RIP Mongrel Magazine

andrew · 09-03-2008 11:28pm #1

Sorry mods if this is the wrong forum.

For those of you who don't know what it was, mongrel magazine was a free magazine available in Dublin (and probably elsewhere in Ireland, i dunno). Anyway, it was a really really good magazine, and I picked it up yesterday to find out that there would be no more issues. Does anyone know exactly what happened to it? Man i fecking loved that magazine

Thrill · 09-03-2008 11:30pm

Never heard of it. What kind of mag was it?

Karoma · 09-03-2008 11:33pm

Moved from AH. Move it back if you like.

andrew · 09-03-2008 11:36pm

Thrill wrote: »

Never heard of it. What kind of mag was it?

I'm not sure exactly how you'd describe it. It had articles on music, new bands, interviews with different people etc. You could get it in clothes shops around town mostly.

The Walsho · 09-03-2008 11:39pm

Ah Mongrel was class! I wonder why they're not doing it anymore

andrew · 09-03-2008 11:44pm

they did mention something in the mag about owing the publishers money. They refrenced boards.ie too! Just wondering if anyone knew anything more, or if there was anything more to know.

Karoma · 09-03-2008 11:47pm

I think the amazing thing is that it lasted this long.

They've referenced boards.ie a few times, IIRC. I never remember much of that mag.

flogen · 09-03-2008 11:57pm

The Walsho wrote: »

Ah Mongrel was class! I wonder why they're not doing it anymore

Cost, I'd guess.

In terms of design/production quality alone Mongrel was a far higher standard than most paid-for magazines; physically it put the likes of Hot Press to shame.

The cost of that kind of high standard adds up and where others at least partially recoup it through the cover price Mongrel had to rely on advertising alone.

In an industry, and particularly such a specific niche of the industry, where many have tried and failed it's no surprise that Mongrel has fallen by the wayside - it's a shame that it has, though and they should be proud of what they've done in their time.

Cianos · 10-03-2008 12:32am

flogen wrote: »

Cost, I'd guess.

In terms of design/production quality alone Mongrel was a far higher standard than most paid-for magazines; physically it put the likes of Hot Press to shame.

The cost of that kind of high standard adds up and where others at least partially recoup it through the cover price Mongrel had to rely on advertising alone.

In an industry, and particularly such a specific niche of the industry, where many have tried and failed it's no surprise that Mongrel has fallen by the wayside - it's a shame that it has, though and they should be proud of what they've done in their time.

+1. I thought it always looked great and had some really nice shots, and decent articles. The covers were always eye catching, and I used to always wonder how they managed to give it away for free too. There was a strong design ethos applied to the magazine as a whole, rather than on a page by page basis.

constitutionus · 10-03-2008 6:21pm

cant say im surprised.

i first heard of this on newstalk as they'd have the editor on various programs on a regular enough basis. from what i can tell it was meant to cover what life's like in modern ireland with a focus on the aforementiond bands , gigs, sport etc.

kinda middle brow blokes mag.

reason im not surprised is despite the profile i havent seen a SINGLE issue of the magazine in the shops. if people who're even remotely interested in picking up a mag dont have clue one where to find it ,your in trouble.

pity though, we really do need more mags out there. if only to get a different view.

jdivision · 11-03-2008 5:23pm

It was in pubs etc, not in shops. You have to pay shops to carry your magazine, no way they could afford that.

flogen · 11-03-2008 7:33pm

constitutionus wrote: »

cant say im surprised.

i first heard of this on newstalk as they'd have the editor on various programs on a regular enough basis. from what i can tell it was meant to cover what life's like in modern ireland with a focus on the aforementiond bands , gigs, sport etc.

kinda middle brow blokes mag.

reason im not surprised is despite the profile i havent seen a SINGLE issue of the magazine in the shops. if people who're even remotely interested in picking up a mag dont have clue one where to find it ,your in trouble.

pity though, we really do need more mags out there. if only to get a different view.

