Twin/Tone Records was an independent record label based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which operated from 1977 until 1994. It was the original home of influential Minnesota bands the Replacements and Soul Asylum[1] and was instrumental in helping the Twin Cities music scene achieve national attention in the 1980s. Along with other independent American labels such as SST Records, Touch and Go Records, and Dischord, Twin/Tone helped to spearhead the nationwide network of underground bands that formed the pre-Nirvana indie-rock scene.[2] These labels presided over the shift from the hardcore punk that then dominated the American underground scene to the more diverse styles of alternative rock that were emerging.[3]
Twin/Tone originated in the Minneapolis punk rock scene. The label was begun by Peter Jesperson, music and sports writer Charley Hallman, and Paul Stark.[4] Releases by the pop/rock group The Suburbs were both Twin/Tone's first release (The Suburbs EP in 1978) and its last (Viva! Suburbs! in 1994). Jesperson signed the Replacements to the label immediately after the band's debut at the Longhorn Bar in Minneapolis.[5] By 1984, the label had released 41 records and grown large enough to support three paid staff members, with its biggest-selling records including the Suburbs' debut and the first two discs by the Replacements.[6] Other groups that signed with Twin/Tone include the Magnolias, Babes in Toyland, Information Society, Agitpop, the Jayhawks, Poster Children, Soul Asylum, the Wallets, Curtiss A, and Pennsylvania-based Ween. British alternative-rock musician Robyn Hitchcock also released his 1990 solo album Eye through the label.
The label was headquartered at 2541 Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, which had previously been home to Kay Bank Studios, where garage-rock hits such as the Castaways' "Liar, Liar" and the Trashmen's "Surfin' Bird" had been recorded in the 1960s. For a time, Hüsker Dü had an office space next door to Twin/Tone at 2539.[7] Hüsker Dü's Grant Hart would later name his first solo work, 2541, after the location.[8]
By 1994, Twin/Tone had released more than 300 records by 100 bands and had begun to develop an umbrella relationship with several smaller, mostly Minnesota-based indie labels,[9] including:
In 1995, Twin/Tone was recognized as a "significant regional label" by Billboard magazine.[1] In 1998, Stark decided to stop releasing physical product in favor of digital media.[10] The company is currently described as being "in mothballs", releasing only limited amounts of out-of-print material on custom-burned CDs, though some of the more significant material was licensed to Restless Records, part of Rykodisc. Hallman died in 2015.[11] In 2017, the label was revived by Stark and Jesperson to release the Suicide Commandos comeback album Time Bomb.[12]
^ abClark, Rick (25 February 1995), "Give Them One Good Region: Local Labels Congregate In Cities Where Talent Gathers", Billboard, p. 114, retrieved 19 April 2015
^Dolan, Jon (January 2005), "The Revival of Indie Rock", Spin, p. 53, retrieved 19 April 2015
^Reynolds, Simon (2006). Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984. Penguin Books. ISBN978-1-1012-0105-3.
^Cost, J., Earles, A., Fritch, M., Hickey, M., Klinge, S., Miller, E., Olson, D., Rowland, H., Ryan, M., and Valania, J.: A Tale of Twin Cities: Hüsker Dü, the Replacements and the Rise and Fall of the ’80s Minneapolis Scene, Magnet, June 12, 2005.
^Walsh, Jim (2009). The Replacements: All Over but the Shouting: An Oral History. Voyageur Press. p. 65. ISBN9781616739782.
^McCormick, Moira (1984-11-03). "Twin Cities' Twin Tone looks for esoteric talent". Billboard. Retrieved 2014-09-04.
^Sturdevant, Andy (October 17, 2019). "A Rock 'n' Roll Walking Tour of South Minneapolis". Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. Minneapolis-St. Paul. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
^Vladimir Bogdanov; Chris Woodstra; Stephen Thomas Erlewine (2002). All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul. Backbeat Books. pp. 510–. ISBN978-0-87930-653-3.
^"Artists". Twin/Tone Records. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
^Eisenbeis, Hans (1998-05-20). . City Pages. Archived from the original on 2014-09-04. Retrieved 2014-09-04.
^Strouth, Chris (2015-06-16). "RIP Charley Hallman, co-founder of Twin/Tone Records". City Pages. Minneapolis. Retrieved 2018-08-11.
^Riemenschneider, Chris (2017-04-27). "Minneapolis' legendary Twin/Tone Records comes back to life for Suicide Commandos". Star Tribune. Minneapolis-St. Paul. Retrieved 2018-08-11.
External links
Official site
Twin/Tone Records History, artist roster, Billboard performance as an affiliate of A&M Records.
