White Lion Band

White Lion band, who didn't recognize this rock band today. New York, 1983, it is the first time they was formed as a band. With James Lomenzo, Greg D'Angelo, Mike Tramp, and Vitto Bratta together as the members of White Lion. Before that, in early 1982 after moving from Denmark to New York, Mike Trampenau (as we recognized now as Mike Tramp, the vocalist) met Vitto Bratta, a guitarist from Brooklyn. Their two decided to form a band by recruiting more people for joining with them. And they were found Nicki Capozzi as drummer, and Felix Robinson for bassist. And named the band with Lions for the first time, then changed to White Lion.

Their new debut album with Elektra records in 1983, Fight To Survive has been making Elektra unhappy and refusing for releasing the album, and soon terminated their contract also. It's been a hard year for White Lion, until it's climax, both Capozzi and Robinson soon left the band.
But it was not the end of the band, in fact two empty places for drummer and bassist was replaced by Felix Robinson and Dave Spitz (both from Anthrax band). Unfortunately, after a month joined with White Lion, Dave Spitz left to play bass with Black Sabbath and his place, had been replaced by James Lomenzo.

It's been really years fight to survive for this band, just like the name of their new debut album. But there's a hope when RCA picked up Fight To Survive album to be released in Japan, 1984. And one year after that, small independent label Grand Slamm records finally released Fight To Survive in US, right on Nov 9, 1985. Then a few months later, the independent records Grand Slamm went bankrupt.

1986, White Lion had brief part in the The Money Pit movie, starring by Tom Hanks and Shelley Long. And making a huge question of a fictitious "female" member on that project.

But I think, 1989 is their brightly year for them. Atlantic released their second album, Pride the successful album with the single Wait which is on 8th of US chart & surprisingly real metal music listeners was liked it too. But not only Wait, When the Children Cry also reached 3rd place, and making Atlantic released Fight To Survive worldwide too. And yup, after that the band got toured with Kiss, AC/DC, Stryper and Frehley's Comet.
In 1989 too, their next CD Big Game came out. Brought more successful album for them and also set up their place in the hard rock bands' top-flight. The hits single was Radar Love, a classic originally recorded by Golden Earring.

Best CD Mane attraction was on 1991, according to Greg D'Angelo. It contained chart tune Lights & Thunder and a new version of their first album’s song Broken Heart. In 1992 Greg D`Angelo & James Lomenzo had enough of Tramp`s continuous fighting with Bratta so they left the band. New members were bassist Tommy T. Bone Caradonna & drummer Jimmy De Grasso. Soon, in the autumn of the same year the band disbanded.

Greg & James have played in different groups after White Lion. Vito Bratta concentrated on classic guitar playing. Soon after disbanding Mike had a new band called Freak Of Nature with his Danish friend Oliver Steffanson. They made a few songs together and the demos with the band. Then Tramp & Steffanson had a fight when Staffanson went back to Denmark. The band recorded 2 albums during the years 1993-94. Later in year 1998 all their demos released too.

In year 1998 Mike made his first solo album Capricorn.

After 4 solo albums Mike formed Tramp’s White Lion in the year 2005 with young new musicians, with “Tramp’s” as part of the name to show it was only him from the original band. They recorded live album “Rockin’ the USA” and a studio album is planned as well.

Older White Lion`s demos were also released in the 2000`s as bonus tracks on their remastered albums and in one collection.