Ronni Le Tekro (TNT)

Ronni Le Tekrø is a guitarist and songwriter, best known for playing in the Norwegian hard rock band TNT with Tony Harnell. He has new album out soon with Ledfoot that has some psychedelic, blues and folk influences. We discuss this new album along with the TNT reunion, live shows and more!

00:00 - Intro
00:41 - Limited Edition Lava Lamp
01:40 - Little Rosie & Crying
03:08 - Ego In The Coffin
04:15 - Other Songs
05:35 - Sister From The Color Purple
06:15 - This Hurtful Game & Sad Songs
06:50 - Album Pre-Order
07:36 - Live Shows & TNT Reunion
08:23.- New Music with TNT
09:25 - Relationship with Tony Harnell
11:10 - Everyone's a Star
12:18 - Tonight I'm Falling & 80s Nostalgia
13:19 - Knights Of The New Thunder Album
14:26 - My Religion & Realized Fantasies
15:44 - Label & Promotion
17:39 - Relationship with Zakk Wylde
18:37 - Love Is For Suckers & Dee Snider
20:05 - Producing New Bands
21:03 - Amnesty International
21:44 - War With Russia & Putin My Ass Song
24:03 - Outro

Ronni Le Tekro website:
https://www.ronniletekro.com/

TNT band website:
https://tnttheband.com/

Amnesty International website:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/

Chuck Shute website:
https://chuckshute.com/

Transcript

Chuck Shute: 0:00

Okay, today Ronnie le tech rose my guest for this episode he is the founding member of the Norwegian heavy metal band TNT, a band that has sold around four or 5 million records worldwide. And he now has a new album out with the artists Leadfoot called Limited Edition lava lamp. And we're going to discuss that new album some of the other guest appearances he's done old stuff with TNT and some new stuff with TNT. So all this and more coming right up Okay, welcome, Ronnie, how you doing? I'm doing fine. That's good. Okay, so we got a new album here with another one with Leadfoot This is called limited edition, lava lamp and I heard it was recorded in eight days. So it was that eight days or was the songwriting written? Like, were you sending each other tracks? Or were you in the same room?

Ronni Le Tekro: 1:03

I came to the table with a few tracks and Leadfoot did the same thing. So we have some stuff pre written, you know, but but actually recording was and mixing was eight days. So it was really compressed.

Chuck Shute: 1:17

Okay, so like you just brought the songs in and those eight days that you kind of reworked some of them in this in those eight days in the studio.

Ronni Le Tekro: 1:24

Yeah, the band is most of this is based based on live texts. So the whole band was just sitting in with us the whole time. So that was cool. Yeah, just like in the old days.

Chuck Shute: 1:35

Yeah, that's really cool. So let's go through the some of the tracks like the first song called Little Rosie, tell me what that one's about. Because it's, it's kind of telling a story. Is that like a fictional story is based on a true story.

Ronni Le Tekro: 1:49

Originally, it was a song I wrote in Norway Norwegian language native Norwegian language and Tim kind of translated it made it into a different topic a more heavy topic because it's actually murder ballad you know? Little Rosie she's got this boyfriend Johnny just you know and he's doing all the wrong things he dies from a bullet hole in the middle of his head that cetera and the little girl says she's doing speed and ecstasy and all the stuff you're supposed to stay away from.

Chuck Shute: 2:23

Yeah, beautiful song. It's dark. Yeah. Yeah, it's kind of good. Got a cool mix on this album, like crying the second song is that's kind of like a slower sad song I would say.

Ronni Le Tekro: 2:38

Yeah, I would say it is it's like melancholic, crying dark melancholy in some way. It's it's obviously a kind of song about not lost love, but kind of trying to see and preach appreciate the person you're with when the person is there. Or something like that.

Chuck Shute: 3:04

Okay, yeah, no, that's, that's a good way to look at it then. I think my favorite song is the third one ego in the coffin, which is kind of it's almost doesn't fit with the rest of the album because a lot of the album is more slow, slower acoustic folk kind of music. This one's a little more rockin. It's electric. It's got that really cool. I would call like an evil bluesy riff. It kind of reminds me of Guns and Roses a little bit. How did that song come about? Because that's, I think that one is my favorite.

