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darwin
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
5454 Posts |
 Posted - 10/13/2006 : 14:00:47
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Tower Records is going out of business. Liquidated. Back in days before the internet, Tower was a pretty kick ass record store. Full of imports and out of the mainstream artists. Amoeba is better, but it's probably not a good sign that Tower couldn't survive.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1715324/posts
So, who's to blame? Pirates? Apple? Lables? Internet kids? Michael Jackson? |
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BLT
> Teenager of the Year <
South Sandwich Islands
4204 Posts |
Posted - 10/13/2006 : 14:59:15
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Bummer. I bought a lot of great records there. Went to Adam & the Ants in-store and saw Catherine Wheel play in the parking lot. Even saw Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz leafing through vinyl.
A friend of mine said the winning bid was only about $500,000 above Trans World's bid (which would have kept the chain partially alive). Just think about what the property is worth (on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood; on Columbus in San Francisco)...I wonder if it will all become condo's.
"Not the Cone of Silence!" |
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Visiting Sasquatch
= Cult of Ray =
USA
451 Posts |
Posted - 10/13/2006 : 16:53:35
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| I certainly don't miss their $20/disc prices! If anyone is to blame, it's Best Buy and Walmart for cutthroat pricing on CDs. |
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jimmy
= Cult of Ray =
USA
876 Posts |
Posted - 10/13/2006 : 17:43:40
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Is Tower the same as Virgin? cause I think the Tower I used to go to in Boston turned into a Virgin Megastore a while back, and saw in the Herald today that the Virgin Megastore was closing- everything 75% off.
Tower was a good store, got some Belly EPs there and saw Lisa Loeb do a couple songs. |
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IceCream
= Quote Accumulator =
USA
1850 Posts |
Posted - 10/13/2006 : 19:38:04
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| This is a sad day in rock and roll. Tower Records was more then just a store; it was an Icon. It was mentioned in an episode of Seinfeld, remember? |
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Homers_pet_monkey
= Official forum monkey =
United Kingdom
17125 Posts |
Posted - 10/13/2006 : 20:52:57
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Means nothing to me, but I sense this is a sad moment.
 I'd walk her everyday, into a shady place
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darwin
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
5454 Posts |
Posted - 10/13/2006 : 23:17:13
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Tower was not the same as Virgin. Tower started in Sacramento, but only became an Icon (as IceCream said) when it hit LA. About 15 years ago Virgin built a huge megastore in Sacramento as a direct attack on Tower Records (beat them on their hometurf kind of thing), but that store only lasted a few years.
"The London stores in Piccadilly and Kensington were sold to Virgin Group, who for a while traded under the Tower brand at the former site until the store could be fully refurbished, while the other stores were closed."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_Records |
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starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
Posted - 10/14/2006 : 06:13:23
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| I saw a few instores at the Tower in Birmingham only one I really remember though is Muse when they just started out (I'll try and scan a picture for anyone who is interested). We already had a couple of huge HMV's and a big Virgin as well so it just didn't last very long. |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 10/14/2006 : 11:18:19
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I was in Tower yesterday, (there was a band playing, actually, nobody famous!!). I heard that Virgin have ownership over here, or something like that.
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s_wrenn
* Dog in the Sand *
Ireland
1851 Posts |
Posted - 10/14/2006 : 11:34:37
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quote:
Originally posted by Carl
I was in Tower yesterday, (there was a band playing, actually, nobody famous!!). I heard that Virgin have ownership over here, or something like that.
Was it the one on Wicklow St? Was it these fellas: http://www.messiahjandtheexpert.com/
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 10/14/2006 : 11:52:02
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Yeah, must be them. They were doing there last song, and I can't remember where the singer said they were from, but he mentioned that one of them was from Glenageary (which isn't far from me).
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s_wrenn
* Dog in the Sand *
Ireland
1851 Posts |
Posted - 10/14/2006 : 12:36:12
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"Messiah J" still works part-time at a Spar newsagents. That's how hardcore Irish rappers are.
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 10/14/2006 : 12:52:40
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Maybe that's not them then-they weren't a rap band.
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KimStanleyRobinson
* Dog in the Sand *
1972 Posts |
Posted - 10/16/2006 : 10:54:46
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i saw FrnkBlk at the Tower store on Clrk Strt in Chicago in 03 - before the reunion.
