Mike Tramp

Mike Tramp
Background information
Birth name Michael Trempenau
Born January 14, 1961
Origin Copenhagen, Denmark
Genres Glam metal
Hard rock
Occupation(s) Singer
Songwriter
Instruments Vocals
Guitar
Years active 1978–present
Labels Atlantic Records
Frontiers Records
Associated acts Mabel
White Lion
Freak of Nature
Website http://www.miketramp.com/

Michael Trempenau better known as Mike Tramp (born January 14, 1961) is a Danish singer and songwriter who is best known for his work with the hard rock bands, White Lion[1] and Freak of Nature, although he has also released several solo albums to date.

Biography

Early Years

Michael Trempenau was born in Denmark and grew up in Vesterbro with his mother, Doris, who died April 2010 at the age of 80, and two brothers, Dennis and Kim. Trempenau started his musical career singing in Vesterbro Ungdomsgård, a youth group club in Copenhagen, and appears on their first album: Vi lever på Vesterbro (1974). In 1976, Trempenau, now known professionally as Tramp, joined the pop band Mabel as the lead singer.[2] Mabel released five studio albums and were very popular in Denmark and Spain, with Mike receiving "teen idol" status. In 1978, Mabel won the Danish Song Contest with the song Boom Boom and represented Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest that same year. Later, Mabel moved to Spain and became Studs, releasing a debut self-titled album in 1981 and then moved to New York City and became Danish Lions in 1982. After recording demos, the band returned home to Denmark, however, Tramp decided to remain in America.

White Lion

Tramp met Vito Bratta and formed White Lion in 1983; the band became very successful in the mid 80's to early 90's. White Lion released their debut album, Fight to Survive, in 1985. The band achieved success with their #8 hit "Wait" and #3 hit "When the Children Cry" from their second album, the triple-platinum selling, Pride.[3] The band enjoyed continued success with their third album, Big Game, which achieved gold status, and their fourth album, Mane Attraction, which included a supporting tour. White Lion disbanded in 1992; their first compilation album, The Best of White Lion, was released not long after.

Freak of Nature

After White Lion, Tramp went on to form the Hard rock band Freak of Nature. The follow-up was significantly darker and harder than White Lion. The band released three albums between 1993 and 1998: Freak of Nature, Gathering of Freaks, and Outcasts. The band shared stages with Helloween and Dio in Europe in 1993. Freak of Nature eventually disbanded in 1996.

Solo career

Following Freak of Nature, Tramp began a solo career, releasing his debut album as a solo artist in 1998 titled Capricorn. The album featured former Freak of Nature bandmates, guitarist Kenny Korade and bass player Jerry Best.[4] The song "Better Off" was released as Tramp's debut solo single,[5] and the songs "Already Gone",[6] "If I Live Tomorrow",[7] and "Take a Little Time"[8] were followed as singles. It would be five years before Tramp returned to the studio to record his follow-up album, Recovering the Wasted Years, during which time he would move to Australia, with the aim of raising his son away from the rigors of big city life and to plan his next career move.[9] Recovering the Wasted Years was released in 2002 and featured the single "Living a Lie" [10] which along with the song "Endless Highway" also featured live music videos. In 2003, Tramp followed-up with his third album, More to Life Than This, which Tramp once again produced himself but relied on producer/engineer Flemming Rasmussen (Metallica) to engineer and mix the sessions in his very own Sweet Silence Studios.[11] The album's title track, "More to Life Than This",[12] and "Don't Want to Say Good Night"[13] were both released as singles. A music video made in Australia was released for the song "Lay Down My Life For You". Also in 2003, Tramp released the double disc live album Rock 'N' Roll Alive, which features Tramp performing live versions of songs from White Lion, Freak of Nature, and his solo albums.

In 2004 Tramp released the solo album "Songs I Left Behind".

The new White Lion

Tramp also reformed White Lion with a new line up under the name "Tramp's White Lion" (aka White Lion II) due to legal issues with former members. The band played and re-recorded White Lion songs touring and releasing a box set titled "The Bootleg Series" in 2004 and a double-live CD entitled Rocking the USA in 2005.

In 2006 Tramp's White Lion toured Europe in November and December with British band Crimes of Passion. In 2007 a White Lion compilation The Definitive Rock Collection was released and the band was set for a summer tour with Poison and Ratt only to be dropped by the tour promoter after ex-White Lion guitarist Vito Bratta threatened to take legal action over the band name.[14] Eventually Tramp was able to use the original band name again.

