Bor… Read Full Bio ↴Richie Kotzen is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter.
Born in Reading, Pennsylvania on February 3, 1970, Richie Kotzen was soon taken by music and first began playing piano at the age of five. At the age of seven he was inspired by New York City band KISS to learn the electric guitar. Relentlessly developing chops and his own unique voice on the guitar, Kotzen was eventually discovered by Shrapnel Records' Mike Varney, and he recorded his first album by the age of 18. During that same year, he also graced the cover of several publications including Guitar World Magazine. He created the video Rock Chops for REH video in 1989, highlighting many of his formative techniques, including using wide-intervals and fluid sweeping.
In 1993, Kotzen made his big break when he joined the rock band Poison at age 20, co-writing and performing on the album Native Tongue. This album produced two top twenty singles which Richie wrote, Stand and Until You Suffer Some. Kotzen was subsequently fired from the band when it was discovered that he had been romantically involved with Deanna Eve, the ex-fiance of Poison drummer Rikki Rockett. Kotzen and Eve later married and divorced. In 1999 Kotzen replaced Paul Gilbert as guitarist in the mainstream rock band Mr. Big. Kotzen maintained the band's enormous success, performing on the Mr. Big record Get Over It, which sold more than 1,975,000 copies in its first two weeks in Japan, eventually reaching platinum status. Kotzen also contributed guitars to Mr. Big's subsequent release Actual Size. The record included the Kotzen song Shine, which debuted at number one on Japanese radio charts. Following the disbanding of Mr. Big, Kotzen released the solo album Change, in 2003. The title track, and the song Get A Life were featured in TV commercials throughout Japan.
In mid 2002 Kotzen established a recording Studio/Production company in Los Angeles, California. He has since been producing acclaimed solo albums and collaborating with various figures in rock, jazz, and fusion. He now has formed a band called Forty Deuce which recently released a new album entitled Nothing to Lose.
Richie has a unique style, which he has described as a mix of rock, jazz fusion, and soul music. Of his albums, he claims he is most proud of Vertu. Kotzen utilizes a heavy amount of legato playing into his solos.
Richie is now living in Los Angeles, California. Besides playing the guitar, his hobbies include exercise and sports, especially basketball. Richie has said that if he had'nt become a professional musician, he would have liked to play professional basketball.
In 2008, Kotzen released his first official live album, "Live In São Paulo", which featured Johnny Griparic on bass and Dan Potruch on Drums.
Discography
* (1989) Richie Kotzen
* (1990) Fever Dream
* (1991) Electric Joy
* (1991) Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey (Soundtrack)
* (1993) Native Tongue (Poison)
* (1994) Mother Head's Family Reunion
* (1995) Inner Galactic Fusion Experience
* (1995) Tilt (with Greg Howe)
* (1996) Wave of Emotion
* (1996) Times Gonna Tell (EP)
* (1997) Kotzen/Howe Project (with Greg Howe)
* (1997) Something to Say
* (1998) What Is
* (1999) Break It All Down
* (1999) BiPolar Blues
* (1999) Vertu (project with Stanley Clarke and Lenny White)
* (1999) Get Over It (Mr. Big)
* (2000) Deep Cuts (Mr. Big)
* (2001) Actual Size (Mr. Big)
* (2001) Slow
* (2002) In Japan (Mr. Big)
* (2003) Change
* (2003) Acoustic Cuts
* (2004) Get Up
* (2004) The Best of Richie Kotzen
* (2005) Nothing to Lose (Forty-Deuce)
* (2006) ZxR Ai Senshi
* (2006) Into the Black
* (2007) ''Return Of The Mother Head's Family Reunion'' (Japan & Europe)
* (2007) ''Go Faster'' (US only)
* (2008) ''Live In São Paulo''
* (2009) ''Peace Sign''
* (2011) ''24 Hours''
* (2013) ''The Winery Dogs'' (The Winery Dogs)
* (2014) ''Unleashed In Japan: The Second Show'' (The Winery Dogs) Released only In Japan (DVD/2CD)
* (2014) ''The Essential''
* (2015) ''Cannibals''
* (2015) ''Hot Streak'' (The Winery Dogs)
* (2017) ''Salting Earth''
Videography
* (1989) Rock Chops
* (1994) Mother Head's family Reunion (Videoclip from the Mother Head's family Reunion Album)
* (1996) Wave of Emotion (Videoclip from the Wave of Emotion Album)
* (2001) Don't Wanna Lie (Videoclip from the Slow Album)
* (2001) Shine (Videoclip from Mr. Big's Actual Size Album)
* (2002) ''Hi-Tech Rock Guitar''
* (2005) ''Live In South America''
* (2008) ''Chase It'' (Videoclip from the R.O.T.M.F.R. Album)
* (2008) ''Bootlegged in Brazil''
* (2014) ''Unleashed In Japan: The Second Show'' (The Winery Dogs) Released only In Japan (DVD/2CD)'
* (2015) ''Live''
Tramp
Richie Kotzen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
the vibe was heavy my heart stopped
but somehow I knew I knew better.....
