All Things Must Pass

The story of pioneering music megastore Tower Records is told from birth to boom to bust in this accomplished documentary debut from Colin Hanks, son of Tom. Starting out in the early 1960s from his father's drug store in Sacramento, Russ Solomon built the business into a billion-dollar global concern. It was Solomon's passion for music and gut-feeling for an opportunity that brought him success, while his party-loving attitude meant rock 'n' roll behaviour was never discouraged in the workplace. Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl fondly recalls his own time working there, while Elton John's claim that he spent more money in the shop "than any other human being" is borne out by some choice archive. Overconfidence, overexpansion and the rise of digital file-sharing ("How do you compete with free?") contributed to the company's demise in the early 2000s, which is recounted with genuine sadness by the staff who worked their way up from the shop floor to the boardroom. But, for the most part, Hanks celebrates the glory days of Tower Records, while a surprisingly upbeat pay-off suggests its name shouldn't be consigned to the history books just yet.