Ronni Le Tekro: 3:31

I have an American friend called Bob I can and he used to say, you know, and he said, Oh, he's ego is so big that you can't fit it in the coffin with him. So, so when Leadfoot heard that line, is that oh, we're just gonna write the song The ego in the coffin. So he went ahead and did the lyrics and while I wanted, like, upside down kind of rock, bluesy riff, so that's what you hear. It's like, I don't know. It's to me, it sounds fresh, anyway.

Chuck Shute: 4:05

Yeah, no, I love so you came up with that riff? Because the riff is like amazing.

Ronni Le Tekro: 4:10

Yeah, that's the typical Romila tech roll riff.

Chuck Shute: 4:14

Okay. And then the song How hard is it? That's another kind of a slower kind of a ballad with some blues. Is that is that a keyboard playing on that or is that that's not real strings is it?

Ronni Le Tekro: 4:27

We used Mellotron like a real Mellotron 70s Mellotron for entire album pretty much where were the different sounds. So yeah, that's probably what you hear. And maybe some pedals still effects here. And also I do some Lamis stuff with my guitar that maybe sounds like violins. Heron there.

Chuck Shute: 4:50

Okay, yeah. And then yeah, like never use your eyes that's kind of got like a gypsy vibe, I would say and then the limited kind of similar so limited edition lava lamp. That one's kind of got the site kuduk And obviously the song sailor I mean, that just screams 60s, was there a lot of 60s kind of influence for this album?

Ronni Le Tekro: 5:08

I would say so you're right on tracker, my friends. Because what we were looking for was like, late 60s, early 70s. vibe. And how they recorded it and worked it out as well. We were just looking for that kind of same vibe. At the same time, we didn't want to sound like a museum, you know. So it's obviously more modern technology than back then.

Chuck Shute: 5:33

Absolutely. Yeah. And then the song sister that was inspired, or that's a cover actually from the, from the movie color of purple on that. And that was a you were really inspired by that movie talking about that.

Ronni Le Tekro: 5:47

Yeah, I think the message of the movie is great. And then when I heard original many years ago, I started fiddling around with it, and tried to sing it an octave below in the mat with man's voice, then of course, I had to alter the lyrics, because originally is from a sister to your sister. Well, this one, this one had to be to a sister from a brother.

Chuck Shute: 6:12

Right? Yeah, no, that's really cool. And then the last song is this hurtful game. It's another kind of a dark, sad song. Like emotional pain when you write these kind of sad songs, is it? Is it cathartic? Or is it like hard to write it? Because you're, you're, you know, harnessing these dark emotions.

Ronni Le Tekro: 6:32

I think I will write brighter lyrics and maybe lead photos. So So when he gets his flavor puts his flavor on it. It tends to become dark drum and then my approach, but hey, it's like delicious darkness.

Chuck Shute: 6:48

Yeah, no, I love it. So fans can preorder this album now. And then one of them has a it's a limited edition vinyl copy, right?

Ronni Le Tekro: 6:57

Yeah, this picture disc I think even with so so so we're doing it. The old school way.

Chuck Shute: 7:04

Yeah, I when I was reading it, I think I almost screwed up because I thought it said that it came that you could order a limited edition lava lamp, like an actual lava lamp. And I was like, Oh, I thought that was such a good idea. Like, you guys should

Ronni Le Tekro: 7:18

write we should. What? Thank you for giving me a good grade. I'm gonna do that tomorrow, of course. Yeah. That is level and of course.

Chuck Shute: 7:30

Amazing. Yeah. Where are you guys gonna do any live shows to support this record?

Ronni Le Tekro: 7:35

We starting in October we were doing a tour in Scandinavia, October November. Prior to that I'm doing quite a few TNT shows different festivals this summer in Europe this spring. And summer with the TNT?

Chuck Shute: 7:52

Yeah. How's that going? The TNT reunion. You have all these shows?

Ronni Le Tekro: 7:56

It's going okay. Become France again and started rehearsals and a lot of concerts are popping up all over the world to low level first. So yeah, I think this is the chance to see TNT the next year or two.

Chuck Shute: 8:14

Yeah, I've never seen him. So hopefully you'll come to the US. You did?

Unknown: 8:17

I would love to do that. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 8:21

that would be amazing. What about And would there be a new album with Tony?

Ronni Le Tekro: 8:26

We're discussing maybe putting out in the EP maybe to start with but today is nothing settled. So but I can say be working on new material. Definitely. Okay. Yeah, cuz we just want it to be fucking amazing and grand before we release anything. So

Chuck Shute: 8:43

sure. Now that makes sense. I know before Tony rejoined the band, you stayed friends with them. And you were talking about doing kind of a page plant type of album is that on the table?

