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Official Biography - Tait, Empty
The name Tait may have been thrown around a lot when referencing
Michael Tait as a member of dc talk,
but this time, it may not refer to what you're used to. Nowadays,
Tait will refer to the band, comprising the talents of Michael Tait
on lead vocals, Pete Stewart on guitar, Chad Chapin on drums and
bassist Lonnie Chapin.
At this point, with all the focus and drive he's put behind this project,
any confusion doesn't bother Michael. "I actually named the band
Tait for my father. He was an integral part of my life, and I wanted
to do something to honor his memory and the impact he has made.
You're going to see a lot of Tait the band, not just Michael Tait,
shining through in all of this," he said.
Michael doesn't sweat the grammatical flip-flops the existence of Tait provides.
Nor does he worry about the musical expectations of others who think
a "solo project" from the African-American third of dc talk would
go much differently than Empty.
"This is modern rock with elements of pop, funk, soul and just a
touch of R&B. It's a very diverse record," Michael says.
His band mates certainly reflect their front man's exuberance about
the new venture. "I think the cool thing is that there's a youthful
excitement within this band," says Pete, formerly of Grammatrain.
"The thing that makes me so excited is that this is a real rock
'n' roll band."
It's the presentation of that new entity that makes Empty
stand out from the power pop crowd, meshing Michael's yearning,
soulful rock vox with Stewart's approachable and tasty guitar work,
sitting on top of the solid underpinning of the Chapin brothers'
rhythm section. The songs are smart and hook laden that it's hard
to walk away from a first listen with only one song running through
your head.
But there are those moments of facing deep emotions as well, as seen
through the title track and the song "Unglued,"
both of which deal with the after-effects of grieving several deaths
in Michael's family, not only his father, but a brother and a sister
as well.
"I've taken all these things and turned them into the things my dad told
me about as a kid," Michael says. "The record's called Empty
directly from what my dad taught to me about my whole life, 'What
does it profit a man if he gains the world and loses his own soul?'
Those things became real to me when my dad died." And the first
single, "All You Got," which was
born "from the realization that everybody goes through seasons in
their life where they feel a total deprivation spiritually," states
Michael. "Sometimes we are the ones who encourage, sometimes we
need the encouragement." "That cavernous hole of grief can swallow
you, if you're not careful. Or you can turn it into something useful,
and that's what I've tried to do with my music," he adds.
Then there are songs like "Spy," with
its "Secret Agent Man"-like intro launching a crunch-filled rocket
about the dangers of treating others with unwarranted suspicion;
the irony of the loping "Loss For Words,"
in which a song about tongue-tiedness becomes a vocal showcase for
Michael; and the Smithereens-esque "Tell Me Why," a
song whose recording experience proved to the members
of Tait that they had something special going with this band.
"It was the very last song we did in the studio, and for some reason,
it just wasn't happening," Lonnie says. "We were trying all these
different things, and they weren't working. So we decided to try
to record it completely live, one take. And it worked. That was
an amazing icing on the cake for the record."
The process of making Empty
was the chance for Michael to sink his teeth into something meaty,
the challenge of making an out-and-out guitar rock record. "Michael's
a rock 'n' roller," Pete says. "That's another aspect of what I'm
so excited about, because this is so natural for him. It's not like
we're trying to create something that's not there."
And it's not just the chance to step out front alone and deliver the
goods that electrifies Michael. It's also the chance to step back
and see where the music itself goes. He says, "I've really enjoyed
the space I've been allowed while writing this record, and found
it to be very comforting in some ways, feeling like I could write
and not have to fill all of that space with words."
The linchpin of the band Tait admits that he thinks this is the right
time and place for this band to have come together, and that if
he'd tried this any sooner, it wouldn't have turned out this good.
"Let me make this clear: just because this band exists doesn't mean
dc talk is going away. This band,
along with Toby and Kevin's
projects, are simply dc talk dismantled.
We're very proud of each other, and very celebratory of each other's
projects."
"I couldn't have made the so-called 'solo project' before now, because
I needed to learn so much about so many things," Michael says. "I
started out my career as a spectator, really just enjoying the fantasia
of it all. But as I've grown up, I think I've become an artist.
Having lived through it, I can come to the drawing table with more
than an idea, but truly a creative plan or process.
"We all feel like we've got something really special here, and I can't
wait for the world to hear it."
And the world will hear it, and in time will come to know, and love,
the differences in Michael Tait the man that make Tait the band,
and this excellent debut project Empty,
work so well.
[ Below Information © Release Magazine - Winter 1993 ]
Full Name: Michael Tait
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Birthdate: May 18, 1966
Family: Mom (Maxine), Dad (Nathel), Sisters
(Lynda, Sharon, Ann, Angela), Brothers (Nathel
Jr., Bill)
Recent Reads: Entertainment Tonight, Utmost For His
Highest
Currently On The Stereo: Geoffrey Williams, Nat King
Cole, "Seal"
Favorite Flick: Beaches / Home Alone / Back To The
Future 1
Philosophy Of Life In A Nutshell: Live life to the
fullest. Love Jesus, and your brother, don't waste
quality time on just anything!
Upcoming Projects: Michael W. Smith Tour, Video Shoots
For New Song, Arsenio, Tonight Show, Good Morning
America
Favorite Bible Verse: 1 John 1:9
Miscellaneous Facts...
Mike plays the guitar.
He sings every year on "The Old-Time Gospel Hour
Christmas Special."
His first car was an AMC Hornet.
He was raised on "soul music" from the beginning - his
father was a preacher, and he had 7 siblings (5
sisters, 2 brothers). Every Sunday they would go to
church and sing quite a variety of songs.
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