Peter
Jesperson
A music fanatic since he was a kid, Peter started in the music business in 1972 as a paperboy in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota area distributing the British rock weekly New Musical Express (the NME). He was hired at the record store Oar Folkjokeopus the next year, becoming manager in 1974 and remaining there until the summer of 1983.
In 1977, along with recording engineer Paul Stark and St. Paul Pioneer Press sports writer Charley Hallman, Peter co-founded Twin/Tone Records. He mainly handled A&R and distribution and was the primary talent scout for the label's early years. In 1980 he discovered, signed and later managed The Replacements, also co-producing their first four albums. In 1983 he signed Soul Asylum to the label.
That same year, Peter did a stint as interim tour manager for his Athens, GA buddies R.E.M. In the late 1980's he consulted on projects with A Single Love, Bad Thing and Toronto's 13 Engines. In 1991 he started Medium Cool Records (an imprint through Twin/Tone) making 13 albums with artists such as Jack Logan, Perfect (featuring Tommy Stinson), Slim Dunlap, The Leatherwoods, The Dashboard Saviors and Duane Jarvis.
Peter indulged his life-long disc jockey fetish with stints at commercial radio station KRSI-KFMX in the Twin Cities ('74-'75), underground rock club The Longhorn ('77- '81) and again in commercial radio at Rev 105 with his weekly program Shakin' Street ('94-'97).
In 1995, Peter moved to Los Angeles to work his Medium Cool projects through a west coast company that had licensed several back catalog titles from Twin/Tone. He was hired by L.A. based New West Records in 1999 and is now VP Production and Catalog. Peter is deliriously happily married. His wife, Jennifer, runs her own independent clearance company, Clear From Here, coordinating music for movies and television shows. She is also a contractor in the NBC-TV music department. They currently live in North Hollywood, CA with their son Autry and three cats.
You can e-mail him at peter@newwestrecords.com
Peter's "Best of" Lists
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
found in the archives...
1975
1979a
1979b
1980
a somewhat complete discography of records Peter was involved in the making of and/or promotion of...
- 1979
- Big Hits of Mid-America Volume III
- 1980
- In Combo, The Suburbs
- Courtesy, Curtiss A
- 1981
- Sorry Ma Forgot To Take Out The Trash, The Replacements
- Credit in Heaven, The Suburbs
- 1982
- The Replacements Stink (EP)
- Dream Hog, The Suburbs (EP)
- 1983
- Hootenanny, The Replacements
- 1984
- Let It Be, The Replacements
- 1985
- The Shit Hits the Fans, The Replacements
- Tim, The Replacements
- 1990
- Blur to Me Now, 13 Engines
- 1992
- Topeka Oratorio, The Leatherwoods
- Kitty, The Dashboard Saviors
- Ladies and Gentlemen the Suburbs Have Left the Building, The Suburbs
- 1993
- sun shinin on your rain, Ticks
- The Old New Me, Slim Dunlap
- Drive Too Fast, Marlee MacLeod
- Spinnin' On Down, The Dashboard Saviors
- 1994
- DJ's Front Porch, Duane Jarvis
- Bulk, Jack Logan
- Viva! The Suburbs!, The Suburbs
- 1995
- Love, Sorrow, Hatred, Madness, The Dashboard Saviors
- Favorite Ball and Chain, Marlee MacLeod
- 1996
- Mood Elevator, Jack Logan
- When Squirrels Play Chicken (EP), Perfect (featuring Tommy
Stinson)
- Times Like This, Slim Dunlap
- 1998
- 7 Days A Week, Perfect (unreleased)
- 1999
- 2000
- Lunette - Jim Roll
- Everything You Thought Was Right Was Wrong Today - Slobberbone
- 2001
- The Truth About Us - Tim Easton
- Nothing Personal - Delbert McClinton
- The Earth Rolls On - Billy Joe Shaver
- No More Mr. Lucky - Randall Bramblett
- 2002
- Hooray For The Moon - Jon Dee Graham
- Holiday In Dirt - Stan Ridgway
- Spirit World - Stephen Bruton
- Music For Courage & Confidence - Mark Eitzel
- Now Again - The Flatlanders
- No Other Love - Chuck Prophet
- Slippage - Slobberbone
- Room To Breathe - Delbert McClinton
- 2003
- Break Your Mother's Heart - Tim Easton
- Silver Lake - Vic Chesnutt
- Beneath This Gruff Exterior - John Hiatt
- Decoration Day - Drive-By Truckers
- Live - Delbert McClinton
- 2004
- Wheels Of Fortune - The Flatlanders
- Thin Places - Randall Bramblett
- Killers And Stars - Patterson Hood
- Old 97's - Drag It Up
- Village Gorilla Head - Tommy Stinson
- The Dirty South - Drive-By Truckers
- Age Of Miracles - Chuck Prophet
- Once, Twice, Three Times A Maybe - Perfect
- Universal United House Of Prayer - Buddy Miller
- 2005
- Gangstabilly & Pizza Deliverance (reissues) - Drive-By Truckers
- Old 97's Live (DVD)
- Awake Is The New Sleep - Ben Lee
- Exploration - Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion
- Greatest White Liar - Nic Armstrong & The Thieves
- Ghetto Bells - Vic Chesnutt
- Live At The 40 Watt (DVD) - Drive-By Truckers
- Master Of Disaster - John Hiatt
- From The Five - Stephen Bruton
- Dirty Diamonds - Alice Cooper
- Cost Of Living - Delbert McClinton
- Alive And Wired - Old 97's
- 2006
- This Old Road - Kris Kristofferson
- A Blessing And A Curse - Drive-By Truckers
- Ammunition - Tim Easton
- Rich Someday - Randall Bramblett
- Jubilee Dive - The Drams
- If We Can't Escape My Pretty - IV Thieves
- 2007
- Black Snake Moan (Motion Picture Soundtrack)
- Sermon On Expedition Boulevard - Rickie Lee Jones
- Preludes - Warren Zevon
- Sirens Of The Ditch - Jason Isbell
- Ripe - Ben Lee
- Washington Square Serenade - Steve Earle
- Dwight Sings Buck - Dwight Yoakam
- 2008
- Brighter Than Creation's Dark - Drive-By Truckers
- Working Man's Café - Ray Davies
- Live At Twist & Shout - Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit
- Insides Out - Jordan Zevon
- Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash (expanded reissue) - The Replacements
- Stink (expanded reissue) - The Replacements
- Hootenanny (expanded reissue) - The Replacements
- Let It Be (expanded reissue) - The Replacements
- Blame It On Gravity - Old 97's
- Same Old Man - John Hiatt
- A Love Extreme - Benji Hughes
- Now It's Tomorrow - Randall Bramblett
- The Imus Ranch Record - Various Artists
- Tim (expanded reissue) - The Replacements
- Pleased To Meet Me (expanded reissue) - The Replacements
- Don't Tell A Soul (expanded reissue) - The Replacements
- All Shook Down (expanded reissue) - The Replacements
- 2009
- Ready For The Flood - Mark Olson & Gary Louris
- Written In Chalk - Buddy & Julie Miller
- Hills And Valleys - The Flatlanders
- The Rebirth Of Venus - Ben Lee
- Porcupine - Tim Easton
- Townes - Steve Earle
- Man Overboard - Ian Hunter
- Acquired Taste - Delbert McClinton
- The Best Is Yet To Come: Songs of Cy Coleman - Various Artists
- Closer To The Bone - Kris Kristofferson
- Losin' Lately Gambler - Corb Lund
- 2010
- Crazy Heart - Motion Picture Soundtrack
- The Open Road - John Hiatt
- Mimeograph (EP) - Old 97's
- The Grand Theatre - Old 97's
- TV EP (digital only) - Ben Lee
- The Imus Ranch Record II - various artists
- Austin City Limits (Live DVD) - R.E.M.
