why are record store clerks such complete idiots?

I go to a used CD store. I really don't why I go, I've cleaned them out over the last year or so.

Anyway, the only thing I find is modern piano concerto, written by Robin Holloway in 1994 (go figure).
I was there about half an hour. And not to be stereotypical, but these guys are always looking like they're high all the time, or wish they were.
Yet, they know everything about the history of rock and/ or roll.

And you just know by looking at them they know squat about film scores, or the parent genre, classical music.

And of course, I take the CD up to the register, and the clerk goes:
"yeah, I've been wanting to play this CD for the longest time, dude!"

JJ: "oh yeah? You know all about Robin Holloway and his Second Piano Concerto, and the intricacies that lie within the structural and tonal framework of the piece?"

Clerk (dumbfounded, cuz he had to think of what the term concerto means): "Dude....I thought this was something else. Good luck with that, man. Eight bucks."

-----

My GOD !!

Yes, my friends. This is just one of the stupid people I have met that works at one of the local CD haunts.

... the guy who saw me buying one of the Varese STAR TREK rerecordings and getting really excited: "Oh, when are they gonna do the Vulcan battle music?" Proceeding to chant just like Jim Carrey did (a decade later) in THE CABLE GUY ...

... the guy who saw me buying the Tangerine Dream LEGEND and sternly asking me if I knew WHICH version I was getting (they had the Goldsmith as well, I'd bought it months before) ...

... the guy who wondered why I was ditching the batch of Ry Cooder CDs ("I got extras," I lied -- the truth was, I was hungry) ...

Like...WHY do the people at the Wendy's Drive-In Window ALWAYS get the order WRONG?
Seriously.
I've got a Wendy's 3 minutes away from home, and they NEVER get a take-out order right!
I mean...HOW HARD CAN IT BE???
Even if I order just ONE cheeseburger...
They NEVER get it right!

I usually get my CD's from Best Buy, and I've never had anyone there who knew what I was talking about, whether it be soundtracks or the other music I like. It's always kids who are into the "new" stuff (which makes me ill) and don't know the good odl classicals and rock CD's.

Kevin

Hell, even I've never heard of "Robin Holloway and his Second Piano Concerto, (and the intricacies that lie within the structural and tonal framework of the piece)".

-Sean Bires

And why is the [img] command disabled? Did somebody post porn on this messageboard (like www.moviemusic.com...)?

Well I don't blame him though. I guess I could be the first guy buying soundtracks under him!

Either I am an complete idiot, or I have never had such problems. Well I guess they might *think* I am an loser for buying these CDs. However they have never came out and said it. Than again, I go to said stores about once an decade, so what do I know?

The used record store I frequent is entirely different though. I remember the time I found the LP of Heavy Metal by Elmer, I took it up to the guy who looked at it and then said to me, "damn her, another great one that she put on the shelf without asking me". Apparently his wife had marked the Heavy Metal LP for sale without asking him, and he was mad cause he wanted it.

Another cool thing;
Last night I went to Media Play and the were actually playing Gladiator over the speaker system. They don't do that for many scores.

Sorry folks, we're just not high enough on the priority list as top 40 stuff.

If you want good conversation about soudtracks, go to (or call) the soundtrack retailers (I've alwasy found Intrada knowlegeable, helpful and friendly). Of course there are a few major stores that have "specialists"...the classical and jazz section people at Tower Records in Georgetown, DC seem to really know their stuff.

anyhoo:
Sean Bires said thus:

quote:

---

Eh, so what if he doesn't know about "intricacies that lie within the structural andtonal framework of the piece"? It just means he's not interested in it. He just stoned/chillin'/working there for money. Hell, even I've never heard of "Robin Holloway and his Second Piano Concerto, (and
the intricacies that lie within the structural and tonal framework of the piece)".

---

Well, that was kinda my point. He was acting like he knew all about Robin Holloway and classical music, when in fact he didn't. I didn't abotu Holloway either until I saw the CD.

I just thought it was funny. sorry.

Chris:
My trouble has always been with KFC. I never get an order right there.

1) I entered the CD store, went directly to the Soundtrack pile and picked "Alien 3". I just had seem the movie and loved the score. When I was trying to buy it, the clerck stoped beside me and said (with a grin smile):
- "Hei... This is music that plays in movie's background, you know..."
- "Yeah? Don't tell me!! You know, that's exactly why I'm buying it mate".

The guy was chocked!

2) I was at a video store and just found Tornatore's "A Pure Formality", which I wasn't able to see at theaters. When I was trying to rent it, the clerk said:
- "Are you sure you'll pick this one? It's the WORST movie of our store!!!"
- "Ahnhan... I'll pick it anyway... Thanks"

It gave me creeps to imagine what should be the BEST movie of the store, according to this fellow... Something with Jean-Cloude-Fan-Dango or Chick Norris, perhaps?

Just like the clerk in the current MovieMusic.com comic!!!

PeterK

NP - Hamlet song soundtrack (Ryko)

But as far as other cd salesmen go, I just had a bad experience today. I went into another store to hunt down the elusive For Your Eyes Only score and found nothing on the floor...so I dared to risk asking the clerk. This what I asked him: "Say, would you happen to have gotten in the FYEO score? I've been dyin' to get because they recently re-released it". Those were my exact words. He typed it into his trusty `puter and found that there was one on the shelf. He then proceded to go directly to the place that I looked in the first place (I HATE THAT. I OBVIOUSLY WOULD HAVE CHECKED THE "F" OR THE "JAMES BOND" SECTION FIRST!!) and naturaly he came up with nothing. So then he said "Hey. That's an OLDER movie right?"

