Music lovers and collectors alike all have something in common – they each have a memory about purchasing music and experiencing the awesomeness that was Tower Records.  With the first store opening in 1960, founder Russ Soloman wanted to create record stores that shared in the consumer’s passion for music, while maintaining a vibe that was far from corporate.

Now, several years after their eventual nation-wide closing in 2006, actor Colin Hanks is working on a documentary about the story of Tower Records.  Colin was looking for $50,000 in donations to complete the project. And, he hit that goal in just five days.

The Tower Records story is about a man, his company and the unprecedented economic and cultural impact it had on the music industry and people around the world. Tower Records begins with the man who created it… Russ Solomon.

From a cultural standpoint, Tower Records had a monumental impact on millions of people, worldwide. It was “the place” to escape for a few hours; a sanctuary, a haven. Tower Records was a place to meet your friends, your co-workers or a place to meet new friends who shared a common love of music, literature and all things cultural.

Yet, in 2004 the company filed for bankruptcy and by the end of 2006, Russ Solomon’s Tower Records had shut the doors to nearly every one of its worldwide outlets.

We at KROQ would love to see this documentary come to fruition as we did thousand of promotions with Tower Records spanning almost three decades. Kudos to Colin for developing this documentary. Follow the films progress on this Facebook page.

[Photo and excerpts courtesy Colin Hanks via Kickstarter.]

We invite anyone with fond memories of Tower Records to share them with us. Remember, chances are, if you’re under twenty, you’ve never stepped foot in a record store, let alone, a Tower Records.