Legendary Guitarist Ronni Le Tekrø Discusses Ledfoot, Life, Lava Lamps, and TNT
Photo Credit: Cecilie Leganger – Left to right: Trond Augland (drums), HP Gundersen (producer, guitars, keyboards), Ledfoot (vocal, guitar), Ronni Le Tekrø (guitar, vocal), Anders Odden (bass), Markus O. Klyve (keyboards)
Legendary Guitarist Ronni Le Tekrø Discusses Ledfoot, Life, Lava Lamps, and TNT
Ronni Le Tekrø is a Norwegian guitar legend, founder of the mighty TNT and is known for his unique playing style. A meeting of the minds from the massive talents of Le Tekrø and The Havalina’s vocalist Tim Scott McConnell (aka Ledfoot) has resulting in an auditory journey with a dynamic amount of magic and intrigue. Limited Edition Lava Lamp is the second endeavor from Ledfoot & Ronni LeTekro, a stunning work of artistry that will tantalize the senses with its introspective lyrical content and superbly imaginative musicianship.
Highwire Daze recently interviewed Ronni Le Tekrø to discuss the inspirations behind Limited Edition Lava Lamp, how the collaboration with Tim Scott McConnell came about – as well the current happenings of TNT (including the return of lead vocalist Tony Harnell) and other topics from an absolutely brilliant career in music. Read on…
First of all, how did the collaboration of Ronni Le Tekrø and Ledfoot come about, and where did you meet Tim Scott McConnell?
He came to Norway I think 25 years ago – he got married to a Norwegian woman – and later they got divorced. About 15 years ago I met him when he was doing his first Ledfoot album at my studio. And he asked me, “I’m having problems with my marriage. Can I stay for a couple of days at the studio after we’re done?” And I said, “Okay.” And he stayed for five years. (Laughs) So gradually we had been playing – he’s a talented singer songwriter and an inspiration – and we released an album (A Death Divine) together about two years ago, and this is the follow-up.
Is there any overall story or concept behind the album and song title Limited Edition Lava Lamp?
I think it’s the thing that we’re both getting older. It’s a limited time that we’re going to get to glow on this planet.
Ego In The Coffin – tell me a little but about that song and the inspiration behind it.
I have another American friend called Bob Eiken and he used to say that “his ego was so big that you couldn’t fit it in the coffin with him.” And I told (Tim) that and he said “We gotta make a song called Ego In The Coffin.” So, I guess I stole that title from my friend Bob Eiken.
Select any other song from the new album and what was the inspiration for you?
I get inspired by a lot of things. It could be a movie. If I don’t feel inspired, I just seek inspiration through a book or maybe just good talk with a friend or something weird that’s being said. It’s pretty much a constant – I write stuff pretty much every other day. I try to keep it up with the inspiration and everything. The older you get, it’s harder to keep that mojo going. But I think we have the mojo for Limited Edition Lava Lamp.
Have you and Tim actually played live before, and if so, how did the shows go?
We have done a few tours together and have been playing together in Norway in Scandinavia in medium clubs as such. It’s been going great. We started as a duo – just me and Tim – and we added a keyboard player – and now we added a full band that plays with us. And we’re going to tour in October/November in Scandinavia. That’s when pretty much start, because I got to tour with TNT prior to that – a European tour.
And I wanted to ask about the recent sol0 album Bigfoot TV. Is there any story behind that title are you into Bigfoot lore?
I think it was a metaphor for all those television temptations that we’re surrounded with – like Hunting For Hitler – we’re never going to find Hitler – he never escaped Germany – are you kidding me? He died there. You’ve got all these conspiracy theories and all that, so it was kind of ragging down on all that stuff with Bigfoot TV. I guess we’re just apes when we’re watching that stuff. (Laughs)
Ronni Le Tekrø on our Zoom interview
Life On Long Island is such a terrific song on that album. What was the inspiration behind that one?
The first time I came to America, it was the summer of ’84 – and the first thing I noticed was the different scent – the soil and everything – the nature and how it smelled. And I realized that I got connected to it and I had a lot of friends in New York. Pretty much Life In Long Island is about how much I miss America I guess – but how much it almost killed me with the lifestyle I was starting to prefer.
What are looking forward to the most about this upcoming tour with TNT and Tony Harnell?
I think that it’s great that we’re pretty much the original lineup – it’s foremost the best thing. We have something magic together, so it’s great to be able to come back and show that we’re a hard rock band that you can count on.
Would like to bring TNT or even Ledfoot to the States?
Oh, I would love to tour the States. I’m just waiting for some promoter to call me. (Laughs) I would tour for months in the States, no sweat. It’s just been a better financial situation for hard rock in Europe for the last 15 years – so I think that’s why a lot of European bands don’t tour the States anymore.
Tony Harnell recently did an acoustic set out here in LA at The Whisky A Go-Go. I would love to see TNT or even Ledfoot play a show at The Whisky! That would be way cool!
I would love to play there. I would come anytime. They could just call me.
What was it like working with the late Tony Mills in TNT?
That was fantastic! A true gentleman. We did three albums together, and I think two of them are really decent albums. He did a really good job for the band when Tony Harnell wasn’t in the band. I think I did like 500 concerts with him or something.
Where were you when you found out that Tony Mills had passed away, and did you keep in touch with him over the years?
We communicated up until the last moment almost. I got a text from him a day or two before he died.
We’re going to go back 40-41 years to when the first TNT Self-Titled album. What do you think of that very first one in retrospect?
The very first one was in native language – in Norwegian – and I was like 18 I think when I recorded it. It’s kind of weird to listen to it now 42 years later, but I think there are some good riffs and songs on it – Harley-Davidson and U.S.A. And of course the following album Knights Of The New Thunder with Tony Harnell was different game.
Are you involved with any other bands or projects outside of Ledfoot or TNT that you could share?
I pretty much do my own solo band outside of TNT and then I work with Ledfoot. Other than that, I’m a session musician for a few artists in progressive music or symphony artists or stuff like that. And I produce a few acts every year – young acts that I fall in love with musically.
What goes through your mind knowing that you’ve been doing TNT and have been doing music career for 40 years and counting.
It’s been weird. Time has been running too fast and here I am at 59. I wish I had another 100 years on the planet. I just feel like I just started. It’s weird. But there’s more music in me. A lot more music in me…
(Interview by Ken Morton)
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