March 10, 2023
twin, tone, records, independent, record, label, based, minneapolis, minnesota, which, operated, from, 1977, until, 1994, original, home, influential, minnesota, bands, replacements, soul, asylum, instrumental, helping, twin, cities, music, scene, achieve, nat. Twin Tone Records was an independent record label based in Minneapolis Minnesota which operated from 1977 until 1994 It was the original home of influential Minnesota bands the Replacements and Soul Asylum 1 and was instrumental in helping the Twin Cities music scene achieve national attention in the 1980s Along with other independent American labels such as SST Records Touch and Go Records and Dischord Twin Tone helped to spearhead the nationwide network of underground bands that formed the pre Nirvana indie rock scene 2 These labels presided over the shift from the hardcore punk that then dominated the American underground scene to the more diverse styles of alternative rock that were emerging 3 Twin Tone RecordsTwin Tone Records logo c 1984 presentFounded1977 1977 FounderPeter JespersonCharley HallmanPaul StarkDefunct1994 1994 GenreAlternative rockpunkCountry of originU S LocationMinneapolis MinnesotaOfficial websitetwintone wbr comTwin Tone originated in the Minneapolis punk rock scene The label was begun by Peter Jesperson music and sports writer Charley Hallman and Paul Stark 4 Releases by the pop rock group The Suburbs were both Twin Tone s first release The Suburbs EP in 1978 and its last Viva Suburbs in 1994 Jesperson signed the Replacements to the label immediately after the band s debut at the Longhorn Bar in Minneapolis 5 By 1984 the label had released 41 records and grown large enough to support three paid staff members with its biggest selling records including the Suburbs debut and the first two discs by the Replacements 6 Other groups that signed with Twin Tone include the Magnolias Babes in Toyland Information Society Agitpop the Jayhawks Poster Children Soul Asylum the Wallets Curtiss A and Pennsylvania based Ween British alternative rock musician Robyn Hitchcock also released his 1990 solo album Eye through the label The label was headquartered at 2541 Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis which had previously been home to Kay Bank Studios where garage rock hits such as the Castaways Liar Liar and the Trashmen s Surfin Bird had been recorded in the 1960s For a time Husker Du had an office space next door to Twin Tone at 2539 7 Husker Du s Grant Hart would later name his first solo work 2541 after the location 8 By 1994 Twin Tone had released more than 300 records by 100 bands and had begun to develop an umbrella relationship with several smaller mostly Minnesota based indie labels 9 including TRG Records Hot Records Amphetamine Reptile Records Wide Angle Records Atomic Theory Records Hakatak International Records Boy s Life Records Skene Records Coyote Lost Records Medium Cool Records Clean Records Spanish Fly Records Prospective Records UltraModern Records Red Decibel Records No Alternative Records Guilt Ridden Pop Records In 1995 Twin Tone was recognized as a significant regional label by Billboard magazine 1 In 1998 Stark decided to stop releasing physical product in favor of digital media 10 The company is currently described as being in mothballs releasing only limited amounts of out of print material on custom burned CDs though some of the more significant material was licensed to Restless Records part of Rykodisc Hallman died in 2015 11 In 2017 the label was revived by Stark and Jesperson to release the Suicide Commandos comeback album Time Bomb 12 See also EditList of record labelsReferences Edit a b Clark Rick 25 February 1995 Give Them One Good Region Local Labels Congregate In Cities Where Talent Gathers Billboard p 114 retrieved 19 April 2015 Dolan Jon January 2005 The Revival of Indie Rock Spin p 53 retrieved 19 April 2015 Reynolds Simon 2006 Rip It Up and Start Again Postpunk 1978 1984 Penguin Books ISBN 978 1 1012 0105 3 Cost J Earles A Fritch M Hickey M Klinge S Miller E Olson D Rowland H Ryan M and Valania J A Tale of Twin Cities Husker Du the Replacements and the Rise and Fall of the 80s Minneapolis Scene Magnet June 12 2005 Walsh Jim 2009 The Replacements All Over but the Shouting An Oral History Voyageur Press p 65 ISBN 9781616739782 McCormick Moira 1984 11 03 Twin Cities Twin Tone looks for esoteric talent Billboard Retrieved 2014 09 04 Sturdevant Andy October 17 2019 A Rock n Roll Walking Tour of South Minneapolis Mpls St Paul Magazine Minneapolis St Paul Retrieved 2020 06 12 Vladimir Bogdanov Chris Woodstra Stephen Thomas Erlewine 2002 All Music Guide to Rock The Definitive Guide to Rock Pop and Soul Backbeat Books pp 510 ISBN 978 0 87930 653 3 Artists Twin Tone Records Retrieved 23 April 2015 Eisenbeis Hans 1998 05 20 I m With the Bandwidth Minneapolis label s proprietor Paul Stark is making a play for the future City Pages Archived from the original on 2014 09 04 Retrieved 2014 09 04 Strouth Chris 2015 06 16 RIP Charley Hallman co founder of Twin Tone Records City Pages Minneapolis Retrieved 2018 08 11 Riemenschneider Chris 2017 04 27 Minneapolis legendary Twin Tone Records comes back to life for Suicide Commandos Star Tribune Minneapolis St Paul Retrieved 2018 08 11 External links EditOfficial site Twin Tone Records History artist roster Billboard performance as an affiliate of A amp M Records Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Twin Tone Records amp oldid 1081417161, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
