While there were plenty of dramatic moments in Straight Outta Compton, the one that hit me the hardest was a brief glimpse of a Tower Records in the background. The once mighty record store was the go-to spot for music fiends like me, and I would routinely spend hours in there rifling through the albums, digging through the CDs, and talking hip-hop with the customers and staff. With everybody streaming their favorite tracks now there was no market for physical media, and Tower Records closed their doors permanently in 2006. *sigh* But those with fond memories can get a bit of nostalgia with Colin Hanks' new documentary, All Things Must Pass.
Hanks looks back at the rise and fall of Tower Records, scoring interviews with Dave Grohl, Elton John, and more, all reliving fond memories of what was the home base for music fans across the globe. Tower Records was, at least for me, like the weekly trip to the comic book store. If I was there looking for some obscure rap CD or record, I knew somebody there would be able to find it for me, and likely know what the heck I was talking. They carried everything; some stores even had comics, and of course that became a problem later on when inventory started to pile up.
All Things Must Pass opens in September, and this rockets to the top of my must see list for docs.
