Hi Tony, much pleased to talk to you at last . In a past interview to Shy for Slamrocks I was hoping you to answer my questions, but guitarist Steve Harris did...Couldn’t figure at that time that one day a further chance would be given to me for talking to you as TNT frontman!!! The latest Shy release, “Sunset & vine”, wasn’ t bad at all. So what brought you to quit them and join your actual band?
Well, over 23 years with effectively a 10 year break in the nineties, I had come to a dead end with the band. I couldn't develop it any further, certainly not artistically, and certainly not financially, as there were literally no takers for the band that were serious financially either in a recording or live performance level. It would forever remain a self financed project for the love of the band itself and that can be very expensive. Trying to get live work in the UK alone that could justify the performance financially, was nearly impossible. It was pure chance that SHY were playing in Berlin in the hope of securing some commitment from a German company that TNT had contacted me and wanted to come to the Berlin show. As it turned out, the German company concerned made no commitment whatsoever and there was nothing left to build on after that. TNT literally made me an offer that I couldn't refuse, because there was nothing left for SHY anyway. Except for the passion of the band for their own future and I even believed that had dwindled.

What was your ex bandmates reaction to that choice, having your presence in the Shy lineup been a major condition for their deal with MTM?
There was a school of thought that I should delay my statement in the press with regard to leaving SHY for their own reasons, but I didn't think that was the right thing to do. I didn't want to leave things hanging in the air, so against the bands wishes I made the statement as soon as I knew my future lay in Norway. I think SHY thought that TNT were floundering in the business as they were themselves, but that was far from the truth. With regard to MTM, the bands commitments had been fulfilled contractually, so it didn't make any difference whether I left SHY or not, I was free to do as I wished.

TNT are based in Norway. Will you go and settle there?
I have spent the last five months travelling in and out of Norway for recording and live commitments and the thought of settling in Norway has crossed my mind several times. It seems a little unnecessary at the moment as the travelling for the shows isn't really a problem and I have recording facilities at home in the UK anyway for whatever I have to do. I think in an ideal world it would be a good idea to live in Norway, but it's not that important right now.

The first TNT release after you joined the band is a live CD/DVD still featuring the previous vocalist. Doesn’ t this somehow annoy you?
IT is obvious that the band had no control over this release and it was completely controlled by the Americans. It doesn't annoy me anyway, why should it ? It's all promotion for the TNT machine at the end of the day, so it doesn't do me any harm. I've seen the DVD and it's pretty good. People will always bring out previous material be it on CD or DVD anyway and why not ? Times move on, and TNT are now working on new material which will climax in DVD's of it's own, so there isn't really a problem.

A well established frontman’ s replacement often is a very delicate experience: did your new bandmates in TNT tell you to be Tony Mills of Shy fame, or just to try and sing like Tony Harnell?
There were many mature discussions regarding this and so there should have been after replacing a member that has been there for 23 years, as I was myself with SHY. I think it would be fair to say that there was a degree of ability to be able to sing the majority of the songs in a similar fashion to my predecessor, certainly for the sake of the fans and their attitude to change. But I made it clear from the outset that I was not Tony Harnell and I had no intention of emulating him for the sake of it. I have my own personality and I let it roll in TNT; nobody seems unduly unhappy about that. I think it's fair to sing the songs in a similar fashion that they have been portrayed in the past, I dont mind that. When I feel like changing something in a song for performance sake, I change it. So I dont altogether agree with all these challenging questions about stepping into 'Tony Harnell's shoes', I'm a very different animal and I think the sixty thousand people or so that have seen the band in the last few weeks agree that the band has developed a 'rock 'n' roll' element that it didn't have before.

Do you feel comfortably with the TNT tunes and are they much different to perform in comparison to your past set of songs?
I find the set easier to perform than a live SHY set. I find it comfortable although we still have to shift some songs around in the show to get the most out of live shows and be able to perform longer sets. The intrinsic fashion of the songs isn't that different, although the songs are stronger and have fuelled a much larger fanbase to turn up at every show, which helps no end with one's live performance.

Did the recent Z-Rocks appearance in your hometown Birmingham have the flavour of a sort of trial by fire, or did you hit the stage with a firm awareness of your new role as TNT frontman? What kind of feedback did you get from that audience?
There was a lot of apprehension that I wasn't the man for the job and with members of SHY at the show as well only added to all the debate. But the bottom line is, I had already played twelve shows with TNT in Scandinavia and everybody was happy. We hit the stage running and the response was not that dissimilar to a Norwegian audience, just a lot smaller. As in many gigs in Birmingham, there are always a lot of musicians there with the 'impress me' attitude, but the reception at the end of the show said it all, the band went down real well and rightfully so.

In the late nineties you released a brilliant solo album titlled ”Cruiser”, which gave you a new spotlight among the melodicrock fans, after a not particularly brilliant experience with Siam. But your following solo release “Freeway to afterlife” didn’ t sound particularly exciting, from the title itself… How would you rate that album now?
Freeway To The Afterlife was a self indulgent soul / gospel project that I wanted to get out of my system and I'm glad I did. I had a great time writing and recording it and working with all the musicians on that project. I think I would go mad if I couldn't diversify when I felt like it. The album had nothing to do with my career as a rock vocalist and it wasn't meant to. I actually still like a lot of that album and the feedback from a lot of people who bought it meant I wasn't completely off my head. It was different, a change from the Marshalls and the headbanging, a holiday if you like.. we all need one of them every now and again!

TNT and Shy started their career quite in the same period, both facing some hard times during the awful grunge years. What did you find in TNT which was missing in Shy, and what new goals do you aim to reach with your new band?
There is much in TNT that is not in SHY. Hunger for success is the main thing. Professionality and the desire to make great product and perform well as much as they can is another. TNT still want to be and remain a successful rock band in Europe and they have what it takes to do that. I seem to have slotted in real well, as I have the same aspirations as the other guys and with this sort of teamwork and ideals, we have every chance of all getting where we want to go together. I think it would be fair to say that when we complete the new album in February, we will be looking to tour that as much as we can for the next year throughout Europe Australia and Japan if that plan all comes together.

Could you tell us more about this idea of a rap version of “10.000 lovers”?
A lot of fun ! A co-promotion between Norwegian rappers 'The Paper Boys' and TNT, very much a RUN TNT sort of thing. We've played it live at quite a lot of concerts and as many people love it as there are traditional fans who think the song should not have been manipulated, which is fair enough. It's given TNT a lot of live TV exposure over the last few weeks and that hasn't done the band any harm on the promo front.

What’s the best TNT release so far, in your opinion?
My favourite ~? - My Religion.

And What about the new material for the next TNT studio album? How much space will you be allowed in the songwriting process?
A straight co-write with Ronni Le Tekro on the songs. If he has great ideas that I think are better than mine, then I'll insist on using them. At the end of the day, it's what's good for the development of the song that is most important, not personal competition.

Any message for your fans? And for your former bandmates?
I think I have walked into a ready made group of fans in Scandinavia that I wasn't expecting and I have met and talked to a lot of them. That has been a great experience – apart from the language barrier – I must learn to speak Norwegian!!

My former bandmates I am still on friendly terms with and that will remain as such. I have no doubt we will work together on various projects in the future and I look forward to that.