Freebird Records Closing (1978 - 2009)

1968

The recent spate of record shop closures in Dublin continues with latest victim Freebird Records announcing its closure this month. According to the Evening Herald, the shop will close on Saturday 28th. This means both branches, the Secret Book & Record Store branch on Wicklow St and the old Comet shop premises on Cope Street.

Sad day.

What's your memories of the Freebird?

Lazy Evening Herald article: http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/u2-to-make-a-final-visit-to-closing-music-store-that-made-their-name-1945663.html

Sr. Pirotecnic

Have fond memories of stepping past the punks to go upstairs on Grafton St in early 80s. Was that Freebird's first location?

1968

Sr. Pirotecnic wrote: »

Have fond memories of stepping past the punks to go upstairs on Grafton St in early 80s. Was that Freebird's first location?

It was.

Where on Grafton Street was it? (Long before my time)

arybvtcw0eolkf

1968 wrote: »

It was.

Where on Grafton Street was it? (Long before my time)

From memory, it was down near the Nassau St. end on the left.

I discovered Freebird Records through a mate as I was discovering heavy metal and rock in my mid-teens. I bought some cracking second hand and obscure LP's here, sad to hear its closing.

1968

Noah Few Vender wrote: »

From memory, it was down near the Nassau St. end on the left.

I discovered Freebird Records through a mate as I was discovering heavy metal and rock in my mid-teens. I bought some cracking second hand and obscure LP's here, sad to hear its closing.

Possibly in the building that River Island is now?

Just seen this description - "Freebird is Ireland’s second oldest independent music store".

I wonder what the oldest is?

arybvtcw0eolkf

1968 wrote: »

Possibly in the building that River Island is now?

Just seen this description - "Freebird is Ireland’s second oldest independent music store".

I wonder what the oldest is?

Don't know, is Dolphin Disc's still around?.

I'd hazard a guess and say Degsy just might have some more recollections of Freebird Records - if he's got an old photo it would be a gem for the forum!.

1968

Noah Few Vender wrote: »

Don't know, is Dolphin Disc's still around

I think it's still on Moore Street.

humberklog

I think the one on Nassua St. was another place (Soundcellar?). I remember Freebird being downstairs in the where the newsagents on the corner of the laneway to Lily's is.
Reason why I recall 2 different 2nd hand stores in the same area is because my 1st memories of the place is hocking a few of my elder brother's LPs (Cream- Wheels of Fire was one of'm:(). I used both shops at the time to garner some filthy lucre for fags.


The shop on Wicklow St. will be missed by me. I always liked popping in there for a little stop off but only for books. It had a great selection.

Gaspode

humberklog wrote: »

I think the one on Nassua St. was another place (Soundcellar?). I remember Freebird being downstairs in the where the newsagents on the corner of the laneway to Lily's is.
Reason why I recall 2 different 2nd hand stores in the same area is because my 1st memories of the place is hocking a few of my elder brother's LPs (Cream- Wheels of Fire was one of'm:(). I used both shops at the time to garner some filthy lucre for fags.


The shop on Wicklow St. will be missed by me. I always liked popping in there for a little stop off but only for books. It had a great selection.

The one on Nassau Street was indeed the Sound Cellar, another great shop and the place to go if you wanted gig tickets in the days before the great ticketmaster ripoff.

Strangely enough, my memory tells me thart Freebird on Grafton Street was originally upstairs, though I cant recall exactly where on the street it was. You'd think I'd know, I spent so many hours in there some of the staff knew me by name (I still have most of the LPs/Cassette albums I bought there).
Sad to hear it's going, but I suppose it had a good run in the face of massive competition from the large UK retailers that moved in here in the late 80s.

humberklog

Oooh I think you could well be right Gaspode...upstairs is ringing the right bell now. I'd still place it at that same corner though, well... up until someone says somewhere else that will then too ring a new bell!

Wishbone Ash

humberklog wrote: »

I remember Freebird being downstairs in the where the newsagents on the corner of the laneway to Lily's is

Was it not below a newsagents on Eden Quay (near O'Connell Bridge)? I don't recall it on Grafton Street but bought quite a lot of stuff on Eden Quay in the 1980s.

humberklog wrote:

The shop on Wicklow St. will be missed by me. I always liked popping in there for a little stop off but only for books. It had a great selection.

Is it just me or are the staff there a bit 'frosty'? They also have a ridiculous habit of displaying books which are not for sale. :rolleyes:

Lab_Mouse

use to buy all my punk and ska there..its a shame small shops are going bust.Just dont thi9nk they can compete with online stores which is a shame

humberklog

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Was it not below a newsagents on Eden Quay (near O'Connell Bridge)? I don't recall it on Grafton Street but bought quite a lot of stuff on Eden Quay in the 1980s.

