InterKnecht’s Involvement with the Tower Records Archive Project
It’s been six years since Tower Records ceased its operations, but that doesn’t mean the music is gone forever. In fact, a group of fans of the Sacramento music company have put together a project known as the Tower Records Archive Project in order to help keep its memory alive.
Tower Records was founded in 1960 by Russ Solomon, and lasted all the way until 2006. But it’s an unfortunate reality in today’s pop culture world that many of the smaller music companies simply can’t keep up in an age where digital downloads are so prevalent.
The people involved with the Tower Records Archive Project, including Solomon himself, are now working toward compiling a collection of memories to build an archive that will stand as a monument to Tower Records’s great history. Long-time fans, former employees and even other musicians have come together to share experiences, photographs and other types of mementos. Over 200 boxes of Solomon’s personal Tower Records-related materials are currently being archived for the project as well.
InterKnecht has been fortunate enough to be a part of this project. The project’s website development at www.towerrecordsproject.org was donated by InterKnecht, and it gives a photo-album feel to help push the wealth of history being uncovered by this project.
The project had its public kick-off event on June 21st and is now currently in its first of three phases. Over the next few months, organizers for the Tower Records Archive Project will host fundraising events, create an online community for sharing stories and experiences, and get the word out about the project as much as possible.
Phase two will begin in September and continue through September of 2014. During that two years, a lot of work will be done to archive the artifacts left over from Tower Records and to transform film, video and audio material to a more accessible digital format, among other tasks. This is going to be the real meat of the project, and likely the most difficult portion.
Phase three, from January 2013 to December 2015, will involve creating a plan for a nationwide traveling exhibit on Tower Records. It would go to many of the largest cities in the United States and show off the history of the company.
We at InterKnecht encourage you to join us in supporting this wonderful project. There are many ways you can contribute, whether it’s with monetary donations, sharing experiences and photographs, or simply by raising awareness. But most importantly, let’s keep the memory of Tower Records alive and well for many years to come!