TNT (Norwegian band)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1982 in Trondheim, Norway |
| Founder | Ronni Le Tekrø, Dag Ingebrigtsen, Steinar Eikum, Diesel Dahl |
| Headquarters | Trondheim , Norway |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Ronni Le Tekrø (guitarist, sole continuous member) |
| Products | Studio albums, EPs, live recordings |
Number of employees | Band members (various over time) |
TNT is a hard rock group originating from Trondheim, Norway, established in 1982. Over the years, the band has delivered fourteen studio albums, three EPs, and four live recordings, experiencing multiple personnel shifts. Guitarist Ronni Le Tekrø stands as the sole member who has remained throughout the band's entire existence. By 2016, TNT had achieved global album sales estimated between four and five million copies.
1980s and 1990s
Formed in Trondheim in 1982, TNT's original lineup included vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dag Ingebrigtsen, guitarist Ronni Le Tekrø, bassist Steinar Eikum, and drummer Diesel Dahl. The group secured a deal with Vertigo Norway, a PolyGram subsidiary, and released their eponymous debut album that year, featuring Norwegian-language tracks and the popular single "Harley-Davidson." In 1983, Morty Black took over bass duties from Eikum. The following year saw American singer Tony Harnell replace Ingebrigtsen as lead vocalist. Harnell's impressive four-octave vocal range played a crucial role in expanding TNT's international presence. Their sophomore album, Knights of the New Thunder, achieved success across Scandinavia and led to a worldwide contract with Mercury/Polygram. The U.S. edition featured an MTV-rotated video for "Seven Seas" and charted on Billboard.
In 1987, TNT released their third album, Tell No Tales, which marked a shift toward a more mainstream hard rock style and included their most notable hit, "10,000 Lovers (In One)". This record became the top-selling album in Norway and Sweden that year, surpassing releases by artists such as Michael Jackson and Def Leppard. The band also gained momentum in Japan and the United States, with music videos airing on both European and American MTV channels as well as appearances on Headbangers Ball. Supporting acts like Stryper on a sold-out U.S. arena tour followed by tours with Twisted Sister and Great White helped solidify their presence. Late in 1987, drummer Diesel Dahl departed due to personal and professional disagreements; his final performance was at the Spellemannprisen awards ceremony in January 1988 where TNT earned Best Rock Album for Tell No Tales.
For their 1989 release Intuition, drummer Kenneth Odiin stepped in for Dahl. This album embraced an AOR approach while maintaining core hard rock elements. It enjoyed significant popularity in Scandinavia and Japan and became their most acclaimed American release to date. The success supported TNT's inaugural headlining tour across the U.S., which set attendance records at theaters and clubs, aided by heavy MTV rotation of the title track's video.
Following the Intuition tour, Odiin exited the band and was replaced by drummer John Macaluso. TNT then inked a new agreement with Atlantic Records, releasing Realized Fantasies alongside the live album Three Nights in Tokyo in 1992. Despite these efforts, Atlantic's inadequate promotional support hindered their commercial breakthrough in the U.S. and limited international exposure. Subsequently, TNT entered a hiatus to focus on individual projects. In 1996, they issued a compilation titled Till Next Time – The Best of TNT. Shortly thereafter, Harnell reunited with Le Tekrø, Black, and session drummer Frode Lamøy, producing two albums: Firefly (1997) and Transistor (1999).
2000s
In 2000, Diesel Dahl made his return to TNT, prompting the band to begin creating new songs. April 2003 saw the release of the Japan-exclusive EP Taste, which included the Tell No Tales leftover track Destiny along with the previously unheard Magic Little Nightmare. The group followed up with their eighth studio album, My Religion, in 2004. Shortly thereafter, bassist Morty Black exited due to both personal and professional disagreements, with Sid Ringsby stepping in for live shows and the 2005 album All the Way to the Sun. The single "Sometimes" was launched in Norway on 25 July 2005. By the end of that year, Victor Borge had become the band's official bassist.
April 2006 marked a significant change as lead singer Tony Harnell left the band for personal and career-related reasons; his final appearance was at Norway's Polar Rock Festival on 30 June. He was succeeded by British hard rock vocalist Tony Mills, formerly of the UK group Shy. Despite his departure, Harnell collaborated with iMagic Films and producer Darren Paltrowitz on a live DVD capturing TNT's April 2006 performance in Madrid. The Live in Madrid CD/DVD set was released in Japan in August 2006 and internationally the following month.
The band's tenth studio effort, The New Territory, arrived in 2007 to mixed reactions from fans and critics alike. Their eleventh album, Atlantis, was launched on 22 September 2008 in both Norway and Japan. Drawing inspiration from The Beatles and Queen, it was mixed by Tommy Hansen, who had previously worked on My Religion and All the Way to the Sun. On 12 December 2008, TNT’s original lineup—Dag Ingebrigtsen, Ronni Le Tekrø, Steinar Eikum, and Diesel Dahl—reunited for a special concert commemorating Ingebrigtsen’s 50th birthday.