Thats the one where i yelled out "Mister Grieves!" immediately after he had finished the song. |
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floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 10/16/2006 : 11:57:11
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as much as i like Tower Records and bought lots of cd's there (and had a severe crush on this one girl that worked there) it's hard for me to feel bad for a big corporation going out of business. and their cd's (like most record stores) were way overpriced (unless you got stuff in the $9.99 bin).
i'm more concerned with mom and pop independently owned stores going under than giant corporations.
at least that's what your mom said |
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Newo
~ Abstract Brain ~
Spain
2674 Posts |
Posted - 10/16/2006 : 14:20:46
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quote:
as much as i like Tower Records and bought lots of cd's there (and had a severe crush on this one girl that worked there) it's hard for me to feel bad for a big corporation going out of business.
where´s your team spirit you monster? now I´m never going to be able go back to Wickler Street in Dublin for the shittiest collection of Thelonious Monk ever and at assfucker prices.
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Gravy boat! Stay in the now! |
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BLT
> Teenager of the Year <
South Sandwich Islands
4204 Posts |
Posted - 10/16/2006 : 14:36:24
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Does Wickler Street in Dublin employ foxy babes?
"Missed it by that much." |
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Newo
~ Abstract Brain ~
Spain
2674 Posts |
Posted - 10/16/2006 : 14:44:25
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there´s foxy babes everywhere. except in MacDonalds.
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Gravy boat! Stay in the now! |
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Erebus
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1834 Posts |
Posted - 10/16/2006 : 17:27:30
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quote:
Originally posted by floop
and their cd's (like most record stores) were way overpriced (unless you got stuff in the $9.99 bin).
Last time I was at Tower it was for my "son" Martin's annual birthday "let's get some CDs" trip. I told him he could pick out five discs but it would fine with me if they weren't all $18.95 a piece. Yes, I'm cheap, but then he knows that. Of course he got five rap discs, so I had to ask him to play me one on the way home just so I'd know what I was missing. Fortunately he had one that was all instrumental, knowing I kinda like the rhythm even if the vocals tend to drive me wallward. We had our smile and both felt semi-cool. Also gave him a ska boot I had. He likes ska if it features saxophone. Good kid.
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IceCream
= Quote Accumulator =
USA
1850 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 13:26:27
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quote:
Originally posted by Erebus
quote:
Originally posted by floop
and their cd's (like most record stores) were way overpriced (unless you got stuff in the $9.99 bin).
Last time I was at Tower it was for my "son" Martin's annual birthday "let's get some CDs" trip. I told him he could pick out five discs but it would fine with me if they weren't all $18.95 a piece. Yes, I'm cheap, but then he knows that. Of course he got five rap discs, so I had to ask him to play me one on the way home just so I'd know what I was missing. Fortunately he had one that was all instrumental, knowing I kinda like the rhythm even if the vocals tend to drive me wallward. We had our smile and both felt semi-cool. Also gave him a ska boot I had. He likes ska if it features saxophone. Good kid.
Just out of curiosity, why is the word son in quotation marks? Naturally, if you don't want to answer, just overlook the question. |
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Erebus
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1834 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 14:27:03
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He's not my son in either the biological or adoptive sense. He's the son of a woman I fell in love with nineteen years ago, back when Martin was thirteen months old. We've stayed in contact and I regard him as a son, albeit seeing him only a couple times a year. He's a college student now and doesn't need me crowding into his life. Always a pleasure to see him, and I think for him to see me.
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ScottP
= Cult of Ray =
USA
618 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 17:28:53
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| I like to think corporations like Tower going out of business is a sign of big record companies loosing their footing as well. Big, old money, makes bad music. |
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Broken Face
-= Forum Pistolero =-
USA
5155 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 19:36:07
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I'm with Tony on this one. As much as Tower was a decent chain, it was still a big, corporate chain. My favorite record stores have all gone under or had to radically change, and they are all mom 'n pops. What i mean by radically change is that the last one i really felt was "my" store had to move from their space and basically rent out a small office in a shitty building in a shitty neighborhood. So now, you have to walk past a dentist's office and down a flight of stairs to a tiny store with very little merchandise. They still order me the stuff i need, but i doubt that it can survive more than a few more months in that space since there is zero foot traffic. In between the store moving locations (it took almost 6 months) i literally bought all my records online, which i don't mind in principle, however, i really will miss the community aspect of a record store - walking in, seeing the regulars, talking shop, etc.
-Brian - http://bvsrant.blogspot.com |
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darwin
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
5454 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 22:01:56
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When does a store become a chain? I'm biased because Tower started near here, but I remember when there were just a few Tower stores. It was a local store that went big time and I believe the original owner still owned the place until last week (but they may have been publicly traded).
