TNT (band)
Encyclopedia
TNT is a Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

 hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...

/glam metal
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...

 band from Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...

, formed in 1982. The band has released twelve studio albums, three EPs and two live albums while going through numerous line-up changes since its formation. Guitarist Ronni Le Tekrø is the only consistent member of TNT.

1980s

TNT was formed in the Norwegian city Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...

 in 1982, by vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dag Ingebrigtsen
Dag Ingebrigtsen
Dag Ingebrigtsen is a Norwegian musician who had his debut in 1977 with the group Subway Suck. He got his breakthrough in 1980 with the rock band The Kids, who had the hit "Forelska i lærer'n" . After his success with The Kids, he fronted the Norwegian hard rock band TNT...

, guitarist Ronni Le Tekrø, bassist Steinar Eikum
Steinar Eikum
Steinar Schanke Eikum was the original bassist in the Norwegian hard rock band TNT. He joined the band after doing an audition in the Easter of 1982, and played on their self-titled debut album the same year. He was replaced by Morty Black in 1983.Before Eikum joined TNT, he played in the...

 and drummer Morten "Diesel" Dahl
Morten Dahl
Morten "Diesel" Dahl is the drummer and co-founder of the Norwegian hard rock band TNT.He started playing the drums at the age of 15, and played in bands like Burn, Edge and Hotlips before he formed TNT together with vocalist Dag Ingebrigtsen in 1982...

. Securing a national record contract with PolyGram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...

 subsidiary Vertigo Norway, they released their self-titled debut album
TNT (TNT album)
-Band:*Dag Ingebrigtsen – lead vocals and rhythm guitars*Ronni Le Tekrø – lead guitars*Steinar Eikum – bass guitar*Morten "Diesel" Dahl – drums, percussion-Sources:*...

 the same year — their only album that features Norwegian lyrics — and got a hit with the single "Harley-Davidson". In August 1983 Morty Black replaced Steinar Eikum on bass, and the following year American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 vocalist Tony Harnell
Tony Harnell
Antony "Tony" Harnell is an American hard rock singer, best known for his work with the Norwegian hard rock band TNT....

 became TNT's new frontman, making his debut on their album Knights of the New Thunder
Knights of the New Thunder
- Band :*Tony Harnell – vocals *Ronni Le Tekrø – guitars*Morty Black – bass guitar*Morten "Diesel" Dahl – drums, percussion-Sources:**...

. His unique and powerful 4 octave range was the final element the band needed to break out of Norway and into the world market. The album was a huge success in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...

 and the band then was offered a worldwide deal with Mercury/Polygram worldwide out of New York. Knights was then released in the U.S. in 1985 and the video for "Seven Seas" got heavy rotation on MTV and the album entered the billboard charts.

That line-up recorded one more album, Tell No Tales
Tell No Tales
- Band :*Tony Harnell – vocals*Ronni Le Tekrø – guitars, guitar synthesizer*Morty Black – bass guitar, pedal synthesizer*Morten "Diesel" Dahl – drums, percussion-Additional personnel:*Håkon Iversen – background vocals*Bård Svendsen – keyboards and programming...

in 1987, before "Diesel" Dahl parted company from TNT the following year after some turbulent times within the band. Tell No Tales produced TNT's biggest hit, the single "10,000 Lovers (In One)
10,000 Lovers (In One)
"10,000 Lovers " is a hit single by the Norwegian hard rock band TNT, taken from their 1987 album Tell No Tales.The song was written about a girl who TNT's vocalist at that time, Tony Harnell, knew...

". Tell No Tales marked a slight change in sound from melodic Euro-metal to a more palatable hard rock style, with Le Tekrø and Harnell gaining a reputation as a talented duo. The album was the best selling release in Norway and Sweden that year (outselling hugely popular artists like Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...

 and Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...

). Tell No Tales also saw the band establishing a mainstream following in Japan and the U.S. Promotional Videos for "Everyone's a Star
Everyone's a Star
Everyone's a Star is a single by the Norwegian hard rock band TNT, taken from their 1987 album Tell No Tales.- Band :*Tony Harnell - Vocals*Ronni Le Tekrø - Guitars, guitar synthesizer*Morty Black - Bass guitar, pedal synthesizer...

