TOWER RECORDS CLOSING DOORS

Freejazz · « **Reply #80 on:** 12 Dec 2006, 10:44 pm »

I think I have been to either the Lincoln Center or the Greenwich Village store on my way to or from meetings on alternating days for the past month. As one who once worked at Tower (in the "good old days"), I really enjoyed and took Wes Phillips Stereophile blog to heart ... so many stories and really good memories.

Rumor has it that the last day for at least the Village store will be Friday, Dec 22. The hot insider tip (you know how those go) said that they were going to 75% off on Wednesday.

I would guess my living room looks a lot like both Levi's and yours, Chris. My bizarre tastes seem to thrive on the crevices, but today I left with only six cds ... my first day out of double-digits in the past month. The pickings are getting very sparse (a lot of what are ready to become $1.00 cds remain), although there are yet a few gems to be found.

Each trip to the store brings a bit less anticipation, while both wistful nostalgia and more than a tiny bit of sadness are beginning to become dominant.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #81 on:** 12 Dec 2006, 10:56 pm »

Quote from: Freejazz on 12 Dec 2006, 10:44 pm

Rumor has it that the last day for at least the Village store will be Friday, Dec 22. The hot insider tip (you know how those go) said that they were going to 75% off on Wednesday.

Would seem that way Scott....with yesterdays "Last 10 Days" sign.
Guess they will close all the store's on the same day.

Quote

I would guess my living room looks a lot like both Levi's and yours, Chris.

Not my living room....my den/audio room.....its a TOTAL MESS....and I'm not kidding....

Happy shopping (but I'll be sad to see Tower close)............. Chris

Freejazz · « **Reply #82 on:** 12 Dec 2006, 11:19 pm »

I guess unlike all the Rug and Carpet "Going Out of Business Sales" in this City, this time ten days means that precisely!

I would still give my eye teeth for that den/audio room ... an alcove studio, my toches!?

Very sad

SET Man · « **Reply #83 on:** 13 Dec 2006, 12:24 am »

Hey!

Hmmm.... a few more days til Tower close it door forever.

I didn't stop by today. Didn't feel well.

But maybe tomorrow at the downtown one. I hope that I won't see any of you guys there tomorrow otherwise we might ended up fighting for the same last copy of a CD!

Than again most of the stuff that I know or like are gone already...... I think lonewolf cleaned them out before I got there.

BTW.....

Quote from: lonewolfny42 on 12 Dec 2006, 06:50 am

Yes still at 60% off.....Rap is down to $1.50 a cd (and still alot of it).....

So, it will "Free Rap CD" on the last day or 2 than right?

Take care,
Buddy

mjosef · « **Reply #84 on:** 13 Dec 2006, 12:40 am »

I might stop by the uptown store tomorrow...maybe I get lucky with a 75% kickoff.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #85 on:** 13 Dec 2006, 12:49 am »

Buddy....I only go to the Carle Place Tower....not the ones in the city. It still has some of the type music you listen to ....

(Alternative....Dance....Techno....)

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So, it will "Free Rap CD" on the last day or 2 than right?

This store has so much RAP still left.....beginning to think everyone and his brother must have made a RAP cd....

They might have to give it all away.........

SET Man · « **Reply #86 on:** 13 Dec 2006, 01:16 am »

Quote from: lonewolfny42 on 13 Dec 2006, 12:49 am

Buddy....I only go to the Carle Place Tower....not the ones in the city. It still has some of the type music you listen to .... (Alternative....Dance....Techno....)

Quote
So, it will "Free Rap CD" on the last day or 2 than right?
This store has so much RAP still left.....beginning to think everyone and his brother must have made a RAP cd....
They might have to give it all away.........

Hey!

Man! I think there are too many people in the city with the same taste of the music as me

I wish I could go check out the one that you go to.

Take care,
Buddy

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #87 on:** 13 Dec 2006, 01:25 am »

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Man! I think there are too many people in the city with the same taste of the music as me

I think so Buddy....
My son just came in with a few cd's he just bought here.....Yello, Vive La Fete, Daft Punk.....they were not on "my" list....

mjosef · « **Reply #88 on:** 14 Dec 2006, 03:35 am »

Hey, its down to at least 70% or $5. which ever is lower. So no CD is over $5.
I picked up another couple doz. for just under a hundred. Some were like 80% off, maybe those that they got lots and lots.
And rap CDS are 5 for $4.

RoadTripper · « **Reply #89 on:** 14 Dec 2006, 03:50 am »

Can you guys tell me if the classical or even the opera stuff is all wiped out? I may need to head down to Tower in Point Loma (San Diego - I kind of assume tastes don't vary that much) this Friday.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #90 on:** 14 Dec 2006, 04:23 am »

Quote from: Seminarian on 14 Dec 2006, 03:50 am

Can you guys tell me if the classical or even the opera stuff is all wiped out? I may need to head down to Tower in Point Loma (San Diego - I kind of assume tastes don't vary that much) this Friday.

In the Tower store close to me (NY), they have about 10% of the Classical stock left....slim pick'ins.....it went fast.

Its now at 70% off here as well......

Freejazz · « **Reply #91 on:** 14 Dec 2006, 04:42 am »

The Greenwich Village store classical/opera stock is down to less than one small row (three browsers?) front and back (now in the World music Dept.)

Sorry for the bad info ... yup, 70% off today... and not 75%.

