Owner Grete Neseblod (TV) together with Iben Lavinia Kajser, who previously worked at Neseblod Records for several years, the day after the fire on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday, some of the extent of the fire in the basement of the popular record store became known. Photo: Lasse Føllingstad / Private
On Tuesday evening, a fire broke out in the basement of the world-renowned record store Neseblod Records in Gamlebyen. On Wednesday, parts of the scope became known. – You can ask yourself whether it is even possible to rebuild, says the owner.
The fire brigade went out just before nine o’clock on Tuesday evening after reports of heavy smoke in Schweigaards gate 56, where the legendary record store is located.
One of the two owners of the shop, Grete Neseblod (44), says that she experienced the situation as dramatic.
Metal plate shop in Gamlebyen hit by fire
– I actually live in Nesodden, but happened to be in town. A little before nine o’clock I received a message from the man who runs a shop next door that there was smoke in the basement, she tells VårtOslo the following day.
Together with three or four others, he broke into the cellar door and alerted the fire brigade, according to Neseblod.
After approximately 35 minutes, the fire was extinguished, but there is still extensive damage to the cramped premises at the top of the Old Town. The fire probably started in the electrical system, which must now be replaced.
Irreplaceable objects lost
The store specializes in memorabilia and curios from the history of metal, punk and rock, and is packed full of memorable items. Now very many of them are either smoke or water damaged.
The owner says that she currently has no overview of what has been lost, but Neseblod is certain that there are large financial losses.
Melted vinyl in the shop in the Old Town. Photo: Private
– We bought a collection for NOK 200,000 from a music journalist. Most of it was placed together with another purchased collection right next to where the fire started, she says and continues:
– There were collections for which we had expected to get some. Irreplaceable collectibles are lost.
Nosebleed adds that it is far from the only thing that has been lost. Quantities of special records, clothes, posters and CDs have been destroyed.
Owner Grete Neseblod (tv) together with Iben Lavinia Kajser outside the store the day after the fire. Photo: Lasse Føllingstad
Fanzines from the black metal community from the early nineties are probably also lost. These have high status and value in the metal community.
Not everything in the store is for sale. Some of the treasures are for display only.
– There are many objects with emotional value that are also gone, points out the owner.
People from all over the world flock to this little shop in the Old Town
Neseblod Records receives visitors from all over the world and is a tourist attraction in several alternative environments, especially among metal fans.
The store is located in the premises of its predecessor Helvete, which was started by Øystein Aarseth, known from the band Mayhem in 1991.
Until the year of his death, 1993, Aarseth was responsible for the operation of the store, where he also ran his own record company, Deathlike Silence Productions, in the now fire-damaged basement.
Band colleague Varg Vikernes was convicted of stabbing Aarseth to death in an apartment in Oslo as well as three church fires in 1994 and received the law’s strictest sentence of 21 years in prison.
The fire started on Tuesday evening and has left extensive damage. Photo: Lasse Føllingstad
Reactions from abroad
Today’s owner says that she has received messages from far and wide in the last 24 hours. Among other things, they have received greetings from Japan via social media.
News of the fire has obviously reached overseas fans.
“Legendary Oslo Black Metal Landmark and Record Store Neseblod Suffers a Fire”, is the headline in an article at the Brooklyn-based American metal website Ghost Cult Magazine.
This is what it looks like inside Neseblod Records now. Photo: Lasse Føllingstad
– I must have received fifty messages from people who want to help us, she says.
It’s not just music fans who have offered the record shop help. The owners say that the National Library has made contact and offered possible help in connection with the restoration of the inalienable objects that are affected.
– But it is not certain that there is much to help with, concludes the proprietor.
VårtOslo has not been able to get a comment from the National Library on Wednesday afternoon.
There is extensive destruction at Neseblod Records after the fire. Photo: Lasse Føllingstad
– What will be next?
The record store was also exposed to a water leak in 2015. At that time, large amounts of valuables were also lost.
– Water leakage, corona pandemic and fire – what will happen next, says the other of the two owners, Kenneth Neseblod (51).
Owner of Neseblod Records, Kenneth Neseblod, with a burnt poster from the 90s film “Dis”. Photo: Lasse Føllingstad
Together with his ex-wife, he has run the record store for 21 years. First in Rathkes gate in Grünerløkka, then from 2013 in Gamlebyen.
– You can ask yourself if it is worth it, or if it is even possible to rebuild, he says.
He estimates that 80 per cent of the items on the shop’s lower floor have been affected by the fire.
– What we have to do now is to get it open again, at least on the first floor. Then we’d rather sort and get an overview here in the cellar, concludes the owner.