The Wallets were founded as an experimental group by accordionist Steve Kramer and managed by Bob Hest.[1]
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".[2] The album saw the band described as "art rockers who not only want to groove but know how to groove".[3]
Kramer decided to retire the band in spring 1988, but waited until their final album, Body Talk, was released late in the fall before announcing the split.[4] The Wallets performed their final show at the
Guthrie Theatre in
Minneapolis on January 23, 1989.[5][6]
Kramer and Hest later formed an advertising agency, currently known as Hest & Kramer, Van House Weber,[7] noted for its use of music in television ads for clients such as
Target Stores,
MTV,
Time Warner, and
Buick.[8][9]
^Bream, Jon (1997) "Ex-Wallets finally get musical payoff - off the stage", Star-Tribune, August 24, 1997
^Baenen, Jeff (1998) "The Beat Goes On--to TV Jingles; Advertising: Two rock band graduates make their past pay off in music for commercials", Los Angeles Times, February 12, 1988