White Lion, 13 October 2024

White Lion burst onto the forefront of the 1980s glam-metal scene with a highly powerful melody, searing guitar solos, and socially conscious lyrics. The band, formed in New York City by Danish vocalist Mike Tramp and American guitarist Vito Bratta back in 1983, didn't really waste time in making a name with its distinguished sound that somehow managed to break it apart from the rest of the hair metal bands of its time. White Lion managed to mix hard rock energy with melody, while their radio cuts "Wait" and "When the Children Cry" made them a commercial success, influential to this day within the genres of hard rock and glam metal.
During their career, White Lion released quite a few studio albums, which traced the band's evolution in sound and lyrical maturity. Success for them through the late 1980s was ignited by their unique blend of musicianship and dedication to tackling serious social issues-so rare in the glam metal genre. Despite lineup changes and eventual disbandment, White Lion's legacy lives on to this very day for worldwide fans.

The Formation and Early Struggles

White Lion actually formed back in 1983, when Danish vocalist Mike Tramp, fresh from leaving the band Mabel, relocated to New York City with the express purpose of creating a new group. That is where he met guitarist Vito Bratta-a musician noted for his technical ability and melodic sense. Both had the same vision in blending heavy metal with strong melodic hooks, something which would eventually define White Lion.
Following the formation of the band, Tramp and Bratta were to work through numerous lineup changes and fight for a record deal. In addition to Tramp and Bratta, the original lineup included bassist Felix Robinson and drummer Nicki Capozzi. After several false starts along the way regarding lineup changes and some brief signings with record labels that fell through, White Lion's future was very unclear. Still, they persisted to the point of being noticed by CBS Records, who signed them up for their first album entitled "Fight to Survive".

The Debut Album: "Fight to Survive"

White Lion's first album, "Fight to Survive", came out in 1985 in Japan and later reached the United States. The record is filled with the raw energy and musical ambition that would later become the hallmark of this band. Songs like "Broken Heart" and "All the Fallen Men" showed that the band could easily mix melodic rock with meaningful lyrics, thus preparing the future for success.
While "Fight to Survive" was not the most successful commercially at the time, the album did give the band their signature sound. Guitarist Vito Bratta gives a show of his chops in this album similar to the masters themselves, such as Eddie Van Halen, while vocalist Mike Tramp's powerful vocals brought emotion to every track. Although less popular at the time, it has since been named one of the most important debuts among the glam metal genre.

Breakthrough with "Pride"

The major breakthrough of White Lion came in 1987 with the release of their second album, "Pride". An instant commercial and critical success, the album launched the band into the mainstream. "Pride" peaked at number 11 on the Billboard 200 chart and produced several hit singles, including "Wait" and "When the Children Cry", both of which became defining songs for the band.
"Wait", the sole single extracted from the album, had a catchy chorus and infectious guitar riff that propelled it to number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song fully represented the band's easy skills in crafting radio-friendly anthems that held much of their hard-rocking edge intact. The music video of "Wait" received high traction in MTV rotation, adding momentum to the band's status.
But it was "When the Children Cry" that really differentiated White Lion from the rest of the glam metal pack. A deeply introspective acoustic ballad, the song's theme about the effects of war on children made it unusually poignant and an unusual subject matter for a genre so often dominated by party anthems and odes to love. "When the Children Cry" reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of White Lion's most resilient singles, finding a soft spot in listeners who liked how the band wasn't afraid to address more serious social issues.
"Pride" had several other hit singles including "Hungry" and "Lonely Nights", where Bratta's insane guitar work really shined through along with the energetic vocals of Tramp. As a result of this album's success, White Lion found themselves opening major tours of some of the biggest bands in the world, including AC/DC and Ozzy Osbourne.

"Big Game" and Continued Success

Following the success of "Pride", White Lion released their third album, "Big Game", in 1989. The album did not fare as well commercially than the last but still turned in a good performance, reaching number 19 on the Billboard 200. "Big Game" was somewhat different from previous output by the band due to its much cleaner production and broader range of musical influences.
The lead single from "Big Game", entitled "Little Fighter", was a continuation of White Lion's tradition to address both social and political issues. Influenced by the environmental movement and the struggles of Greenpeace, it combined the same blend of melodic hooks with meaningful lyrics that had made "When the Children Cry" such a success. "Little Fighter" peaked Top 40 on the Billboard charts and became a staple among fans.
Other standout cuts from "Big Game" include "Cry for Freedom" and a cover of the classic Golden Earring song "Radar Love". With "Big Game", there wouldn't quite be the same success as "Pride", but it would prove that White Lion isn't afraid to change and evolve, showing diversity in musicianship.

The Final Studio Album: "Mane Attraction"

In 1991, White Lion released their final studio album, "Mane Attraction". More mature, polished, and with a sound reflecting integration into hard rock, blues, and ballads, the album had the following tracks: "Love Don't Come Easy", "You're All I Need", where development could be manifested on the part of band members as songwriters. Bratta's work on guitar was decent enough to excel and impress a great number of fans and critical voices alike.
Yet, despite its strength in material, "Mane Attraction" failed to find an audience amidst the growing popularity of grunge music just starting to take center stage in the rock world at the beginning of the 1990s. White Lion was among those glam metal bands of the era that were lost in the shuffle amidst changing tastes, and the album would not reach the same level of commercial success as earlier releases.
Right after the release of "Mane Attraction", internal tensions and changes in the music industry causes the band to break up in 1992. Despite how short a time they spent in the spotlight, it was obvious that the influence White Lion has had upon the genre of glam metal and their ability to create meaningful heart-felt music.
Although White Lion broke up in the early 1990s, their songs are still remembered today by many who like 80s rock and glam metal. Classics such as "Wait", "When the Children Cry", and "Little Fighter" remain on rock radio and often pop up in playlists focused on the best of 80s hard rock.
Whereas Mike Tramp has always been on top of his solo career, Vito Bratta has mostly stayed in the background, and few have heard from him since the band broke up. Though a full-scale reunion never materialized, Tramp still plays White Lion tunes during his solo concerts to this day, making sure their music lives on for future generations to enjoy.
The latter years have seen the reissuing of White Lion's albums and renewed interest in the contribution the band has made to the glam metal movement. What makes the band different from most of their contemporaries is the way they could combine catchy melodies taken from glam rock and more useful social and political lyrics, and one can still feel their influence in hard rock and metal today.
White Lion is distinct in their combination of melodic hard rock with themes of social awareness in their lyrics. With hits such as "Pride", "Big Game", and "Mane Attraction", the band found much success throughout their careers and left quite a mark on the world of rock. Some things in the music industry just keep rolling with the tides. White Lion's music still keeps the hearts of those few fans warm for the musicianship, heart-touching lyrics, and undeniably great talent of Mike Tramp and Vito Bratta.
That this was done, and their time in the limelight was relatively short, White Lion's influence on glam metal and their ability to create songs with mass appeal and of substance ensures that their music will continue to be celebrated years down the line.