Does ANYONE like Kmax?

[jesusfreak06]

OK,this is what I have gathered from what I have read on some threads,that is, that Kmax is not very popular. Is that true? I just wanted to know what other people thought. In my opinion,I love dc talk altogether but when they go solo I'll have to go w/tobyMac and my second favorite solo artist would be Tait. I just can't get into Kmax's music. Tell me what ya think.
God Bless, DavidSo I here you say you wanna come and get some! Should I mention I got your attention? Know that I'm a man on a mission,my position is MOMENTUM baby!--tobyMac

[MercyMe]

KMax just comes off as being really cocky and arrogant to me.. i dunno why, but he's always been the "wierd" one to me after watching dcTalk for the last decade.

anyway, thats just my 2.38958372 cents:)

[Mr. Squirrel]

I agree, Casey. However, without Kevin's vocals, I think DC Talk would be nowhere. Actually, (Oh, boy. I'm asking for it.) I think if DC Talk could do without anybody, it would be Toby. Mike and Kevin carry the vocals as far as I'm concerned.

But anyways... I just picked up "Stereotype Be", and I must say that it's very well produced. "Existence" and "Dead End Moon" rock! But I can't figure out for the life of me why every stinkin' song is about a girl! Anybody know?

[MercyMe]

I agree with you.. he has definitely helped carry the band.. but he's still wierd to me! :)

[MRGREEN23]

I think if DC Talk could do without anybody, it would be Toby

Boy, did you ask for it......

If you have ever looked at any of the words to the DC Talk songs, then you would notice that ninety percent of the songs were written by TobyMac.....

So, I don't think DC Talk would have been much of anything without him....Granted he doesn't have a great voice, but his lyrics are killer, and his style is unique..........


without Kevin's vocals, I think DC Talk would be nowhere.

I agree. I like K-max as a singer, not a lyrical poet. I don't get his lyrics....But as a singer, he does great harmony, and the way he does octive melody over Michael Tait is amazing, but the poetry isn't all that great.

Mr. Green....23

[Mr. Squirrel]

Yeah, I realize Toby writes a lot of DC Talk's stuff, and Toby is the big production guy, but you have to think about the solo albums. Didn't the other boys write pretty well (Tait mainly)? They all know what they're doing as far as that goes. But if you take away Mike or Kevin's vocals, you don't have DC Talk. Take "Just Between You and Me" for instance. Take one of them, and the song is toast. Here and there, Toby will step out from his usual BGV spot, but he isn't a key factor as far as vocals.

I agree.... Kevin's poems aren't to die for, but I like "I Went Over the Edge of the World" from his solo album.

Where'd you go, man?

[SenorPapaCabasa]

Ive never been a real big dc talk fan..... but i like kmax, i guess. Hes different, not weird, but different....to me in least :D

His voice is awesome, but i agree... his words arent amazing

I really do like Toby... he's a really cool guy, i got to meet him and hang out for him for a few minutes about 3 weeks.

[IAmCrossEyed]

so kmax comes off as being weird....who cares? His vocals by far push away the fact that he is "normal-challenged." KMax sings like nobody's business.

As far as who has carried the band......I don't think DC Talk would be where it is today if <u>any</u> of them were to not be in it. Toby brings the lyrics, KMax blows people away with his vocals, and Tait is the posterchild for getting it done.

[NotHomeYet]

I like Kmax, always have, he just gives off good vibes...in the form of vibrato, no less :)

[Nate]

Originally posted by IAmCrossEyed
As far as who has carried the band......I don't think DC Talk would be where it is today if <u>any</u> of them were to not be in it.

I was about to say the same thing!! :D

What made/makes/will make DC Talk so good is that they have three of the most different people in the world coming together for one purpose. Heck, if you were to hear all three solo albums without knowing who these people were.... you'd NEVER guess that they were ever in the same group. One of the things I've always liked about DC Talk is that they usually have at least two or three totally different styles of music represented in each song they do.

