Interview by Paul Salfen
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Respected vocalist and guitarist Mike Tramp has announced the upcoming release of ‘Songs Of White Lion’, via Frontiers Music Srl on April 14, 2023. As the title implies, the album sees Tramp re-imagining select cuts from his former band White Lion’s catalog.
“For me, the period of 1983-1991 was a once in a lifetime experience. Everything I did back then was for the first time, and even though it was beyond exciting and adventurous, when it came to an end, it was more than just the end of a band, it was also the end of a very specific time in my life that I had lived and been part of. Over the next 20 years, I would revisit that time in my life in small parts, but never felt 100% comfortable with it. I simply could not force myself to recreate what I once was,” says Tramp.
“Now, here I am again, the year is 2023 and I have recorded an album of the ‘big’ White Lion songs as close to the originals as possible, but exploring small new parts that today I feel should be that way. I am not 26 anymore, I don’t sing like I am 26, and I wouldn’t be doing justice to the songs or myself if I tried to sing like I am 26. Today, I sing the songs that I wrote with Vito Bratta over 40 years ago exactly the way I am today. This is the only way I can embrace them and feel at home and be honest to myself and the songs,” he concludes.
Tramp first came to prominence in the music world with White Lion, who formed in 1983. After signing to Atlantic Records, the band enjoyed great success with the release of their second album, ‘Pride’ in 1987, which included the hits “Wait” and “When the Children Cry”. The band’s third album, ‘Big Game’ (1991) and fourth album, ‘Mane Attraction’ (1992) continued the band’s winning streak, but ultimately White Lion disbanded in 1992.
After White Lion, Tramp formed the hard rock band Freak Of Nature, who had a decidedly darker and harder vibe than White Lion. Freak Of Nature would release three studio albums before disbanding in 1996.
In 1998, Tramp initially started his solo career. His debut solo album, ‘Capricorn’ came out in 1998 and in 2002, his second solo album, ‘Recovering The Wasted Years’ was released. Tramp would then take a break from his solo career from 2004-2008 to tour and record under the name Mike Tramp’s White Lion and eventually under the name White Lion, releasing the album ‘Return Of The Pride’ in 2008.
Since 2009, Tramp has been writing and recording as a solo artist releasing nine studio albums, including his most recent, 2022’s ‘For Første Gang’. He has also been a consistent presence on the road, both as an acoustic solo artist and with a backing band, with no plans of slowing down anytime soon.
