D.D.E.

Established in Namsos, Norway, during 1992, the Norwegian rock outfit D.D.E. quickly earned recognition as a chart-topping, award-winning act celebrated above all for its high-energy live shows. Core personnel include Bjarne Brøndbo on vocals and accordion, Frode Viken and Arnt Egil Rånes on guitar, Eivind Berre on bass, Bård Jørgen Iversen and Terje Tranaas on keyboards, and Eskil Brøndbo on drums; several of these musicians had previously spent years together in the 1980s group After Dark. The band’s first release, Rai-Rai, arrived in 1993, and Rai 2 followed the next year, yet neither album attracted widespread attention. Breakthrough occurred with the 1995 live set Det è D.D.E., which climbed steadily to number two on the Norwegian albums chart and remained on the listing for 47 weeks. Capitalizing on that momentum, the studio follow-up Det Går Likar No reached the top spot for eight weeks in 1996 and likewise enjoyed nearly a full year on the chart. In recognition of the twin successes of Det è D.D.E. and Det Går Likar No, D.D.E. received a Spellemannprisen in 1996. Nearly every subsequent studio album landed inside the Norwegian Top Five, with several—Ohwææææh!!! (1998), Vi Ska Fæst -- Aill' Mot Aill' (2001), and No Går Det Så Det Suse (2007)—hitting number one. Retrospective collections such as Her Bli Det Liv: De Beste 1992-2002 (2002) and 15 År Live (2007) likewise performed strongly with audiences.