard 200, selling over 51,000 copies in its first week of release. Much of this was due to the success of the album's first single, "Poem", which shot to #5 on the Mainstream Rock charts. The album's second single, "Mine", followed with more moderate success. Welcome is Taproot's most successful album to date, almost achieving gold status, with approximately 475,000 copies sold. After touring across the country on Disturbed's Music as a Weapon Tour, as well as a European tour, the band took a two-year break.
Returning from their break, the band released their third major album Blue-Sky Research on August 16, 2005. Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins frontman) assisted in songwriting on the album, which was produced by Toby Wright. It debuted at #33 on the Billboard 200, with approximately 28,000 first week sales. The Bands single "Calling" was used by the WWE 2005 pay-per-view "Unforgiven."
The band headlined a major tour with Evans Blue and From Satellite to promote its release. Prior to the headline tour, Taproot acted as direct support to Chevelle on their tour alongside 30 Seconds to Mars. They also participated in the Fall Brawl Tour, which featured Staind and P.O.D. as headliners, and is notable for taking the then-unknown Flyleaf along as the opening act for the three bands.
On May 23, 2006, it was reported that Taproot had parted ways with Atlantic Records, after disappointing sales of Blue-Sky Research. At the time, the album had sold 112,000 copies since its release. On June 13, 2006, drummer Jarrod Montague, via Taproot's MySpace blog, confirmed the news.
On March 5, 2007, the band confirmed that they were in the process of recording their new album with producer Tim Patalan. According to Philip Lipscomb's MySpace blog, their new album Our Long Road Home is complete and will be released sometime in early 2008. On March 2, 2008, the band released a song from Our Long Road Home entitled "You're Not Home Tonight" on their website. This song has been played on XM Satellite Radio, Squizz 48 Indicent Exposure with Grant Random Sirius Satellite Radio on Octane. A teaser trailer for Our Long Road Home was added to the Taproot Youtube page on April 28, 2008. At the end of the video, it was stated that the album would be released on August 5, 2008.
According to the Taproot website, the band has decided to forgo signing to a major label. Their new album Our Long Road Home will be released independently through their management firm Velvet Hammer Music in a 50/50 partnership with the band themselves. Distribution was handled with Sony-owned RED Distribution.
Our Long Road Home was released on September 16, 2008. The disc was distributed in a cardboard sleeve and released to all major outlets. Just over a week after the album's release, it was announced that long-time drummer Jarrod Montague would be leaving the band and replaced by Nick Fredell. The band released a statement regarding the change in lineup:
""After 10 years of touring, our drummer and good friend Jarrod will be sitting out this cycle and we will be replacing him with our long time friend Nick Fredell. We'll miss Jarrod's presence out on the road, but Nick has fit in perfectly and we're excited for all of our fans to meet him. Jarrod's still very much a part of our family, so you'll be seeing him in press and the "Wherever I Stand" video which is out now on Youtube..."
In Spring 2009, Taproot went on the road with Dear Enemy and Adakain for the Take It! tour. Later that year, they co-headlined a U.S. tour with Cold, in addition to releasing the following statement: "Taproot has a few upcoming shows in November and December and will start writing their new record in January/ February of 2010. We hope to get into the studio sometime in February and March. We will be looking at a release date sometime in the late spring possibly early summer of 2010!"
After a brief period without a record label, Taproot signed with Victory Records. On April 1, 2010, at midnight, the band released the lead single for their upcoming album. The song was "Fractured (Everything I Said Was True)". A video for the song followed the release soon after debuting on the band's Youtube channel on April 16. Soon after, the band released their 7th studio album Plead The Fifth.