Ronni Le Tekro: 8:54

It's strange that you mention it because we did a tour together this fall, we did a tour in Norway. 15 shows where we did kind of do that with kind of avant garde with a lot of new this dancers, actors and different types of materials. And that was really successful and fun to do. So. Yeah. We've been discussing it and we still are

Chuck Shute: 9:21

very cool. But I look forward to both of those. How do you keep such a good relationship with Tony where he can leave the band and come back and there's no hard feelings like you stay friends with him through all that? It seems very mature.

Ronni Le Tekro: 9:34

I think it is. I mean, we respect each other and you know, we have other struggles me and him too. But we overcome that. So where we are on the spiritual and musical brothers, I guess. And hey, shit happens in life. So whatever. We don't look back, we just continue forward or Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 9:56

Okay, so how do you when you have your struggles, how do you get the do that because there's so many other younger bands. I feel like could take a page out of your book and learn from this.

Ronni Le Tekro: 10:08

Yeah, I think we should maybe be like in music schools how to survive for two years without killing each other or something.

Unknown: 10:18

Yeah, so,

Ronni Le Tekro: 10:19

but it's hard. I think it's hard to keep kind of a legacy and the band name after for 42 years. It's. It takes a lot, but hey, we did it. So.

Chuck Shute: 10:31

Yeah, no, it's really you know, I love about TNT. It's so funny. I realized this. The songs are so catchy, but you can't sing along to them. I was trying to sing along to a TNT song yesterday. I'm like, I can't sing this. I can't hit these.

Ronni Le Tekro: 10:46

Yeah, it's something mystical about the zones.

Chuck Shute: 10:49

Yeah, when people are when you're playing live, do people try to sing along to the songs because I don't they can't sing that high. Oh, yeah.

Ronni Le Tekro: 10:57

They see gums on the obvious tracks like seven seas temples love verse. But But of course, they sing an octave below maybe. Yeah, that's

Chuck Shute: 11:07

what I need to do. Yeah, I think my favorite TNT song or one of them's got to be everyone's a star. And it's so interesting. When I listen to that song. Now, it seems like it's written for today's times with all the social media. Everyone's got a tick tock or podcast or band all promoting themselves like they're a star. But it was written in the 80s. So what were you guys talking about back then?

Ronni Le Tekro: 11:29

Wow, that's so we had to say that because I didn't think about it like that. But it's obvious. It's certainly the lyrics are contemporary. I think it was more a message that everybody was a star that they didn't have the tools of internet. They were not able to be stars so that when the band told them that you have the same value as us that was, I think, the message which was in the 80s, which was the most commercial stuff, when everybody was thinking about PCM all that stuff, right? And TNT will come in songs like listen to your heart. Everyone's a star tempos lovers in one. I mean, a lot of these are positive topics.

Chuck Shute: 12:15

Yeah, no, I love it. Like, I was listening to the song tonight. I'm falling and I listened to that song. I thought this is so catchy. And it just, it felt like it took me back to like the 80s like not in a bad way. It was just very nostalgic. Like reminded me I was like an in the 80s movie. Do you ever get nostalgic when you listen to old TNT songs? Or have you played them so many times that the memories have like gotten blurred?

Ronni Le Tekro: 12:37

No, sometimes when I get the same things sometimes when the if I listen to it, get the time travel. Suddenly, suddenly I'm in the backseat in the car in California and it's Friday night and I'm young and free. A little feeling do you know?

Chuck Shute: 12:56

Yeah, no, that's great. So you have a lot of good memories of those times. Oh, definitely.

Ronni Le Tekro: 13:03

On all the friends I made you know, we're both in all over Europe and America and all the interesting people I met through this journey. It's been Yeah, I'm happy I'm content.

Chuck Shute: 13:15

Yeah, that's really cool. You know, it's interesting. I was written about the TNT Wikipedia yesterday and then the album knights of the new thunder I didn't realize original album cover feature these like naked ladies. And it was censored everywhere except Japan. shoe off or did you kind of realize it's probably gonna get censored or what did you think of that? Oh, no,

Ronni Le Tekro: 13:37

no, no, we didn't realize that because we came from pre sexually free you know Scandinavia. So so so the teats has never been a thing because women the topless on all the beaches, right?

Chuck Shute: 13:56

I need to go to Scandinavia.

