10 years of Wrotycz Records
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Galleries:
- Castle Party 2007 - 2007-07-27 (Festivals)
- MASCHINENgeSCHREI 3 - 2007-05-20 (Festivals)
This year Wrotycz Records celebrated a decade of work. Many alternative music listeners will see the label’s creative achievements as amazing. Dozens of producers and bands passed through it, they are the source of many musical discoveries. Wrotycz 10th Anniversary Festival is an event to highlight and summarize the achievements of the past decade. Selection of the final set of the Festival was a considerable challenge for the organizers. Eventually, 7 projects performed in front of the audience, and it was a cross-section from folk and neofolk, through dark ambient and dark synthpop, to harsh ambient, which only illustrates the diversity of Wrotycz Records. The whole turned out more than sensational; starting from native Contemplatron, to the culmination performed by Italian Spiritual Front.
In the hustle and bustle of duties, stack of demos to listen through and mass of projects in the queue, I was fortunate to take a bit of Iwona’s time for a friendly chat about the festival, unknown trivia from the label’s kitchen and gossip about the bands ;)
1. Wrotycz Records yesterday and today; or how would you rate its origins from the perspective of today's experience?
WR: First of all, we are glad that we were able to survive those 10 years. For us it is a fantastic adventure, hobby, it brings a lot of fun. We are fortunate that, being a couple, we share the same taste in music, we are happy with trips to the same festivals, we agree (almost 100%)) in regards of issued projects.
In 10 years a lot has changed in the music market and even more in the way of music distribution. Internet rules the world. Recording, promotion, publishing – it’s cheaper, it has become more common. This allows access to music, particularly the alternative, all has become easier. Everybody can find something for themselves. On the other hand - everyone who has enough determination can record, so it’s increasingly difficult to find projects of real value.
Mp3, free streaming, largely pushed out the traditional media, in talks with publishers from all over Europe weaker sales and declining expenses are the fixed topic. We still believe in a material carrier, we strive to fulfill the fantasies of artists and ourselves, we want our releases not only to sound good but also look nice. Maybe, in that respect, we're outdated? Maybe, but we feel great in this.
2. Surely you have many moments that make the eyes glaze a bit, are there some you would like to share?
WR: Sometimes I joke that when I retire I’ll write a bestseller "Wrotycz Records from the kitchen" ;) Indeed, thanks to our business, especially the part related to the organization of concerts, we were able to get to know artists that we appreciate very much. After a closer encounter it turned out they are great people with who we quickly got along. Most of them spent the night at our house, play with our children; together we ate, visited cities, with some we spent holidays together. I must admit we have a lot of memories, anecdotes, however, we take it too personally to share them so officially. I can tell you an anecdote about our children, about how contact with various bands changed their perception of the world. I spoke once with our daughter about Lana del Rey’s album, specifically the song "Summertime Sadness", which we often play in the car. My six year old girl said, "You know, Mom, it’s cool that Lana sent us this album. Can you invite her for a concert? She can sleep in my bed, I will go to my brother’s mattress".
3. Congratulations on a great event for your 10th anniversary! The festival proved to be a great success, how did the preparation look like? Or maybe you are planning a repeat?
WR: Thank you! We are very pleased that we were able to celebrate our 10th anniversary this way. In the beginning, the event was a joke between our colleague from Paris and Stephan from Sunday Strain. Later, we figured it's a cool idea to meet the people we have met over the past decade. Never before we’ve organized event on such a scale. Luckily we had the support of Julia, Szymon’s sister, who is professionally engaged in production of events, including music ones. The largest obstacle to overcome was the location, so we had to change the date of the festival, eventually all rolled well, because the New Gasworks Pavilion proved to be the perfect place for our anniversary.
It was so sensational that we actually would like to repeat the event. We cordially invite you on the 11 April 2015 to the New Gasworks Pavilion!