Current Members:
Vocals, Guitar: Stephen Richards
Bass: Phil Lipscomb
Guitar: Dave Lizzio
Drums: Dave Coughlin
Past Members:
Drums: Jarrod Montague
Guitar: Mike DeWolf
Drums: Nick Fredell
http://www.taprootmusic.com
Good Morning
Taproot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A strobing TV static flares the neon motel light
A tray of ash so full
A candle burns at both it's ends
A stack of empty bottles posing in the corner as your friends
This place is a scene and now you believe
This place is obscene, and you gotta leave
"Good Morning" sir the sirens plead as they go laughing by
The smell of failed attempts and bad decisions
Now only to fill your lungs
The taste of bitter sweet guilt now resides on your tongue
This place is a scene and now you believe
Dig your bearings up from beneath the sweaty sheets
To find the scary freezing holy carpet at your feet
Rise away from last nights tomb to see more in the view
The resting place of many resonates the morning dew
Find yourself now reaching out for what is real
Your sense of self belongs in a few belongings you can feel
A broken necklace hugs a lonesome matchbook at the seams
An empty wallet shows a picture that you've never seen
This place is a scene and now you believe
This place is obscene, and you gotta leave
The lyrics of Taproot's song "Good Morning" describe the morning after a wild night of partying and debauchery in a cheap motel. The first verse paints a vivid picture of the scene: the singer wakes up to find the room covered in filth - empty bottles, ashes, and a burning candle. The TV flickers in the background while the neon lights of the motel flash outside. The sirens wail outside, indicating an urgency that the singer can feel but can't quite understand. The smell of failure and regret lingers in the air, filling the singer's lungs, while the taste of guilt sits on their tongue.
The second verse shows the singer trying to leave this place behind. They struggle to get out of bed, realizing that they are surrounded by unfamiliar objects that serve as reminders of the events from the night before. As they reach out to touch their possessions, the singer begins to piece together the events of the previous night. They find a broken necklace, a matchbook, and an empty wallet with a photo of a stranger inside. The chorus repeats the sentiment that this place is obscene, and the singer must leave.
Overall, the song's lyrics serve as a commentary on the dangers of indulging in reckless behavior and the consequences that follow. The singer experiences regret, guilt, and an overwhelming desire to escape the situation. The lyrics effectively set the tone of a hazy, chaotic morning, with vivid descriptions that paint a clear picture of the singer's environment and mental state.
Line by Line Meaning
Scraping film away your eyes awake to quite the sight
Wiping sleep from your eyes, you look around and see a chaotic scene.
A strobing TV static flares the neon motel light
A TV flickers and casts an unsteady light on the garish neon sign of a motel.
A tray of ash so full
An ashtray is overflowing with cigarette butts.
A candle burns at both it's ends
A candle is almost completely burned, with flames at both ends.
A stack of empty bottles posing in the corner as your friends
There is a pile of empty bottles in the corner, resembling friends.
This place is a scene and now you believe
You finally realize that this place is chaotic and chaotic beyond belief.
This place is obscene, and you gotta leave
This place is disgusting and it's time to go.
"Good Morning" sir the sirens plead as they go laughing by
Sirens outside wail in the morning light, sounding like laughter.
Through the pane they bleed urgency inside
The sound of the sirens penetrates through the window with an urgent sense.
The smell of failed attempts and bad decisions
The scent in the air is one of failure and regret.
Now only to fill your lungs
Breathing in the scent fills you with a sense of despair.
The taste of bitter sweet guilt now resides on your tongue
You feel a sense of remorse that is both bitter and sweet lingering in your mouth.
Dig your bearings up from beneath the sweaty sheets
You must emerge from beneath the covers and orient yourself to your surroundings.
To find the scary freezing holy carpet at your feet
You notice the cold and terrifying carpet beneath your feet.
Rise away from last nights tomb to see more in the view
Leave the tomb-like surroundings of the motel room and move forward to see more.
The resting place of many resonates the morning dew
The resting place of many people is visible in the dew of the morning.
Find yourself now reaching out for what is real
Now strive to find what is authentic and genuine.
Your sense of self belongs in a few belongings you can feel
Your sense of identity is tied to the few physical objects you have with you.
A broken necklace hugs a lonesome matchbook at the seams
A damaged necklace and a matchbook are the only items that bring you some comfort.
An empty wallet shows a picture that you've never seen
Your empty wallet reveals a photo that you have never seen before.
This place is a scene and now you believe
You are finally convinced that this place is a disorderly, chaotic scene.
This place is obscene, and you gotta leave
This place is disgusting and it's time to go.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Mike DeWolf, Nick Fredell, Phil Lipscomb, Stephen Richards
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind