Torny Gottberg of Progress Productions Interview

Torny Gottberg, the man behind Progress Productions and the EBM band Project-X spared some time to answer a couple of questions. We talked about his work with Progress, upcoming releases and what he thinks is important when a band want to be signed by him, among the things. Read the complete interview below.

Blackvector: Hello Torny, how are you doing?

Torny: It’s good, thanks for asking… Well, actually its great. The sun is shining over Gothenburg and I’m going to Berlin on vacation for a couple of days later this week, so, it could definately been worse. Besides, we recently released the new Spark! EP and later this week the new Code 64 will be out. I’ve also sent the debut album from Kopfer Kat to the manufacturer. Fully packed, just as it should be.

Blackvector: You have been operation Progress Productions for many years now and you guys celebrated 5 years last year. How is it to run a record label?

Torny: To run a label is probably the most frustrating but at the same time one of the most wonderful things you could do in a strange hybrid and it is absolutely not ment for all people to do it. I don’t think there is many people that could handle the tempo and to “multitask” between all the different challenges that you face almost every day.

The most frustrating part though, is that people think that you earn millions each year, that you are bathing in champagne, hanging out at big parties and drinks free beer and hanging around celebrities etc. Matter of fact, I think those days are long gone (and on our level they never excisted). To run a label is hard focusing work and you really have to believe in what you are doing. Otherwise you could’ve just not bother about it from the start. There is so many “one productions” label out there who thinks if you just release one record it will be selling itself, and that’s really not how it works. You have to work, work and work and when you can’t handle it anymore you just have to work even more.

But I think I belongs to that “sick” crowd of people that really loves high tempo and want things to happen. In addition, just the great previlegue that I have to work with amazing and talented musicians and nice people. It’s definately not every person out there who has that opportunity. Though, you should not forget that Progress Productions is a hobby in addition to my regular job, so you’ll have to be prepared to work around 12 to 15 hours a day. But every time I recieve a record from the pressing factory, every time I see one of our bands do an awesome show, every time we take a step forward or even when someone mail us something and like the things we’ve done… well, I can keep going for days. I am so unbelievable proud of all our bands and that is something never keep as a secret. It’s the best bands in the world.

Blackvector: Is there anything during these years that you have wanted to change or that you feel you could’ve done better?

Torny: Maybe this sounds like a cliché, but you should never change things. I think that you always can find things that you could’ve done differently but most of the times you know that before they’re done and that’s when you see the other options. It is a neverending process of learning things. Though, nothing runs on a certain routine acually. Well, maybe writing journalists emails and addresses on envelopes, but besides that every release is unique in their own way. Though, I think we have a great way of working here at the label. We work very close and near our artists and they get to know what we’re doing.

We have mailinglists, internal facebook groups etc. where I try to keep everybody informed and up to date. Even at the beginning Progress worked on a different way then “normal” labels. The “think” with label and artist feels so 90′s. Since we all wanna achieve the same goals, it is together we reach them. Step by step, piece by piece.

Blackvector: How many are involved in the company and what do they do?

Torny: This is a little strange to answer but we are over 30 people. Every band is equally involved as I am. Everyone is working as a family even though maybe its my face that is the one that is shown the most. Krister Hessling for example, he’s a part owner of Progress and handles the economy. A very important part.

Well, we are blessed with the best bands out there who realize that it is together that we create Progress. Therefor I want to say that everyone is a part in some way. Besides this, we have choosed to work very close to a small number of people. Magnus Eklund, who is a photographer, have taken many of the bands press pictures etc. So, there isn’t any “this is how we are” answer, but as a said that’s not the point with the label. We are a small Progress-family. As a matter of fact, I never had “normal” labels as a rolemodel or something like that when I started the label. I checked around alot, for example Cold Meat Industry and Ant-Zen, that is two labels that personally for me is two fine example of how you build something and has a family.

Blackvector: What is the most fun working with what you do today?

Torny: That I got to work with amazing people. unbelievable and very skillful people with a great heart and that believes in what they do. That is really stimulating. All the bands is just as equal to me and I don’t give a shit if one band sell 250 copies and the other sells 2000. All the bands is a priority and everything we release is important, because a production will not be released if doesn’t believe in it together.

One of the things that really warm my heart though, is when a band takes a step forward. To succeed with something that you have as a goal, or when they do a big and great performance and you see that the audience really enjoys it. That is the time you will find me behind everyone and chilling with a big smile on my face. That makes me really proud and it is a wonderful feeling. The direct contact between us and the consumer. Priceless and amazing.

Blackvector: Any disadvantages?