4. How do you rate the festival? As an organizer and participant.
WR: We are totally satisfied, despite the hustle and obvious duties during the event, we had so much fun. We hope that so did all the participants. Everyone wishes for such successful anniversaries. Organizationally - quite a challenge and backlog of work before the festival, but on the day of the event Julia helped us greatly - thanks to her everything was buttoned up. Musicians who came are for us the first league, regardless of the order in which they played. We are honored that they wanted to share this special day with us. At this point we want to also thank the wonderful audience - for openness, spontaneity, class! And for all the gestures of sympathy that we received on the day - eg delicious chocolates ;)
5. Trivia from behind the scenes? Of course, everything is between us and readers ;)
WR: Again you’re trying to trick us to gossip ;) I’ll reveals that we met up with the bands on Friday, at a dinner in our place, it was very, very nice. And anecdotes? The legendary Roger Karmanik came to the festival, he’s the creator of the cult Cold Meat Industry label, representing an undoubted impact on our musical tastes. Spiritual Front’s Simone’s guitar got lost during the flight - a few hours before the concert we were not sure in what set the band will perform, luckily, the carrier brought her just before sound check. On Monday after the festival Sunset Wings gave a second concert... in our daughter's kindergarten.
Alex of Sunset Wings met with Stephan from Sunday Strain, which resulted in a music cooperation. At the after party colleague from Poznan and colleague from Berlin became closer friends. We are considering changing the slogan of our label from "Wrotycz Records. Sounds Good" to "Wrotycz Records. Connecting people" ;)
6. You are helping many bands spread their wings, how does that work, you are looking for new artists who have something in themselves or are promising or do they come to you themselves?
WR: We get some demos, links to things we can listen to. Sometimes, unfortunately, it happens that we do not have time to listen to all of them. We don’t manage to reply to everyone, for what we apologize. We are also searching ourselves, sometimes in a conversation with friends we hear about a new project, it happens that someone can recommend someone to us... There is no single, proven rule, we act instinctively. As many bands, as many stories, but at 99% it is love at first hear. Because we release only the music that we really like, despite its diversity.
7. Vision of the future?
WR: At this moment, along with Sunset Wings, Antlers Mulm and Red Painted Red, we are working on albums that will be released in the coming weeks and months. Sunset Wings and Antlers Mulm are already known to the Polish audience, Red Painted Red is a mega intriguing project from England, we are very happy for this cooperation. We are serious about repeating the festival, we talk already with the first bands and the whole thing looks very promising. We're working on refreshing the Wrotycz Records web page - after 10 years we’ve finally matured to have the genuine store. It should start in a few weeks. Future? The future is always bright.
In the hustle and bustle of duties, stack of demos to listen through and mass of projects in the queue, I was fortunate to take a bit of Iwona’s time for a friendly chat about the festival, unknown trivia from the label’s kitchen and gossip about the bands ;)
1. Wrotycz Records yesterday and today; or how would you rate its origins from the perspective of today's experience?
WR: First of all, we are glad that we were able to survive those 10 years. For us it is a fantastic adventure, hobby, it brings a lot of fun. We are fortunate that, being a couple, we share the same taste in music, we are happy with trips to the same festivals, we agree (almost 100%)) in regards of issued projects.
In 10 years a lot has changed in the music market and even more in the way of music distribution. Internet rules the world. Recording, promotion, publishing – it’s cheaper, it has become more common. This allows access to music, particularly the alternative, all has become easier. Everybody can find something for themselves. On the other hand - everyone who has enough determination can record, so it’s increasingly difficult to find projects of real value.
Mp3, free streaming, largely pushed out the traditional media, in talks with publishers from all over Europe weaker sales and declining expenses are the fixed topic. We still believe in a material carrier, we strive to fulfill the fantasies of artists and ourselves, we want our releases not only to sound good but also look nice. Maybe, in that respect, we're outdated? Maybe, but we feel great in this.