- Austin City Limits (Live DVD) - Eric Johnson
- 2011
- Moonlight Revival - Ponderosa
- skin collision past - Wild Moccasins
- The Majestic Silver Strings - self titled - (Buddy Miller, Bill Frisell, Marc Ribot,
Greg Leisz & friends)
- The New West Record Store Day Sampler 2011 - various artists
- I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive - Steve Earle
- Photographs - Robert Ellis
- The Grand Theatre Vol. 2 - Old 97's
- Union Songs (EP)- Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman
- Dirty Jeans And Mudslide Hymns - John Hiatt
- Ugly Buildings, Whores & Politicians - Greatest Hits - 1998 - 2009 - Drive-By Truckers
- World Wide Rebel Songs - Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman
- 2012
- One Man Revolution (reissue) - Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman
- The Fabled City (reissue) - Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman
- Crossing Muddy Waters (reissue) - John Hiatt
- The Tiki Bar Is Open (reissue) - John Hiatt
- Nothing Here Seems Strange - Buxton
- Live From Austin TX - Susan Tedeschi
- Live From Austin TX - Willie Nelson
- Live From Austin TX - Johnny Cash
- New West Records On Air At World Cafe (Record Store Day 2012 compilation) - Various Artists
- Live From Austin TX - Roy Buchanan
- Live From Austin TX - Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
- Live From Austin TX - Albert Collins
- Live From Austin TX - Billy Joe Shaver
- Birds Fly South - The Mastersons
- Live From Austin TX - Richard Thompson
- Live From Austin TX - Robert Earl Keen
- Live From Austin TX - Texas Tornados
- Live From Austin TX - Waylon Jennings
- Ukred - Kalen Nash
- Pool Party - Ponderosa
- Drag It Up (Deluxe Reissue) - Old 97's
- Grand Theatre Vol. 1 (vinyl edition) - Old 97's
- Grand Theatre Vol. 2 (vinyl edition) - Old 97's
- Mimeograph EP (vinyl edition) - Old 97's
- Cabin Fever - Corb Lund
- Hiding, Mingling - White Violet
- Self titled - Grandfather Child
- The Odessa Tapes - The Flatlanders
- Enjoy The Company - The Whigs
- Mystic Pinball - John Hiatt
- I Am The Man You Know I'm Not - Ronnie Fauss
- Let Down - Lilly Hiatt And The Dropped Ponies
- Buddy & Jim - Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale
- 2013
- Rule The World - Max Gomez
- Come Cry With Me - Daniel Romano
- Before The Revolution - The Best Of 1998 - 2011 - Tim Easton
- Electric - Richard Thompson
- EP - Songs For Slim - The Replacements (Songs For Slim Series)
- 45 rpm - Times Like This - Steve Earle b/w Isn't It - Craig Finn (Songs For Slim Series)
- 45 rpm - Partners In Crime - Lucinda Williams b/w Nowheres Near - Tommy Keene (Songs For Slim Series)
- Live From Austin TX - Merle Haggard
- Live From Austin TX - Kris Kristofferson
- Live From Austin TX - Fats Domino
- Live From Austin TX - Jerry Lee Lewis
- The Low Highway - Steve Earle & The Dukes (& Duchesses)
- 45 rpm - Rockin' Here Tonight - The Minus 5 feat. Curtiss A b/w Cozy - Tim O'Reagan & Jim Boquist (Songs For Slim Series)
- American Kid - Patty Griffin
- The Bright Spots - Randall Bramblett
- 45 rpm - Ain't No Fair (In A Rock 'N' Roll Love Affair) - Jakob Dylan b/w Taken On The Chin - Joe Henry (Songs For Slim Series)
- The Best Of - Shaver
- Blind, Crippled & Crazy - Delbert & Glen
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