The Wallets
Encyclopedia
The Wallets were a band from the Twin Cities, who recorded on the local Twin/Tone Records
label in the 1980s.
The Allen Toussaint
-produced debut album Take It
was released in 1986, described by SPIN
as urban soul and funk with "a Cajun smell to their work". The album saw the band described as "art rockers who not only want to groove but know how to groove".
The Wallets performed their final show at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis on January 23, 1989. They decided to split up in Spring 1988 but waited until their final album, Body Talk, was released before announcing the split.
Kramer and Hest later formed an advertising agency, currently known as Hest & Kramer, Van House Weber, noted for its use of music in television ads for clients such as Target Stores, MTV
, Time Warner
, and Buick
.
Twin/Tone Records
Twin/Tone Records was a record label based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that operated from 1977 until 1994 and helped several local groups receive national attention. The label was born from the Minneapolis punk rock music scene, which included venues like Jay's Longhorn Bar. The label was begun by...
label in the 1980s.
History
The Wallets were founded as an experimental group by accordionist Steve Kramer and managed by Bob Hest.The Allen Toussaint
Allen Toussaint
Allen Toussaint is an American musician, composer, record producer, and influential figure in New Orleans R&B.Many of Toussaint's songs have become familiar through numerous cover versions, including "Working in the Coalmine", "Ride Your Pony", "Fortune Teller", "Play Something Sweet ", "Southern...
-produced debut album Take It
Take It
Take It is an album by The Wallets. It sold 6,825 vinyl albums and 3,041 cassettes. This project makes up 10 songs of the "17 Songs" album.-Track listing:#"Ghosts" #" Hollywood"#"Letter From Kazuko"#"Take It"#"Vietnamese Cowboy"...
was released in 1986, described by SPIN
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
as urban soul and funk with "a Cajun smell to their work". The album saw the band described as "art rockers who not only want to groove but know how to groove".
The Wallets performed their final show at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis on January 23, 1989. They decided to split up in Spring 1988 but waited until their final album, Body Talk, was released before announcing the split.
Kramer and Hest later formed an advertising agency, currently known as Hest & Kramer, Van House Weber, noted for its use of music in television ads for clients such as Target Stores, MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
, and Buick
Buick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
.
Musical style
The Star-Tribune summed the band's style up as a "mix of polka, rock, rhythm-and-blues, jazz and whimsy".Awards
The band received several Minnesota Music Awards ("Minnies"), with ten nominations in 1987.Albums
- Take ItTake ItTake It is an album by The Wallets. It sold 6,825 vinyl albums and 3,041 cassettes. This project makes up 10 songs of the "17 Songs" album.-Track listing:#"Ghosts" #" Hollywood"#"Letter From Kazuko"#"Take It"#"Vietnamese Cowboy"...
(1986), Twin/Tone - Body Talk (1988), Twin/Tone
- 17 Songs17 Songs17 Songs is an album by The Wallets. 895 CDs were sold.Songs were originally released on Take It, Totally Nude, and Catch a Falling Star.-Track listing:#"Totally Nude" #"Jimbo" #"Sometimes" #"I Want To" # Hollywood...
(1989), Twin/Tone