" and "10,000 Lovers (In One)" were featured on both European and American MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....

. They were also featured on Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball is a music television program consisting of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV2, MTV Australia, MTV Two , MTV Adria , MTV Brand New, MTV Portugal, MTV Finland, MTV Arabia, MTV Norway, MTV Sweden, MTV Denmark, MTV Greece, MTV Türkiye, MTV...

. The band supported Stryper on a sold out arena tour in the U.S. followed by a tour with Twisted Sister and Great White as well as headlining shows in large clubs in the U.S.

Kenneth Odiin
Morten Skogstad
Morten Skogstad is the drummer in the Norwegian hard rock/glam metal band Stage Dolls. He joined the band in 1993, replacing Steinar Krokstad....

 became TNT's new drummer and played on TNT's fourth studio album, Intuition, in 1989. This release marked a more AOR
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...

-oriented sound, still maintaining a little of the hard rock edge of the previous album. Intuition was another huge success in Scandinavia and Japan. It was also the band's best received American release and saw the band embarking on their first headlining tour of the U.S. which broke attendance records across the country in small theaters and large clubs, thanks to the prominent display of the video for the title track on MTV.

1990s

After the touring to support Intuition was done, Odiin left the band and was replaced by John Macaluso
John Macaluso
John Macaluso is an American drummer born in 1968, who has played for Ark, TNT, Yngwie J. Malmsteen among others. Born in Commack, New York, John started playing drums at age 11. Now having recorded on 32 records and playing on multiple world tours, John continues to write and record music,...

. The band negotiated a new (and generous) record contract with Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...

, and released the studio album Realized Fantasies
Realized Fantasies
- Band :*Tony Harnell – vocals*Ronni Le Tekrø – guitars, keyboards, 1/4 stepper guitar*Morty Black – bass guitar*John Macaluso – drums, percussion-Additional personnel:*Joe Lynn Turner – background vocals*Dag Stokke – keyboards on track 6...

and the live recording Three Nights in Tokyo
Three Nights in Tokyo
- Band :*Tony Harnell – vocals*Ronni Le Tekrø – guitars*Morty Black – bass guitar*John Macaluso – drums, percussion-Sources:*...

, both in 1992. However, Atlantic did a poor job of promoting the album in the States (assuring that TNT would never find huge success in America) and also the rest of the world. The same year they decided to take a break, choosing to focus on various solo projects. In 1996 the compilation Till Next Time – The Best of TNT was released, and Harnell, Le Tekrø and Black reformed TNT with session drummer Frode Lamøy
Frode Lamøy
Frode Lamøy is a Norwegian-born drummer. He has played with bands such as Jack In The Box, Autopulver and TNT. He is also co-founder of the music and website development company Sounds Like You with his brother, Rune Lamøy.-Albums:...

. That line-up recorded two albums, Firefly
Firefly (TNT album)
The song "Soldier of the Light" was never meant for the album. It was a demo from the Realized Fantasies sessions and was put on Firefly because the Japanese record company liked it so much....

in 1997 and Transistor
Transistor (TNT album)
"Just Like God" is not included on the Japanese edition.- Band :*Tony Harnell – vocals*Ronni Le Tekrø – guitars, backing vocals on "Free Again"*Morty Black – bass guitar, backing vocals on "Free Again"-Additional personnel:...

in 1999.

2000s

"Diesel" Dahl returned to TNT in 2000, and the band started working on new material. Their eighth studio album, My Religion
My Religion (album)
* The guitar effect in "She Needs Me" was created using the overdrive effect, and punching a hole in the speaker's powertube.* "She Needs Me" is Tony Harnell's favorite song on My Religion.- Band :*Tony Harnell – vocals*Ronni Le Tekrø – guitars...

, was released in 2004. Months after the album release, Morty Black decided to leave the band due to personal and professional differences, and Sid Ringsby
Sid Ringsby
Øystein "Sid" Ringsby is a Norwegian bassist best known for playing with TinDrum, The Snakes, TNT, Wild Willy's Gang and Jørn Lande's solo band. He has been playing for many famous Norwegian artists and has taken part in recording more than 2000 music albums so far.He has a unique playing technique...

 took his place for the following concerts and the album All the Way to the Sun
All the Way to the Sun
All the Way to the Sun is the ninth studio album by the Norwegian hard rock band TNT. The album was first rumoured to be on the heavy side of TNT, but came out in the end as a more straight forward pop rock album. It did not get as many positive reviews as My Religion but was still regarded as a...

