FamilyChristian.com Exclusive Interview
Tait: This Is Not dc talk: Part 1 of 4 ...continued

Michael: And Lonnie has good ideas too. The whole idea about naming the band Tait…I was looking for some way to make it not just my prima donna-nistic state. People say, "Well, why is the band named Tait?" I didn't have a reason why. Lonnie actually said, "Well, you know Tait, you talk about your dad a lot." That was his whole concept, to name the band Tait after my dad. It gives meaning. A lot of people don't know that either. You can print that. And then, too, just within the band, too, he has a lot of leadership qualities for sure. I listen to him.

Pete: Lonnie's probably one of the funnest people to be around, in case you haven't noticed by now. Someone calls me and wants to go do something, half the time I'm like, "I'd rather just sit here and do nothing." But if I ever feel like getting on my bike and meeting Lonnie somewhere and riding out to get coffee or somewhere, there's no question he's going to say yes.

Chad: Lonnie's always up for something fun.

Pete: Lonnie and I have ended up rooming together most of the time on [the] gigs we've been out on so far, and it's been real fun to see that bond grow. I actually met Lonnie before I met the other guys. We were on one tour together a long time ago [when I was with Grammatrain].

Michael: I didn't know that, Pete.

Pete: It was actually when Lonnie was teching for Whiteheart.

Michael: Did Grammatrain go out with Whiteheart or Petra?

Pete: Both.

Lonnie: They were touring together, Whiteheart and Petra. Johnny Q. Public, Grammatrain, Whiteheart and Petra.

Michael: That's a good tour.

Pete: I just love the fact that Lonnie's real grounded. You know just from meeting him that family's one of the most important things to him, relationships are the most important things to him. People, he just loves people. I'll be honest, sometimes people annoy me. [Guys all laugh]. I've always said that your best friends should be people who encourage you to be a good person. I know I can't get away with being someone who isn't following God around these guys.

FamilyChristian.com: Alright, let's talk about Pete.

All singing loudly: Let's talk about Pete, baby. Let's talk about you and me. All the good things, all the bad things, that we see. Let's talk about Pete. [More laughter].

Pete: Next question.

Michael: Pete Stewart, when I first met Pete, I was honestly intimidated…

FamilyChristian.com: It's all that facial hair, right?

Michael: No, he was a lot cuter back then.

Pete: I grew this just to scare the girls off.

Chad: Pete has all the guys holding signs up. [Guys all laugh]

Michael: All the fourteen-year-old boys love Pete.

Lonnie: That's the truth!

Michael: They look at him like he's Jim Morrison or something.

FamilyChristian.com: Your face is turning red, Pete.

Pete: It is not! [more laughter].

Michael: Back to the subject at hand…when I first met Pete, I was honestly intimidated because I've always loved rock and roll. He was with Grammatrain and he did a show in front of dc talk. I remember thinking, he's probably my favorite guitar-singer cat in our industry because he just commanded the stage. So we started talking about working together on a project. We did "Uphill Battle" first, a song Chad and I started. Pete came in and wrote with us on it and then we produced it [for] the Forefront birthday record.

Chad and I lost a good friend a year before that to, literally sin and immorality and all kinds of weird stuff. My old girlfriend and Toby said, "Tait, let that guy go." I was hanging on. Sometimes you hang on to things because it's convenient. That's the scary, sad part. And this guy wrote guitar parts with us, we wrote songs with him. He was kind of like our Pete

And then Pete comes along. It's like I let go and [now with Pete I] couldn't find a better partner to do the record with. The little things like the fact that he can write, produce...even as an engineer, he works all his own equipment. He pushes buttons and faders and EQs things with a musical mind, not just a technical mind from MIT Institute or something. People don't think about that. That's important and that's a blessing because he's so talented. It's all that and he actually listens to me. [laughs]. I'm still, to a degree, and this is the truth too, Pete, a bit intimidated sometimes because I don't think you realize how talented you are.

We all wrote the songs for the Tait record but the Tait sound, and I think you guys will agree with me, a lot of it comes from the guitar work. He's a big part of our sound. I'm complimenting you more than saying things about you but that's a big thing in my life.

But one major thing about Pete is that, intellectually, he inspires me so much. I'm pretty traditional conservative when it comes to my points in life. Not that Pete's not conservative, but he's always on the other side going, "Well, Tait, what about this?" Things I don't want to hear about, that I don't really want to face. He sharpens me that way.

Empty by Tait

Chad: Pete's become one of my best friends. I look up to Pete in a lot of ways. I love to write songs more than I love to play drums. And Pete's an incredible songwriter.

Also, I see how he loves his wife. They've been married for eight and a half years now. Out of all the divorce that goes on, even in the church… obviously marriage takes work, but it encourages me that, you know what, if Pete can do it and make it last, I know I can do it too.

Lonnie: Two words. I love this about Pete: rock and roll.

Pete: That's three words. [Everyone laughs].

Lonnie: I remember one time, Pete was playing for Heather Miller. She gets done doing her thing and then there's a little B section and then all of the sudden the verse comes in and Pete steps up to the microphone and the place just goes crazy. He's just one of those guys that when you see him play, he is absolutely electrifying.

When I was a lowly crew guy with Whiteheart and Pete was with his group Grammatrain, Pete was just always really nice to me. Donna [his wife] was out on the road with him too and I just had a great relationship with them. They see no color. They see no stars. I love that about Pete and his heart. He's got a huge heart. As well as Tait and Chad, Pete has become one of my closest friends and I would do anything for him, and Donna, too, because they mean that much to me.

FamilyChristian.com: Well, we got through one question, and it's time for your soundcheck.

Michael: That's just one question?

Lonnie: Oh my gosh…

Chad: I think what she meant by introduce each is, "Hey this is Michael, lead vocalist." [everyone laughs]

Pete: Do we need to finish this later?

Lonnie: We would love to talk about the record.

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