Is there such a thing as a hairdresser's that plays classical music?

[Vespula]

I find going to the hairdresser very stressful - not so much because I worry about the colour or cut, but because I find the music generally played in these places so exhausting!

Why is it that beauty salons and spa-type places (not that I frequent them much!) play relaxing music, but hairdressers favour the type of soundtrack that would be more suited for psyching somone up to do several rounds in a world heavyweight boxing championship?

I have tried making sure I am either the first or last appontment of the day, thinking that, as the only paying client in the salon, I can reasonably ask for the music to be switched off or at least down to half the usual volume, but last time I made that request, they looked shocked and actually asked the junior trainee at the back of the room if it was OK!! Needless to say, the volume of the relentless repetitive dance music crept up again to headache-inducing levels and I left the place once again feeling tired and grumpy.

So, the question is - does anyone know of a good hairdresser in London that plays relaxing music, preferably classical, which won't give me a headache and tensed shoulders, but not a blue rinse either!

Oh, and one which offers wine too would be a big bonus

No but you could have a mobile one come to you...

yes....Flow & Co, Whistable.
www.flowandco.co.uk/

iPod?

I have literally never noticed music on at the hairdresser. I wonder if mine don't play it or if I am half deaf. FWIW I can recommend Vidal Sassoon and my hairdresser in Devon for ones that (probably) don't play music .

I have never noticed music here and it's so tiny I am pretty sure that they would be happy to turn it down a notch. They definitely serve wine :) Ask for Daiva, she's lovely.

Number 42 Windmill St, Fitzrovia
www.facebook.com/hair42london?pnref=about.overview
www.wahanda.com/place/no-42-hair-salon/

It keeps them peppy and energetic, being a hairdresser is exhausting.

Is it really that big of a deal? It's a couple of hours maybe once in a while. Use headphones if it bothers you that much.

I so agree with you! In fact I would like a silent hairdresser, no music at all (and no banal chat).

hairbrush a mobile hairdresser is far from relaxing unless you have a back wash basin.

Whitstable is a bit far from London, no?

I can't help you with your question as I have never been to a hairdresser in London, but one of the musical genres I like most now, I originally came to because of a hairdresser who played it a lot. (I see him around at the same gigs a lot now too!) So I can vouch for the fact that some of them do play music!

I object to the shit loud music (worst of all is the local radio station cranked up high) and the obsessive need to introduce small talk so much that I've stopped going altogether. I have longish hair anyway and I invested in a decent pair of hair scissors and do my own. YouTube tutorials are my friend! Works fine, takes ten minutes, and no crap music or chat.

Thanks for the suggestions. Whitstable is a bit far, but the salon does look lovely Landoni112. TreadSoftly's one is not too far from work, so I might pop in and see them

Yes, RachelZoe, it really is that big a deal, otherwise I would just be very British about it and suffer in silence in a 'Mustn't grumble' kind of way, but I now just dread having to go and be assaulted for a couple of hours by other people's crap music, even though the woman who does my hair is lovely. I'm not someone who listens to music all the time, preferring silence or Radio 4, but I realise I'm in the minority. It's a sensory overload thing.

Headphones are not really an option when hair dye is happening - would get a bit messy I imagine - and besides, the music they play is so ear-splittingly loud that nothing I would actually want to listen to could possibly compete and drown it out, no matter how noise-cancelling they claimed the earbuds to be. Podcasts and audio books are bad enough to try and hear over the top of the sound of Tube trains, so wouldn't have a snowball's chance in hell at my hairdresser's!

I'm so glad Dancergirl and Archfarchnad at least understand the issue. Unfortunately all my friends/work colleagues that I mentioned the problem to just laughed at me for minding it so much! There again, they've never entirely got why I really hate the idea of background music in the office and rarely play any at home. Conversely, I don't understand how people manage to think properly or concentrate when they constantly have music playing - or why some people seem to find silence so difficult when to me it is a blissful and increasingly rare luxury.

I don't care for the musical wallpaper that is played in hairdressers, but at least it isn't played at ridiculous volumes at any of the local ones I have been to.

I get what you mean about so many people fining silence is a vacuum needing to be filled. Whenever I travel on public transport I don't feel the need to listen to music. I just prefer to read.

I was looking at a new hairdressers local to me and as part of the marketing spiel, it says I can sit and relax on the handmade Italian leather furniture and look at the art work. It goes on to say, that you will be the only client so it will be quiet and relaxing. Not in London though.

brookeshairltd.co.uk/ This is the most wonderful hair salon in the world. If you didn't like the music then you could ask Ian to change it. He might argue with you though. Not in London but worth a trip. I miss them.

Vespula, I could have written this post (except I don't live in London). I hate loud music at the hairdresser's and in my experience it's all too prevalent. One hairdresser played nonstop Miley Cyrus videos. I could just feel my IQ plummeting. It actually took some time to find a hairdresser that didn't play loud, earsplitting music, but, alas, I've never found one that played classical music. I think in London you should have more choice! Good luck!

Imagine trying to cut hair to the climax of Beethoven's 9th, or Verdi's Dies Irae?
You'd come out scalped!

They could play The Barber of Seville...

Vespula, I could have written your post. Unless I'm actually choosing to listen to music it drives me nuts when it's there in the background (or not so in the background). Hairdresser plays local radio which is mind numbing and all the presenters SHOUT. I leave shops when music is too loud.

I helped out at a school football tournament in a local park over the summer, about 20 teams playing 7 a side, so a lot of shouting children, but the noise problem was caused by the tinny pa through which they found it necessary to project 'Eye of the Tiger' and other such stirring 'music'. The kids weren't listening to it, they were too busy tripping each other up.

It seems to be impossible to do anything involving kids these days that doesn't also involve loud noise. We never did softplay because of the excruciating racket. DH reckons I'm mean, but he has the ability to switch off to ubiquitous noise, which I unfortunately don't.

My son is autistic and this is why I had to stop taking him to my hairdressers for a trim.the noise, the lights, the hairdryer, the busy chatting was too much. I take history a male barbers as they seem much quieter.
I remember when I was growing up that the hairdressers used be able to smoke in the salon whilst they cut your hair
The room was a fog of smoke, hair spray, and cheesy music. I hated it.

Oh God. Couldnt agree more about the awful din in these places.

Sorry, i don't live in London so can't recommend anywhere but came on here for a moan!

Again (as with so much in life) it's the extraverts imposing their preferences over introverts. We like 'hush' - quiet, softly lit places, with a hushed conversation and perhaps, Radio 4 or Classic FM in the background if pushed (but silence really is golden).

My current hairdressers (a good chain) is great. They offer wine, nibbles, soft music (CDs mainly) and it's only generally the younger members of the team who chat/laugh loudly (yes, I'm old).

My old hairdressing salon however was terrible, was on a busy pedestrianised square and kept the door open all the time, had a coffee area at the front and a beauty salon upstairs so there was a constant stream of rabbiting people coming and going as well as the din from dryers. A real nightmare. Having cut and colour done often meant a 3 hour visit, after which, I needed to lie down in a darkened room to recover from the visual and aural onslaught these places offer.

I feel your pain OP.

No useful suggestions. But just wanted to say how much I agree with you. There are shops I just can't go in now as the music is so loud. I feel your pain!

OP, I am SO with you.

Bring on the silence

I went to the hairdresser this morning. The radio was on in the background playing radio 2 at a low level. My hairdresser is not chatty and never asks banal questions. In fact if I didn't talk to her she would probably just ask how I would like my hair doing and then not utter anything else.

Not a hairdresser but omg Selfridges is just a cacophony of loud music competing from all the different concessions. I have started to hate the place.