Ok... as far as rating the solo albums goes.... It's incredibly hard for me, I mean, they're completely different styles! It would be like trying to compare Nirvana, the Baja Men, and N*Sync!! I guess my rating would be as follows:

1) My favorite would have to be Tait
2) Then Kevin
3) Then Toby

But like I said, it's almost impossible to compare them! I think they're all awesome!

[YWING85]

k max is awesome, existence is my new fav song

uh....momnetum was a great cd, i actually liked the rap, uh.....haven't ever heard tait so, gimme some info on that

[Nate]

Originally posted by Ywing 85
haven't ever heard tait so, gimme some info on that

Tait rocks. His album rocks. Go buy it.

[YWING85]

gimme a single song to dl or something

and, btw, yeah, kmax has an awesome voice.....his range is incredible and he can go up and down that range extremely smoothly, try to sing along in some of his songs, it's hard.....

[Nate]

"American Tragedy" or "Talk About Jesus"

[YWING85]

oh heck, while i'm talking about this, yeah, i think the reason i liked dc talk so much is becasue of k-max's unique sound, not sure if mike tait contributed to that, but i'll find out shortly

[Nate]

Originally posted by Ywing 85
not sure if mike tait contributed to that, but i'll find out shortly

I bet you'll find that he did!! :D

[DreamChaser]

Heya,

Y-Wing, get "All You Got", or "Loss For Words", "Carried Away" is awesome too... but my fave song by Tait is "All You Got". Just awesome:)

[Nate]

"Unglued", "Altars", and "Looking for You" are cool too! Have we covered the whole album yet?? ;)

[MRGREEN23]

Where'd you go, man?

I broke my elbow on my left arm, and I am left handed, so i couldn't do anything for about three weeks...

I still have about six weeks of therapy until I will be able to play guitar again...

Major bummer.

Mr. Green....23

[MRGREEN23]

i think the reason i liked dc talk so much is becasue of k-max's unique sound, not sure if mike tait contributed to that, but i'll find out shortly

Kevin Max Smith has a very great ability (and of course God had to work it out where Tait's vocal range is what it is), but Smith has the ability to not only harmonize with Tait, but also, on songs like "In the Light", he is able to sing an octive higher melody than Tait, which sounds awesome.....!!!!!!!

Have you ever listened to their first CD????

Talk about corny.... But you can sense something forming, especially by the release of "Free at Last". Which I think is one of the most impressive CD's ever made.....

Reason I say that, is because whoever it was that mixed that CD. Probably Toby McKeehan, but whoever it was, put so many different little sounds, and snid-bits that I still hear new things in it every time I listen to it. And they have been there all along....

So, I think DC Talk is one of the most creative, talented bands around today.......But, they are not really around anymore, are they!!

K-max, great vocals.....Bad lyrics.


Mr. Green....23

[Mr. Squirrel]

All the songs on "Empty" are great (except "Carried Away" *cough*), but why hasn't "Spy" been mentioned?! If you want to hear the best kick-butt song, download THAT!

[MRGREEN23]

I'm out of the mix on that one.

I don't know what "Empty" is.

So please, fill me in.

Mr. Green....23

[YWING85]

i think that's the tait cd

[Mr. Squirrel]

yep

[soul]

i'm w/ ya squirrel, spy definitely rocks. all i know is this, if the beatles got me started listening to pop music, then kmax got me liking it alot. i'm still not to the point where i can stand nsync (God, please don't ever let me get there), but for a punk and hardcore addict to admit he likes at least SOME pop, it's saying something. 'return of the singer' is the one that hooked me on kmax, and while i've been lazy and haven't picked up his new album, the bits and pieces i've heard are incredible.

btw, dc talk wouldn't be what they are w/ anybody missing. anyone who disagrees should listen to 'in the light', 'jesus freak', 'supernatural', 'so long my friend', 'red letters', 'dive', 'what if i stumble', and oh...every other song they've put out.

[DreamChaser]

Heya,

Fuzz, you dont like Carried Away?! Thats an awesome song!:) one of my faves.

[Mr. Squirrel]

Fuzz, you dont like Carried Away?!

