When the Boss Steps Down..a New One Takes His Place

When the Boss Steps Down..a New One Takes His Place
NewsBlog by Gary Hill (Columnist/Songwriter/New York)

About three to four years ago, I went to a place called "The Muddy Cup" in Staten Island where I've done performances from time to time. This one particular evening, it was an open-mic karaoke and decided to sing "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" by Simon and Garfunkel.

Well, right after I stepped down I went to get a hot chocolate when suddenly, I hear someone in what sounds like Bruce Springsteenish start singing "I'm On Fire". He was very rockerish with a boyish grin and most of all, he had the vocal stylings of a cross-between Springsteen and Dylan, that guy is Mitchell Trupia.

Afterwards I met this guy and we became friends even sitting on each other's sets during a Songwriter's Live performance.

During this particular time, I took the time to listen to some of Mitch's original material. The angst of break ups and even the anxiety of 9-11 shows up in his body of work. Songs like "Give Soul Love" and "Straight Jacket" shows the range in his capturing the true moment of feeling and "I' Would Do Anything" can easily take you back and remind you of early Springsteen... think the "Nebraska" album.

His raw vocals gives him the hard edge that every folk rocker dreams about and his melodies are so catchy that you will end up singing it hours after hearing it.

Now, Mitch has moved south to South Carolina where he slowly builds a following and his music gets much coverage from local media outlets. He has started to build a fan base with the locals and now will be heading back north to bring his music to us as he and his band, 420 Green Street, will be doing some performances.

Although I miss seeing my friend and brother, I feel like I've kept totally in contact with him through his career and I can not be more proud.

When Bruce Springsteen decides to step down as the Boss, the next in line to fill his shoes would definitely be Mitchell Trupia.

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See: Mitchell Trupia - Live in Concert .
The Grassroots Tour - sponsored by unsunghero

The New American Songwriter: Mitchell Trupia

The Fire. The Passion. The New American Songwriter: Mitchell Trupia
By Kristine Johnson / Savannah, Ga.

What an awesome show. How do you do it each night?

"I try to meditate before each performance. Whether I am going to play in a bar or at a concert. I am going to bring my best each night. I try to tap into a higher part of myself in order to escape this reality."

It seems to work, you become something else on stage.

"Still, bad nights may happen now and then. Mistakes, sound problems. All kinds of things can distract me and the boys in Green Street...like wild women getting on stage with us!," he laughs out loud. Mitchell's smile, like his music, is infectious.

The rock and roll clown...
Mitchell Trupia is funny. His smile lights up the room. Piercing blue eyes startle me. He seems shy at first. It takes a few minutes before he is able to relax. He fidgets a lot. Keeps mentioning how he needs new guitar strings. Trupia laughs about a lot of little things going on during the interview at the cafe in Savannah, GA -- the waitresses hair, my designer bag, the reason he began writing, how his work has recently been published in a book. The interview lasts an hour.
We got nothing accomplished. We talked a lot. I listened a lot. We laughed out loud a few times. I asked Mitchell to stay a few more minutes and talk about the songs. He smiled and said, "We just did. Everything is about -- a song to me."
I asked about the infamous "V song." the Vampire song. He just smiled. "Is any of it true?" I asked. He paused and flashed that grin again.
Symbolically, it appears to be a song about craving the feminine. But I wanted to hear it from the author himself. This new American songwriter.
"I know what the song means to me. I would rather know what it means to you," Trupia replies. He stays ten minutes longer and I realize -- I am being interviewed by him!
All in all, a great show and a great time. I go home blasting "Biological Net" on my car stereo and try to figure out how to explain this (lack of an) interview to my editor. My answer comes while driving, and I feel relieved when Mitchell sings, "But, I hear a 50's station in the background." I think the lyric is about spacing out. That pretty much sums it for me, but what does it mean to you?
-KJ

Listen:
Myspace.com/MitchellTrupia