HMV responds to Morrissey’s “Queen Is Dead” singles sales complaints - Pitchfork

HMV Responds to Morrissey’s “Queen Is Dead” Singles Sales Complaints - Pitchfork
By Jazz Monroe, June 20th.

Retailer says they wanted to “give genuine fans as much chance as possible to buy a copy”

HMV has responded to Morrissey’s Facebook post accusing the store of trying to “freeze sales” of the Smiths’ “The Queen Is Dead” single reissue. Morrissey complained Saturday that the store was limiting the 7" and 12" singles’ sales to one-per-customer. (He encouraged fans to wear false noses, clip-on ears, nurse outfits, stilts, or “variable wigs” to fool cashiers.) In a statement to Pitchfork, HMV says they wanted to “give genuine fans as much chance as possible to buy a copy” of the limited-edition single, and that, by Saturday, it had nearly sold out anyway. Read their full statement below.

"Our stores are encouraged to use these stickers where a release is known to be extremely limited in order to prevent bulk buying and on-line resales at inflated prices. This approach gives genuine fans as much chance as possible to find and buy a copy. Over 90% of the allocation we were given across both formats had sold before Morrissey posted his comments on Saturday evening."

The Pitchfork story was immediately then shared via N.M.E.:
HMV responds to Morrissey’s ‘sales freeze’ claims.
http://www.nme.com/news/music/morrissey-hmv-smiths-freeze-sales-response-2090678

Regards,
FWD.

 

[earlofnowhere]

The facts are:
The stickers in question appear on lots of records in the 'exclusive' section in HMV stores, not just TQID.
The stickers are intended to stop 'record touts' reselling them at inflated prices on EBay.
The TQID sold out within a week (so it did not hurt sales).
The decision to make TQID limited edition is the reason that sales and the associated chart position is not higher.

I got mine from the HMV in Chichester and very nice it is to.


P.S.
If you are reading this HMV, please can you get on with re opening the Brighton store!

 

[ACTON]

You have to wonder. Well I wonder: why would any record company or music store touch Moz with a barge pole when he consistently slags off every single player in the "music industry"? He seems obsessed with chart placing, sales, and basically anything that points to disinterested people that he is still relevant. This from someone who claims not to care what people think. His legacy will be one of hate, complaints, arguments, and lost court cases if he isn't careful. The actual music is being overshadowed by a paranoid chant. I think he has lost sight of his fans. We are not here to buoy him up, and are more than just filler for his arena. I find these rants disrespectful to his fans because it just makes it harder to be a fan. I am still and always will be a fan of his music.

 

[Mr Delaney]

I find these rants disrespectful to his fans because it just makes it harder to be a fan. I am still and always will be a fan of his music.

This is why I shifted over time from being a fan of both man and music to being a fan of just his music. Especially post-1996, I've simply become fed up with his short-sighted, self-centered rants.

 

[Uncleskinny]

You have to wonder. Well I wonder: why would any record company or music store touch Moz with a barge pole when he consistently slags off every single player in the "music industry"? He seems obsessed with chart placing, sales, and basically anything that points to disinterested people that he is still relevant. This from someone who claims not to care what people think. His legacy will be one of hate, complaints, arguments, and lost court cases if he isn't careful. The actual music is being overshadowed by a paranoid chant. I think he has lost sight of his fans. We are not here to buoy him up, and are more than just filler for his arena. I find these rants disrespectful to his fans because it just makes it harder to be a fan. I am still and always will be a fan of his music.

It's all about the money. Always was, still is.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

....................................



who's pulling the strings ?


CONTROL true ARTISTS at all costs, in any petty way.


HMV so much to answer for.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I think I get it now. Queue drum roll...

Morrissey is the mastermind behind the entire scheme. The stickers were placed at HIS request. The reasons - 1.) to give him opportunity to publicly wield the victim card (he lervs this) and 2.) to try to inflate interest in the "reissue, repackage" re-release of TQID (which no one was excited about) and create a false sense of scarcity.

Only Morrissey could be so devious ... oh that Sweet and Tender Hooligan!

nah.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

You have to wonder. Well I wonder: why would any record company or music store touch Moz with a barge pole when he consistently slags off every single player in the "music industry"? He seems obsessed with chart placing, sales, and basically anything that points to disinterested people that he is still relevant. This from someone who claims not to care what people think. His legacy will be one of hate, complaints, arguments, and lost court cases if he isn't careful. The actual music is being overshadowed by a paranoid chant. I think he has lost sight of his fans. We are not here to buoy him up, and are more than just filler for his arena. I find these rants disrespectful to his fans because it just makes it harder to be a fan. I am still and always will be a fan of his music.

' I find these rants disrespectful to his fans because it just makes it harder to be a fan.'


for you? maybe. When taken from his point of view, most of what he says, makes sense, and is rightly justified and spot-on.


.

