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Produced, Directed and Edited by Kenneth Thomas.
IT CAME FROM AQUARIUS RECORDS is a feature-length documentary about the SF-based independent record store, Aquarius Records. Having closed in 2016 after 47 years, this small apartment-sized store championed local, underground, independent, and challenging music to the masses - most memorably with their infamous bi-weekly, college essay-length, new-release lists.
This doc has interviews with the aQ owners dating back to 1970, other record store owners from around the world, musicians, label heads, music journalists, and INTENSE music collectors. Interviewees include Matt Groening (The Simpsons), Wayne Coyne (Flaming Lips), Howie Klein (Former President of Reprise Records), Bruce Ackley, John Darnielle (The Mountain Goats), Ty Segall, and Liz Harris (Grouper), and every owner from the store's 47 year history.
Aquarius Records influenced and enriched countless peoples’ musical tastes with their curated selections - but this film also shows the realities of an indie record store trying to survive in an increasingly difficult market of brick-and-mortar music shops, especially in the ever-changing and price-gouging Mission District of SF.
Six years in the making, the film has a very personal angle, with lots of behind-the-scenes footage (and drama) that shows both the joy and excruciating stress that comes with running — and closing — a store like this.
Film Premiere Date: June 3, 2022, at SF Doc Fest.
List of interviewees below the trailer.
Folks interviewed:
Bruce Ackley (Saxophonist, aQ Employee, 1970s - 1980s)
Emil Amos (Grails, Om, Holy Sons)
Jacob Bannon (Converge, Deathwish)
John Benson (Musician)
Butch Bridges (Former aQ Owner, 1980s - 1990s)
Windy Chien (Former aQ Owner, 1996 - 2003)
Monte Cimino (musician, aQ buddy)
Andee Connors (Former aQ owner, 2003-2016)
Wayne Coyne (Flaming Lips)
Eric Craven (HangedUp, Constellation Records)
John Darnielle (The Mountain Goats)
Jan De Vroede (Nive and the Deer Children)
Jeremy DeVine (Temporary Residence Ltd, Records)
Barbara Duffield (Executive Director, Schoolhouse Connection)
Scott Evans (Kowloon Walled City, Antisleep Audio)
Father Murphy (Musician, Italy)
Jon Fine (Bitch Magnet, Inc Magazine)
Stevie Floyd (Dark Castle)
Justin Foley (The Austerity Program)
Josh Gottlieb (aQ buddy)
Matt Groening (The Simpsons)
Liz Harris (Grouper)
Harvey Milk (Athens, GA)
Tam Henderson (Original aQ Owner)
Larry Herweg (Pelican)
Allan Horrocks (Former aQ owner, 2003-2016)
Pennie Hoyle (Fomer aQ Manager, 1970s)
Matt Jacobsen (Relapse Records, Wayfinder Brewing)
Alee Karim (Writer)
David Katznelson (A&R, Warner Bros)
Howie Klein (Warner Bros, Reprise Records)
Chris Knab (Fomer aQ Owner, 1970s)
Jussi Lehtisalo (Circle, Pharaoh Overlord, Finland)
Ed Luce (Cartoonist, Wuvable Oaf)
Josh Madell (Other Music, NYC)
Pete Majors (Amoeba Records, Harassor)
Gabe Meline (KQED Senior Arts Editor)
DJ Praj Metal (She Likes It Heavy radio show)
Tony Molina (Musician)
Mark Mullins (KFJC, Los Altos, CA)
Marissa Nadler (Musician)
Tom Neely (Cartoonist, Henry & Glenn Forever)
Nate Newton (Musician)
Tom O'Shaughnessy (Econo Jam Records, Oakland)
Tom Henry Olsen (Norway)
Terje Øveras (Norway)
Henry Owings (Chunklet, Atlanta)
Ned Raggett (Journalist)
Eugene Robinson (Oxbow)
John Scharpen (aQ buddy)
Gregory Scharpen (KALX, Thomas Carnacki)
Ty Segall (Ty Segall Band, Fuzz)
Aaron Turner (Musician, Hydra Head Records, Sige Records)
Brian Turner (Ex-Program Manager, WFMU)
Juho Vanhanen (Oranssi Pazuzu)
Jef Whitehead (Leviathan)
Gary Worsley (Alien8 Recordings, Cheap Thrills Records, Montreal)
*** plus, tons of in-store action with aQ regulars!