As has been said, it was distributed through pubs and music shops rather than newsagents - that said the copies used to disappear quite quickly anyway, at least in Tower on Wexford St. where I'd often pick it up. Not sure what kind of print run they had.

constitutionus · 12-03-2008 11:09pm

no wonder it folded then. i dont know a single person that goes to the pub to get magazines and i cant remember the last time i went into tower records

still have to give em credit for initiative. i never wouldve thought of that as a distribution method. mightve worked if it had a higher proflle.

panda100 · 13-03-2008 3:19pm

No,no, No,Say this isnt true??
I love mongrel. What will I do wihtout my mothly void fix?!

My fave Void:( sniff,sad

http://www.mongrel.ie/issue20/bulletin20.php

Oh and Boards gets a mention in the last edition

http://www.mongrel.ie/bulletin38b.php

Hellm0 · 13-03-2008 3:27pm

Mongrel was ok, twas no "The Slate" though.

EamonnKeane · 15-03-2008 3:52pm

flogen wrote: »

As has been said, it was distributed through pubs and music shops rather than newsagents - that said the copies used to disappear quite quickly anyway, at least in Tower on Wexford St. where I'd often pick it up. Not sure what kind of print run they had.

It was also in universities

Stephen · 16-03-2008 1:56am

Yeah, I never saw it anywhere but college campuses.

Slice · 16-03-2008 2:46pm

It was once witty, smart and irreverent but that almost feels like a time before Ireland elected presidents called Mary.

surm00 · 19-03-2008 11:47pm

Hellm0 wrote: »

Mongrel was ok, twas no "The Slate" though.

Jesus, The Slate. What I'd do for a copy of that "best of". Even a few of the mags. Threw all mine out when they were still on the go:(

the_bigman · 30-03-2008 11:04pm

I thought it was pretentious rubbish to be honest. Not too upset. I'd flick through it when I used to be waiting for my sandwich in Orange Square on Baggot Street

the_bigman · 30-03-2008 11:05pm

Incidentally, the Slate are putting back issues on-line soon. Hurrah!

I loved that mag!

Elba101 · 08-04-2008 5:35pm

I loved that mag! Told it like it was, why did it stop? Always had really good covers too....and as for the slate...f*ckn hilirious!!:pac:

SocialGirl · 27-05-2008 3:27pm

they are selling it in Tower records in dublin for €7. they decided to make coinage and sell out! i worked with Sam and Yousef (the main two guys) for a week as work experience 2 years ago. that was class!

jetski · 27-05-2008 3:45pm

what do you mean they decided to make coinage?

flogen · 27-05-2008 4:29pm

SocialGirl wrote: »

they are selling it in Tower records in dublin for €7. they decided to make coinage and sell out! i worked with Sam and Yousef (the main two guys) for a week as work experience 2 years ago. that was class!

Are you sure it's not a "best of" compilation or something like that?

Dublin's Finest · 27-05-2008 5:26pm

Shame to see Mongrel go, it had a fantastic design. And €7 is steep if that's true!

The Slate is apparently relaunching online this year. Holy Moly kind of idea.

RoroBop · 28-05-2008 1:46pm

SocialGirl wrote: »

they are selling it in Tower records in dublin for €7. they decided to make coinage and sell out!

they didn't sell out, that's a once-off "best of" type deal that's onsale in tower; the slate did the exact same when they kicked the bucket... & one would hardly begrudge the mongrel lads that seeing as they provided the magazine for free for 4+1/2 years.

flogen · 28-05-2008 2:33pm

RoroBop wrote: »

here dipsh*t: they didn't sell out, that's a once-off "best of" type deal that's onsale in tower; the slate did the exact same when they kicked the bucket... & one would hardly begrudge the mongrel lads that seeing as they provided the magazine for free for 4+1/2 years.

personal abuse isn't acceptable here under any circumstances - the way I read it the poster said 'sold out' in a joking way and even if they didn't there's no need to attack them in response.

Just calm it down in future.

RoroBop · 28-05-2008 2:48pm

i personally find that to be a v. funny term & if i was trying to be abusive most certainly wouldn't have used it.

AARRRGH · 10-06-2008 10:05pm

I thought Mongrel was all style and no substance. I read every issue, and was always disappointed with the lack of content.

It was crap tbh.

The Slate, on the other hand, was excellent.

RIP Mongrel Magazine

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