I'm not Fuzz.... but you'd better vote for him! (....unless, of course, I run) :D

[yjacket2000]

Let me quote Kevin himself, and you decide what kind of a person he is.

"At the start of my solo project I was consumed with being real and making a work of art. The process of being an island to myself and auther of my own desires, took the place of my most prized relationships. I have realized that my character is more important than my career as a performer.

I am with much prayer and counsel, putting those relationships back to the forefront of my existence. My personal walk with Jesus Christ (my first love and personal saviour), my wife, and my friendships matter more to me than a thousand solo tours of Slf-promotions. I believe that I have needed this "time away" from touring and the business for quite some time.

We as the Kingdom, should join together in a heartfelt effort to look inward to see what motivates us, and what is valid and important. I ahve been a part of the machine but I do not want the machine of my own desires to take the place of His.

I hope you will be gracious and understanding of my decision.

A fellow Jesus Freak,
Kevin Max"
-in response to why the dcTalk Solo Tour was postponed until early 2002.

Still not sure what kind of a man that he is??? Try reading his new book, "Unfinished Work." From what I have seen of it and heard, it is great!

I like his voice, I like his lyrics (you've just got to understand them), and I like the example he sets.

[MRGREEN23]

He's still too "out there" for my personal taste...


Mr. Green....23

[jesusfreak06]

Somebody said something about dc talk being just as good w/out tobyMac or somethig to that effect.[sorry if I misinterperted that] I am not crazy for a "solo" Kmax but when you put him with Tait and toby he is cool with me. And whatever was said about toby not having a good voice and all he does is right songs well...the reason toby never sang as much as the other two did is because they didn't do lots of 'his'type of music[hip-hop and rock] And,let's face it ,without tobyMac the Jesus Freak album wouldn't have been half as good...lyrically or musically.

[MRGREEN23]

without tobyMac the Jesus Freak album wouldn't have been half as good...lyrically or musically
I don't think anyone is arguing that.


Mr. Green....23

[thief]

Ive never seen kmax in conert but i have seen tait and mr extrm days himself toby

[MRGREEN23]

Ive never seen kmax in conert but i have seen tait and mr extrm days himself toby
And............
Your opinion?

[Noemygfemme]

I personally don't like KMax at all

[thief]

i never seen him so i dont know what to think of him.

[SPIKE89]

Kmax is a little different compared to the other 2, but let's face it, dc Talk is (no matter what people say) better as a whole. To tell you the turh, I think the only one who would make it in the music business alone would be Tait, and I'm sorry if anyone is offended by that. Each member of dcT bring a uniquness no one else has and they're all great solo artists, and they've all got their good songs and their horrible songs. Kmax just adds something different. My list of the best starts off with Tait, then TobyMac, then Kmax, but that's because Tait is my kind of music and the lyrics come straigt from the soul and Toby's songs are my style of music too. Maybe it's the poetry or the style that I don't like, but it's just my opinion. I can't wait until dcT's next group album cuz I'm kind of tired of the whole solo act thing.

[Gus]

Just some musings here...

Strange thought I was thinking a few days ago: Who in dcTalk could you replace if they weren't there, or if you were trying to make a dcTalk cover band? Well (without accounting for writting and producing credits), you got the role of the white-boy-rapper, you got the role of the strange-guy-with-the-amazing-voice, and you got the role of the black-guy-with-the-cool-voice-and-the-dreadlocks. Following this line of though, Toby's the easiest to replace (John Rueben, Matt Morginsky), then Tait (the guy from All Together Separate), but KMax just can't be duplicated. Nobody would qualify!

But yes, in real life, dcTalk is great as it is and better as a whole, although the side projects make it interesting.

As for my personal opinion, I like KMax's music cuz it is intelligent (sometimes overly so) and well crafted. Tait's album, despite awesome lyrics, sounded to mainstream for my tastes, except for "Spy", "Pete's Jam", and the funny stuff before the first song. I like Toby's album, but I like it in a different way. It's a fun album that makes you wanna go, "Yeah!" So i dunno... I say they're all great guys in the end, despite my preferences.

