Taproot Hire Billy Corgan

The Ozzfest veterans Taproot teamed with the former Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan for writing songs for their third album "Blue-Sky Research," due on August 16th release.

"We heard Billy was working with Breaking Benjamin so we knew that it was possible that he might be interested in working with us," says Taproot frontman Stephen Richards. "We sent a couple CDs to his people, and he thought we had a lot of talent but wanted to point out some habits that he thought we were falling into that he wanted to help us break. We kind of fell into a comfort zone with the way we wrote songs, going heavy to quiet, not really exploring how to keep the song interesting all the way through."

Corgan is giving his advices and chipping in the occasional guitar parts and vocal melodies on the tracks "Lost In The Woods," "Violent Seas" and "Promise."

"At first it was just a feeling-out process," Richards says. "We weren't quite sure if we were going there to sit down and write songs together or if we were just going to tear some of our existing stuff apart and rework it with him. It ended up being a little bit of both. He was really honest with us like, 'I see what you're doing there, but it doesn't really do anything for me. Gimme something else you guys are really psyched on.'"

Corgan's critiques helped focus the group. "We used to throw in extra beats and use odd time signatures just to f--k with your head," Richards says. "This time, we wanted to have more straight-ahead, good songs, and I think we do."

Considered one of today's most striking live acts, Taproot will spend the summer on the road. They are currently on tour with Chevelle. The trek - which kicks off on July 9th in Indianapolis - also features support from 30 Seconds To Mars. Confirmed tour dates, as well as the additional info, can be found at RollingStone.com.

Founded in 1997, Taproot made their Velvet Hammer Music/Atlantic debut with 2000's "Gift," which featured the Active Rock radio hit, "Again And Again." They followed that success two years later with the Toby Wright-produced "Welcome," a collection which spawned the major rock smash "Poem."

Comments

[corey3815]

The only taproot song i like is "Poem". Hopefully the new stuff will be better.

[Sasha Bond]

Taproot sucks dirk, even for nu metal, and i dont care if you flame me on this but Billy Corgan is an overated queer that is full of himself...I would have been more interested if they teamed up with Dave Grohl or Marilyn Manson or Trent Reznor

[ShazbotBen]

because Marilyn Manson isn't full of himself *laughs*

[MeatPuppets22]

Zing! Billy Corgan taps into the techno. He's bald and his teeth are frightening. Not that looks have anything to do with talent, but that's one ugly son of a ho. I've hated metal for as long as I've lived, and to me, "nu metal" is just emo in drop-d. Where have all the Alice In Chains gone? Oh yeah...

[Chestaufissen]

I liked both Poem and Mine, and a good example of them going heavu to quiet is Mine, but its still. F**k you Sasha.

[slipsoad928]

taproots pretty good, however i actually didnt care for most of the songs billy corigan wrote on the new breaking benjamin album. i dunno, hopefully this album will be good.

[MeatPuppets22]

I think Smashing Pumpkins will be remembered better in fifty years more than taproot or Ben. Sure they have lots of loyal fans, but are getting the runaround from less talented and image based teeny bop shit like simple plan. Anyone who disagrees should flashback to the mid-90's where you couldn't drive for ten minutes without hearing "Disarm" "Zero" "Tonight Tonight" or "Bullet with butterfly wings" Hate Corgan now, but the man used to be the key songwriter for the top rated band in America. Zwan sucks ass though.

[mustaine]

sweet.

[JeRrOld]

taproots suck a typical crappy metal band to me

[RockMusicFan]

Taprrotis awesome, their new album should be good.

[xchris78]

JeRrOld:
taproots suck a typical crappy metal band to me
[POSTED: 20 July 2005 - 11:39]|

Taproot is one of the best new hard rock bands around. I just saw them with Chevelle and they basically stole the whole show so shut up.

[infecteddh]

taproot has gone down a little bit, but when there first cd came out it was new and refreshing... Billy Corgan did a good job with breaking benjamin on the songs so lets see how this works out...

