HMV Matters

Music makes me feel.

That’s it. It makes me feel.

Alive.

Euphoric.

Sad.

Emotional.

Joyful.

Music makes me feel.

Music doesn’t fix anything per se, but it can go a long way to helping. It can soothe the soul. It can get the anger out. Or the tears. I can’t imagine life without music.

The Voice is fading

It is also one reasons why I was upset at the news of HMV (and by default Fopp) going into administration for the second time. I’ve read a lot of disparaging things about HMV both in the press (an ill-judged and badly worded article in the Guardian) and from the music fans and the general public including some friends that surprised me at their dismissal.

Watching the news on the day of the announcement, while I suspect some clever editing as usual to ensure the channel gets their own story across, revealed to me just how the average person on the street judged HMV these days. Not one of them mentioned music and none of them were bothered if it closed or not. They all mentioned not buying DVDs any longer due to streaming movies on Netflix and the like. The way they talked it was as if HMV had nothing to do with music.

I’ve heard a lot of dissenting voices saying things along the lines of “I never liked HMV anyway” or “They didn’t cater for my taste” or “I prefer indie shops”. Like the Guardian article many were stating that it wouldn’t matter if HMV no longer existed.

I disagree on several levels.

HMV did and should matter. Apart from buying the odd tape or 7” from the local Woolworths/John Menzies, HMV was probably the first proper record shop I shopped in and it mattered to me. I always found what I was looking for whether that be music or t-shirts. For me HMV was like the gateway drug to my long-term habit, leading to me testing out others until I found my drugs, sorry shops, of choice. I spent Saturdays wandering round loads of record shops, HMV was always one of them.

I also know many people including my wife and two closest friends who all worked in HMV in the past. I still hear their tales when we get together of great times working in the shop and of wild nights out. Having people I know working there also ensured I managed to get all the Wedding Present 7” singles kept for me so I didn’t have to rush in the day they went on sale so I didn’t miss out or getting along to see Edwyn Collins in the RAFA club. I knew singles buyers and t-shirt buyers so always knew there would be a wide range of Smiths t-shirts for me to pick from. They did cater for my taste and I still have several imports that came from shopping in HMV and saw several fantastic bands up close and personal playing live and signing albums.

Old School

Yes, I know I’m old school as I still buy records and CDs, to me it beats streaming hands down. I don’t have one go to shop where I buy my vinyl or CDS in. I’ll sometimes buy in a small indie shop, I’ll buy online from the band on Facebook or at a gig straight from the band, or I’ll shop in HMV or Fopp. Granted HMV isn’t always the cheapest option but I have never failed to find a great bargain or two in there, whether it be vinyl, CDs or books.

As well as general malaise on the high street brought on by austerity and online shopping, one problem HMV has had since it was taken over is that it didn’t radically change or shake things up. The company who bought it put didn’t bring in an idea’s person to shake things up, I’m sure their only focus was how they could get a return on their investment. If it wasn’t for people that worked in the shops (especially Fopp) who love music, I’m sure they would have failed before now.

Interesting article on the money side of things here.

So why should HMV be saved, why is it important? As I said it was my gateway drug to buying music and feeding my habit, through starting in HMV and testing the water, it opened the world of vinyl to me and excited me enough to go on and discover other sources of feeding my habit.

The Vinyl Experience

Buying a record was an adventure which started possibly weeks or even months before the record was due to be released. Reading an interview with a band in Melody Maker or NME or seeing an advert for an album due to come out, sometimes without even hearing the song would excite me and have me counting the day until I could get into the city centre to buy it. When then day came that it was released, or I had saved enough money to buy it, there was a palpable sense of anticipation as I got the bus or train into town. Walking into the shop whether it was HMV or Listen or Other or A1 Sounds or 23^rd Precinct or, you get the picture… I could feel and hear my heart pumping out of my chest. Then to get my hands on the record, to check out the artwork, read all the song titles and have it in my sweaty mitt standing in the queue waiting to pay was almost too much. Sitting on the train or bus home and peeling off the cellophane to slip out the inner sleeve and/or lyric sheet and know some of the song words off by heart before I’d even heard the song… All of this was as exciting as placing the needle on the groove and hearing the songs for the first time.

I know things have changed, today’s generation have been brainwashed to want everything instantaneously. Through no fault of their own, they have no patience and don’t want to wait for anything, because they don’t have to. I find that sad. They want a track they search for it and have it playing in seconds. To me they are losing out on something. But the likes of HMV disappearing could mean us all losing a lot more.

Yes, HMV wasn’t probably my first choice for music these days, as too often I’d not find what I was looking for or it was too expensive. Though Fopp would be a more likely solution. I don’t know, maybe indie record shops would benefit from the demise of HMV, but there is a bigger problem.

Streaming

Streaming. For all the reasons I mentioned about buying records, I don’t like streaming. Of course, I can see how it benefits the listener in being able to find the music they want to hear instantly, and the artists can get their music heard straight away. Ultimately though, can this be good for the artists themselves? Spotify and the like aren’t in it for the artists, they are in it for the money. The number of streams required for most artists to make any money is laughable. Fewer bands can make a living from music currently, and while bands will always do it for the love of music, how many will be put off by the financial strain it puts on them? This can only be exacerbated by the ongoing closure of grassroots small music venues that seems to happen countrywide on a regular basis, with city planners caring more about the tourist £ than anything else (including their own people on the streets). Though there is great news on that front with the opening of NHC new venue The Icebox in February.

So, to me, yes. HMV matters. I hope that someone comes in and saves it from disappearing. Someone who is willing to invest and rejuvenate the shop. Someone who brings new ideas and brings back the joy of browsing for a whole new generation.