In 1999 Tower Records profits peaked at almost 1 billion dollars in sales, a reflection of the company’s enormous clout in the music industry. Five years later, the retailer filed for bankruptcy. How did a company with over 200 stores spread out over 30 countries on 5 continents plummet so quickly, and who or what was to blame?
All Things Must End: The Rise and Fall of Tower Records documents the record store’s high-volume history from its humble beginnings to its eventual demise through the eyes of its counterculture staff and illustrious clientele.
While most people credit the Internet with Tower’s eventual downfall, Colin Hanks, in his directorial debut, takes a more personal look at the cast of characters behind what was one of the most recognizable brands in pre-Internet days. Founded by Russ Solomon in Sacramento, Tower rode the new wave of music and LPs that molded the baby boomer generation, and then it banked on that luck to expand across the West Coast, with barebones stores popping up in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Over the next four decades, Tower Records flourished through its homegrown atmosphere that engaged customers by employing like-minded, rebellious youths who didn’t fit into corporate America. This counterculture spirit created the myth of Tower Records being a revolutionary way of life for modern music lovers hungry to seek out new styles and genres.
In the film, Elton John reminisces about his weekly routine of scouring the racks for new LPs and 45s that he would buy in triplicate, one copy for each of his homes. Dave Grohl of Nirvana and Foo Fighters fame recalls how the retail store was the only business that would hire him based on his grungy appearance. But it’s Bruce Springsteen who most thoroughly encapsulates the company as he remembers his days as a hungry musician fresh to LA who discovered that Tower Records was where he could see and connect with his desired audience.
Unfortunately, beneath the surface of success bubbled an environment of ambition and expansion that proved to be unsustainable. Even though the company was a household name, Tower Records found itself in a financial hole as the younger generation turned to the Internet and downloadable content for its music. At times funny and sad but always poignant in its reflection of the fast changing culture of our modern society, All Things Must Pass explores the complex forces that brought about Tower’s downfall while celebrating its founders ambitious spirit that proved to be unsustainable.
Although Tower Records went on to be an international success, the film never loses sight of the company’s humble roots in Sacramento. Solomon’s interview, a portion of which was conducted in the hollowed remains of the original store, feels like a wistful reflection of a realized dream. Although the franchise still thrives exclusively in Japan, the film feels like an ode to the city of Sacramento where the upstart business found its original footing. As I attended a screening at the historic Tower Theater (where the store inherited its name), I was awash in a beautiful ode to the small town spirit and energy of the city I live in, a city that reflects the spirit that anything is possible for those who dream big.
-Mike
-Mike