[im not mental]

billy corgan worked with breaking benjamin? i didn't know that.

anyway, billy has some great music, but he is an asshole. one time, the pumpkins made an appearance at my cousin's local tower records and they were supposed to sign autographs for 2 hours and play a few songs. after signing autographs for 30 minutes, billy threw a tantrum and wanted to leave. they also weren't allowing anyone to take pictures. this girl took a pic of billy and the managers took away her camera. after insane pleading, they agreed to give it back, but first she had to sign a bunch of papers saying that she wouldn't show the pic to anyone.

they didn't play a single song either.

[MeatPuppets22]

It's hard to be everyone's puppet. Dance for the camera, shake the many hands. How many autographs do you have to sign before you hate your name. Every artist should respect their fans, without them they wouldn't be rich, but artists don't owe anyone anything, and don't have to sign anything.

[PumpkinsPunk]

If only Billy Corgan would get back with the Smashing Pumpkins, the world would be a better place, but no he has to make a solo cd and then team up with Taproot, psh, what kind of name is taproot anyways, yellowcard is a better name than that.

[Chestaufissen]

Taproot's a good name, better than Mcfly

[Chestaufissen]

also better than Limp Bizkit

[Sevendust rocks]

Taproot is ***ing awesome!!

[MetallicAhead]

yeah Chestaufissen your right, not only is Taproot a better name than Mcfly they're also alot more talented.

[redshademotion]

MeatPuppets22, you suck ass. Zwan ***ing rules.

I even like Billy's new techno thing...but writing songs for Breaking Benjamin.....eh.....

[MeatPuppets22]

You're a goddamn techno maniac friend. Here in your car, you feel safest of all. You know Blender voted Zwan the worst band of '02. They were together for like three days. And made some shitty songs. Mary Star of the Sea is shit-tastic. Lyric blows. Jesus I/Mary Star of the sea even blows, though it is Pumpkinish. I will have a duel to the death with any person who claim Zwan F u c k i n g rules. ha I cursed. Death to MTV.

[crawlingfaster]

he just needs to get the pumpkins back together and not do all these other side projects or whatever the hell hes doing. i still love him though

[poisonthewell19]

taproot kick ass,mikedrum3 and sasha bond are dumbasses,don't read the articles if you don't like the band you morons

[Blood_Covered]

the pumpkins are reuniting.

but anyways billy corgan is my favorite artist. As far as taproot goes, i dont really care for their stuff, so whatever.

Final metro show dvd in 2006!

[imatraditionman]

a little billy corgan is good for everyone

[j-rad]

they were kick ass on use music as weapon

[j-rad]

to ( Blood_Covered )....dont get to happy about the pumkins coming back....i mean i like smashing pumkins but there billys newest stuff sux balls....as 4 him working with taproot.....it could be good...or it could go the opposite....like ZWAN!!!.......

[django student]

if billy wants to write songs i really wish he would get the pumpkins back together like he said he wanted to. this news ain't too encouraging.

[Zach Strife]

..we need more 30 Seconds to Mars news.

[QpNatashaOfKoRn]

Sasha Bond:
Taproot sucks dirk, even for nu metal, and i dont care if you flame me on this but Billy Corgan is an overated queer that is full of himself...I would have been more interested if they teamed up with Dave Grohl or Marilyn Manson or Trent Reznor
[POSTED: 20 July 2005 - 101]|

^veRy tRue, i heaRd coRgan's stuff on the movie, Stigmata,soundtrack.....pppfffttt

[dologo]

Zwan wasn't even all that bad, sure they were shit compared to the Pumpkins but then again so are most bands. I thought Zwan had a real catchy song in Honestly. But maybe thats just me.

[Sithslayer]

i hear that if you listen to zwan long enough your manhood falls off kinda scary seriously whats the point of these posts some articles should not allow posts these are just pointless. he sucks or he rules who cares

[RedGibsonSG]

Alice in chains? Haha

[Baker10]

first of all I don't think you should be listening to a guy who's name is "MeatPuppets22" I bought a meatpuppets CD only to smash it a day later. You're saying Zwan had a bad CD? Listen to Too High To die by the Meat Puppets. Total shit. I'm a huge grunge fan,but that CD just blew.

Do you even know what happend to billy during the "Siamese dream" era? And you wonder why he changed his music style after the pumpkins. Do some research first kid.

[shiznac]

i am taproot