MIKE TRAMP Says He Was Hit 'Really Hard' By COVID-19, Even After Four Vaccinations

During a May 17 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", former WHITE LION singer Mike Tramp opened up about his recent battle with COVID-19. The 62-year-old Danish-born musician, who is currently on the road in the U.S. as part of his "The Songs Of White Lion" tour, said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm hanging in there, and the show must go on, as we all know. I survived COVID for three years. I've been around the world… during the COVID time. The second I came to New York and went out and [did a] meet-and-greet [with] three hundred people, well, two days later the big C knocked on my door. That was the first time I had it. And even with four vaccinations and all that crap and stuff like that. Like my son was telling me, 'Well, dad, it's the new common cold.'"

Asked if he has been "hit hard" by COVID-19, Mike said: "That first 24 hours when it came like a lightning bolt, it hit me really hard. The lovely manager of QUIET RIOT got me on something called Paxlovid instantly, and within 24 hours I felt good again and just had the feeling that I had the common cold inside me. Unfortunately, I'm testing positive in the morning and stuff like that, but right now it's just… it's a head cold."

Pressed about whether he has done any shows since he was first diagnosed with COVID-19, Tramp said: "I've done four shows [so far]. A very strange component that comes with COVID for certain people is sadness. And at times when I've been up on stage with the lights in my eyes, I felt like I was crying. I knew I wasn't, but that's how it felt. But then again, you know that I've been in rock and roll for 46 years and I stood on stage with nothing and had to go through the show. It's what we do. It's a pain in the butt, but I'll see it through."

Tramp initially revealed he tested positing for the coronavirus earlier in the month, writing in a social media post on May 11: "Everybody around me, north and south, east and west, had it at some time. But for some reason i dodged the big C-19 bullet every time. Still I knew that when you shake 300 hands at night, 200 selfies and all the comes with meeting happy people after a show. Mathematics says, it just a matter of time, and it was. I felt the symptoms Saturday night, specifically in my throat and chest, and when I got up early sunday to prepare for our 12.30 show. I knew it was not good. Went to the Doctor and got the bad news that I was not immortal and I had COVID. Friends suggested i got on Paxlovid medication right away and before the day was through, I felt 100% better. But of course while I have been waiting it out, I have felt that I have an unwanted visitor in my body and I can't wait till it leaves. As I am fine to go on stage. Please accept that I won't and can't throw myself in your arms after the show."

On May 14, Mike shared an update on his condition, writing: "A week ago, I was brought to my knees by the Big C, even though sleepy Joe had told us all that Covid was cancelled. What a shit week, never thought it would end, never thought I'd feel alive again. But then today the sun came into my life and slowly as the day progressed. I started to feel whole again, and with every hour it's getting better and better, and maybe tomorrow I am almost completely out of the darkness. A million thanks for all of your support it means the world and I'll do my best to make up for the 3 shows we had to pull."

This past April, Tramp released "Songs Of White Lion", via Frontiers Music Srl. As the title implies, the album sees Tramp re-imagining select cuts from WHITE LION's catalog.

Mainly active in the 1980s and early 1990s, WHITE LION released its debut album, "Fight To Survive", in 1985. The band had its breakthrough with the double-platinum-selling "Pride" album, which produced two Top 10 hits: "Wait" and "When The Children Cry". The band continued its success with the third album, "Big Game", which achieved gold status.

By the time WHITE LION released its final album, 1991's "Mane Attraction", alternative rock was in the ascendancy, leading to a swift decline of the so-called "hair metal" scene in terms of sales, popularity, radio play, and most importantly, relevance.

Image courtesy of The Attitude