we broke the ice with a cigarete
light I tried to get to the truth
but the talk was so sweet that I found myself buyin' her blues
well I know that by now I should
see the sings but its hard when you feel like time is
maybe one day he'll shine a light
no more life as a tramp
every lines is a catch twenty-two
somebody give me a chance
I broke down when she questioned
"are you lookin' for someone"
told her the answer was too far
lost in my head I can't see it
she told me love was easy if
I could just take a chance
but when I looked in her eyes they
told me the girl was a tramp
we went back to the hotel to try
and make it a night
now I could swear to myself that
this time I was losin' the fight
I gave in
we stayed up thru the morning
it didn't work how I planned but now
I made my conclusion the truth is
I'm still a tramp
The lyrics to Richie Kotzen's song Tramp seem to be about a man who is looking for love, but keeps finding himself attracted to women who he knows are not right for him. The song starts with the man trying to resist a woman's allure, but eventually giving in. Despite knowing he shouldn't get too involved with her, he finds himself drawn to her and ends up staying with her all night. However, in the end, he realizes that he is still just a tramp and hasn't really found what he was looking for.
The lyrics are very introspective and seem to be addressing the struggle to find true love and happiness. Even though the man in the song wants to change and find the right person, he keeps falling back into old patterns and getting involved with women who aren't good for him. The line "every line is a catch twenty-two" seems to refer to the difficult choices he has to make when it comes to love.
Overall, this song seems to be a commentary on the difficulties of finding love and the mistakes that people make along the way. It's a very honest and raw song that touches on some universal themes.
Line by Line Meaning
I tried hard not to notice when she walked through the room
I made an attempt not to look when she entered the room
the vibe was heavy my heart stopped
I felt an intense sensation that stopped my heart
but somehow I knew I knew better.....
However, I had the intuitive feeling that I knew better
we broke the ice with a cigarete
We started the conversation with a cigarette
light I tried to get to the truth
I attempted to discover the truth with lightness
but the talk was so sweet that I found myself buyin' her blues
However, the conversation was so pleasing that I empathized with her struggles
well I know that by now I should see the sings but its hard when you feel like time is wearin' you down...
I recognize that I should notice the signals by now, but it's difficult to do so when you feel drained
maybe one day he'll shine a light no more life as a tramp every lines is a catch twenty-two somebody give me a chance
Perhaps someday, someone will show me a way out of the life of a vagrant, where every decision presents a problem, and I'll be given an opportunity
I broke down when she questioned "are you lookin' for someone"
I lost my composure when she inquired, "Are you searching for someone?"
told her the answer was too far lost in my head I can't see it
I explained to her that the answer was beyond my reach, and I couldn't see it due to my confusion
she told me love was easy if I could just take a chance
She stated that love was simple if I would only take a risk
but when I looked in her eyes they told me the girl was a tramp
However, when I gazed into her eyes, I sensed that the woman was a promiscuous person
we went back to the hotel to try and make it a night
We returned to the hotel to attempt to have a one-night stand
now I could swear to myself that this time I was losin' the fight
At that moment, I was almost certain that I was losing the battle
I gave in
I yielded to temptation
we stayed up thru the morning
We remained awake through the morning
it didn't work how I planned but now I made my conclusion the truth is I'm still a tramp
Despite my plans not working out, I came to the realization that the truth is I'm still a vagrant
Contributed by Adam S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Angelo Rossi
Kotzen killed it here. All instruments played by him!
Roberto Placencia Garrido
Jeff Berlin - Bass Gregg Bisonette - Drums 1995
AJB1980
My favourite album of all time!!!!!! PHENOMENAL!!!!!
Clayton139
This is some good Richie Kotzen music ~!!
Satch's Jam Room
this album is dope !! musically great and good stuff for guitar players !
Joe Brodski
Love this song, after all these years. The guitar solo is far out...
JoshMetal316
can´t find this album on iTunes :(