Torny: Of course, they are always there. Things that you don’t enjoy to do, but to achieve the great stuff you have to do the boring too. So I don’t really see them as disadvantages. There are more things you could say is frustrating, like people who take the music for granted. It is not free, it costs a great amount of money both for us and for the bands. But for me, the money isn’t the big picture here, and have never been.

But the frustration that it exist people that don’t support the stuff they like is really hard. If you look at this example. A band have over 500 fans on Facebook. 500 FANS! Then you would believe, as a fan would definately run out and buy the record on day one of the release and think it is great that the band is doing what they do and really support the them. But maybe they only sell like 200 copies in Sweden. That is really unpleasant. But then you can argue that you don’t like CD’s in general etc.

Here is a tip. Go into a record store and buy the record. Then go home and rip it to your mp3/flac/ogg-formats and throw the cd in the trash can if it really is so bad. Or buy it on iTunes or in our own synthmp3.com site, but don’t take their work and creativity for granted. If you are a fan, you support what you like. Think of that. Rapidshare, The Pirate Bay and DC-hubs are not commersial for the bands or “I help more to hear the music”. It is theft and you really piss on the bands by doing that.

We are always giving away like two or three songs for free on our website, so if you want to spread the music, send them to progress-productions.com, there you can download them for free in the best 320kbps MP3 quality. THAT is to help the band. But to illegally download their music and share it is NOT. Damn, it was a long answer here, but there is such a infected area. No Progress band earn big cash on their music, and I sometimes wish I could get a little more cash to give them. They deserve all the money, AND I want to point out; We who work with this don’t even take 1 SEK to run Progress. All the money that we get goes to the bands/company directly.

Blackvector: You do also work at Border Music and have your band Project-X. How do you have the time?

Torny: You are just forgot the fact that I also run a club in Gothenburg with two of my friends… HELLLOOOOO!!! Hehehehe.. Well, everything has their time. You really have to be very organized in your head. Border Music is really my regular JOB. I go to my job and put down my very soul and heart in what I am doing and feel very lucky numbered to have fantastic people around me and to work with my biggest interest here in life. Without Border Music, I would not even be possible, from an economic aspect, to run Progress Productions. When I’ve done my work for the day at Border, I can be Mr. Progress Productions and work with that. But they are two completely different things and it is important to keep them apart.

A normal day looks like this: The clock is ringing at 7 AM and an irritated partner has to kick me up from the bed. I’ll get up check my mail and maybe answer a couple of questions I’ve got during the night. Eating breakfast and get my ass to the work. I maybe leave the work at 5 PM and it is here that Progress-Torny take on the role. You get home, answering on everything that have arrived during the day, talk a little with a couple of artists and everything that is to it, until you get to bed. I usually say that I put three or four hours on Progress each day on Progress, but sometimes it gets more, of course. But never less. Then you could figure it out that there is not many hours left to act like a “Synthstar” yourself.

It is obvious that Project-X have got less priority the last couple of years and I think the reason for this is that I don’t have any “craving ego” left. I can sit and create music and think it is awesome and fun, but I don’t have the need to do my own music, be on stage and be in focus. Maybe I had the when I was younger but that need is filled when I see one of the Progress acts do something great. I don’t have to be there on stage at the centre, people don’t need to know who I am, I don’t care and I don’t consider myself as an important person. But of course, Project-X is really fun when we have the time. Well, the release rate and the times between that we have maybe tells a great part of how the priority is done in life. Hehehehehe…

Blackvector: You made a comeback this year. How did that feel?

Torny: Well, as I said. It is unbelieavable fun to create your own music sometimes, but personally, nothing I see as an important part. I am really happy that we have recieved so many great reviews and that we’ve got the possibility to release our music on a label. Maybe it is a comeback, but we have never quit. It has only been different priorities. During many years, Project-X was some of the most important thing for me (besides my family and friends) and it was a way for me to express the things i liked/disliked. But after “Modus Operandi” and most of all after I left my horrible time in Älmhult, I really got a new perspective on things.

As I said, I am really happy that we’ve got the chance to release music and that people want to see us and really remembers us. That feels really fun. But when we really stand there on stage, it is just to deliver, and of course, it’s really fun. We have always been like a “partyband” and I think it is fun to invite the audience.

Blackvector: And a new album is on its way?

Torny: Yes, we have recorded a bunch of new songs so I think there will be a new album, but when we are done I can’t say. I don’t want to release something that doesn’t feel right. And I don’t think those who will buy the album think that would be ok, and we feel the same way. But maybe this Autumn we can show you something. We play from time to time and test with new songs. We’ve come far on the road.

Blackvector: Back to Progress. Two new bands – SPARK! and Code 64 – have been signed on a short period of time. How did that happen? and what are you looking at when signing a band?