"Yeah...but---"

He cut me off there, and proceded to the BARGAIN bin in an attempt to hunt down an OLDER CD after I had previously stated that it was recently RE-RELEASED!!

Then he asked some other idiot who said the computer isn't always right...and from then on I gave up.

Being a sales person, here's what I would have done in his position.

#1 I would have listened closely to the complicated question and tried to decipher its meaning.

#2 I would have ASKED him.."Did you check in the `F' or 'James Bond'" section under Movies/Shows?"

#2 I would have then looked it up in the computer...NEVER tell the customer how many you have in stock because when you can't find it for him/her the customer will have the notion that you are lazy or stupid and may never come back again.

#3 My response would be "We MAY have something on the shelf...but it looks like it could be a glitch in the system. Lemme double check where you looked and If I can't find it I could special order it for you, or you can check (Instert fav music store here)"

#4 SHAKE THE CUSTOMER'S HAND! Oppologize for not being able to find the CD and send him on his merry way...perhaps suggesting alternate scores that may please his angst for Bond music.

Ignorant salesmen like the one I mentioned above just **** me off. I could tell he just wanted me out of the store and had no desire to help me find the disc.

I have experiences all over the charts at record stores.

BestBuy...
(I am exchanging the Avengers song CD, given to me as a gift, for the score CD)
BLONDDITZCLERK: Uh... what's the difference between these two CDs?
ME: One's the song album and the other's the orchestral score.
BDCLERK: (dumbfounded) Oh, (high-pitched giggle) I don't know what that is, but okay.
ME: (slowing turning red, I point to the score CD) This is the music that was actually IN the movie.
BDCLERK: Oh! And this one's just, like, songs?
ME: Yes.
BDCLERK: (another giggle I get it now.

At BestBuy again...
(I am purchasing "Mission to Mars")
CLERK1: Is that CD instrumental?
ME: Yeah.
CLERK1: Thought so. (Turns to clerk2, thinks I can't hear) Why can't we get one good action movie with a song soundtrack? The Rock - instrumental. ConAir - instrumental. Fight Club - instrumental.
CLERK2: What about the Matrix? That has two soundtracks.
CLERK1: Well, yeah, but in that case I wanted the instrumental CD. Ironically.

At a used CD store...
(I'm purchasing "The Postman")
CLERK: Damn, I didn't know we had this! I would have bought it.
ME: It's pretty good.
CLERK: Yeah, I know, I love that western-sounding theme. Have you seen the movie? It's really excellent, I highly recommend it.
(What makes this even better was that this guy was younger than all of the other clerks mentioned above.)

The best was at TowerRecords when I was browsing the classical section and an elderly male customer asked me if I was lost. It was pretty cool... we got into a twenty minute discussion comparing "The Firebird" and "The Rite of Spring" and talking about each other's favorite Saint-Saens pieces.

And, once I got (while buying both The Blue Max and Forever Young at the same time) "I take it you like Airplanes..." and I responded, "No, I'm a fan of Jerry Goldsmith." *clueless look from clerk* (End of converation)

People who are not in the retail industry do not know how dumb the general public really is.

If there is something that I don't know, I can usually access the information on the internet through any number of sites. There is one other person who works in the section who is more knowledgeable about classical music and someone else who is more up on late 60's/early 70's groups. If they are there, I will probably go talk to them. I have been dubbed "the soundtrack guy" by the other store employees. And I must be doing something right, because the soundtrack/score
section has some of the best sales of the cd section.

I remember renting the reissue of METROPOLIS from Blockbuster and the guy at the counter going, "...ah, the Moroder reconstruction..." in a snide tone. Look, I realize that version's problems, but I was just in the mood for that movie and I didn't
ask for or appreciate the guy's remark.

Even more so, perhaps, because it has NEVER happened to me.

The few times that I actually enter a CD shop here in Norway to buy an abysmally(?) expensive new score, I usually get no reacion whatsoever. And if I get one, it's usually just a boosted ignorance look - as if I'm a nerd not worth talking to etc.

There's ONE clerk in a specific store that has some knowledge of film music and usually says "Hey, this a nice one" and things like that when I go up to the desk to have a listen.

But the only other comment I've ever received, was in a "MC-bikeysh" used store where, upon picking up a (Japanese!) copy of BASIC INSTINCT with the sensual cover, the bearded clerk said: "Oh yeah, that Sharon Stone is one hot babe!".

Anyway, just rest easy in knowing that there are a few of us out there who actually know what the hell we're talking about.

Here's one for you guys: Just ordered in a slew of Herrmann CDs (we never get the good stuff): Obsession (Welles Raises Kane still available! WOW!), Taxi Driver, North By Northwest, Varese issues of Vertigo, and The Film Scores/LA Phil. We either have some of the others or I'm still getting them in. I wanted to make our soundtrack section look like the Mecca that is the Virgin Megastore. Awesome.

In high school, I used to find great reduced-price Japanese LPs at the Lincoln Center-area Tower, but I almost never get up to that neighborhood anymore. And the market has changed dramatically since then (had anyone noticed?)

Right now the biggest and most reasonably priced store in my town would be a Hastings. They have slowly weeded out any score CDs and really only purchase the compilation albums.

For example....when Scream 3 came out I counted 24 comp. CDs and only ONE Score CD.
I found this rather upsetting. I havn't even seen one copy of Rules of Engagment here at all. I am affraid I might never ever see a copy of Gladiator.

So I have decided to give the stores one chance to have the music I want. If its not there.....I am off to Amazon.com and I will order it for about the same price and get it sooner then they can!

dave