2010s and 2020s
TNT’s twelfth studio album, A Farewell to Arms, was released exclusively in Japan on 15 December 2010. Diesel Dahl described this record as an attempt to revive TNT’s classic sound. Returning contributor Bård Svendsen provided keyboards and backing vocals once again. Mixed by Tommy Hansen, the album drew comparisons to "Def Leppard on speed". It became available in Europe in January 2011 under the title Engine for Scandinavian and American audiences. In Norway, it was launched through an exclusive partnership with the Narvesen convenience store chain on 27 December. During a January 2011 interview, Ronni Le Tekrø suggested this might be TNT’s last studio album, noting that although the band would continue performing, new releases could be several years away.
On 27 April 2011, longtime keyboardist Dag Stokke, who had toured with TNT since 1987 and appeared on every album from Realized Fantasies onward, passed away due to cancer. He was succeeded by Roger Gilton. The band's concert at Madrid’s Sala Heineken on 17 September 2011 was recorded for a DVD release. Celebrating their 30th anniversary, TNT performed shows in Trondheim on 2 June 2012 with the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra and former vocalists Dag Ingebrigtsen and Tony Harnell; another took place in Oslo on 17 November 2012 featuring Ingebrigtsen and original bassist Steinar Eikum. The Trondheim concert was planned for DVD release in autumn 2013.
Bassist Victor Borge departed from TNT in December 2012 but returned by March 2013 alongside Sid Ringsby’s re-entry. In August of that year, vocalist Tony Mills left to focus on his solo career, citing inactivity within the band as a factor. Simultaneously, Tony Harnell confirmed ongoing discussions about reuniting with Ronni Le Tekrø and Diesel Dahl. By October 2013, Harnell officially rejoined TNT, with Borge returning shortly thereafter. The band revealed tour dates across Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, and Japan scheduled for early to mid-2014—the first tour featuring Harnell since his departure in 2006.
Harnell exited again in January 2015 but rejoined on 21 May 2016. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Tell No Tales during 2017, TNT embarked on a tour including Harnell, Le Tekrø, Dahl, keyboardist Roger Gilton, and new bassist Ove Husemoen. Plans were made for a new album slated for spring release via Frontiers Music Srl., but on 11 October 2017 TNT announced Harnell’s departure once more. They continued with new vocalist Baol Bardot Bulsara, introduced during their opening act for Scorpions in Oslo on 22 November that year. Their thirteenth studio album, XIII, was released through Frontiers Music Srl. on 8 June 2018.
On 16 September 2019, TNT was inducted into the Rockheim Hall of Fame alongside members Ronni Le Tekrø, Diesel Dahl, Morty Black, Tony Harnell, Victor Borge, Tony Mills, and Dag Ingebrigtsen after public advocacy secured Ingebrigtsen’s inclusion. Tony Mills received his award shortly before passing away from pancreatic cancer at age 57 on 18 September.
On 8 November 2022, TNT officially announced Tony Harnell’s return to headline the Tons Of Rock festival in Oslo scheduled for June 2023. Longtime bassist Sid Ringsby also rejoined while vocalist Baol Bardot Bulsara and bassist Ove Husemoen departed from the group.
Band members
- Present roster
- Ronni Le Tekrø – lead guitar, guitar synthesizer, keyboards, talkbox, backing vocals (1982–1992, 1996–present)
- Diesel Dahl – drums, percussion (1982–1988, 2000–present)
- Tony Harnell – lead vocals (1984–1992, 1996–2006, 2012, 2013–2015, 2016–2017, 2022–present)
- Sid Ringsby – bass guitar, backing vocals (2004–2005, 2013, 2022–present)
- Past members
- Dag Ingebrigtsen – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1982–1984, 2008, 2012)
- Steinar Eikum – bass guitar, backing vocals (1982–1983, 2008, 2012)
- Morty Black – bass guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, backing vocals (1983–1992, 1996–2004)
- Kenneth Odiin – drums, percussion (1988–1989)
- John Macaluso – drums, percussion (1990–1992)
- Victor Borge – bass guitar, backing vocals (2005–2012, 2013–2016)
- Tony Mills – lead vocals (2006–2013; died 2019)
- Ove Husemoen – bass guitar, backing vocals (2016–2022)
- Baol Bardot Bulsara – lead vocals (2017–2022)
- Touring and session musicians
- Dag Stokke – keyboards, piano, backing vocals (1987–1992, 1996–2011; died 2011)
- Frode Lamøy – drums, percussion (1996–2000)
- Roger Gilton – keyboards, piano, backing vocals (2011–present)
Discography
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | TNT | PolyGram |
| 1984 | Knights of the New Thunder | |
| 1987 | Tell No Tales | |
| 1989 | Intuition | |
| 1992 | Realized Fantasies | Atlantic Records |
| 1997 | Firefly | Norske Gram |
| 1999 | Transistor | |
| 2004 | My Religion | MTM |
| 2005 | All the Way to the Sun | |
| 2007 | The New Territory | Bonnier Amigo |
| 2008 | Atlantis | |
| 2010 | A Farewell to Arms | TNT Records |
| 2018 | XIII | Frontiers Music Srl. |