TWIN/TONE RECORDS
Indie label legend Peter Jesperson
Interview by John Wisniewski
(August 2024)
Along with SST, Dischord, Epitaph and others, few indie rock/punk labels in the 1980's laid out the landscape of the style like Twin/Tone Records out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Label co-founder Peter Jesperson recently expanded on that time in his book Euphoric Recall (available here). In this interview, he talks about the music scene then in the area, why he wrote the book, how he got to work with some of the greatest bands from that area (and that era) and more.
PSF: When did your interest in music begin and what were you listening to
at first?
PJ: At about the age of 4 & 1/2, I realized I had an abnormal reaction to music, especially to certain songs. The first time was hearing "All I Have To Do Is Dream" by the Everly Brothers in 1958. I loved it so much, it almost scared me.
PSF: Before Twin/Tone, how would you describe the music scene in your
area?
PJ: The music scene in Minneapolis-St. Paul (the Twin Cities) in the mid-'70's was primarily made up of bands doing covers of hit records, new and old.
PSF: Why did you and others decide to start Twin/Tone records?
PJ: There were so many great new bands, we felt forced to start a record label to record them.
PSF: What did you want to accomplish by helping to form the label?
PJ: We wanted the local Twin Cities artists to be heard by as many pairs of ears as was humanly possible.
PSF: How did you meet the members of The Replacements?
PJ: We first met 'cos they hung out in the record store I worked at, Oar Folkjokeopus.
PSF: What was your impression of them at first?
PJ: I thought they were some of the most musically talented young ruffians I had ever met.
PSF: Why did you want to sign them to the label and become their manager?
PJ: I signed them because I had a hunch they were going to make exceptional records that would stand the test of time. I became their manager to protect them, and to help them move their career forward.
PSF: What is your favorite Replacements' album?
PJ: Let It Be
PSF: What did you think of the Replacements' records on Warner Bros?
PJ: I loved the Sire/WB albums, though each one had 2-3 songs that weren't great, in my opinion.
PSF: What interested you about Soul Asylum when you first heard them and
met them?
PJ: They were great guys who hung around the record store. I knew them as friends first, because Tommy Stinson went to the same High School as Dave [Pirner] & Danny [Murphy]. Later, I fell head over heels in love with their music because they became one of the best live bands to ever come out of the Twin Cities scene.
PSF: Did you expect The Replacements and Soul Asylum and many bands signed
to Twin Tone to become so popular?
PJ: Yes, I thought it was a good possibility.
PSF: What was your opinion of the emergence of grunge and hardcore?
PJ: I was not a big fan of either, to be honest. Both fell under the 'hard rock' banner,' and that just wasn't my bag.
PSF: Why did you want to write your book?
PJ: I've been a voracious reader all my life, and therefore placed great value on the written word. I wanted to write my own book because I believed I had some good stories to tell.
PSF: What were some of the Twin/Tone bands that you were surprised didn't
get more recognition and why?
PJ: Tough question. I thought so many of them deserved more than they got. More than any other single artist in Twin/Tone history, I was surprised that Curt Almsted (Curtiss A, Thumbs Up, Spooks, etc.) didn't become a household name. And though the Suburbs became the biggest band in the Twin Cities for a long time, I thought they should have been a global phenomenon. I thought one of our first signings, Fingerprints, had the talent to become hugely successful. And on my T/T spinoff label, Medium Cool, I was sure both the Leatherwoods, and Jack Logan, should have gone on to fame and fortune.
