Twangville: Congrats on the new album, sir – where do you think this album finds you on your journey as a songwriter?
Trapper Schoepp: Osborne is the most raw record I’ve done. I’ve written a lot of character driven songs in the past but with this record I turned inward. I wrote and recorded it in the couple months after I exited a Minnesota rehab facility and the lyrics were a continuation of that experience in a way.
Twangville: Most songwriters have a bit of themselves and their stories interwoven into their songs. As you delve into more serious topics, how comfortable are you showing those sides of yourself?
Schoepp: Much of Osborne focuses on my addiction recovery and I think to run from those realities in that moment would’ve felt like a lie. When you put it all out there, though, there’s a naked vulnerability to it. It’s not easy but I’m up for the challenge!
Twangville: Can you talk us through the process of the creation and recording of this album?
Schoepp: I worked with some great producers named Mike Viola and Tyler Chester in a church basement outside Los Angeles. We recorded much of it live to tape to make it feel more like a “performance.” Mike and I sat a few feet apart for the song “The Osbournes” and what you hear is us figuring it out in real time with a couple acoustic guitars. There’s an element of discovery and curiosity that you can hear with this approach, I feel. There’s a song where Mike wanted me to relax so he had me lie down on a couch and mic’d me up there. It was a far out and intense experience!
Twangville: Throughout your career, you’ve always been quite the storyteller – Perhaps the biggest change has been the vehicle for your songs – stripped down acoustic, full band, and everything in between. Right now, which vehicle are you most comfortable with, and are there sounds that you want to add to your palette going forward?
Schoepp: We experimented with a lot of vintage drum machines and synths on Osborne and that was new for me. Mike, Tyler, and I would sit in a circle with an 80s Korg drum machine, build the arrangement and split off into isolation booths to play along to it live. As much as I’m an acoustic performer, I really value the camaraderie and gang-like element of a rock band.
Twangville: When we first met, we discussed albums, musical instruments, thrift stores, and hats 😉 – Are there any albums that are inspiring you now and is there any instrument that you’ve added to your collection during the making of this album?
Schoepp: I just found an electronic Omnichord at a flea market, which has a drum machine and harpsichord in it. The Gorillas recorded their big hit “Clint Eastwood” with a preset from that same little instrument. That’s good clean fun. I’ve been revisiting some older Wilco albums that I really loved growing up like Being There. My best friend and brother are big Beach Boys nuts, so it’s inspiring to hear their more obscure albums like Surf’s Up and Wild Honey.
Twangville: Finally – a nice open-ended question – after the album is released and you tour it, what is next for you? Rest, back to the studio, or something else?
Schoepp: That’s a good question. We have some regional release shows in September, Europe in October and then we’ll see what comes up. I have a hobby garden seed company called Schoepp Seeds, which creates custom and art-forward packets for bands and brands. That also keeps me busy but I’m just trying to take it one day at a time right now.
In 2019, Trapper Schoepp published a song with Bob Dylan called “On, Wisconsin,” making him the youngest musician to share a co-writing credit with the Nobel Prize winner. The song led to a #1 trending article in Rolling Stone and more than 100 tour dates worldwide. The Wisconsin songwriter has released five albums, collaborating with members of Wilco, The Raconteurs, and The Jayhawks. Schoepp has toured the world with artists including Three Dog Night, The Wallflowers, Old 97’s, The Jayhawks, and Frank Turner, and has headlined tours across Europe and the United States with stops at historic venues such as New York’s Town Hall, LA’s Roxy Theatre, AmericanaFest, and SXSW.
Osborne, due on 19 September, is an 11-track album written and recorded by Schoepp soon after his stay at the Hazelden Betty Ford rehab center in Minnesota. Produced by Mike Viola and Tyler Chester, it blends influences from Black Sabbath, Suicide, and Bruce Springsteen with vintage synths, drum machines, and live-to-tape performances. The songs explore Schoepp’s decade-long struggle with prescription painkillers (“Satan is Real (Satan is a Sackler),” “Loaded”), his BMX roots (“Three Speed Queen”), and personal recovery, balancing heavy themes with humor and variety, from the reggae-tinged “Suicide Summer” to the playful “No Fly List.”
Photo credit: Bennett Young
About the author: Paralegal by day - writer and podcaster by night. When does he sleep? Only the Shadow knows!