Tower of Power
A new documentary about the rise and fall of Tower Records draws a packed house of moviegoers to the Tower Theatre and Verge Center for the Arts during the opening night of the Sacramento International Film Festival
-
From left: Mark Viducich, former head of distribution at Tower Records, with former Tower Records president Michael Solomon and VP of business management Ken Sockolov
-
The gang’s all here: Tower Records founder Russ Solomon (center, with wife Patti) is flanked by All Things Must Pass director Colin Hanks (left, with wife Samantha) and producer Sean Stuart (right, with wife Margot) at the after-party
-
Former Universal Music Group CEO Jim Urie (who is featured in All Things Must Pass) with his wife Nanette Pattee Francini, co-founder of The Sports Club Company, at the after-party held inside Verge Center for the Arts
-
Rebecca Crowther, photographs archivist at the Center for Sacramento History, with All Things Must Pass producer Sean Stuart at Tower Theatre
-
Bob Delanoy, former VP of retail operations for Tower Records (center), talks with actor/filmmaker Colin Hanks at the after-party, which benefited the Center for Sacramento History.
-
-
Comedian and after-party emcee Jack Gallagher (who cameos in the documentary as the host of a 1993-era Tower corporate video) with Russ and Patti Solomon
-
The Les Paul 100 “Tower Records” guitar, which was specially made and donated by Gibson (and signed by Hanks, Solomon and Stuart), was bought by Sacramento Bee scribe Ed Fletcher during the live auction at the after-party.
-
All Things Must Pass producer Sean Stuart (center) shares a laugh with former Tower Records distribution exec Mark Viducich and ex-Tower Books VP Heidi Cotler
-
Stan Goman, former chief operating officer of Tower Records
-
All Things Must Pass director Colin Hanks (right) and producer Sean Stuart at the Tower Theatre
-
-
John Saltnes, former sales manager of Tower Records’ Pulse! magazine with Christina Marie, who is wearing a dress she designed made of neckties (as a wink to the legend of Russ Solomon confiscating record executives’ ties)
-
Former Tower marketing executive Steve Nikkel with Russ Solomon
-
Kurt Spataro, executive chef of Paragary Restaurant Group, and his wife Kitty O’Neal, a KFBK anchor who appears in the film
-
Russ Solomon with his son (and former Tower Records president) Michael Solomon
This article appears in the June-July 2015 issue of Sactown Magazine.