Is it just me or are the staff there a bit 'frosty'? They also have a ridiculous habit of displaying books which are not for sale. :rolleyes:

It moved from Grafton St. to Eden Qy. Not sure what year but I'd guess it moved northside in about...eh..er...'88?

Never noticed books out that weren't for sale and always liked the room in the shop for moving about in. I didn't mention the music section as I've had a frosty experience or two down at music end of the shop.

Dord

I bought my first album in Freebird on Eden Quay and as I grew older bought a fair bit in the Secret Book & record store. The stock they had wasn't great in recent years so I pretty much resorted to buying online.

stanley1

Gaspode wrote: »

The one on Nassau Street was indeed the Sound Cellar, another great shop and the place to go if you wanted gig tickets in the days before the great ticketmaster ripoff.

Strangely enough, my memory tells me thart Freebird on Grafton Street was originally upstairs, though I cant recall exactly where on the street it was. You'd think I'd know, I spent so many hours in there some of the staff knew me by name (I still have most of the LPs/Cassette albums I bought there).
Sad to hear it's going, but I suppose it had a good run in the face of massive competition from the large UK retailers that moved in here in the late 80s.

Yep, bought tickets for Jeff Beck there a few months ago, has not changed in 30 years, used to be Pat Egan's Sound celler, wonder if he's still around.

1968

5mins documentary made last year about Freebird Records and the Sound Cellar. "Dublin record shops soldier on in the face of download culture."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOC_66hS4D8

irlirishkev

I used to by 2nd hand cassettes down in Freebird in the late 80s, early 90s. It was there that I heard 'Smells like Teen Spirit' for the first time. I remember walking upstairs and asking my bro if knew who it was..

Esel

stanley1 wrote: »

Yep, bought tickets for Jeff Beck there a few months ago, has not changed in 30 years, used to be Pat Egan's Sound celler, wonder if he's still around.

Think Pat Egan is a concert promoter now. Tommy has been running the Sound Cellar for a good few years now. Sound bloke!

ArmCandyBaby

I remember this sign they'd stuck all over the place...

HEY PEOPLE WE ONLY ALLOW PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO FIVE RECORDS FULL STOP.! IF WE GET TO KNOW YOU COOL BUT UNTIL THEN YOU GOT BETTER THINGS TO BE DOING THAN LISTENING 20 RECORDS! P.S. IF YOUR FIRST THOUGH WAS! BUT IM A DJ THEN
A. YOU MUSN'T BE ANY GOOD IF YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO 20 RECORDS.
B. BUY A MUSIC MAGAZINE AND READ IT
C. CALL A DOCTOR YOURE DEAF OR DEAD
D. THIS IS A RECORD SHOP NOT A YOUTH CLUB
E. SO WHAT!
YOU MUST HANDLE RECORDS CORRECTLY YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE IT BUT SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT WANT IT WITHOUT YOUR FINGERPRINTS AND DNA ON IT!

And thought that they were tossers because of it. I hope this condescending attitude left potential customers feeling alienated and thus had a hand in their downfall when the tides turned.

tony 2 tone

ArmCandyBaby wrote: »

I remember this sign they'd stuck all over the place...

HEY PEOPLE WE ONLY ALLOW PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO FIVE RECORDS FULL STOP.! IF WE GET TO KNOW YOU COOL BUT UNTIL THEN YOU GOT BETTER THINGS TO BE DOING THAN LISTENING 20 RECORDS! P.S. IF YOUR FIRST THOUGH WAS! BUT IM A DJ THEN
A. YOU MUSN'T BE ANY GOOD IF YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO 20 RECORDS.
B. BUY A MUSIC MAGAZINE AND READ IT
C. CALL A DOCTOR YOURE DEAF OR DEAD
D. THIS IS A RECORD SHOP NOT A YOUTH CLUB
E. SO WHAT!
YOU MUST HANDLE RECORDS CORRECTLY YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE IT BUT SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT WANT IT WITHOUT YOUR FINGERPRINTS AND DNA ON IT!

And thought that they were tossers because of it. I hope this condescending attitude left potential customers feeling alienated and thus had a hand in their downfall when the tides turned.

That will actually make me miss the shop even more.

deaddonkey

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/just-for-the-1950466.html

Wicklow street branch is staying open.

I love this shop, about 3/4 of my music is from there.

Nolanger

Remember that Freebird guy who use to touch the CD cases by the corners as if they were covered in germs? What a wan*er!!!!!!!!!!

Dord

Don't know if many are aware of this but Borderline Records in Temple Bar is closing soon too.

Have a closing down sale on at the mo....

Wishbone Ash

tony 2 tone wrote: »

That will actually make me miss the shop even more.

+1

arybvtcw0eolkf

Nolanger wrote: »

Remember that Freebird guy who use to touch the CD cases by the corners as if they were covered in germs? What a wan*er!!!!!!!!!!

Give it over.

Oh, and read the forum's charter.

Degsy

Yeah freebird was originally upstairs on grafton st,near the entrance to lillys.
There used to be always punks "tapping" outside..basicly they'd be begging outside to raise the price of whatever album they were looking for.
I always thought the punk selection in that shop was pretty poor..they had the same Sex Pistols albums "flogging a dead horse" and " some product" everytime i went in there.
They also used to have Blue Grass and Psychobilly sections,both of which are long forgotten genres.
WHen the shop moved to the quays just beside o'connel bridge i used to doa punk fanzine and they used to stock it for us,i also used to get freebie albums from punk bands like paranoid visions t o review (favourably) in the magazine.
At one stasge i used to import records from independent labels in england and sell them in freebird or the sound cellar..this would be stuff nobody had ever heard of over here..hardcore,noise-core and ranting political punk like Oi Polloi,Atavistic,AOA,Amebix,Sore Throat etc etc...i had to give i t up when customs started busting the packages and charging duty on the contents..we used to sell albums for 1.50 and was making no profit whatsoever so that was that.
There was a long-running fued between the owner of Comet records in crown ally and the band Paranoid Visions...the owner was also the singer in the Gorehounds and they used to headline various gigs..they also had a reputation for never paying support acts.
The lead singer form PV is a big bloke and he walked into Comet,nicked a tray of albums and for good measure kicked the ownere round the place..he got a nocturnal visit from the drugs squad a little later...the war was on and the two factions did all they could to m ake the other lose money or lose gigs..Paranoid Visions even went so far as to releas a song about the owner of Comet..it was called "Gorebeard Comet Rip-Off..Fcuck Off and DIE!".
Ah great times!

Red Sleeping Beauty

Freebird hasn't really been in the old Comet that long has it? Is Borderline genuinely closing down?

Degsy

Alan Rouge wrote: »

Freebird hasn't really been in the old Comet that long has it? Is Borderline genuinely closing down?

Couldnt say exactly how long as i gave up noticing a long time ago..borderline couldnt be making any money seriously..i remember when it was in liffey st and yer man Paul made almost all his money from bootleg tapes from gigs..who buys them now?
On a side note..anybody remember the guys selling bootleg tapes on o'connel bridge from a small suitcase..you'd occasionaly see some bloke dressed all in black sprinting by being chased by the cops clutching his "valuable" collection of casettes!

Wishbone Ash

Degsy wrote: »

On a side note..anybody remember the guys selling bootleg tapes on o'connel bridge from a small suitcase

God, I'd forgotton about those lads. They used to frequent Westmoreland Street too, especially around Bewleys. And most of their bootlegs seemed to be Bob Dylan gigs.

jonny68

Oh dear what a shame, i used to buy vinyl in freebird years ago:(

Gaspode

Degsy wrote: »

Couldnt say exactly how long as i gave up noticing a long time ago..borderline couldnt be making any money seriously..i remember when it was in liffey st and yer man Paul made almost all his money from bootleg tapes from gigs..who buys them now?
On a side note..anybody remember the guys selling bootleg tapes on o'connel bridge from a small suitcase..you'd occasionaly see some bloke dressed all in black sprinting by being chased by the cops clutching his "valuable" collection of casettes!

Remember those guys alright, though i never bought from them - I knew too many people ended up with blank cassettes!

stovelid

Degsy wrote: »

On a side note..anybody remember the guys selling bootleg tapes on o'connel bridge from a small suitcase..you'd occasionaly see some bloke dressed all in black sprinting by being chased by the cops clutching his "valuable" collection of casettes!

Still have a load of these in my ma's house somewhere!

They would be on O Connell bridge or sometimes on Liffey Street where the statue of the two shoppers is now.

They always seemed to have an inlay made of that day-glo type paper in yellow or green. I remember buying a Smiths one (their last gig in the Brixton Academy) one and it had only the gig listed but the guy had slapped a load of Smiths peel sessions on the end on the tape for free.

I only remember Freebird being on Eden Quay, from around the late 80s. There use be a little basement place that I liked too -on South William street for a while in the early 90s?

