TNT
With
a level of musicianship higher than the average hair-metal band, Norway's
TNT offered a prog-tinged take on pop-metal due largely to the stunning
vocal range of lead singer Tony Harnell and the guitar technique of
Ronni Le Tekro. Originally consisting of vocalist Dag Ingebrigtsen
(aka D.D. Dynamite), bassist Steiner Eikum, and drummer Morten "Diesel"
Dahl, TNT formed in the Norwegian town of Trondheim in 1982, releasing
an eponymous, Norway-only debut later that year with all lyrics in
Norwegian. When it failed to sell, Eikum left the band and was replaced
by Morty Black; soon afterwards, Ingebrigtsen was replaced by New
York native Tony Harnell. Harnell debuted on the band's first international
album, 1984's Knights of the New Thunder (on which he was credited
as the more Norwegian-sounding Tony Hansen). The band really began
to hit its stride on 1987's Tell No Tales, although after that album's
release, Dahl departed and was replaced by Kenneth Odiin. 1989's Intuition
consolidated the stylistic gains of its predecessor, but the band
soon found itself without a label, Polygram having lost interest in
promoting them. Odiin left to remain home with his family, prompting
the hire of American drummer Johnny Macaluso for 1992's Realized Fantasies,
which was recorded for Atlantic. However, friction between the American
and Norwegian portions of the group -- the former wanting more international
success, the latter satisfied with popularity at home -- led to TNT's
disintegration. Macaluso joined Riot, while Le Tekro and Black formed
the more prog-rock-oriented Vagabond, and Harnell performed with a
mostly cover-tune project called Morning Wood.
TNT
reunited in 1996, featuring a lineup of Harnell, Le Tekro, Black,
drummer Frode Hansen, and keyboardist Dag Stokke. They released the
album Firefly in 1997, after which Harnell took a year's sabbatical;
he returned in 1998, and TNT issued the new album Transistor the following
year. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
TNT
Links:
Studio
Studio
TNT
Fan Club
Unofficial
Ronni Le Tekro Website
WestWorld
Official Web-Site
Discography:
Transistor
released 1998
Till
Next Time released 1998
Firefly
released 1997
Three
Nights Live released 1996
Realized
Fantasies released 1992
Intuition
released 1989
Tell
No Tales released 1987
Knights
of the New Thunder released 1984
TNT
released 1982
Previous
Featured Artists:
