HMV Again

[Ferretfancy]

I visited the classical department of HMV in Oxford Street today, and found what can only be described as a scene of devastation.

As you walk in, the first thing that you see is yards of empty browsers. The rear wall, where the opera used to be, is now stocked with assorted Hollywood movies. Nearby is a large section devoted to Christmas Music, a small alphabetical section, and a surprisingly good selection of music DVDs. I presume that they were well stocked with these before the disaster, and perhaps they are slower to sell.

I asked what had happened to their large Naxos range, and was told that they were mixed in with the remaining stock. An assistant that I talk to regularly told me that they expect to hear their fate in a couple of weeks time.

I first visited the old HMV store in about 1948, it has been part of life's background, and my experience today was very depressing.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

I called in last Wednesday and was similarly saddened. A swifter perusal than usual and similarly fruitless in terms of anything (a) I wished to purchase or (b) cheaper than any online source.

I remember discovering its Oxford St Classical department as a teenager; sectioned off, with a rotunda seating area and a display of LPs which fair took my breath away. It was like an Aladdin's cave. I came away with LP sets of Verdi's Attila and Macbeth. I think it was probably responsible for triggering my collecting mania, when I realised just how much recorded music was available!

[amateur51]

I called in last Wednesday and was similarly saddened. A swifter perusal than usual and similarly fruitless in terms of anything (a) I wished to purchase or (b) cheaper than any online source.

I remember discovering its Oxford St Classical department as a teenager; sectioned off, with a rotunda seating area and a display of LPs which fair took my breath away. It was like an Aladdin's cave. I came away with LP sets of Verdi's Attila and Macbeth. I think it was probably responsible for triggering my collecting mania, when I realised just how much recorded music was available!

Exactly the same sort of memory here, IGI. In 1971 I was new to London and had been given some money to spend on myself by my father. I went to the original HMV near Bond Street tube station where I spent hours over selecting my purchases, eventually coming out with Domingo & Merrill in opera duets; Sargent's recording of Elgar Enigma variations; and the newly-remastered recording of Elgar violin concerto by Albert Sammons with Henry Wood and the Queen's Hall Orchestra. That shop was my sole place of pilgrimage for many years until Henry Stave & Company started on King William IV Street on the city end of London Bridge

[amateur51]

Well here's a turn-up for the book ...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/m...-save-HMV.html

[gradus]

Good for Elton, pleasing that he wants to give something back and one hopes save an awful lot of jobs into the bargain.

[Flosshilde]

Excuse me for being a bit cynical (& EJ does do a lot for charity, especially for AIDS), but I'm not sure how it's going to make a huge difference to HMV's fate at this point (unless he's going to buy the business).

[scottycelt]

Excuse me for being a bit cynical (& EJ does do a lot for charity, especially for AIDS), but I'm not sure how it's going to make a huge difference to HMV's fate at this point (unless he's going to buy the business).

On this somewhat untypical occasion I, for one, shall excuse you for being rather more than a bit cynical because you happen also to be dead right, and even if the lovely Sir Elton did buy the business it would still be 'bye bye' to HMV as we know (or once knew) it.

[Barbirollians]

I suspect the idea is to get the generation that only buys downloads into HMV and buying from shops . Whether it will work is a very different matter.

[HighlandDougie]

My sadness at seeing the HMV Argyle Street Glasgow branch yesterday with "Closing Down" emblazoned everywhere was somewhat mitigated by finding the Blu-ray box set of the latest Met Ring cycle at a significantly reduced price (for once, the whole rather less than the sum of the parts). It's maybe a bit vulture-like, picking at at the carcass of a once fine institution but, being a good Scot, mindful of the bawbees, a bargain is a bargain.

[Ferretfancy]

My sadness at seeing the HMV Argyle Street Glasgow branch yesterday with "Closing Down" emblazoned everywhere was somewhat mitigated by finding the Blu-ray box set of the latest Met Ring cycle at a significantly reduced price (for once, the whole rather less than the sum of the parts). It's maybe a bit vulture-like, picking at at the carcass of a once fine institution but, being a good Scot, mindful of the bawbees, a bargain is a bargain.

I know how you feel, but there is another aspect. The fact is that for many years we have been accustomed to buying our music at unrealistically low prices in a market flooded with material, and this has lead us inexorably into the current situation, and the same disaster may well happen with downloads.

My starting salary back in 1953 was £370 a year, and an LP cost 37s9d, which was quite a chunk of spending money. We were forced to consider our purchases very carefully, and choose from a rather restricted selection. I am not suggesting a return to that kind of austerity, and of course we are lucky to have so much wonderful stuff to buy, but we are nevertheless complicit in our endless thirst for bargains.

[Flosshilde]

My sadness at seeing the HMV Argyle Street Glasgow branch yesterday with "Closing Down" emblazoned everywhere was somewhat mitigated by finding the Blu-ray box set of the latest Met Ring cycle at a significantly reduced price (for once, the whole rather less than the sum of the parts). It's maybe a bit vulture-like, picking at at the carcass of a once fine institution but, being a good Scot, mindful of the bawbees, a bargain is a bargain.

I haven't checked out the DVDs, but they had nothing worth buying in CDs (nor did the Buchanan St. branch) - not that they have had for many years. The Edinburgh branch, which always had a much better department (akin to the London Oxford St branch) might be worth popping into.

[Mandryka]

I was in HMV Oxford Street last weekend and had an identical experience to ferret: in fact, I did a REAL double-take once I'd descended the escalator and glimpsed the devastation behind the windows to the classical section.

On inspecting the stock, it seemed that some prices had actually risen since my last visit.

Yes, as ferret says, very sad but 'we're all guilty'.

[Old Grumpy]

I visited the classical department of HMV in Oxford Street today, and found what can only be described as a scene of devastation.

As you walk in, the first thing that you see is yards of empty browsers...

Same here in the Norf, though it's only become really apparent this week - I guess they must be running the stock down. The store is really empty too, just a few old guys in flat caps (me included!). I guess all the yoof have migrated to their computers to download stuff and fileshare (or whatever).

OG

[VodkaDilc]

I guess all the yoof have migrated to their computers to download stuff and fileshare (or whatever).

OG

There was an apt comment from Steve Reich in the recent television series on 20th century music (the one based on Alex Ross's book.) I can't remember the exact words, but he was talking abut the continued popularity of contemporary music. "When they hear a piece they like, the older listeners buy the CD. The younger ones steal it (very long and telling pause).............. sorry, download it!"

[visualnickmos]

.....very sad but 'we're all guilty'.

I wouldn't go as far as suggesting that. I think HMV sort of got stuck in the 90s, and failed to examine their whole future strategy. I stopped buying there ages ago when their prices seemed to rise rapidly, and the range of classical titles became much smaller. Even the look of the stores (the 2 on Oxford Street) seemed to take on an air of faded datedness; as far as the end of the 90s, in fact. Just my take on the situation, nothing more.