Tramp

Hard rockin’ party band fills the ballrooms

History

Tramp

 

1975 – 1976

Summer, 1975: Tramp forms with the following lineup: Jack Ayers on lead vocals and percussion; Bill Strandlof on lead guitar (Gibson SG) and vocals; Dan Rinaldi on rhythm guitar (Gibson SG) and vocals; Craig Swanson on bass guitar (Rickenbacker) and vocals; and Randy Weeks on drums (Ludwig) and vocals. The band practices in the kitchen at Randy Weeks house in St. Paul. Craig records the band on a cassette deck set up in the adjacent living room. The bands plays hard rock cover songs (in their high energy rock’n’roll style) by popular bands from the era.  Most of the bands jobs are in out state Minnesota.  Bill Strandlof records some of the bands live performances on a reel to reel tape deck at some of the jobs.  The band is booked by Bill Pluta, an agent with Marsh Productions.

April, 1976: A friend of Randy Weeks books the band on a tour of seven cities (in armories) in Minnesota, named The 1976 Bicentennial Boogie Tour.  After the first four stops: Faribault, Owatonna, Albert Lea and Austin, the tour ends prematurely due to financial reasons.

Late August, 1976: Tramp plays their final job at St. Catherines College in St. Paul and the members go their own ways.

Tramp: Partial Song List:

Medley of “Rock’n’Roll Queen” (Mott the Hoople) and “Ooh!, My Soul” (Little Richard)

Medley of “Black Diamond” (Kiss) and “Train Kept a Rollin” (Aerosmith version).

“Caught in a Dream” and “Desperado” (Alice Cooper)

“Strutter”, “Nothin’ To Lose” and “Rock’n’Roll All Night” (Kiss)

“My Wife”, “Squeeze Box” and “Substitute” (The Who)

“On the Hunt” and “Free Bird” (Lynyrd Skynyrd)

“Movin’ On” and “Feel Like Makin’ Love” (Bad Company)

“Fire and Water” and “Alright Now” (Free)

“SOS, Too Bad”, “Sweet Emotion” and “Dream On” (Aerosmith)

“Roadhouse Blues” The Doors

Photos

 

 

 

Recordings

 

 

Train Kept A Rollin’

Rock  and  Roll  Queen

Rollin’  Down  The  Highway

 

 

Bandtree

Tramp                         BAND  TREE     

 

Tramp  1975  to  1976

 ________________________________________________________

Bill  Strandlof

Lead  Guitar  /  Vocals

1975  to  1976

 

Keith  Zellar  and  The  Starliners

The  Tabs

The  Litter

Bullet

Tramp

_______________________________________________________________

Dan  Rinaldi

Rhythm  Guitar  /  Vocals

1975  to  1976

 

The  Tabs

The  Litter

Rockit

Tramp

Spitfire

Stryder

Fast  Eddie

The  Hots

The  Rizzatos

_______________________________________________________________

Jack  Ayers

Lead  Vocals  /  Percussion  /  Harmonica

1975  to  1976

 

Various Illinois Bands

Rockit

Tramp

The  Hots

Rizzatos

_______________________________________________________________

Craig  Swanson

Bass  Guitar  /  Vocals

1975  to  1976

 

The Skeptics

The  Inner  Outlet

13th  Floor  Elevators

Ding  Dong  and  The  Doorbells

Ginger

Tramp

The  Wombats

The  Natives

Shadow

The  Wailin’ Aliens

The  Strobes

The  Raydons

_______________________________________________________________

Randy  Weeks

Drummer  /  Vocals

1975  to  1976

 

Tramp

Lonesome  Stranger

 ________________________________________________________

Where are they now?

 

Tramp                   Where  Are  They  Now  ?    

 

Tramp  1975 – 1976                                                       

 _______________________________________________________

Bill  Strandlof                                                     Active  in  Music

Lead  Guitar  /  Vocals                                                      No

Doing  What  ?……………………..   Passed  away  at age 49 on  March 4,  1995

 

 ________________________________________________________

Dan  Rinaldi                                                        Active  in  Music

Rhythm  Guitar  /  Vocals                                                 No

Doing  What  ?………………………   Passed  away  at age 70 on June 5,  2015

 

 ________________________________________________________

Jack  Ayers                                                          Active  in  Music

Lead  Vocals  /  Percussion  /  Harmonica                       YES

Doing  What  ?………………………..  Musician  /   Songwriting  and  Recording

 

 ________________________________________________________

Craig  Swanson                                                   Active  in  Music

Bass  Guitar  /  Vocals                                                      YES

Doing  What  ?………………….   Recording  Engineer  /  Producer  /  Musician   

 ________________________________________________________

Randy  Weeks                                                     Active  in  Music

Drums  /  Vocals                                                                YES

Doing  What  ?……………………   Musician  /  Songwriter  in  Austin,TX

 

Interview

Interview  PART  ONE  –  Time  =  13:58

 

Interview  PART  TWO  –  Time  =  15:07