, which was released in the fall of 2005. A single, "Sometimes" was released on July 25 in Norway. At the end of the year Victor Borge
Victor Borge (bassist)
Victor Cito Borge is the bassist in the Norwegian hard rock band TNT and the black metal band Tulus. He joined TNT in 2005, replacing Sid Ringsby.Borge started playing the bass when he was 8 years old...

 became TNT's new permanent bassist.

Tony Harnell left the band in April 2006 for both personal and professional reasons, although his final show was on June 30, when TNT played the Polar Rock Festival in Storsteinnes, Norway. He was replaced by British hard rock singer Tony Mills
Tony Mills (musician)
Tony Mills is an English musician and the vocalist in the Norwegian hard rock band TNT.Hailing from Birmingham, when he was 14 years old, he sang in his first band, the punk band The Rip-Offs, before joining fellow Birmingham punk band Cracked Actors as bass guitarist...

 (of UK act Shy
Shy (band)
Shy are a British metal band formed in 1980 under the name 'Trojan', hailing from Birmingham, England.-Biography:Formerly known as Trojan, Shy featured vocalist Tony Mills, Steve Harris , Paddy McKenna , Mark Badrick and drummer Alan Kelly...

, coincidentally supporting TNT for Harnell's farewell show). Despite leaving the band, Harnell collaborated with iMagic Films and producer Darren Paltrowitz on a live DVD featuring his performance with the band in Madrid, Spain from April 1, 2006. The Live in Madrid
Live in Madrid
Live In Madrid is a live CD + DVD package by the Norwegian hard rock band TNT. It was the last TNT album recorded with vocalist Tony Harnell, who left the band in 2006.-Track listing - CD / DVD:#"Invisible Noise"#"As Far as the Eye Can See"...

CD + DVD package was released in Japan in August 2006 and elsewhere in the world in September.

In 2007 TNT released their tenth studio album, The New Territory
The New Territory
The New Territory is the tenth studio album by the Norwegian hard rock band TNT, and was released on 30 June 2007.-Track listing:# "A Constitution" - 4:16# "Substitute" - 2:42...

to mixed reviews and controversy amongst the fans. Their eleventh studio album, Atlantis
Atlantis (TNT album)
Atlantis is the eleventh studio album by Norwegian hard rock band TNT. It was released on September 22, 2008.-Track listing:#"Hello, Hello" - 4:03#"Peter Sellers Blues" - 4:45#"Baby's Got Rhythm" - 3:39...

,
was released on September 22, 2008 in both Norway and Japan. The album was influenced by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

 and Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...

, and was mixed by Tommy Hansen, who also worked on My Religion and All the Way to the Sun. On December 12, 2008, the original TNT line-up, consisting of Dag Ingebrigtsen, Ronni Le Tekrø, Steinar Eikum and "Diesel" Dahl, did a one-off reunion during a concert that was done to celebrate Ingebrigtsen's 50th birthday.

2010s

TNT's twelfth studio album, A Farewell to Arms
A Farewell to Arms (album)
A Farewell to Arms is the twelfth studio album by the Norwegian hard rock band TNT, released on December 15, 2010 in Japan. The album is in stark contrast to the previous two TNT albums, being a very 1980s-melodic rock-oriented album...

, was released in Japan on December 15, 2010. "Diesel" Dahl has said that the album is an attempt to recapture the old TNT sound. Bård Svendsen, who provided keyboards and backing vocals on Knights of the New Thunder and Tell No Tales, worked on the album as well. The album was mixed by Tommy Hansen, and has been described by him as "Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...

 on speed
Amphetamine
Amphetamine or amfetamine is a psychostimulant drug of the phenethylamine class which produces increased wakefulness and focus in association with decreased fatigue and appetite.Brand names of medications that contain, or metabolize into, amphetamine include Adderall, Dexedrine, Dextrostat,...

