The Italian based band, Broken Trophy has one of the most interesting stories out there. The four members have individually had quick tastes of success ranging from gigs with Barry White to Randy Travis and everyone in between, but after those few years they were all put “back out on the street” as is the case with many musicians. After playing with several different groups of varying styles, Lewin, Gabriele, Francesco and Giuseppe have finally found each other and a band that they can call home.
The thing that is probably the most striking about these guys when you meet them is their interpersonal relationships on and off of the stage. At a show you will see a well rehearsed and seasoned group of musicians doing what they do best in life, off of the stage you see a group of best friends that hilariously quarrel like 4 brothers on a long road trip in a compact car.
Musically this band is clearly coming from many different places. The lead singer/ rhythm guitarist Lewin Barringer was born and raised in the Philadelphia area, lead guitarist Gabriele Ulivi is from Forte Dei Marmi Italy, bassist Francesco Pratesi from Carrara Italy and drummer Giuseppe Rotondi is from Sicily. As a band they have toured the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and the United States.
Now at the dawn of their highly anticipated second album (which has not been given a name yet), they are hoping to find a bigger and more diverse audience. The reason being is that after one listen to their new album it is easy to say that there is something for everybody on this disc, which leaves the listener with one question? Who are these guys and who do they thing they are?
While most bands of this type are creating acoustic based pop, this band does that, then moves over to alt country, then to the very Beatlesque, then to Beck influenced grooves, then to somewhere between the Foo fighters and Cream, then to folk ballads then to…. well you get the idea. However as disorienting as it can be to hear so many different styles coming out of one band there is a unifying factor throughout.
These guys are creative and are masters of their instruments. No matter what genre the dive into they nail it on the head.
Lewin Barringer, Lead singer, rhythm guitarist and primary songwriter was born and raised in Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA, but has been living in Italy since 2004. He has been playing the guitar for 27 years and has been performing live for 20 years. This energetic front man has played with country music legend Randy Travis, Blues Traveler, String Cheese Incident and G. Love and Special Sauce. Lewin was co-founder of the nationally touring band, Standing Wave, which played an average of 300 shows a year, for 7 years and was represented by the illustrious William Morris Agency. After the interpersonal relationships in Standing wave deteriorated and the band ceased to exist, Lewin formed Broken Trophy. Lewin’s dynamic performance style and technical proficiency on both the guitar and the mandolin truly show his love of music and for the live show.
Gabriele Ulivi comes from Forte Dei Marmi Italia, is one Italy’s premier rock guitar players. Gabriele has played in several independent Italian bands such as: “Arsivivi” and “Equilibrio”. He also performed in the popular Swiss group “Mary & Power”, who were very well known all through out Europe. Gabriele’s contribution to Broken Trophy is immeasurable. His exquisite technique on the guitar is pure creative power and has earned him the unofficial title of “Last of the true wild men”.
Francesco Pratesi began his music carrier at the age of 9 in a classical conservatory studying the Oboe. A few years later at his first concert he went to see and meet Paul McCartney. It was there that he fell in love with the bass guitar and began to study the instrument with noted teachers like ‘Rosario La Torre’ and ‘Pietro Bertilorenzi’. They opened his mind helping him to understand the music beyond the technique.
Giuseppe Rotondi was born in Sicily into a house of musicians and has had a long and impressive musical career. Most notably, serving as the percussion player for Barry White’s European band. Giuseppe is one of those drummers that people love to watch. His playing is like clockwork, but his fills are rarely something you have heard before. This guy can really play the drums. He was the last addition to BT and the boys couldn’t be happier to be sharing the stage with him.
