J-Whats your writing processs for the songs on "Capricorn"..those
are really deep songs?
M-Well Ive always felt that playing in a band,even though I was writing the
lyrics..I kinda represented the band,the band might not always agree on what ive
written,ive always had that in mind..but "Capricorn" was me outside of Freak of
Nature..and White Lion..if you found me in thew back of the bus,at that stage I
was already writing "Capricorn". "Capricorn",Mike Tramp solo artist is what Mike
Tramp has always been..that is the sound Ive added to the 2 bands Ive been
in..then we have taken it from there..that is what I am..that kind of music is
what I added when Vito came to me w/a guitar riff..I pitched back my sound and
we met in the middle..
J-How would you explain the music to someone that has
never heard it as compaired to White Lion?
M-Well White Lion was a period of time when music was like that…
J-Ya but if
someone was sitting here right now and said what kind of music do you play..how
would you explain it?
M-Well what I am today I am rock n roll..I am no frills rock n roll..the rock n
roll I grew up w/..Im not out doing new music..Im doing what my heros have
done..White Lion could not have exsited in the 90's or the yr. 2000..in
reality..and be out there.."Capricorn" Im the same as Tom Petty,Bruce
Springsteen, AC/DC,Bryan Adams..unchangable rock n roll.. no frills..walk
straight in..do it..take it for what it is..no gimmicks..
J-After the release of
"Capricorn" you went out on a self promoting tour across the country to
promote at radio stations..etc..tell us about that trip..
M-I wanted people to understand ,same thing w/Freak of Nature I would go in
there an fix the lights myself…I wanted people to see..Im a human being I
can drive to this town come out w/an acoustic guitar and I am real..
J-Just a quick note..during the promo tour across America,Mike kept a diary of everyday of the trip...this is a must read! its like being there for the whole thing..Its some of the saddest and some of the funniest stuff Ive ever read.. Im giving you the link here to come back and read it sometime...It awesome! and it shows you what real life is like traveling around.. one man..one guitar Trampin Across America!
J- Now your getting
ready to embark on an actual tour for a couple weeks..what will it be like..old
stuff? New stuff? What are your plans..?
M- It will be old stuff ,new stuff.. Im doing about 6-7 songs White Lion..and
the same amount for "Capricorn"..the White Lion songs are the songs that fit in
the style of "Capricorn"..they are not the songs that would represent the time
they were written in..they are the songs that will fit in today…Im not going
back in time.. Im just playing the songs cause people kinda expect me to play
the songs,so Im playing the ones that fit naturally into my style of music
today.. and its very important for people to understand,this is not White
Lion..Im not trying to recreate White Lion..its Mike Tramp out there..and
in between my own songs I bring out White Lion songs..and it all blends
together..
J-Onto
the future anymore releases planned?Have you been recording?
M-Well ya…I mean,Im ready to record tomorrow..its tough out there..Im already
gathering the songs for the next solo album..I mean the next Mike Tramp album..I
don't need to say solo album,cause a solo album is something you do in between
being in a band…its just a matter of working really hard..if Im going to go in
there and spend the effort and get my songs together..I want them to get out to
people..and not have to go on ebay and pay 35.00 for my album..I want them to
pay 13.00 at a record store.. but that is probley more the delay..cause my songs
are done..I just need to get them out there.. there will be a 3rd album too…
J-Then an acoustic…
unplugged….
hahaha…
M-Well Im actually sick and tired of the unplugged thing..I think in reality its
been over exposed, with the unplugged thing..its easier for a record company to
send a band out on a promo tour w/a couple of acoustic guitars on the
plane..every band has been over exposed…as long as AC/DC never does an unplugged
there is still hope for rock n roll.. I don't need to do an unplugged cause my
music is based on folk…rock n roll..that is my backbone,that is how Ive grown
up..I don't need to do unplugged..that's what I do in the back of the bus..or at
a radio station..but I don't wanna do unplugged in that way..
J-Ok that's about it..what would you like to say to your fans that are reading
this?
M-I wanna say thanks to the ones that still believe in me..and undertand that
for me to live I have to do what I do..and that is the reason I do this..Im not
doing it for the money…cause I aint makin no money on it..I wouldnt do the kind
of tour Im doing right now,where basically everynight I show up and have tons of
problems everyday..and the only fun I have is the hour Im out on stage..the only
time things change is when they go wrong..
J-Well thank you
very much!
M-Your welcome……
You can also
check out Mikes website at
www.TrampUniverse.com
where you will find tour
dates and how to get ahold of his cds....
Update 2.1.03 ... new site www.miketramp.com
Don't
forget to click here and stop by the
message boards and let me know what you thought..