 

[Anonymous]

The facts are:
The stickers in question appear on lots of records in the 'exclusive' section in HMV stores, not just TQID.
The stickers are intended to stop 'record touts' reselling them at inflated prices on EBay.
The TQID sold out within a week (so it did not hurt sales).
The decision to make TQID limited edition is the reason that sales and the associated chart position is not higher.

I got mine from the HMV in Chichester and very nice it is to.


P.S.
If you are reading this HMV, please can you get on with re opening the Brighton store!

Mine closed too a month ago. So now there is only one used music store in my town. They are disappearing and will be gone just like the Blockbuster.

 

[Carly]

' I find these rants disrespectful to his fans because it just makes it harder to be a fan.'


for you? maybe. When taken from his point of view, most of what he says, makes sense, and is rightly justified and spot-on.


.

Im not sure in this case what exactly he is spot on about HMV though? explain.

 

[Anonymous]

HMV put these stickers on for pretty much every special release vinyl (also during sales) to stop people from buying multiple copies to sell online for inflated prices.
Most record shops follow a similar policy for Record Store Day ( no doubt The Smiths 7" would have been subject to the same rule).
That being said, I *suppose* if Morrissey was unaware of this policy in HMV he may have been a bit confused. Hopefully he can find some comfort in the fact that it pretty much sold out very quickly

 

[SuedeMoz]

You have to wonder. Well I wonder: why would any record company or music store touch Moz with a barge pole when he consistently slags off every single player in the "music industry"? He seems obsessed with chart placing, sales, and basically anything that points to disinterested people that he is still relevant. This from someone who claims not to care what people think. His legacy will be one of hate, complaints, arguments, and lost court cases if he isn't careful. The actual music is being overshadowed by a paranoid chant. I think he has lost sight of his fans. We are not here to buoy him up, and are more than just filler for his arena. I find these rants disrespectful to his fans because it just makes it harder to be a fan. I am still and always will be a fan of his music.

For everything he does to show that he's still viable - sell out shows with no new material or major promotion - he's just as quick to tear it all down with these childish & petty rants that are not even factually correct. Then he wonders why years go by with no record deal? You're right about the legacy, the clock is ticking here ... how many more albums are ever going to see the light of day? At this rate, 1-2 maybe?

 

[No1uno]

the sticker should say "If it was anyone else it would be a guaranteed number one."

Omg, that would be such a morrissey song title.

 

[No1uno]

Just who's pulling the strings ?????

I pull strings.

 

[Calamine Lotion]

It's all about the money. Always was, still is.

That's not true. He does a lot of things that have a negative effect on his ability to earn. It's about being famous, a public figure, and to be loathed by the readers of the Daily Mail.
Money is a consideration definitely. He could have saved a lot of money by paying Mike Joyce in a lump sum and being done with it, though, so it's not like he's some financial wizard.
With this record sticker rant it's not about the money that will be generated. It's really not that much money. It was the desire to see the record go as high in the charts as possible. Same with the Paris re-release nonsense. It's possible he had delusions of that turning into an Elton John -Princess Diana level event, but the message said "Guaranteed number one."
If you go back to the very beginning and assume his motivation is to be famous, quoted, and hated by a certain group of people, a lot of his actions make a lot more sense. No one who is only in it for the money would cancel a show because their voice is not quite up to standard. Have you ever heard the Rolling Stones live? Mick croaks like a frog sometimes but he still gets out there and collects his fee.

 

[Calamine Lotion]

Omg, that would be such a morrissey song title.

It's from the #ParisForProfit era.

 

[Quando quando quando]

I pull strings.

So you're behind it all!
What has he done to you!?
Give it a rest, let him have his number 1.
He's just a pop singer.
Well, not to me of course, far more then "just" and far more then " a pop singer ".
You are jealous! Calling yourself No1uno but not in the charts!
Just kidding.
Cheers nummero Uno.

 

[Anonymous]

there's so much destruction all over the world........
And all you can do is ..
Complain about HMV

 

[Quando quando quando]

there's so much destruction all over the world........
And all you can do is ..
Complain about HMV

"But all you need is him"

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Im not sure in this case what exactly he is spot on about HMV though? explain.

I think he was thinking that the limit placed on buyers would impede
in sales and ... chart position. But as we know now... It's done pretty well in the top 40.

Also, I think he may be reacting against something trying to(as he might see it) control his art or 'product' in this case, without his consent.

 

[Carly]

I think he was thinking that the limit placed on buyers would impede
in sales and ... chart position. But as we know now... It's done pretty well in the top 40.

Also, I think he may be reacting against something trying to(as he might see it) control his art or 'product' in this case, without his consent.

Yes his statement suggests that, i however do not see what the massive problem is, if he isn't happy about a limited release(which often have on per person) they he should take it up with his label not HMV. he hides behind 'people are out to get me' as away of trying to avoid saying; 'i want the money right now'. and the fact as someone has mentioned he has commented about the bulk buyers.