Torny: It’s really not that hard. SPARK! played on our club – Club Target in Gothenburg. It was a personal chemistry deluxe and they had the right attitude and I loved them. I can reveal that attitude is an important part when we decide which one we want to work with. People with a huge “ego” and “we are the best”-attitude is not welcomed. Even if their name is Front 242, Front Line Assembly or Depeche Mode. We don’t give a damn. Since we are working so close alot of things need to fall into place before we are intrested. I never sing on demos, really. Often it is a tip from friends or if I go and check them out live. Code 64 was earlier on Memento Materia, but I think they wanted to go further and I have known, especially Hasse from the band, since a long time back. I think it was during a Mintuu-race at Storan one night we started to talk a little loose that it would be fun to do something together. And yes, on that way it is. It’s hard to say the day it happened, since there is so many factors that play in.

Alot of things needs to feel right before we let anyone in into the Progress family. Of course, we need to think the music is great ourself and that the band has the Progress quality that we’re looking for. But of course, right attitude. Because we are so tight as a team, we don’t need any “ego-heads” on our label. But that is something you feel pretty fast if the bands understand what it is all about. There is a lot of bands out there that we have felt that, yeah they are really good etc. But then you meet them and you get a big fucking “achtung!!!!” feeling. We don’t have the time to satisfy the peoples egos. We are here to release and to deliver great music. There is way too many people who spend time at forums and such and talk a lot of bullshit and put themself in a position like they are “gods gift for humanity”. They usually don’t do it for long, thank god, when they get to know that how much work there is behind things. There is no one out there who wants to help an idiot with an ego either. Music should speak for itself, not some fucking blown up singer who thinks he is so fucking good. If it is good, people will support you. If you have a big mouth and can’t deliver, you easily become a joke. Something that is worth thinking of.

Blackvector: We all know you stand for quality. What are you own expectations on their respective albums?

Torny: Oh, this was really the toughest question in this interview. Definately. You crafty son of a b*tch ;) and deliver with this one so far into the interview. Hehehehe… Well, I always put a big goal for all our releases. You know that the artists have worked very hard, with a great goal in their minds and during a long time and they deserve my appreciation and my time. That is why we never release two records at the same time. Nobody should risk to be forgotten. Everyone is equally important. I want that the buyer should see a Progress record and know it is awesome, even if it is synthpop, indiepop, industrial or whatever.. That is the goal. Unlucky though, I think we have been stamped as a synth-label, but I see that we are more like an Alternative label that have the potential to reach even further then only on synth. I can onlt guarantee my bands that we’re going to work hard for them to give them the respect and attention that they deserve. You could never promise that “yes, you’re going to sell tousands of records” even if that’s what we want, of course. But if you’ve released the music you love and knows that there has been a try, then I’m happy. But I never leave a door closed. Atleast we need to try out everything, and if I know the artist have done everything they can to make a record as good as possible, then I’m satisfied and I know they have the same “think” that I have. To give the listener some quality.

Blackvector: What do you have planned in the near future? Releases with Progress and preformances with Project-X, and the record of course, is to expect if I’ve got it right?

Torny: With Progress, yes. As of now, I’m sitting here and completing the mastering of PROCD25 – which is the debut album of Kopfer Kat, entitled “Skrammelpop”. That would probably be the final release before the summer. During the autumn, the new album of Code 64, SPARK!, System, Kite, Necro Facility together with a still not announced band, is to expect. So, a lot of work is ahead, but it will be an amazing time. We are pumped to the MAX!!!!! Regarding Project-X I think we talked about earlier. “If Allah want, there will be an album this autumn”. Live shows, well, you can expect that too. Keep your eyes on myspace.com/projectxebm.

Blackvector: So, you’re not really restless during the days? ;)

Torny: Yes I am, those hours I use to get some sleep. Really unnessecary. But the body tells me that it needs it. I know, lazy of me. I will try to get use to the thing that I need the sleep. Hehehehehe….

Blackvector: Thank you for your time, that was the last one. Any final words?

Torny: I send you the bill. This interview took several hours to complete that I’ve could have used for sleep. Hehehehe… Just kidding… I want to thank everyone that is supporting the swedish alternative scene. I’m talking about you Björn, all the other zines, all the clubs, everyone that are able to do an effort. They who buy our records and the stuff that make it possible that we have a scene left and that the artists can continue to develope and to keep on working and maybe get some money over to really wish themself something or to buy new equipment and to be even better to give us EVEN better music in the future. Think about never taking something for granted, and for last but definately not least, I want to say to every Progress band and all who are involved in helping us: I love you.