[nckcool_11]

Okay......
First thing, KMAX is awesome!! His vocals are great, and I think he is still a good songwriter, but overshadowed by Toby Mac.
The girl in his songs are like metaphors (or at least thats what he said). It might be confusing but if you think about it it represents something in like.
I think a lot of you don't like Kmax's music because it isn't, like, modern music. It's kinda old style and he might be basing is on what he heard as a child (I dunno, just an Idea).
God Bless
Nathan K

[stinkins]

HEY! I resent this thread...

I happen to like KMax's music (Noemy...don't say a word). His CD fuses all sorts of world music and shows off that Kmax CAN SING! Just look at my signature...

Jason

[nckcool_11]

If you were talking to me (i don't know if you were), you misunderstood. It's kinda like liking the Beatles, there great and all, just old. KMax's music isn't old, but its different. I think its good music, i just dont like it as much as, like taits.

[Mugga Please]

even if u think toby hasnt contributed anythin to dc talk (which i think he's the big thing behind it) but he's like produced every band almost.....and kinda has contributed alot to what christian music is today. so ya.....thats what i gotta say. and he's an awesome writer and his solo rules

[Forn]

I agree that you couldn't take any one of them out. No, maybe Toby's voice isn't Mike or Kevin's, but it's still Toby's, it's still unique, and it's still awesome. I love the pre-chorus in "Fearless" from "Supernatural" which Toby does an excellent job of singing.

On the arguement that Tait and Kmax could hold their own on the writing front. Right now, yes, I guess they could. But what if they hadn't had Toby's influence for the 12+ years they've been in dc Talk? Plus, consider this: "What if I Stumble?" would never be a rap song ;) So if you take into consideration how much Toby has contributed, writing songs that aren't even his prime genre... that's unbelievable!

dc Talk caused a revolution in Christian music, but each member contributed all of what they had to make a whole.

(Sorry, I'm off my soapbox in the middle of the city now) :D

[nckcool_11]

I've said a lot of stuff but I'm gonna say one more thing.
I think that dc talk is made up of all of these guys. Michael Tait has the overall awesome voice that is great range and sounds nice. Kevin Max has a HUGE range and sings very well. Toby Mac has the really cool punk rock voice that when he sings it adds a really cool effect. If you don't believe me, just listen to Since I Met You on the Supernatual album, because he sounds really cool on it.
Thanks for you time listening to me chatter.
Nathan Klipp
Peace
God Bless

[feerless]

I like all three solo cds! And i love kevin max's voice it's so unique! I might not have liked him as much if i hadn't liked dctalk before. Peace out!

[flipp114]

I think we all agree that dc talk could be nothing w/ out mike, today, and kmax. Kmax and mike can't rap like toby, mike can't go quite as high as kmax, and mike has a superior voice. As far as solo stuff, i like tait and tobymac far better than kmax, and I have seen all of them in concert. This is just my personal opinion.....:keek:

[taitfreak]

what's all this "kevin has a larger range/sings higher than michael" business?

Michael has the larger range. He usually sings all the high end stuff on the songs. (and I've examined their official JF tab book)

[NotHomeYet]

Mike's got a good range, but doesn't often use it. You can get a hint of what he can do from their old albums, when he used to sing really low.

I don't think Kev used his voice to full advantage on Stereotype Be. He sounds much better on the dcT albums.

[IAmCrossEyed]

Originally posted by taitfreak
what's all this "kevin has a larger range/sings higher than michael" business?

Michael has the larger range. He usually sings all the high end stuff on the songs. (and I've examined their official JF tab book) So the Tait fan comes to defend his boy! :kwink:
No one is dissing Tait at all. His range is definitely way better than the average person.

But I have to say, I don't think there are many people on Earth that can do the things that KMax can do with his voice.

And the odds of getting two people like that in the same band are not too great.

