RETURN

RETURN was formed in Stange, Norway in early 1980.

Return's first important achievement dates back to 1985 when they won a nationwide competition for non-professional rock bands, arranged by Norwegian National Radio.

That led to their first recording deal with the independent label Arco.

In 1987 the track "Sing Me a Song" was released as the first single from the debut album,

and became an overnight smash.

The single stayed in the official Norwegian radio chart for 56 consecutive weeks.

The debut album "To the Top" was released the same year and sold more than 30.000 units. Their CBS debut was recorded in Stockholm during the summer of '87 with the Swedish producers Per Blom and Thomas Witt.

The first single "Change the Attitude" again proved the band's ability to deliver powerful rock with a strong sense of melody. The single entered the Norwegian top 10 only 10 days after it's release and created an enormous buzz prior to the album "Attitudes".

With the support of a major tour and another huge single , the heartbreaking

"Bye, Bye Johnny", the album sold more than 100.000 units.

Not bad for in a 4 million people market.

The follow-up "Straight Down the Line" was recorded the next summer, this time with

Per Blom handling the production responsibilities alone. The album contained the smash-ballad "Can you Forgive Me" and debuted at no.1 in the Norwegian album chart.

"Straight Down the Line" also became the first Norwegian song for years to break into the Swedish Top 30.The use of acoustic instruments added a more mature touch to the band's sound, and achieved sales in excess of 75.000 units.

Return had avoided the "difficult 3'rd album syndrome" easily.

"Straight Down the Line" was released on the European continent in order to further increase the bands international potential.

Producer Rafe McKenna was recruited to work with Robert O. Engen on their fourth album, This resulted in a more organic sound, which served as a tribute to the hard rock bands the band grew up listening to.

The album "Fourplay" was released in June 1991 and spawned two more top 10 singles; "Havng Fun" and "Tell Me".

Needless to say, the album debuted at the no 1 spot. "Fourplay sold more than 60 000 copies. Later in '91 Return re-recorded "Bye, Bye Johnny" for the compilation album

"Power Ballads" which sold more than 350 000 copies in Scandinavia.

In 1992 the group signed with EMI records and recorded the album "V" with producer Ole Evenrude. "Take This Heart" was the biggest hit from an album that was released in Japan as well as in the Scandinavian countries. The album sold more than 60.000 copies before Return called it a day. Years of touring, both in Norway and abroad took it's toll on the band.

Return is a band that enjoyed enormous success for 10 year and decided to pack it in before the downfall. Personally I think they just got better and better.... They always were, and always will be, the best people you could meet!!!

Steinar Fjeld

Manager