HMV Oxford Street - Closing Down Sale

[Petrushka]

It really does seem unbelievable that in LONDON there is really nowhere to go and browse new CDs - apart from the already-mentioned sad shadows of their former selves, which are beyond a bad joke. Places like Gramex are worth their weight in gold.

Do agree about Gramex. Did you try Foyles and Harold Moores? I really don't like Moores since the refit: the shelving is much to high for a shortie like me and clambering on to those moveable stands still doesn't make them easy to reach. I usually leave in frustration at the high prices and with a crick in the neck and backache.

[visualnickmos]

Do agree about Gramex. Did you try Foyles and Harold Moores? I really don't like Moores since the refit: the shelving is much to high for a shortie like me and clambering on to those moveable stands still doesn't make them easy to reach. I usually leave in frustration at the high prices and with a crick in the neck and backache.

.

You agree with me about Gramex; I am agreement with you - word for word! - about Harold Moores. Unfortunately I just did not have quite enough time to try Foyles, but I will next time.

One of my favourite stores of earlier times was Covent Garden Records, when they had loads of very cheap CDS in those huge wall-mounted folder-type things.

[VodkaDilc]

I was surprised to see Closing Down signs on the Oxford branch today (City of, not Street).

The last time I spoke to the staff there, before Christmas, they seemed optimistic that they were secure. Nothing in the local papers yet, as far as I know. Is this the end of HMV? A shame for those of us who like to buy physical CDs and DVDs in real shops.

After a short reprieve, the Oxford HMV closed today. The staff are confident that they will reopen in new premises in early Autumn, though they claim not to know the location. One good sign: the staff are not losing their jobs and are being sent to nearby branches for a few months.

Still sad to see Blackwell's as the only serious CD shop left in Oxford, where there was once Taphouse's, Russell Acotts, Borders, Virgin, Smiths and so on.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Still sad to see Blackwell's as the only serious CD shop left in Oxford, where there was once Taphouse's, Russell Acotts, Borders, Virgin, Smiths and so on.

I have happy memories of something in George St c1972. Was it Harlequin? At moments like these I almost wish I'd left the price labels on my joyous purchases...

I have a friend who always notates his LP and CD purchases from charity- and junk-shops with price and date. How weird is that?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I have a friend who always notates his LP and CD purchases from charity- and junk-shops with price and date. How weird is that?

Either you know me, or he isn't the only one, LMP. (Does s/he also write the date in the booklet every time the disc gets played, too? This has more uses than the obvious one of tracking how regularly a disc gets played; I was able to identify my stolen property in a second-hand shop once because of this habit.)

Yours in weirdness

[Flosshilde]

Still sad to see Blackwell's as the only serious CD shop left in Oxford, where there was once Taphouse's, Russell Acotts, Borders, Virgin, Smiths and so on.

& that's really only 'serious' in the sense of being the only one - when I visited it last summer I was staggered at how small the stock was. The Broad St branch of Oxfam a few doors down had more, almost.

Does anyone know the record shop in Marlborough? I discovered it recently when I was with my brother & he called in to get som CDs he'd ordered (I think he must be one of their better customers!). They had a small but interesting classical selection.

[Gordon]

The saga continued.........After a long period of not going there I happened to get to Salisbury last week and lo and behold there was The Collector's Room with Beryl at the helm looking as if they are there to stay. Really good to see the business looking well patronised several people wandered in and bought/ordered CDs while I was browsing.

Good selections of new classical and jazz as always and the same extensive 2nd hand selections and plenty vinyl in it too. Felt obliged to spend and so came away with a well filled bag of goodies including a couple of Kingsway Hall discs I had been looking for!! Result!!

[visualnickmos]

The saga continued.........After a long period of not going there I happened to get to Salisbury last week and lo and behold there was The Collector's Room with Beryl at the helm looking as if they are there to stay. Really good to see the business looking well patronised several people wandered in and bought/ordered CDs while I was browsing.

Good selections of new classical and jazz as always and the same extensive 2nd hand selections and plenty vinyl in it too. Felt obliged to spend and so came away with a well filled bag of goodies including a couple of Kingsway Hall discs I had been looking for!! Result!!

Care to enlighten us? It's always interesting to know what delights people stumble across on here....

[Gordon]

Collecting Kingsway Hall recordings is a task that knows no end there being so many discs made there over the years between 1926 and 1984. I have most of the well known recordings from Karajan, Klemperer, Giulini, Abbado, Solti et al but the more interesting ones are the more obscure and these are also what the recorded music societies like best for a programme. The more material one has the more interesting the programmes.

Whilst some of the obscure records are available on line they can be quite expensive especially of they come from overseas so Ebay and Amazon are of interest as sources. However one cannot beat a browse in a second hand shop eg Gramex from where I have obtained many deleted or hard to find CDs as well as some vinyl. The Collectors Room has a good selection of 2nd hand CDs and vinyl and so a visit from time to time is worth the risk. So far I have I been fortunate that no discs have been faulty or badly blemished.

On this trip I got:

Melchior from 1930s doing opera arias with LSO Barbirolli, restorations from 78 by Nimbus
Chopin piano concertos with Rubinstein, LSO and Barbirolli, EMI References restoration, [Double]

These early ones are from HMV [no Decca until after 1944] are the most interesting if not the most technically satisfying.

Some LSO and Abbado doing Mussorgsky for RCA in 1980,
Also the same pairing doing R Strauss for DG around 1981,
Handel arranged for brass ensemble with Philip Jones et al also from 1980s,
Rachmaninov pieces for 2 pianos with Ashkenazy and Previn, [Double]
Solti and LSO going Russian favourites [Decca Legends].

All these at very reasonable prices – £4/£5 for singles and £7 for doubles. Browsing without knowing whether a disc is a Kingsway disc is a bit risky but after a while the discography details get embedded in the mind and there are enough clues about, if not outright identification of, the venue. Plenty more to find so if anyone out there has some KH discs they don’t want let me know, I might not have them!!

[Alison]

Very sorry to report that PRELUDE Records in Norwich is to close at the end of March.

Bad news for an outlet that had seemed to buck the normal trends.

[silvestrione]

Very sorry to report that PRELUDE Records in Norwich is to close at the end of March.

Bad news for an outlet that had seemed to buck the normal trends.

Oh no! One of my favourite music shops....though I live 40-odd miles away so don't go often.

[Alison]

Oh no! One of my favourite music shops....though I live 40-odd miles away so don't go often.

Such sad news even though I was only an occasional visitor when on holiday. It's been going for 30 years.

[PJPJ]

Very sorry to report that PRELUDE Records in Norwich is to close at the end of March.

Bad news for an outlet that had seemed to buck the normal trends.

Requiem for a record store