Trapper Schoepp Delivers His Best Work to Date with Primetime Illusion

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Trapper Schoepp is modern rock 'n roll's, consummate good guy-- an artist who cranks out amazing tunes time and time again; a songwriter who truly cares about environmental and social issues; a musician whose tunes relate to fans ages 3-103; a guitarist who constantly strives to innovate and progress while holding true to his bluesy roots; and a performer who brings his best every time, winning over audiences with his warm, kind and honest demeanor.

If you’ve had the pleasure of seeing Trapper live- you know what we’re talking about.  If you haven’t seen him live, you need to. Trapper and his band are simply that good… invoking the spirit of narrative rock singer-songwriter legends like Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, and Bob Segar, while putting his own unique stamp on the rock ‘n roll genre.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

As a young man in his mid-twenties, Trapper clearly is a songwriter who is wise beyond his years.  With his new album and third LP, Primetime Illusion released this January, Trapper emerges with his finest work to date… crafting songs that try to make sense of our world in our current times- recognizing modern challenges that we face while simultaneously evoking a sense of eternal optimism, joy, and hope. Recorded last spring at "Wire and Vice" in Milwaukee with Wilco multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone serving as the producer,  Primetime Illusion showcases Trapper as an artist who continues to grow in his lyrical craft, while keeping his infectious rock grooves at the forefront of his songwriting. Album opener, “Shakedown,” is a great example of this, as is his first single, “Freight Train,” a track that Trapper has performed regularly as part of his live set.  In addition, Trapper stretches the bounds of his sound more on Primetime Illusion with tracks like, “What You Do To Her,” which features backing vocals from Nicole Atkins and tackles the topic of sexual harassment and misogyny in our culture.  Moreover, the standout track, “If All My 9’s Were X’s,” is a great example of Trapper telling a gripping story, using a bowling metaphor, while all-the-while leaving room for his listeners to fill in bits as well.  Front to back, Primetime Illusion is an album that hooks the listener with its first spin and keeps them coming back for more with new disoveries after each subsequent listen.

This past summer, we had a chance to catch up with Trapper about his new record, his robust touring schedule, and his diverse performances.

MKERocks:  Trapper, you have a really full tour schedule and are hitting a boon of festivals, music series, as well as gigs opening or large international touring acts like Frank Turner and Rhett Miller of the Old '97's.  Your show last summer at Cedarburg Summer Sounds was a great example of a fun local show. How do you approach these performances and what makes them special for you and the band?

Trapper: I've spent years on the road as an opening act playing 30-45 minute sets and looking at my watch worrying that we don't go over our allotted time. It's great to stretch out and have the whole night to ourselves at shows like Summer Sounds. These types of gigs allow for more spontaneous detours within the set. I love breaking down that fourth wall.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

MKERocks: I hear you have a new album in the works.  Can you share a bit about this project and when it's set to come out?

Trapper: We recorded the album with producer Patrick Sansone from Wilco in Wauwatosa. It'll be out in early 2019. The songs have a lot of deep grooves and space. It's inspired by 70s acts like Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, and Jackson Browne.

MKERocks:  Recently you did a series of shows where you performed a Tom Petty tribute.  Listening to your music over the years, there is definitely a link between your music and Petty's with both of you channeling what I'd call "All-American Rock."  Could you share a bit about Tom Petty's influence on your sound and about that performance?

Trapper: For me, he set forth the blueprints for a five piece rock n roll band. My dad had Full Moon Fever in his Suburban growing up so those songs are deeply ingrained in my psyche. It was cool to play his and my music back to back as it showed to me how much he's influenced me.

MKERocks:  The Milwaukee music scene has really seemed to be taking off of late with many great acts, including you gaining more attention both regionally and nationally.

Trapper: We have a nice melting pot going here. It's helped that the thriving coffee, beer and radio scenes have all helped elevate the arts. I moved to Milwaukee a decade ago and it's been cool to watch the city as a whole have a new life. Let's just hope Milwaukee doesn't lose its edge. Spoiler alert: it won't.

photo courtesy of Brian Norman

MKERocks: One of the highlights of your show in Cedarburg was seeing you play with your guitar students-- Ben and Abbey Norman.  Can you please comment on this experience from your point of view?

Trapper: Folk music is all about extending the line through song and passing things down to the next generation. I see teaching guitar as being apart of that whole idea. It's, of course, special for me to be able to share the stage the someone who has started to learn a craft from me.