Tower Records documentary - "All Things Must Pass"

Troublezone wrote:

S.D. wrote:

I worked at a used CD store in Seattle from 1996 to 1998 and mostly enjoyed dealing with the public and helping them to find music they might enjoy.  

The coolest experience I had was meeting Josh Homme (Kyuss, Queens Of The Stone Age) and helping him start a jazz collection.  I picked out 20 CDs for him and he bought them all.  A week later he came back, asked me to pick out another 20 CDs and he gave me a ticket for the QOTSA CD release party and also a signed copy of the Into The Void single on Man's Ruin.  

Very cool!

Ditto! That's awesome!

I'd love to check this doc out.

I lived across town from our Tower so it was a rare visit (nearest store was Wherehouse). When I say 'rare' I mean 'akin to a Disneyland visit.' It was immense.

Now it's a Rasputin's, which maintains a somewhat similar CD, LP, VHS, and DVD inventory, but nowhere near as deep.

I will definitely watch this documentary. Tower was a relic of a time when the music industry flourished.

corplhicks wrote:

I'd love to check this doc out.

I lived across town from our Tower so it was a rare visit (nearest store was Wherehouse). When I say 'rare' I mean 'akin to a Disneyland visit.' It was immense.

Now it's a Rasputin's, which maintains a somewhat similar CD, LP, VHS, and DVD inventory, but nowhere near as deep.

My best friend visits family in Cali and talks huge about Rasputin's. He also talks up a place in Delaware called 2nd and Charles. He visits an old college friend there every now an again and has brought back some amazing scores for real cheap.

The only "name" record store I have ever been to is Princeton Records in Jersey. The wife and I went to Philly for a friends wedding a few months back and drove through Jersey on the way back. Ridiculous deals in that place.

When I first started to buy my own records and tapes there was a small store almost across the street from my parent's house and a few other Mom and Pop style places in downtown Providence, RI. But then the chains came in and killed them off and now the internet has killed the chains. And the drum bangs slowly...

I understand that they needed to close most of their stores, but why couldn't they keep some of the bigger stores open for the three major regions of the country? Like L.A. in the west, Dallas TX for the middle territory and maybe New York or Florida for the east coast...

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I understand that they needed to close most of their stores, but why couldn't they keep some of the bigger stores open for the three major regions of the country? Like L.A. in the west, Dallas TX for the middle territory and maybe New York or Florida for the east coast...

The trailer seems to indicate that there was more to Tower's demise than the rise of digital music/downloading... apparently the Tower big-wigs were great at music, but they sucked at running a business.

I don't think keeping any of the locations was an option as they had declared bankruptcy and everything was liquidated.

Amoeba Records in Hollywood was already open prior to Tower closing and I think they absorbed a good bit of the customer base. Amoeba is owned by a San Fran company that purchased some of the closed Tower stores in California.

If there was an Amoeba store closer to me, I would gladly visit it often.

Fat Freddy wrote:

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I understand that they needed to close most of their stores, but why couldn't they keep some of the bigger stores open for the three major regions of the country? Like L.A. in the west, Dallas TX for the middle territory and maybe New York or Florida for the east coast...

The trailer seems to indicate that there was more to Tower's demise than the rise of digital music/downloading... apparently the Tower big-wigs were great at music, but they sucked at running a business.

I'll assume this will be addressed in the doc, but weren't the guys that started Tower, for lack of a better term, just a bunch of hippies that liked music? They didn't have much business sense and were just lucky for many years.

I had tweaker friends who dumpster dived at the Tower Warehouse Complex in West Sacramento and always came by with kewl music related swag-ness.

There were 4 Tower Records in the LA area that I frequented from the late 90's to mid 00's. One of them I practically spent hours in every time I went. I think the last time I ever went to one was in 2007. Yup, all things must pass.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

Quote :

I understand that they needed to close most of their stores, but why couldn't they keep some of the bigger stores open for the three major regions of the country? Like L.A. in the west, Dallas TX for the middle territory and maybe New York or Florida for the east coast...

The trailer seems to indicate that there was more to Tower's demise than the rise of digital music/downloading... apparently the Tower big-wigs were great at music, but they sucked at running a business.

I'll assume this will be addressed in the doc, but weren't the guys that started Tower, for lack of a better term, just a bunch of hippies that liked music? They didn't have much business sense and were just lucky for many years.

I watched this last night. It's on Showtime for those interested.

It's very good and yea, it was more than just Napster that shut them down. They were heading for a fall sooner or later with their poor business direction. The whole "downloading thing" just really pulled the rug out from under them and sped up the process.

Also of note, there are 85 Tower Records locations still in operation in Japan.

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I watched this last night. It's on Showtime for those interested.

I am waiting impatiently for this to get to Netflix or Amazon streaming.

Got it set to record this week sometime. Spent many hours and lots of dollars in those stores, so looking forward to seeing the movie.

Speaking of record stores, anyone live in the Phoenix area? I used to love Zia records, and was wondering if they are still around.

I guess I'm grateful to have lived in Hicksville, USA where there wasn't a good record store cuz just hearing people talk about "when" is enough of a drag but when I lived in ABQ I loved to go to all the Hastings and still do when I'm out that way.

Wrecked Neck wrote:

Speaking of record stores, anyone live in the Phoenix area? I used to love Zia records, and was wondering if they are still around.

I've visited the Phoenix area a couple of times and went to Zia each time. I came out of there with some nice hauls. I believe they're still going strong (haven't been there in about 3 years).

anyone know if this is on Netflix?

Addy wrote:

anyone know if this is on Netflix?

I just did a search on my account but came up with nothing.

gonna keep my eye out on this one I was on Itunes yesterday and found a Slash Documentary called Born on the Sunset Strip would love to see that one too

Just watched this as it is on Hoopla the local library digital check out site.

It is good.

I remember Tower as a young'n. Mom and my sister used to buy some cassettes and CDs there from time to time. I remember the kiosks that let you sample music. I also bought one CD there as a teenager that I still have to this day, and that's the US version of L'Arc-en-Ciel's Smile album, some time before they folded. And speaking of J-rock, I was also going to mention how there are still Tower stores in Japan.

Zia is the best record store where I live, I'm a faithful customer and buy there often. The Phoenix one is still going, but I have only ever visited the two we have here in Vegas.

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there are still Tower stores in Japan.

Yep. Anybody up for a road trip to Japan? I still miss Tower Records like hell.

Addy wrote:

anyone know if this is on Netflix?

Don't think it's streaming,but you can get the disc from them.

I finally saw this on the plane back from Costa Rica. Good documentary. It's too bad that they didn't follow it up with Russ's attempt to reopen as R5 Records(same colors and font) in that same spot across from the Tower Theater. It didn't last very long, it's been a Dimple Records since.

Trainspotting: Bob Delanoy was on our flight. I asked him if he still has the watch. He smiled and said "Yes" and showed me his wrist.

martinsane wrote:

Just watched this as it is on Hoopla the local library digital check out site.

It is good.

My library has started offering access to the Hoopla network, too, so I just signed up. Will prob bust its cherry with the Tower doc tonite since the wife is currently wrapped up in watching the Summer Olympics (zzzzz.... snore....)