I did find some very nice World Music gems and a few more goodies that others must have stashed (sorry about that), but did not get the $5 deal on a very nice Japanese Gold Venus copy of an Eddie Higgins disc that was originally $50.

Off to Lincoln Center in the early AM tomorrow! Last trip? Probably not! aa

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #92 on:** 14 Dec 2006, 04:50 am »

Scott.....Anything good you can recommend in World Music ? Instrumental would be good. Still a good supply here.....just don't know whats what. Thanks.....

Chris

mjosef · « **Reply #93 on:** 14 Dec 2006, 04:58 am »

Uptown seems to have a better selection, no more "freejazz" though,

Lots of 'unknown' jazzers. I didn't even get to the second floor where the classical section is, I spent about 2-3 hours on the main floor, browsing the world and rock/pop sections.
I passed on a few imports because of the price, not knowing that they would all be $5 anyway, only found that out when I was at the register. May pop back there again over the weekend.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #94 on:** 14 Dec 2006, 05:05 am »

mjosef:

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And rap CDS are 5 for $4.

And I'll bet, even at that price.....there's still plenty left.

mjosef · « **Reply #95 on:** 14 Dec 2006, 05:41 am »

As I was leaving I noticed at least 32 feet of it right near the check out line...in fact the check out line runs thru it...

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #96 on:** 14 Dec 2006, 05:47 am »

Quote from: mjosef on 14 Dec 2006, 05:41 am

As I was leaving I noticed at least 32 feet of it right near the check out line...in fact the check out line runs thru it...

Same here....its in the front, the back, and one side of the store.
I think someone ordered too much RAP.....

mjosef · « **Reply #97 on:** 14 Dec 2006, 06:10 am »

Hey Wolfy, I can recommend a few World choices; if you see any Fela Kuti or Tony Allen grab em, highly recommended. Also look out for Trilok Gurtu, an East Indian percussionist. Haven't seen any of those artist stuff here in the City. Issa Bagayogo, I have seen many of his stuff, he is more traditional African music. Also Karsh Kale, he blends Eastern and Western music, veering more towards the electronic/trance genre. I have seen some of his cds available, picked up one today I didn't have in my collection.
They got a lot of the 'Six Degrees' label artists, and most of them are worth checking out...like Banco de Gaia, I like that duo, they are more electronic/ambient/dance.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #98 on:** 14 Dec 2006, 06:14 am »

Quote from: mjosef on 14 Dec 2006, 06:10 am

Hey Wolfy, I can recommend a few World choices; if you see any Fela Kuti or Tony Allen grab em, highly recommended. Also look out for Trilok Gurtu, an East Indian percussionist. Haven't seen any of those artist stuff here in the City. Issa Bagayogo, I have seen many of his stuff, he is more traditional African music. Also Karsh Kale, he blends Eastern and Western music, veering more towards the electronic/trance genre. I have seen some of his cds available, picked up one today I didn't have in my collection.
They got a lot of the 'Six Degrees' label artists, and most of them are worth checking out...like Banco de Gaia, I like that duo, they are more electronic/ambient/dance.

Thanks.....

I'll write up the list, and stop there again tomorrow....

Freejazz · « **Reply #99 on:** 14 Dec 2006, 03:25 pm »

Hi Chris,

Sorry, with all the construction around us, my Internet service was down all night into this AM ...

At this point it would be interesting to see what is left out there, but mjoesf provided a good starting point. As he noted, at both Tower stores in the City, they still have a deep selection on a number of Six Degrees titles and his description of the music was right-on. The Issa Bagayogo is among my favorites of the titles remaining ... also interesting are the Frikyiwa compilations on Six Degrees (or most of the discs on the Frikywa label.)

If you can find most anything by any of the following African musicians - Boubacar Traore, Rokia Traore, Saif Keita, Jali Kunda, toumani diabate, baaba maal, monsour chek, ali farka toure, you would have a good chance of getting anything that was good. It may be tough as most of these are more popular and well-known.

Some of the titles I found are lesser known (even to me) artists, but virtually all have been amazing ... all types and from all over the globe - Celtic, French, Argentina, Greece, Canada ... even yesterday, an historic Don Barretto Latin Jazz title, Melody's Bar, from the 30s/40s.

They had a few copies of Susan McKeowan's "Blackthorn: Irish Love Songs", not her definitive title, but she is an interesting Celtic singer from here in NYC. In that same vein, another vocalist would be Mary Coughlan.

I also found Alan Stivell's, "Brian Boru" - he is a famous Celtic harpist, but this is more of a mixture of styles of music. Uun Budiman, "Banondari" is an Indonesian vocals/Gamelan music disc, but not the traditional Gamelan ... more upbeat. One more was "Bush Taxi from Bamak to Accra", by Ashitey Nsotse and Kassoum Traore - all Dejembe and Kpanlogo drums from Mali. Yesterday also brought several titles from Turkey, one from Greece, a couple Martin Stephenson releases on his Barbaraville label, "The Haint of the Budded Rose" and "The Disciples of Merle and Doc." Also picked up a FIM SACD, "Autumn Moon Over a Placid Lake - Beloved Guangdong Instrumentals" along with several of the Trojan label reggae releases (and about 15 various others.)

*One more to note: Italian vocalist, Gianmaria Testa's "extra-muros" ... he is a bit like Paolo Conte meets Tom Waits. The disc is a blast w/ great orchestration.

This will give an idea of some of the things that are remaining

Well, you get the picture.

Scott