TAPROOT Frontman Discusses The Making Of 'Our Long Road Home'

TAPROOT vocalist Stephen Richards has told Timothy Flynn of The Flint Journal that the title of the band's new record, "Our Long Road Home", was no accident.

"It kind of sums up how we're looking at this album," he said.

The band's new CD will be its first to be released directly on Velvet Hammer, a former Atlantic Records subsidiary that followed TAPROOT's lead and split from its parent label in 2006.

While the group's previous albums were recorded in Los Angeles, the band tracked its new disc at the Loft in Saline not far from Richards' home in Ann Arbor.

"It was good, it was kind of a blessing in disguise," Richards said of the band's local recording digs. "We didn't have to worry about much, except income. With the economy the way it is, we decided to try and make some money for us instead of everybody else."

The group, which also includes guitarist Mike DeWolf, bassist Phil Lipscomb and drummer and Fenton resident Jarrod Montague, was determined to keep distractions to a minimum during the lengthy sessions. But despite the level of dedication, Richards said it was no easy task bringing the group's latest songs to life.

"It took a lot longer than we wanted it to," the vocalist said. "We spent time arguing over the songs we wanted to record. And as usual we ran into mixing difficulties. We had three different people try to mix it. Then when we heard the final album, we thought, 'It's so close,' but we went back in and did two more songs. It was missing some heavier songs.

"But once the album comes out, it'll be worth it."

Read the entire article from The Flint Journal.