Mike Tramp – Interview

Mike Tramp – Interview

09 Novembre 2013 0 Commenti Denis Abello

Interview by Alessandro Lifonti

Alessandro Lifonti, longtime Mike Tramp fan, has become for one day a special reporter for MelodicRock.it and has done this interview with Mike.

INTERVIEW (italian version)

AL: Hi Mike, first of all I want to thank you for answering these questions, because I know you already did that many times before. Can you tell your italian fans about your last album called Cobblestone Street (here the review)?
MT: Because the rock fans always think of me or remember me from White Lion. Some don’t always understand why I would write and record an album that sounds like Cobblestone Street, which in many ways is an acoustic album. But the truth is that before White Lion and also my true musical background, is what Cobblestone street is about. Not just a personal album lyrical, but also the honest and real sound of Mike Tramp. This is where I come from and this what i will continue with, it just took along time to get there.

AL: In the last 5/6 years you released several albums (you also did that in the past of course) , and now I know a new one is on its way… how and where you keep finding inspiration after more than 30 years you keep writing music/songs?
MT: My music or my song writing is really just an extension of myself. It is something I don’t really think about but just do. Now that I write songs that ends up sounding the same way on the album as the way I write them, opposite to what i did with White Lion and Freak of nature. It has given me a boost and a lot of inspiration, i am really at home now and I don’t think of making music to sell albums or tour, but more just because I love it.

AL: Last summer you toured the States, and on one of your posts on facebook you wrote something like: “I regret I left the States that early…” Can you explain us why?
MT: It is no secret that in most ways, I am more comfortable with the way Americans live, and with that I mean, there is still a lot of freedom and there is still a lot of ways to live outside the system. Now that I spent so much time in Denmark, I real disagree with the system and government, it is nothing but rules and you can’t do this and have to do that.

AL: In 2011 you came to Italy with the circuz (san Doná di Piave, Parma). You started playing both shows around 1 a.m. That’ s a shame! Is that the reason why you haven’ t come to Italy anymore?
MT: No it’s not, but I am sure a lot of artists would agree, that playing Italy is not that easy, and I think if Mike Tramp comes back to play how I do it now, I really have to play the right venue and I prefer to have the audience sitting down and listening, it is not a rock show anymore, and who ever bring me Italy have to understand that. But I would love to come back of course.

AL: What is your favourite WL album and why?
MT: It is Pride, and it is because at that time we are a band and we enjoy being together. After that we became distant to each other and forget about the what we should be doing.

AL: You have a lot of great memories about the tours that WL did together with Aerosmith, Kiss, and Stryper. What is the greatest one?
MT: It’s touring for three months with AC/DC, it was just amazing to be part of such a big tour and such a big band, while at the same time White Lion was exploding and becoming very popular.

AL: Tell the name of an eighties rock band that would have deserved more success, and tell me the name of an eighties rock band that had more success than they deserved…
MT: I don’t know many people could answer that or would answer that. What I personally like and what I personally don’t like, I keep to myself.

AL: who was your favourite singer in the eighties (beside phil lynott, springsteen), and who was the worst?
MT: I never had a favorite singer from the 80’s, my favorites are people like Freddy Mercury, Steve Perry, Robin Zander, Ronnie James Dio.

AL: You’ve been working on a new record! Can you tell us a bit more about it?
MT: Not really except that it continues from where Cobblestone street ended, and that it will make the point of what Mike Tramp is, after this album you will understand that the past is the past and this is now.

AL: Mike, it seems that the more time passes by, the more you enjoy going out there and play….how is that possible?
MT: I think it is only possible when you do what you want to and what you love. I could never imagine myself up on stage doing White Lion the old way.

AL: Mike , thank you once again for this interview! I hope next year i can finally take you to my hometown for a night of RNR! In the meantime take care, and see you along the endless highway. Ciao, Ale
MT: Prego, and let’s hope so.
Ciao,
Mike.

Alessandro Lifonti with Mike Tramp

© 2013, Denis Abello. All rights reserved.