". It was released in Europe in January 2011. The album has been retitled as Engine for the Scandinavian and American release. In Norway the album was released as an exclusive joint publishing deal between the Narvesen
Narvesen
Narvesen is a Norwegian chain of convenience stores/news agents, and is one of Norway's largest convenience store chains with 440 stores. Narvesen was established in 1894 by Bertrand Narvesen. Narvesen stores also exists in Latvia ....

 chain of convenience stores and TNT on December 27. In an interview on the Norwegian radio show Stjerneklart in January 2011, Ronni Le Tekrø stated that it might be TNT's last album. "I can promise that it will be the very last TNT album," he said, "It might not be fully decided, but we might feel that this album is an honorable end to albums [being released] from the band. TNT will not split up, but I can't see that we're going to make a new studio album for many years."

On April 27, 2011 keyboardist Dag Stokke
Dag Stokke
Dag Stokke was a Norwegian keyboardist, church organist and mastering engineer best known for his work with the Norwegian rock bands TNT and Vagabond...

, who had toured with TNT since April 1987 and appeared on every album from Realized Fantasies to A Farewell to Arms, died of cancer. He was replaced by Roger Gilton.

Current line-up

  • Ronni Le Tekrø - Guitar, background vocals (1982–92, 1996–)
  • Morten "Diesel" Dahl
    Morten Dahl
    Morten "Diesel" Dahl is the drummer and co-founder of the Norwegian hard rock band TNT.He started playing the drums at the age of 15, and played in bands like Burn, Edge and Hotlips before he formed TNT together with vocalist Dag Ingebrigtsen in 1982...

     - Drums (1982–88, 2000–)
  • Victor Borge
    Victor Borge (bassist)
    Victor Cito Borge is the bassist in the Norwegian hard rock band TNT and the black metal band Tulus. He joined TNT in 2005, replacing Sid Ringsby.Borge started playing the bass when he was 8 years old...

     - Bass guitar, background vocals (2005–)
  • Tony Mills
    Tony Mills (musician)
    Tony Mills is an English musician and the vocalist in the Norwegian hard rock band TNT.Hailing from Birmingham, when he was 14 years old, he sang in his first band, the punk band The Rip-Offs, before joining fellow Birmingham punk band Cracked Actors as bass guitarist...

     - Vocals (2006–)

Former members

  • Steinar Eikum
    Steinar Eikum
    Steinar Schanke Eikum was the original bassist in the Norwegian hard rock band TNT. He joined the band after doing an audition in the Easter of 1982, and played on their self-titled debut album the same year. He was replaced by Morty Black in 1983.Before Eikum joined TNT, he played in the...

     - Bass guitar (1982–83)
  • Dag Ingebrigtsen
    Dag Ingebrigtsen
    Dag Ingebrigtsen is a Norwegian musician who had his debut in 1977 with the group Subway Suck. He got his breakthrough in 1980 with the rock band The Kids, who had the hit "Forelska i lærer'n" . After his success with The Kids, he fronted the Norwegian hard rock band TNT...

     - Vocals, rhythm guitar (1982–84)
  • Kenneth Odiin
    Morten Skogstad
    Morten Skogstad is the drummer in the Norwegian hard rock/glam metal band Stage Dolls. He joined the band in 1993, replacing Steinar Krokstad....

     - Drums (1988–89)
  • John Macaluso
    John Macaluso
    John Macaluso is an American drummer born in 1968, who has played for Ark, TNT, Yngwie J. Malmsteen among others. Born in Commack, New York, John started playing drums at age 11. Now having recorded on 32 records and playing on multiple world tours, John continues to write and record music,...

     - Drums (1990–92)
  • Morty Black - Bass guitar, background vocals (1983–92, 1996–2004)
  • Tony Harnell
    Tony Harnell
    Antony "Tony" Harnell is an American hard rock singer, best known for his work with the Norwegian hard rock band TNT....

     - Vocals (1984–92, 1996–2006)

Live musicians

  • Dag Stokke
    Dag Stokke
    Dag Stokke was a Norwegian keyboardist, church organist and mastering engineer best known for his work with the Norwegian rock bands TNT and Vagabond...

