So I visited Intrada today...

Christian Kühn · **Posted:** Tue Dec 04, 2012 10:56 pm

...and methinks that I won't be doing business with anyone else after this!

I wish I could relay in words just how wonderful a gang the Intrada hamsters are. I'm in San Francisco for a conference and was hell-bent on making it over to Oakland and the Intrada offices while I am in town (which is superbly lovely...why the :!:

didn't my life lead me to this city, eh?!). I arranged for a short visit and to pick-up a couple of CD, about 30 minutes max.

So I hopped on the train and then a bus to Montclair and the location of the Intrada office is in a small, village-like part of Oakland nestled on a hill, lots of trees and bushes (all green...it's Dec. 4!). Jeff J., chief hamster and mail handler welcomed me and we talked shop for a bit before he put my order together. He offered me to look through Intrada's inventory and I added some more CDs to my order (which included Rise of the Guardians, The Shadow and the new Conan), after which I personally oversaw his charging my credit card. A job well done!

While waiting for Doug Fake to arrive, I met George Ch. and Steve M., i.e. the guys who wrap up and package all of (y)our orders. At one point, I even carried out a box of orders to the post car! (If those orders inexplicably don't arrive, you can blame me!) Had a lovely chat about geology and the world with George...who at first I probably freaked out by just apparently being in the office on my own!

Eventually, Doug F. and his daughter Regina arrived and the next thing I know is that I'm being bear-hugged by Doug Fake!

Needless to say, my day was made after that. Talking with Doug about this and that, who shared a lot of anecdotes about working on projects and his dealings with grumpy composers on one hand and disgruntled fans on another, was truly a treat. I'm incredibly thankful for having been given a look into some of Intrada's future releases and oh boy, I grinned my ears (?) off at them. You all should go buy next Monday's big release, because if you don't, I'm gonna do it for you! Doug is an incredibly sweet and soft-spoken person and it was great to see the easy camaderie in the Intrada office. They are where and what they are for a reason; Jeff swears a lot, though!

Doug and Regina invited me for lunch and over it, we talked some more about the state of the art, instruments, a bit about the situation the world is in, that Gustavo Santaolalla should never have won any award and that we share the hope that before long, the recent "drought" in film music may turn around for better before long. We also agreed on that French Horns are fantastic instruments...

Anyhoo, after that it was close to five hours I had spent at Intrada and I had to get back to SF. I gave the Intrada staff a small gift from Canada, thanked them truly, really and honestly for both their great work, past, present and future, their patience in dealing with this bunch of malcontents and misfits (shut up, you over there. Yes, YOU!) and for allowing me to visit them and being so very generous with their time in "entertaining" this particular gay European socialist. And now they have my thanks in writing! (And continually in my signature...) I hope I didn't make too much of a fool of myself...

Oh yeah, visual proof that this happened (and some more photos will be coming soon):
(George Ch., Regina F., Jeff "DA BOMB" J., Doug F., CK, Wendy C., Steve M. and Kerry [?] {Roger F. is AWOL])

Ta & tata, Christian (still elated, though slightly embarrassed that my little Intrada appreciation video from 5 years ago is still fondly remembered by these guys

)

Freejack · **Posted:** Tue Dec 04, 2012 11:20 pm

As we speak I'm prepping a trip to the sunny beaches of Thailand,
but after reading Christian's wonderful story... I might have to revisit that thought
and change my destination to Oakland California and the Intrada office to meet Doug and the guys instead.

Stories like this make me appriciate Intrada even more and more...

Keep up the great work.

Now you have to excuse me,,, I'm going to place an order from my favourite label.
Gotta keep those hamsters working. :mrgreen:

tharpdevenport · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2012 12:59 am

So, any secret master plans for future releases just sort of ... on any office tables? ;-)

orbital · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2012 4:01 am

Wow. Vielen Dank, Christian! Very enjoyable reading this (won't be the last time!) and it's great seeing something like it when usually our hobby is more or less on the solitary side of things. Even more so when it seems there's a bunch of wonderful people involved. Thanks for sharing!

T. Newman Fan · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2012 5:40 am

That's great. I love doing business with people who are personable and all-around wonderful individuals.

As for Jeff and his swearing, I think my swearing habits may be able to give him a run for his money.

WorkingWithKnives · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2012 9:18 am

You mean they're actually human? I've always had the impression they were gentetic mutations with brains twice the size of normal people with at least three eyes. :shock:

Steven Lloyd · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2012 11:11 am

Wow!

Christian: Congratulations on your terrific office experience (which I guess most of us on this forum can appreciate) -- and my thanks to you for sharing it so wonderfully well with the readership.

And to the Hamsters: I appreciate how this single anecdote of an "Intrada field trip" reinforced what, until now, has been my strictly internal conjecture about your daily work environment. My earlier general impression resulted only from my long familiarity with your great customer service. But today, one collector's trip to Mecca has converted that impression into vicarious reality!

Now it's already been done -- but if I'm ever in Oakland ... :wink:

Olivier · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2012 6:10 pm

That's very cool; thanks for the picture!

kipling71 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2012 9:52 pm

What fun!!

San Francisco's a nice town, isn't it? I spent last New Years there, not that I remember much of it.....

Christian Kühn · **Posted:** Mon Feb 04, 2013 12:08 am

A bit late but a short photo addendum...

This is what the building in Montclair looks like...Intrada is on the main floor...in fact, you might just be able to see Doug F peeking out behind the curtains...

About to have a good time...

Adding to the order...

The Hamsters' Maze...I remember reading "North by Northwest" on many of these boxes

Working Space...and those boxes on the left were all Conans...and later that day, I had the good fortune of watching Jeff wrestle with an unruly package

After said wrestling...

The Hamsters

Cool beans!

And no, I haven't forgotten about the eMail to George...it's coming!

Douglass Fake · **Joined:** Sat Nov 19, 2005 3:48 pm **Posts:** 2773

kipling71 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 04, 2013 2:20 am

Did Christian not spend time in San Francisco as well as lovely Oakland? My mistake. None of my business trips ever took me anywhere as pleasant as either.

MRAUDIO · **Posted:** Mon Feb 04, 2013 12:12 pm

My Wife and I met Doug back in 1992 at the old SF office - what a nice guy! I remember we had a nice discussion about my favorite Composer, Morton Stevens and Doug said how much he enjoyed his music, as well.

Anyway, what a great visit and thanks again , Doug... :-)

Jay · **Joined:** Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 331

Awesome pics!

Christian Kühn · **Posted:** Thu Dec 05, 2013 12:03 am

How the blazes is it possible that it has already been a year since this took place?! :cry:

Fondly remembering all them hamsters:

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