HMV’s London HQ is busy and buzzy. Staff are at their desks and on the phone. This is quite unusual. Seriously. Having been turning up to interview people in their offices for around 30 years now, it’s amazing how often the first question could be, Where is everyone?

Maybe HMV has learned the value of hard work (and humility), of earning a living rather than expecting one. It has, after all, had to battle back from administration in 2013, more ...