TWIN/TONE RECORDS

Twin/Tone Records was a Minneapolis-based label that also manufactured and distributed Coyote Records of New Jersey. Twin/Tone cofounders were Paul Stark, Charley Hallman and Peter Jesperson. Twin/Tone entered into a three-year distribution, marketing, promotion and publicity agreement with A&M Records in 1987. The deal centered on A&M Records picking up two acts each year from Twin/Tone and its affiliates. The deal ended with the sale of A&M to PolyGram Records effective January 1, 1990.

The first album A&M chose was Chris Stamey's It's Alright. A&M worked it through its special projects department. Special projects worked to get A&M's people familiar with Stamey. Promotion included a video supporting the first single 'Cara Lee,' a tour, a tin cake pan with a biography of Stamey and a cassette that was sent to nearly 500 retail outlets as well as ads in fanzines.

The artists listed below appeared on A&M and their recordings all had the Twin/Tone Records logo on them. Artists who were also signed to Twin/Tone included Robyn Hitchcock and The Suburbs. The A&M recordings by these two artists were attributed solely to A&M Records.

SOURCES:
Twin/Tone, A&M in Pact. Dave DiMartino. Billboard, July 18, 1987.
Stamey's Alright. Billboard, October 31, 1987, 23.
Billboard magazine articles
Twin/Tone Records employees