I agree Tower isn't or wasn't a special personal store. But, it was a record store rather than a department in huge store (such as WalMart or Best Buy). And the employees seemed to be music fans (or at least had the phenotype). |
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Jason
* Dog in the Sand *
1446 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 22:11:24
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My favorite internet board is probably the forum at stevehoffman.tv (Steve Hoffman being a professional mastering engineer, but his forum is a ridiculously busy and informative place that covers all sorts of diverse musical topics.) The crowd there is a little older than on most music boards, and there's an interesting thread about Tower there where people reminisce about the store's heyday.
Some people there claim that in the 70s, you could go into the Tower on Sunset Blvd. and find ANY record in print, and find multiple copies of it. Which is kind of mind-blowing, and unbelievable until you remember that this was some 30 years ago and such a feat might've been more manageable than that would be now.
My own opinion is that, in 2006, Tower is the chain I found the least annoying. Virgin comes close, but their selection (where I live, at least) is a few notches below Tower's, and they play their music too loud. No other chain that I have access to is even near in the same league as those two. Tower also has the second best new vinyl selection in my town.
As for prices, me, I only bought stuff at Tower that I knew, locally, I could ONLY find at Tower, so I was never bothered by the prices. Factor in shipping fees from most online dealers (like Amazon) and $18.99 at Tower for some little-known psychedelic or power pop reissue that my local independent stores are a little too "indie rock"-oriented to bother with is often a good deal. |
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Visiting Sasquatch
= Cult of Ray =
USA
451 Posts |
Posted - 10/18/2006 : 10:43:02
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| If you spend over $25 at Amazon, it's free shipping, and no taxes are collected. So even if the CD IS 18.99 at both Amazon and the now defunct Tower Records, Amazon still beats the price, (if you buy a second CD, or a $25 disc). |
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Homers_pet_monkey
= Official forum monkey =
United Kingdom
17125 Posts |
Posted - 10/18/2006 : 10:46:48
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Online is nearly always the cheapest option for buying CD's now. In this country anyway.
I'd walk her everyday, into a shady place
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HeywoodJablome
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1485 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2006 : 06:29:48
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I'm sad to see it go, but they have been showing signs over the past few years of struggling. They kind of joined forces with the Good Guys in my neck of the woods and opened a store that is half GG and half Tower which I thought was odd. I met my very first girlfriend at the one in Anaheim and I always liked that you could buy concert tickets there as well. The prices didn't bother me so much, they weren't cheap but anywhere that has such a wide selection of anything is going to charge a little more. They've become kind of like a last resort destination if I can't find it or get it ordered at Vinyl Solution. It's nice to have options. I guess my only complaint is that the staff was by and large totally unknowledgeable if you asked them about anything more obscure than No Doubt. Nevertheless I'll miss'em, R.I.P. Tower.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
"My name is Doug and I'm outta hhhhheeeere." |
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Luis Bunuel
- FB Fan -
76 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2006 : 10:37:16
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| The Tower I used to go to in Harvard Square really sucked, it was so damn expensive, liek $20 at least for a CD, good riddance, I say. |
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Superabounder
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1041 Posts |
Posted - 11/22/2006 : 15:09:10
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Bought 10 good cd's at the Tower going out of business sale today. Pretty nice deals, although the selection is starting to wane.
I'd rather be anywhere or doing anything |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
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Broken Face
-= Forum Pistolero =-
USA
5155 Posts |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 12/21/2006 : 17:53:11
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Little independant record shops are great...the best ones are like little treasure troves of rare records!
 Merry Christmas!
http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/weezer%20star%20upset%20over%20tower%20records%20closure_1025819
WEEZER STAR UPSET OVER TOWER RECORDS CLOSURE
WEEZER frontman RIVERS CUOMO is mourning the loss of Sunset Boulevard's Tower Records store in Hollywood because he once worked there for 18 months. The famous music mecca was one of many Tower stores that closed its doors at the end of last year (07), and the BEVERLY HILLS singer is still recovering from the sad news. He says, "Working there was my crash course in music. That's where I first heard NIRVANA, the PIXIES, SONIC YOUTH. "Without having worked at Tower, I don't know how I would have moved beyond just listening to heavy metal, and Weezer definitely would have never existed, at least not in the form it exists."
22/03/2007 20:09
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Edited by - Carl on 03/26/2007 08:35:22 |
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Jason
* Dog in the Sand *
1446 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2007 : 09:06:54
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quote:
Originally posted by Carl
"Without having worked at Tower, I don't know how I would have moved beyond just listening to heavy metal, and Weezer definitely would have never existed, at least not in the form it exists."
In that case, "Burn, Tower, burn." |
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Tower Records: dead
