Ep.98 Freddi Szilagi (Village, New Orleans, Washington DC)

2500 DelMonte Street: The Oral History of Tower Records

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“Son, never trust us lawyers because we’re going to fuck you every time.”

In 1991, how did Freddi Szilagi find himself face to face, hand-delivering a $10,000 check to Edwin Edwards at the Hotel Monteleone? In short, because of Russ Solomon and Tower Records. For a more detailed explanation, you can hear our guest this week break it all down for you.

Before he was enmeshed in the world of state politics, Freddi Szilagi grew up poor on the Upper East Side of New York City. His mother was an aspiring Opera singer who moved from one bedroom apartment to another with four kids, two dogs, and a grand piano. Having a father who was a piano prodigy, who blew off his scholarship to Julliard, you could safely say that Freddi grew up with music in the house.

When a friend set up an interview for Freddi to work at the new Tower Records at 4th and Broadway, it set in motion a 17-year career taking him from NYC to working an A-Team project at the new store that had opened in New Orleans. Meeting the woman who would become his wife while opening the store, Freddi moved down to New Orleans working under Dan Shepard. Eventually, Dan left New Orleans, Freddi became the General Manager and he immediately set about highlighting the tremendous music that was coming out of the city of New Orleans. A large part of that was becoming a part of the fabric of the New Orleans Jazzfest.

Freddi finished his Tower career at the Washington DC store, leaving after receiving an offer from a member of his kid’s school PTA, who worked for Time-Life music.

Make sure to check out this week’s episode with Freddi recalling buying kid’s music from the Mafia, profanity-filled conversations with Dr. John, and a whole lot more.