Ex-White Lion singer Mike Tramp recently confirmed that he has approached former bandmate Vito Bratta about a potential reunion. He shared details about the guitarist’s response in an interview with The Hair Metal Guru.
Tramp explained his various attempts to reconnect with Bratta. He included suggesting alternative approaches to working together again.
“I’ve invited him [Vito Bratta] many ways,” Tramp said. “I’ve even asked him, I says, ‘If you wanted to do a project that wasn’t called White Lion’, sort of like — not comparing ourselves, but when [Jimmy] Page and [Robert] Plant got together the first time [after Led Zeppelin’s split].”
The singer elaborated on his suggestion. He referenced how other rock legends have approached similar situations.
“They didn’t call it Led Zeppelin,” he continued. “They did the Walking Into Clarksdale project, just to see where their songwriting would go. [Bratta says] ‘Oh, I don’t wanna talk about it.’ That’s how quickly that’s getting shut down.”
The comments reveal the ongoing disconnect between the former White Lion members. Bratta apparently remains uninterested in any form of musical collaboration.
This latest revelation adds another chapter to the long-standing separation between the two musicians. Their relationship has been complicated by both legal disputes and personal differences over the years.
Ultimate Classic Rock reported that when Bratta spoke with Guitar World in 2019, he acknowledged the disputes over the use of the White Lion name. He stated “We’ve been in court against each other… It’s not like we hate each other. We just don’t talk.” Despite the ongoing tensions, Bratta admitted he hadn’t completely ruled out a potential return to the stage. He said “I couldn’t ever, ever say no to that, because it hurts not doing it. But a lot of things would have to change around here for me to be able to walk out of the house.”
Meanwhile, Tramp has continued performing the band’s catalog through his project called Mike Tramp’s White Lion. This project features no other original members. Blabbermouth noted that Tramp has explained he cannot recreate the original White Lion experience or use the band’s name fully due to legal and personal complications.
“I tried, and it cost me money,” Tramp explained in a previous interview. “I think that the audience now understands that I’m just keeping the songs alive… I’m able to perform it in a different way… I don’t need to call it White Lion, but it’s called ‘Songs Of White Lion’.”
The legal complexities surrounding the White Lion name have become a significant barrier to any potential reunion. Blabbermouth revealed that these ongoing disputes have created an environment where both musicians have had to navigate carefully around the band’s legacy while pursuing their separate paths.
This continued separation underscores why a full White Lion reunion remains unlikely. This persists despite Tramp’s repeated offers and apparent willingness to explore alternative collaborative approaches with his former bandmate.