Red Sleeping Beauty

The reason I asked is it really closing down is I heard he put up closing down signs before to drum up a bit of business...

Thats sad.

Remember going to Dublin twice a year with my mates to buy records and that was one of the main stops. Over 20 years ago..

Hard to compete with Discogs,internet, etc.

sweetie

I vaguely remember Freebird being on Grafton st but spent most of my student grants in Freebird. eden quay back in the mid nineties. Could go in with ten or twenty quid and get three or four decent second hand albums. The odd time things were really bad ye could pick up a new release pop/rnb album that they had on promo and "trade" it in Virgin/hmv/our price on henry st for something ye actually wanted. I used to go to City discs alot too when some of the Freebird guys started it up in the early noughties.

Degsy

Anybody remember the record shop in the abbey mall that was run by a big gothic bloke?
Actually there were two..one was run by a metal bloke and stocked nothing but thrash metal and the gothic place had the likes of Siouxie and old NME magazines.

lord lucan

Borderline used to be great for the bootlegs alright,i bought loads there in the early 90's. They also carried a lot of rare picture discs and stuff that was hard to get. With online retailing i can't imagine that business would be too great these days.

Anyone remember FM on westmoreland st,they done all the rock/metal gear,baseball caps/patches/badges etc.

Degsy

lord lucan wrote: »

Anyone remember FM on westmoreland st,they done all the rock/metal gear,baseball caps/patches/badges etc.

Downsatirs used to be called soundsaround..they sold badges,bondage trousers,t-shirts and studs..i studded my leather jacket from that place and bought my first set of tartan bondages there too.

lord lucan

Degsy wrote: »

Downsatirs used to be called soundsaround..they sold badges,bondage trousers,t-shirts and studs..i studded my leather jacket from that place and bought my first set of tartan bondages there too.

Lol. I used to buy all my band patches from there,sleeveless denim jacket over a biker jacket,great days!

Ally Dick

Rapidshare killed the record store

Red Sleeping Beauty

Ally Dick wrote: »

Rapidshare killed the record store

I bought a new album from Freebird on Wicklow St a while ago. They had it on special for the first week it was out. Lovely artwork and all that jazz. Much better than a megabyte.

Amalgam

Degsy wrote: »

Anybody remember the record shop in the abbey mall that was run by a big gothic bloke?
Actually there were two..one was run by a metal bloke and stocked nothing but thrash metal and the gothic place had the likes of Siouxie and old NME magazines.

That was Borderline. Borderline moved twice in the Abbey Mall. At the very start they were where Leo Burdock's is now, physically, then down the back wall.

That center in the 80's was so weird, basically just little Indie record stores and a travel agent. Always almost deserted.

I used to go in there for tea\coffee when mitching off school.

Edit: on a side note, the man with silver hair and moustache from Abbey Discs, you couldn't get a more agreeable and accommodating person to deal with.

Degsy, are we talking about the same Abbey Mall, it's the Food Emporium off Liffey Street now?

Amalgam

FM had two branches, one on O'Connell Street as well. The Unit beside Burger King, close to the bridge.

Hermy

stovelid wrote: »

There use be a little basement place that I liked too -on South William street for a while in the early 90s?

That was Freak Out. Good shop. It's badly missed.

Nolanger

Never mind those shops! Anyone remember Basement X?

DublinWriter

Ah, rare auld times, etc.

I remember Freebird in the late 80's in their original 1st floor Grafton St. premises. The 7's used to be right on the counter (to prevent shoplifting). A Ska-loving mate of mine found a rare Prince Buster single in it once and collapsed onto the floor in a state of St.Vitus Dance before we could bring him around again. It's still one of his most treasured possessions.

They next moved into the basement of Bus Stop newsagents on Eden Quay circa 1987. The basement shop was already a more mainstream 'Dolphins Discs' type shop.

The few days before ownership change, the previous owner decided to sell all the LP stock at 99p. Myself and a couple of mates used to run a stall in the old Temple Bar market at the weekends and cleaned up selling most of the stock of the orginal Eden Quay shop at 200% profit.

Most of us 'vinyl-heads' from the late 80's had a circuit we used to go around on a Saturday that included Macs records in the Grafton St. arcade and the old CIE club on Talbot St.

Ed Butler

Gaspode wrote: »

Strangely enough, my memory tells me thart Freebird on Grafton Street was originally upstairs, though I cant recall exactly where on the street it was.

I came across it a few years ago - open doorway with stairs and some sort of IT place on the first floor where Freebird used to be - possibly gone now as well