Bye-Bye Tower Records

**Apocalypso** · 10.10.06, 02:41 AM

The Tower Records music/video/book chain of stores here in the US has been sold to liquidators who are immediately selling off all the assets and will close down all the stores in the coming weeks.

Personally for me, I have a lot of great memories of seeing on-store appearances by bands at several California stores, especially the big one on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood. They also carried a lot of decent imports as well as off-the-wall magazines that you'd never find just about anywhere else. As more and more record stores disappear, Tower has been one of the last music based stores I still liked browsing through on a slow day.

True, most of their catalog cd prices were high, ranging upwards of $18.99 but even right up to the end before several record companies cut off their distribution, you could still buy a new cd release for anywhere from $9.99 to $11.99. Basically big chain stores that sell cds as a "loss leader" have undercut them as well as internet sellers (who mostly do the same thing) in growing numbers over the last decade. Along with the shrinking number of smaller "mom n' pop" record stores, it'll mean far smaller sales with fewer outlets for small independent bands and an overall further lack of diversity in what you'll easily find in the remaining big retail stores like Walmart and Best Buy which are geared towards the lowest common denominator.

Starting this past weekend, they're beginning to discount everything and as the next few weeks progress and they struggle to unload the rest of the harder to move inventory, you see basically "fire sales" leading up to the store closures.

T.B.

**Little Dreamer** · 10.10.06, 04:45 AM

Really really sucks. It's sad. There's no Tower in my neighborhood so I go to Best Buy but I would never stay there more than 5 minutes. Place has no soul and they don't carry the whole catalog. The Best Buy in Pasadena not carrying "Fair Warning"... should be made a crime punishable by law!

I remember going to the Tower Records store in Manhattan, on Broadway, waiting for "my" copy of "The Inside."

Those were the days.

**billy007** · 10.10.06, 06:35 AM

In my best Darth Vader voice: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"

In my younger days I used to get stuff from Tower in New York City when I was in college and Tower in Philadelphia when I lived there, but there are no Tower stores in Florida. Still, I always used to hit Tower in Las Vegas whenever I was there - last time I bought the "Vertigo" single. I used to order stuff from them online whenever I could - have been waiting for a coupon from them so I could order the "ZOO-TV" DVD - guess that's not going to happen now. Last night I was looking for the DVD on their site, and not only was it not there, but they only showed a couple of U2 DVD singles instead of the whole catalogue. Guess now I know why...

**mistere** · 10.10.06, 12:20 PM

I was in Tower the other day killing time and couldn't imagine how they were
still around, shouldering that kind of inventory. Guess it was just a matter of
time. It's no less surprising to see Blockbusters shutting down all round town.

**Red** · 10.10.06, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by Little Dreamer

I go to Best Buy but I would never stay there more than 5 minutes.

Same here. I go in, I pick up the CD I had in mind, I hit the register, and I'm outta there. I don't even give them time to say "Hello" on my way in.

**SuckaInA3Piece** · 10.10.06, 02:28 PM

I stopped going to large music chains a long while ago. It's been over a year for sure. They're over priced, and I find that the workers there have no clue about music.

I buy all my stuff online these days.

**Apocalypso** · 10.10.06, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by SuckaInA3Piece

I stopped going to large music chains a long while ago. It's been over a year for sure. They're over priced, and I find that the workers there have no clue about music.

I buy all my stuff online these days.

I agree to a point, but I've always liked spending a lazy afternoon once in a while browsing the local Tower Records and often impulse buying some new band's cd, something I never do when shopping on line. Sure, I've bought more than a decent share's worth of duds over the years, but I've also accidently "discovered" some new bands long before they started getting good word-of-mouth (Secret Machines, Wolf Mother, etc) just because I saw their cds displayed on some "new artist" rack and figured I'd give 'em a shot. I'd never find such artists browsing a Best buy or (shudder) Walmart.

Impulse buying is a mostly visual thing, imo.

T.B.

**SuckaInA3Piece** · 10.10.06, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by Apocalypso

I agree to a point, but I've always liked spending a lazy afternoon once in a while browsing the local Tower Records and often impulse buying some new band's cd, something I never do when shopping on line. Sure, I've bought more than a decent share's worth of duds over the years, but I've also accidently "discovered" some new bands long before they started getting good word-of-mouth (Secret Machines, Wolf Mother, etc) just because I saw their cds displayed on some "new artist" rack and figured I'd give 'em a shot. I'd never find such artists browsing a Best buy or (shudder) Walmart.

Impulse buying is a mostly visual thing, imo.

T.B.

I hear ya, but I can get a new cd shipped to me for under 20 bucks thru a site like Amazon, as opposed to the $21 I'd lay down at Tower.

**atomicpunk5151** · 10.10.06, 04:45 PM

Tower Records was started in Sacramento where I live. The old Tower movie theater is still accross the street from Tower records on Broadway.

Haven't bought a cd there in a loooong time.

They did have a few cool concert at the tower on Watt Ave in Sacramento. Tesla played there, also Metallica.

**Spool** · 10.11.06, 12:41 AM

Sad sad day indeed.

Every visit I have made to LA I made sure I made it to "Tower on Sunset" even if it was just to suck in the vibe of the area it was must do in LA thing for me. I usually ended up spending a small fortune everytime even if it was more expensive it just had appeal to me. It'll be missed on my visit in 2007 ....

Whats next "Penny Lane" in Westwood ?

I guess the last big independant store would be "Amoeba" up the road, would that be correct ?

**Apocalypso** · 10.11.06, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by Spool

I guess the last big independant store would be "Amoeba" up the road, would that be correct ?

In Hollywood, yeah Amoeba Records is about the last and certainly biggest record store left worth checking out on a ragular basis. Unfortunately, over the last year or so, they've been jacking up theri prices probably knowing they're the last big dog in town for those that don't shop online. Even their used cds are getting very expensive.

T.B.

**HippieLettuce** · 10.11.06, 05:40 PM

What's next, Licorice Pizza?

**Apocalypso** · 10.11.06, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by HippieLettuce

What's next, Licorice Pizza?

HA! One of the coolest Van Halen jersey shirts I ever got back in '84 was from a Licorice Pizza store in Orange County, CA. It was the 1984 album cover on the front in basic colors and Ed's guitar on the back inside a yellow triangle and the quality of the shirt and the printing was far better than the rather crummy official concert shirts sold during that tour.

T.B.

**Spool** · 10.11.06, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by Apocalypso

In Hollywood, yeah Amoeba Records is about the last and certainly biggest record store left worth checking out on a ragular basis. Unfortunately, over the last year or so, they've been jacking up theri prices probably knowing they're the last big dog in town for those that don't shop online. Even their used cds are getting very expensive.

T.B.

Only visited Amoeba once on my last visit, lots of stuff in there, will have to spend more time next visit .....