     - Keyboards, background vocals (1987–92, 1996–2011)
  • Frode Lamøy
    Frode Lamøy
    Frode Lamøy is a Norwegian-born drummer. He has played with bands such as Jack In The Box, Autopulver and TNT. He is also co-founder of the music and website development company Sounds Like You with his brother, Rune Lamøy.-Albums:...

     - Drums (1996–2000)
  • Sid Ringsby
    Sid Ringsby
    Øystein "Sid" Ringsby is a Norwegian bassist best known for playing with TinDrum, The Snakes, TNT, Wild Willy's Gang and Jørn Lande's solo band. He has been playing for many famous Norwegian artists and has taken part in recording more than 2000 music albums so far.He has a unique playing technique...

     - Bass guitar, background vocals (2004–05)
  • Roger Gilton - Keyboards, background vocals (2011–)

Discography

Year Title Label
1982 TNT
TNT (TNT album)
-Band:*Dag Ingebrigtsen – lead vocals and rhythm guitars*Ronni Le Tekrø – lead guitars*Steinar Eikum – bass guitar*Morten "Diesel" Dahl – drums, percussion-Sources:*...

PolyGram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...

1984 Knights of the New Thunder
Knights of the New Thunder
- Band :*Tony Harnell – vocals *Ronni Le Tekrø – guitars*Morty Black – bass guitar*Morten "Diesel" Dahl – drums, percussion-Sources:**...

1987 Tell No Tales
Tell No Tales
- Band :*Tony Harnell – vocals*Ronni Le Tekrø – guitars, guitar synthesizer*Morty Black – bass guitar, pedal synthesizer*Morten "Diesel" Dahl – drums, percussion-Additional personnel:*Håkon Iversen – background vocals*Bård Svendsen – keyboards and programming...

1989 Intuition
1992 Realized Fantasies
Realized Fantasies
- Band :*Tony Harnell – vocals*Ronni Le Tekrø – guitars, keyboards, 1/4 stepper guitar*Morty Black – bass guitar*John Macaluso – drums, percussion-Additional personnel:*Joe Lynn Turner – background vocals*Dag Stokke – keyboards on track 6...

Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...

1997 Firefly
Firefly (TNT album)
The song "Soldier of the Light" was never meant for the album. It was a demo from the Realized Fantasies sessions and was put on Firefly because the Japanese record company liked it so much....

Norske Gram
1999 Transistor
Transistor (TNT album)
"Just Like God" is not included on the Japanese edition.- Band :*Tony Harnell – vocals*Ronni Le Tekrø – guitars, backing vocals on "Free Again"*Morty Black – bass guitar, backing vocals on "Free Again"-Additional personnel:...

2004 My Religion
My Religion (album)
* The guitar effect in "She Needs Me" was created using the overdrive effect, and punching a hole in the speaker's powertube.* "She Needs Me" is Tony Harnell's favorite song on My Religion.- Band :*Tony Harnell – vocals*Ronni Le Tekrø – guitars...

MTM
2005 All the Way to the Sun
All the Way to the Sun
All the Way to the Sun is the ninth studio album by the Norwegian hard rock band TNT. The album was first rumoured to be on the heavy side of TNT, but came out in the end as a more straight forward pop rock album. It did not get as many positive reviews as My Religion but was still regarded as a...

2007 The New Territory
The New Territory
The New Territory is the tenth studio album by the Norwegian hard rock band TNT, and was released on 30 June 2007.-Track listing:# "A Constitution" - 4:16# "Substitute" - 2:42...

Bonnier Amigo
2008 Atlantis
Atlantis (TNT album)
Atlantis is the eleventh studio album by Norwegian hard rock band TNT. It was released on September 22, 2008.-Track listing:#"Hello, Hello" - 4:03#"Peter Sellers Blues" - 4:45#"Baby's Got Rhythm" - 3:39...

2010 A Farewell to Arms
A Farewell to Arms (album)
A Farewell to Arms is the twelfth studio album by the Norwegian hard rock band TNT, released on December 15, 2010 in Japan. The album is in stark contrast to the previous two TNT albums, being a very 1980s-melodic rock-oriented album...

TNT Records

External links

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