Ronni Le Tekro: 13:58

Yeah, there's no no limitations where you can turn yourself topless.

Chuck Shute: 14:06

But that was banned in your own country to write Excuse me? Yeah, album was banned in your country, though, wasn't it?

Ronni Le Tekro: 14:12

Oh, no, no, no, no, it came out in Japan and Norway. You know those? Okay. Yeah, they'll live to the rest of the world censored its territory.

Unknown: 14:23

Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 14:25

When you look back at your catalogue with TNT, is there any songs that you think maybe should have been bigger hits that didn't?

Ronni Le Tekro: 14:37

I think maybe my religion from my real religion album or maybe a song called perfectly from that album, I think is maybe one of my favorites. Okay.

Chuck Shute: 14:51

And what about I know when I talked to Tony I don't I don't think he was too big of a fan of the realized fantasies albums. Do you feel the same way like you? I think he says yeah, He kind of tried to force you guys to be something that you weren't.

Ronni Le Tekro: 15:04

Yeah, I think we both have the same feeling. It was that it was a struggle, because of the interference from the business people. Because we were the guys that had the code, we knew how to do this. And suddenly, we got a lot of chefs running around, cooking some fucking shit.

Chuck Shute: 15:26

Like, they were, like you were saying earlier, like, you guys weren't really singing about chasing women and stuff. It was different. And they were trying to make you kind of more of a party band. Yeah,

Unknown: 15:37

it didn't work. Yeah. So

Chuck Shute: 15:40

now you get to isn't that kind of the advantage now, like, you have a lot more freedom, you don't have these major labels that are kind of breathing down your neck, you have a lot more freedom with the smaller labels, right?

Ronni Le Tekro: 15:51

The data definitely. At the same time, I missed the big label this, you know, obviously, because of the economy, too, but also the whole distribution thing that that music was more visible, you know, everywhere.

Chuck Shute: 16:10

Yeah. How do you stand out like with this new album? I mean, obviously, you're doing press for it. And you're trying to get the word out. But how else can you stand out? Because there's so much music out there? How do you get the word out about a new album?

Ronni Le Tekro: 16:24

I just tried to promote it consistently. And I realize it's just a portal on the same path. Like getting UCI constantly released new material with some, you know, solo albums or with other people. So, for me, it just, it has become a musical journey more than like, getting some recognition or or stuff like that, right? Yeah. More for your

Chuck Shute: 16:53

creative process. Like it just Yeah. Yeah, I do

Ronni Le Tekro: 16:57

this for my own head, not great music and yeah, to kind of fix traumas. And give the world hopefully some of us with some.

Chuck Shute: 17:11

No, it's good album. It's, I mean, hopefully, TNT fans will give it a chance because it is different than TNT, but it's still good. And I think I like what you said about you know, maybe doing an album like a page and plant with Tony, because you guys have grown up and you're, you know, you're older. And that's, that's okay. I think it's cool to make music that sounds like that, like this one that you made. Leadfoot it's cool. Thank you. Yeah. But to talk about to about your relationship with Zakk Wylde because I know he's a big fan of you. You're a fan of him. What kinds of interactions Do you guys have? Would you ever collaborate on a project or something?

Ronni Le Tekro: 17:49

Oh, yeah, it would difficult me. We met twice. And both times has been really cool time. So I respect him so much. He was so kind and sweet to with me. So yeah, that's a great guy. So I wish him all the best.

Chuck Shute: 18:09

Have you ever done you never done any shows with him? Because I know he has. He has a couple of different projects that he's involved in it.

Ronni Le Tekro: 18:15

Yeah, I've been playing with my own solo band. I played the festival when he did his solo bands some years ago. I can't remember maybe seven, eight years ago. Then TNT supported Ozzy Osbourne when he played the Aussie. So that's

Chuck Shute: 18:34

yeah, that's neat. I was looking at your bio and how many guest appearances you've done Holy crap, like you've done so many guest appearances. And I was looking through and I saw one that stood out to me was you did work on twisted sisters album, but I couldn't figure out it was the love is for suckers album. I think one thing said you did the arrangements. And another thing said you played so which did you do? The arrangements are you play?

