HMV in trouble again.

[Spectral Morn]

I haven't counted but I guess I've spent over £250 at HMV this year. They've sold me records from Sleep's "Holy Mountain" to Dusty Springfield's "Dusty In Memphis" and CDs from King Tubby's "The Dub Master" to Lana Del Ray's "Ultraviolence". And some 2018 releases...

The experience of buying an album is part of my engagement with it. Like when I was young...the saving up, the bus into town, the browsing through the racks from A to Z...it all enhances the experience in a faintly similar way to going to a gig. I just can't accept that clicking a mouse and taking a steer from an algorithm - I AM NOT EVERYONE ELSE! - is part of being into music. I can recall how I bought many of my physical album purchases but very few of the online ones.

And I love the smell of protective record sleeves...

Pete

+ 1

[Spectral Morn]

I have been reading a number of comments online last few days that suggest that rather than helping independents, HMV going down won't as their presence was so large regarding being a customer for new product music distribution, that their going could very badly damage said distributors. I have also read a few say that if HMV go, then pricing will go up, because the products will actually become even more niche.

I am not sure regarding these suggestions, I guess only time will tell.

One of the great shames here is that Fopp will vanish forever if HMV dies.

In my life I have bought from independents and mainstream shops, but to see the last big music retailer die is awful. Very sad days ahead.

[Marco]

The norf, as in norf of Watford or Birmingham, or simply north of the Thames up to Golders Green?

I don't think the North is particularly favoured - much of it does not have the "benefits" of the South - though the benefits seem to be choking the southerly parts of these isles to a standstill. The reason Marco can drive around quite easily is because relatively few people live in that part of the country.

Yup, and I wouldn't tolerate anything else, which is why I give heavily-populated areas of the UK, as wide a berth as possible!

One of the unquestionably benefits, I've found, of living 'up north', and it ties in neatly with what we're discussing about independent record shops, is that because less people live here, the effects of commercialism/consumerism and the 'rat race' haven't taken as big a grip, as is the case in many places 'down south'.

That's probably why more small businesses can (and have) thrived, combined with rates being much lower than in the south - and also because, as Grant points out, there are less folks here running around like headless chickens, because the pace of life is generally slower than it is 'down south', and so people have more time to themselves, which is one of the reasons why I love living where I do, as 'off-grid' and divorced from the 'rat race' as I can manage!!

Marco.

[Marco]

think it reflects on the point you made earlier on many folk chasing their ass working that they have little time to do anything bar order online. this of course means that more shops close and rates go up closing more shops... catch 22

Yup... It wouldn't be though if those who were able to change how they lived, did so, and embraced the notion that there's a damn sight more to LIFE than just working - but that's an old story.....

Marco.

[struth]

I have been reading a number of comments online last few days that suggest that rather than helping independents, HMV going down won't as their presence was so large regarding being a customer for new product music distribution, that their going could very badly damage said distributors. I have also read a few say that if HMV go, then pricing will go up, because the products will actually become even more niche.

I am not sure regarding these suggestions, I guess only time will tell.

One of the great shames here is that Fopp will vanish forever if HMV dies.

In my life I have bought from independents and mainstream shops, but to see the last big music retailer die is awful. Very sad days ahead.

i doubt it personally. the big online distributor/retailers will pick up the slack, as might supermarkets

[tapid]

The norf, as in norf of Watford or Birmingham, or simply north of the Thames up to Golders Green?

I don't think the North is particularly favoured - much of it does not have the "benefits" of the South - though the benefits seem to be choking the southerly parts of these isles to a standstill. The reason Marco can drive around quite easily is because relatively few people live in that part of the country.

I was referring to the last change in business rates a year or so ago. They interviewed a shop keeper in Bolton who said his rates would now be roughly a grand less per year ( from memory ) but in London thousands of pound have been added
to businesses every year with the resulting boarded up shops on the increase.

[rmcin626]

I bought some vinyl from HMV last month, for me it’s a 50 mile round trip if I want to visit an actual shop that sells records or than the local Tesco. As far as Glasgow is concerned there are I think only 4 shops in the centre of the city including HMV, plus another couple out in the west end. Personally I am still looking for an online store that suits me. That and the fact vinyl is overpriced.

[Marco]

As far as Glasgow is concerned there are I think only 4 shops in the centre of the city including HMV, plus another couple out in the west end.

There are quite a few more than that, Robin. Were you aware of Monorail: https://www.monorailmusic.com/ Rub-a-Dub: https://www.rubadub.co.uk/records Love Music: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/uv?hl=...oiowCnoECAAQBg, Missing Records: https://m.facebook.com/missingrecordsglasgow/ or Record Fayre: http://recordfayre.co.uk/

And those are just ones I can think of, off the top of my head, excluding obvious places such as Fopp or HMV, and without going near the west end!

Marco.

[rmcin626]

There are quite a few more than that. Were you aware of Monorail: https://www.monorailmusic.com/ Rub-a-Dub: https://www.rubadub.co.uk/records Love Music: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/uv?hl=...oiowCnoECAAQBg, Missing Records: https://m.facebook.com/missingrecordsglasgow/ or Record Fayre: http://recordfayre.co.uk/

And those are just ones I can think of off the top of my head, without going near the west end!

Marco.

Forgot about Monorail, I don’t count rubadub as their market is DJs. From memory, there is Missing, Fopp, HMV, Love Music and Monorail in the centre all the other independents are long gone like 23rd Precinct. Happy to proved wrong of course.

[Marco]

Monorail, is one of my favs, as you can have lunch in their on-site restaurant, and a few beers afterwards!

You're excluding Record Fayre, in the Merchant City, which is well worth visiting. And you'd discount Rub-a-Dub at your peril, if like me, you love dance music, on 12" singles, or ambient and trance stuff - all of which you can listen to on T/Ts, through headphones, before buying!

I'll compile a full list of all the independent record shops I know of in Glasgow after lunch.

Marco.