White Lion recorded a new studio album called Return of the Pride, which was released on March 14, 2008. The band was now once again simply known as White Lion.[15]

Recent Activities

In October 2009, Mike Tramp released a new solo studio album titled Mike Tramp & The Rock 'N' Roll Circuz which was also now the name of his solo band. The album hit the IFPI, Denmark's official top 40 hitlist albums' at number 16[16] on November 13, 2010. The album features the singles "All Of My Life" and "Come On" which also features a music video.

In April 2011, Tramp released the solo album Stand Your Ground featuring the singles "Distance"[17] and "Hyme to Ronnie", a tribute song to former Heaven & Hell and Black Sabbath vocalist Ronnie James Dio, who died on May 16, 2010 after a six-month-long battle with stomach cancer.[18]

In 2012, Mike Tramp started recording a new solo album. "Cobblestone Street" was released on April 8, 2013 on Targets Records following a successful acoustic tour of Europe in autumn 2012. During this tour, Tramp traveled across Europe playing 40 shows, while driving and doing everything by himself.[19] The album charted at Denmark's official top 40 hitlist albums' at number 21[20] and features the first single "New Day" which was released on February 18, 2013.[21] The track "Revolution" was released as the second single for the album.[22] In March 2013, Mike Tramp supported Beth Hart for several concerts in France. To support his new album "Cobblestone street", Mike started a solo show tour in Europe, including France, Switzerland, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Turkey and the UK. The tour ended at "Le forum" in Vaureal.[23]

Mike Tramp did a U.S. tour and his first ever acoustic tour of the USA in the summer 2013.

To wrap up 2013 Tramp released the Christmas single "The Way It Was Before" which is a more serious track compared to most other festive songs. The single which is also inspired by events from 9/11 was released in Europe via Target Records on November 11.[24]

Mike Tramp has announced his return to the USA for the spring of 2014. The tour started on March 19 in Hollywood, California at the legendary Whisky A Go Go and continued into May. The tour also included an extended stay on the Monsters Of Rock Cruise 2014 in front of a big crowd.[25]

In June, 2014 Mike Tramp released a new single "Trust In Yourself" featuring a music video directed by his son Dylan.[26] The song is the first single from his upcoming new solo album "Museum", which was released on August 18, 2014.[27]

"Museum" is an album that follows the musical steps of his last album "Cobblestone Street".[28] Tramp gave four release concerts at the Zeppelin Bar, Café and Venue in Copenhagen. The four concerts took place on 14–17 August. All the concerts were completely sold out. Tramp delivered outstanding performances with special themes and different set list every night to a dedicated crowd.[29]

On August 22, 2014, Mike Tramp will start his extensive European tour playing shows in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the UK.[30] The last concert of the European tour was at the Bremen Theater in Copenhagen which was a trio show.[31]

In February, 2015, Mike Tramp signed a new world wide album deal with Target Records. Tramp's new album will be released in August.[32]

In February, 2015, Mike Tramp played two concerts in Russia for the first time ever.[33]

In March 2015, Mike Tramp has confirmed he’s at work on the follow-up to 2014 album "Museum". And he says the material will be solid classic rock, more akin to 1997 debut Capricorn, without the acoustic elements that featured in his recent output. “It’s a natural progression from 2013’s Cobblestone Street and 2014’s Museum, but it’s for sure a pure rock album. The word ‘acoustic’ will not be part of the description.” He’s working with long-time producer, engineer and guitarist Soren Andersen, their Rock’n’Roll Circus drummer Morten Hellborn, keyboardist Morten Buchholz and bassist Jesper Haugaard. The album will be out on August.[34]

After the highly successful USA tour earlier in 2014, Mike Tramp will roll out in 2015 to deliver another very intmate acoustic solo tour across the USA and for the first time steering into CANADA as well. Mike Tramp will play on the Monsters Of Rock Cruise and the Monsters Of Rock Hangover Cruise.[35]

Personal life

Tramp is married to Indonesian actress Ayu Azhari, with whom he has two children: Isabelle and Lennon. Tramp also has a third child, his son Dylan, from a previous relationship with Fleur Thiemeyer. Dylan resides in Australia with his mother.