[IAmCrossEyed]

And about Tait singing the higher end stuff, that is because KMazx is all off on some other world singing only God knows what. :kduh:

[pintong]

dc talk is an incredible group with an amazing songwriter/producer/vocalist (Toby), great black-singer-who-doesn't-try-hard-to-sound-black (Tait), and one of the best vocalists in the world - bar none (Kevin).

You really couldn't have dc talk without all of them. Toby can write #1 songs and put on an awesome concert. Tait is a great singer who doesn't get too fancy, which makes for an excellent ballance. Kevin's voice is incredible. He's got quite a low-end to his range, he can reach well into my falcetto before approaching his, and his improvosations are hard for me to match even after hearing them a thousand times.

As for Kevin's music being too strange or there being too many songs about girls; Kevin is a poet. He often uses a "girl" to characterize whatever he's confronting. Say he wanted to speak about lust. He wouldn't say "Oh, lust. You are so bad." That just isn't poetic, ya know? Instead try, "And she's got me chasing what I can't have." Kevin's lyrics are very heartfelt and are of the most touching, in my opinion.

And if I rembember correctly, around when Jesus Freak was released Kevin was the most popular member (at least, around where I live). I rembember being at the Jesus Freak in Portland (it's on the video Welcome to the Freakshow) and there being an incredible majority of fans reaching for wherever Kevin was. Just a little strange for me to see someone asking if he was liked at all!

[SCCdcTFreak]

Pintong, I don't think I could have worded that any better myself. You truly are a dc Talk guru.

In Him,
† <>< Stephen :cool:

[newsboysforever]

kmax sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[luvhispresence]

No way!!! Kevin Max is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!! :kgrin:

[Gus]

That was profound wasn't it? :ktongue:

So does anybody have the record sales stats on the three solo albums?

[pintong]

To quote dctalksolo.com:

As of the week ending March 16th, Momentum by tobyMac has scanned an
amazing 114,755 units in just 18 weeks! Empty by Tait has scanned 77,753 units in 36 weeks and Kevin Max's
Stereotype Be has scanned 44,700 units in 28 weeks. To compare percentages, Momentum has scanned an
average of 6375 units per week, Empty has scanned an average of 2159 per week and Stereotype Be has
scanned 1596 per week.

[Unregistered]

First of all, the three DCT guys on their own are no good. Only when they're together do they get stuff done. Second, I have serious guestoions about the Newsboys, as songwriters and as people. Too many of the Newboys songs sound way too similar. About them as people, I guess it's unfair to judge them, but from what I've heard and seen, I question their motives for being in the Christian music scene. And we all know they wouldn't be the only ones doing Christian music for the wrong reason. Skillet and TFK forever!

[Gus]

I would argue that Toby came up with an awesome album, but he is a producer so that might have something to do with it. I thought that KMax's album was good, but it's not gonna be popular cuz it's a way different style of music. Personally I didn't like Empty, but that's cuz it seems pretty generic to me. I dunno, I'd definately agree that they're better together, but they aren't bad apart.

Newsboys? They're songs are similar probably cuz people like that sound! Go figure! :kwink:

[bctour7]

who says k max sucks? he has the coolest voice in the world....mr. newsbosyforever dude....k max could kick the vocal butt off of any newsboys guy...i bet i can get many ppl. to back me on this one

[luvhispresence]

I'll definitely back you up, bctour7.

[bctour7]

thanks :)

[NewSkilleTalk]

In my opinion, I think Kmax is just often times misunderstood. I think that the group would be nothing without him just as I think it would be nothing without any of the guys. Has anyone read Kmax's book "Unfinished Work"? For all you guys that don't like him I think you should read it. He talk's about a lot of stuff I didn't know about and I've been a die-hard dcT fan for 6 years now. I'd also like to say, what's the point in picking favorites? They all have vital roles in the group.

[bctour7]

well said.

[Fuzz]

Yeah you are so prolly righ.t.....he is missunderstood..but he does indeed come off as weird. -Adam

[JcMax200]

My self, i never really liked kMax as a solo artist, not tait much either, i dont know why, i only really like Toby alone, i dunno what it is. But together they make up my favourite band.:D