His master's voice
Thanks for all the responses to the HMV/poor taste/making fun of people who might be unemployed conundrum. I think we can all mostly agree that while it’s sad any time any business shuts down, and while we’d all wish good luck to anyone looking for work, nobody has a responsibility to ‘support the high street’ if the high street is just more expensive than other places. In terms of people giving examples of good value in HMV versus poor value in HMV, I have to say it’s been about 50/50 so far. There’s no doubt you can get some bargains there. I never denied that, though. I would simply say that if there are far more bargains online, that’s where most punters will go.
Also, I didn’t say anything about this, but as several people pointed out, HMV themselves benefited in the nineties from the closure of many independent record stores which they helped to bring about, in the same way that Starbucks and co sounded the death knell for a lot of small cafes. All that’s happening now is that HMV in turn is being superseded by the new generation of retailers, in the same way that Starbucks and Costa have been hit by people getting things like Nespresso machines and realising they shouldn’t really be paying £2.80 for something they could have at home for 12p.
Anyway. There you go. I’m going to post this before a new online form of comedian makes me obsolete.
Posted by Ello ello ello on January 19, 2011
HMV maybe contributed to independent stores closing down all that time ago, but they currently hold a very important role with Indie and small record labels. Great article on NME website about this, which writes much more elegantly than me, but they are essentially saying that HMV buying maybe 1 album for each store from these labels still generates a lot of album sales, due to the number of stores they have, which wouldn’t be happening otherwise. It is very sad for an institution like them to be under threat and worrying for general Indie music, although It’s probably time labels adapted better to a world of free music (which is a different subject altogether). But anyways, read the NME article and yeah. Seeing you later this year Mark…. cannot wait
Posted by Vicus Scurra on January 7, 2011
I was going to come to your show, but instead listened to my mate Archie telling a couple of jokes. Not as funny, perhaps, but much cheaper.
Posted by Rachael on January 7, 2011
It is bloody expensive for a drink these days isn’t it?
Posted by Misha on January 7, 2011
I’ll admit i’m not fussed myself, we have the (lovely) independant record store Spillers here in Cardiff, cheaper, and nicer.
Posted by DeborahF on January 7, 2011
If this is the first comment then I want to know what your best ever birthday present has been (as it’s my birthday today)?