Ronni Le Tekro: 19:01

I think it was around the beach or the other guys. I think. Here's something I play. That's definitely but I wrote a few riffs on like, five, six songs. I made the neon and the boys. A few of those songs. I remember. So and I also still have a great relationship with the slider. Yeah, he's the so you know, I stayed with the artists house for a period of time when we worked on some of that stuff, and his wife said she made some of you know, the cute clothes I was wearing in the 80s 90s Oh, yeah. I made the the commercial together. I wrote the commercial wear that he sang on five years ago. Commercial innovator TV commercial. So So we still have you know, some connection.

Chuck Shute: 19:58

Oh, that's cool after Google, right? I didn't see that. Is there any other any other upcoming guest appearances that you have? Like, it seems like you're so busy?

Ronni Le Tekro: 20:07

I'm producing a couple of young acts now other than that, I'm pretty much keeping focused on the TNT stuff for a while. But trust me, I'm gonna keep on releasing psychedelic albums.

Chuck Shute: 20:25

That's cool. Well, when the producing what is that like? Because I always ask artists that like, Hey, do you ever want to help, like produce or mentor or manage a young band? And most of them say no. So that's really cool that you're doing that you're kind of helping out? Are you giving a lot of your music physics business experience to these younger bands when you produce them? Yeah,

Ronni Le Tekro: 20:45

I love to build them. I try to help them out with the record deals, all this stuff. And that's, I think that's a really good thing. It gives me a lot of energy to do it. Yeah, a lot. No,

Chuck Shute: 21:01

I love I was trying to help people out. I always try to end each episode promoting a charity. Is there a charity that you've worked with or that you want to promote here at the end?

Ronni Le Tekro: 21:10

Yes, my friends. I would like to promote Amnesty International. Okay. Which is a way which is an organization that kind of protects human rights everywhere, people that are in prison for various political stuff. It could be in China, you know, all these countries where they put people in prison for no reason. Or political prisoners all over the world. So it's Amnesty International. Yeah. Okay. I've

Chuck Shute: 21:39

definitely heard about it. Yeah, I just I guess I forgot what that was about. That sounds great. And yeah, I know you were talking before about how you guys are kind of you're not in the war with Russia, but your your country borders them. So it's kind of like something that's concerning.

Ronni Le Tekro: 21:55

It's a little bit hot. Then again, in Norway, we have a long history with Russia, in peace. So Russia, they know they can't win Winter War in Norway, because we remount the country. And like Afghanistan is so what happened in Afghanistan with the Russians or even with the the NATO forces?

Unknown: 22:22

Yeah, we get

Ronni Le Tekro: 22:25

the intruder, they get kicked out. Right. We don't fear we don't fear the Russians. Like in the military sense, but if I get on the plane, from here, it takes just takes an hour and 45 minutes and on in Kyiv.

Unknown: 22:47

In Ukraine, yes. That's so close. Yeah. So

Ronni Le Tekro: 22:52

then you kind of get the perspective. You get on the plane in the US one and a half hour 145 That's how close it is.

Chuck Shute: 22:59

Yeah, no, definitely. Like, I know you're not a fan of Putin. And I heard you talking about some song that you wrote called Putin, my ass. I was looking for that. When is that coming out? And what is that?

Ronni Le Tekro: 23:13

No, I was thinking about holding it for a little while until the Russians have lost the war. So.

Chuck Shute: 23:20

Okay, all right. Well, I look forward to hearing that people should check out the new album with you and Leadfoot called Limited Edition lava lamp which hopefully they can get a real lava lamp soon. That'd be cool. And yeah, shows with TNT as well. Maybe us I hope I would almost fly out for this. What is it called the tons of rock festival. This looks amazing. It's got guns and roses. Skid Row pen Tara hailstorm and you guys it's the that sounds it's gonna be a really fun show. So cool. Thank you so much, Ryan. Anything else?

Ronni Le Tekro: 23:56

Nothing started. I hope to see you soon in America.

Chuck Shute: 23:58

Okay, sounds good. See you later. Bye. Bye.

Ronni Le Tekro: 24:01

Bye. Bye. Bye bye from Europe.

Chuck Shute: 24:03

Well, that was a fun one. Ronnie was great to talk to such a great guitarist and songwriter. Check out the new album with him and lead for again, it's called Limited Edition lava lamp and catch him on tour with Leadfoot or TMT. And also keep an eye out for possibly new music from TNT. Besides seeing a show or buying his new music, you can support Ronnie by following him on social media and liking and comment commenting on his stuff much the same way you can support this podcast. So also make sure you're subscribed to the show wherever you listen or watch. Have a great rest of your day and shoot for the moon.