Span

Span are a Norwegian alternative rock band whose short-lived success in the mid-’90s included a pair of Top Five album releases and a handful of hit singles. In the wake of the band’s breakup, frontman Jarle Bernhoft embarked on a similarly successful solo career as an alternative singer/songwriter. Founded in 2000 in Bærum, Norway, Span are comprised of Fridtjof «Joff» Nilsen (guitar), Kim Nordbæk (bass), and Fredrik Wallumrød (drums), in addition to Bernhoft (vocals, guitar). The band signed a major-label contract with Universal Island Records in 2002 and debuted late in the year with the single «On My Way Down.» The follow-up singles «Found» and «Don’t Think the Way They Do» were Top 20 hits and set the stage for the eventual release of the band’s full-length album debut, Mass Distraction (2004). Produced by Gil Norton, a British veteran celebrated for his work with American alternative rock bands Throwing Muses, Pixies, and Foo Fighters, among others, Mass Distraction was a Top Five hit on the Norwegian albums chart, solidifying Span’s stature as an up-and-coming Norwegian alternative rock band with the potential for international appeal. The band’s second album, Vs. Time (2005), was even more popular, reaching the Top Five and spawning the smash hit «Cut Like Diamonds,» which nearly topped the singles chart, going all the way to number two. The band split up shortly after the album’s release, however, and Bernhoft embarked on a solo career as an alternative singer/songwriter with a more varied, less abrasive musical style. He made his solo album debut in 2008 with Ceramik City Chronicles on Universal Music. Though different in style than his work with Span, Ceramik City Chronicles proved just as popular, peaking at number four on the Norwegian charts and spawning several singles.