2. Surely you have many moments that make the eyes glaze a bit, are there some you would like to share?
WR: Sometimes I joke that when I retire I’ll write a bestseller "Wrotycz Records from the kitchen" ;) Indeed, thanks to our business, especially the part related to the organization of concerts, we were able to get to know artists that we appreciate very much. After a closer encounter it turned out they are great people with who we quickly got along. Most of them spent the night at our house, play with our children; together we ate, visited cities, with some we spent holidays together. I must admit we have a lot of memories, anecdotes, however, we take it too personally to share them so officially. I can tell you an anecdote about our children, about how contact with various bands changed their perception of the world. I spoke once with our daughter about Lana del Rey’s album, specifically the song "Summertime Sadness", which we often play in the car. My six year old girl said, "You know, Mom, it’s cool that Lana sent us this album. Can you invite her for a concert? She can sleep in my bed, I will go to my brother’s mattress".
3. Congratulations on a great event for your 10th anniversary! The festival proved to be a great success, how did the preparation look like? Or maybe you are planning a repeat?
WR: Thank you! We are very pleased that we were able to celebrate our 10th anniversary this way. In the beginning, the event was a joke between our colleague from Paris and Stephan from Sunday Strain. Later, we figured it's a cool idea to meet the people we have met over the past decade. Never before we’ve organized event on such a scale. Luckily we had the support of Julia, Szymon’s sister, who is professionally engaged in production of events, including music ones. The largest obstacle to overcome was the location, so we had to change the date of the festival, eventually all rolled well, because the New Gasworks Pavilion proved to be the perfect place for our anniversary.
It was so sensational that we actually would like to repeat the event. We cordially invite you on the 11 April 2015 to the New Gasworks Pavilion!
4. How do you rate the festival? As an organizer and participant.
WR: We are totally satisfied, despite the hustle and obvious duties during the event, we had so much fun. We hope that so did all the participants. Everyone wishes for such successful anniversaries. Organizationally - quite a challenge and backlog of work before the festival, but on the day of the event Julia helped us greatly - thanks to her everything was buttoned up. Musicians who came are for us the first league, regardless of the order in which they played. We are honored that they wanted to share this special day with us. At this point we want to also thank the wonderful audience - for openness, spontaneity, class! And for all the gestures of sympathy that we received on the day - eg delicious chocolates ;)
5. Trivia from behind the scenes? Of course, everything is between us and readers ;)
WR: Again you’re trying to trick us to gossip ;) I’ll reveals that we met up with the bands on Friday, at a dinner in our place, it was very, very nice. And anecdotes? The legendary Roger Karmanik came to the festival, he’s the creator of the cult Cold Meat Industry label, representing an undoubted impact on our musical tastes. Spiritual Front’s Simone’s guitar got lost during the flight - a few hours before the concert we were not sure in what set the band will perform, luckily, the carrier brought her just before sound check. On Monday after the festival Sunset Wings gave a second concert... in our daughter's kindergarten.
Alex of Sunset Wings met with Stephan from Sunday Strain, which resulted in a music cooperation. At the after party colleague from Poznan and colleague from Berlin became closer friends. We are considering changing the slogan of our label from "Wrotycz Records. Sounds Good" to "Wrotycz Records. Connecting people" ;)
6. You are helping many bands spread their wings, how does that work, you are looking for new artists who have something in themselves or are promising or do they come to you themselves?
WR: We get some demos, links to things we can listen to. Sometimes, unfortunately, it happens that we do not have time to listen to all of them. We don’t manage to reply to everyone, for what we apologize. We are also searching ourselves, sometimes in a conversation with friends we hear about a new project, it happens that someone can recommend someone to us... There is no single, proven rule, we act instinctively. As many bands, as many stories, but at 99% it is love at first hear. Because we release only the music that we really like, despite its diversity.
7. Vision of the future?
WR: At this moment, along with Sunset Wings, Antlers Mulm and Red Painted Red, we are working on albums that will be released in the coming weeks and months. Sunset Wings and Antlers Mulm are already known to the Polish audience, Red Painted Red is a mega intriguing project from England, we are very happy for this cooperation. We are serious about repeating the festival, we talk already with the first bands and the whole thing looks very promising. We're working on refreshing the Wrotycz Records web page - after 10 years we’ve finally matured to have the genuine store. It should start in a few weeks. Future? The future is always bright.