Discography

with Mabel

with Studs

with White Lion

with Freak of Nature

Solo

Year Album Peak positions
DAN
[36]
1997 Capricorn[37]  –
2002 Recovering the Wasted Years  –
2003 More to Life Than This  –
2004 Songs I Left Behind  –
2009 The Rock 'N' Roll Circuz 16
2011 Stand Your Ground  –
2013 Cobblestone Street 21
2014 Museum 3
Live Albums

Singles

Year Title Album
1997 "Better Off" Capricorn
"Already Gone"
1998 "If I Live Tomorrow"
"Take a Little Time" (Leftovers)
2002 "Living a Lie" Recovering the Wasted Years
2003 "More to Life Than This" More to Life Than This
"Don't Want to Say Good Night"
2009 "All of My Life" The Rock 'n' Roll Circuz
"Come On"
2011 "Distance" Stand Your Ground
"Hymn To Ronnie"
2013 "New Day" Cobblestone Street
"Revolution"
"The Way It Was Before"[38] non-album single, Christmas single
2014 "Trust In Yourself" Museum

References

  1. ↑ Bronson, Fred. "Danes in the U.S.A." Billboard 111.37 (11 Sep 1999): D-13.
  2. ↑ "Mabel". Rockdoc. Retrieved 2012.
  3. ↑ "Allmusic (White Lion charts & awards)". All music.
  4. ↑ "Mike Tramp". musicmight.com. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
  5. ↑ "Mike Tramp - Better Off". rockdoc. Retrieved 2012.
  6. ↑ "Mike Tramp - Already Gone". rockdoc. Retrieved 2012.
  7. ↑ "Mike Tramp - If I Live Tomorrow". rockdoc. Retrieved 2012.
  8. ↑ "Mike Tramp - Leftovers". Musicstack. Retrieved 2012.
  9. ↑ "Mike Tramp - Recovering the Wasted Years". ulfTone music. Retrieved 2012-02-04.
  10. ↑ "Mike Tramp - Living a Lie". rockdoc. Retrieved 2012.
  11. ↑ "Ulftone - Mike Tramp". Ulftone music. Retrieved 2012.
  12. ↑ "More to Life Than This single". Musicstack. Retrieved 2012.
  13. ↑ "Mike Tramp new single". Blabbermouth. Retrieved 2013.
  14. ↑ "White Lion Officially Off Poison Ratt Tour". KNAC. 2007. Retrieved 2012.
  15. ↑ "White Lion - Return of the Pride". Heavy Metal addiction. 2008. Retrieved 2012.
  16. ↑ "Mike Tramp "The Rock 'N' Roll Circuz" chart". Retrieved 2011.
  17. ↑ "White Lion's Mike Tramp Posts 'Stand Your Ground' Audio Teaser". sleazeroxx.com. Retrieved 2012-02-03.
  18. ↑ "Legendary Heavy Metal Vocalist RONNIE JAMES DIO Dies". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  19. ↑ http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/ex-white-lion-singer-mike-tramp-s-cobblestone-street-to-receive-u-s-release-in-may/
  20. ↑ "Mike Tramp "Cobblestone Street" chart". Retrieved 2013.
  21. ↑ "Mike Tramp "Cobblestone Street" details". Retrieved 2013.
  22. ↑ "Mike Tramp "Revolution"". Retrieved 2013.
  23. ↑ http://www.uberrock.co.uk/news-updates/93-march-news-updates/7502-mike-tramp-to-support-release-of-new-solo-album-with-over-40-european-live-dates.html
  24. ↑ "Music premiere: Mike Tramp’s ‘atypical’ Christmas single". Retrieved 2013.
  25. ↑ http://www.sleazeroxx.com/news/02368.shtml
  26. ↑ "Mike Tramp launches new single". Sleazeroxx. Retrieved 2014.
  27. ↑ "Mike Tramp to release new album "MUSEUM" in August". Melodicrock. Retrieved 2014.
  28. ↑ http://hairbangersradio.ning.com/forum/topics/mike-tramp-new-album-debuts-at-3-on-danish
  29. ↑ http://hairbangersradio.ning.com/forum/topics/mike-tramp-new-album-debuts-at-3-on-danish
  30. ↑ "Mike Tramp Summer 2014 tour".
  31. ↑ http://muuie.com/kobenhavn-mike-tramp-trio-copenhagen-denmark/37711
  32. ↑ http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/ex-white-lion-singer-mike-tramp-signs-with-target-records/
  33. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/MikeTrampOfficial
  34. ↑ http://classicrock.teamrock.com/news/2015-03-04/mike-tramp-at-work-in-studio
  35. ↑ http://www.melodic.net/?page=news&id=24865
  36. ↑ "Denmark charts". Retrieved 2013.
  37. ↑ Ferro, Charles. "Global Music Pulse: Denmark." Billboard 109.49 (6 Dec 1997): 69.
  38. ↑ "Mike Tramp's new Christmas single was written shortly after 9/11.". Blabbermouth. Retrieved 2014.

External links

Preceded by
Ulla Pia
with Stop - mens legen er go'		 Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest
1978 		Succeeded by
Tommy Seebach
with Disco Tango