andreasviklund.com

Since I started building the first generation of the Lagoona studio together with Björn in 1997, I have always had some place where I've been able to write music. Over the years the studio has been located several different places. Sometimes at Björns place, sometimes in my apartment and sometimes we had it split into two smaller studios. When Lagoona was put to rest a few years ago, the studio was already split up. I decided to give professional music production a shot, and when I found a great office location in Jokkmokk (I lived in a nearby town named Porjus at the time), I moved all my studio gear into something that became a really nice workplace.

I used the studio for one and a half year and ran a very exciting project called Baygroove.com - which is however completely dead today. Some of you may remember it, others have already forgotten about it. While I did a number of interesting production projects under the Baygroove flag, it didn't leave any big mark in the history. I made a few compilation releases, produced a number of remixes for other artists, made a number of live performances and DJ gigs - and pissed off the Swedish music industry by claiming that filesharing wasn't just legal but also the very best way to promote music on the internet.

I appeared on national TV and radio and got a good response on some crazy concepts I created (such as a "pay if you want to" online music store), but the whole project took extremely much energy and lacked funding. I had to give it up after a year, because I never got any chance of writing any music for myself. I simply couldn't afford it. Making music became a duty rather than something I did out of pure creativity, and the whole project lost its fun. And it was a one-man project, I would have needed another producer to work with since I couldn't deliver as much music as I was asked for. I tried, but it was like running into a wall, over and over again.

My way of getting something else on my mind was to design websites and website templates, and when I decided to release one of them (called "andreas01") in July 2005, I got pushed into a new adventure which was a whole lot funnier! I decided to take a break from the music, and work as a professional web designer for a while. I had a good record deal with a large European label waiting for my signature, but after careful consideration I decided to step back. I would never have made it through that deal (which covered 3+3 years) as I didn't have the motivation needed to work on that level. And today, almost a year later, I have no regrets about that decision. I'm still working with web design and it is still incredibly fun. And I do write some music every now and then, although it is just for fun. Professional music production will have to wait for now, but I may possibly pick it up in the future if I get the inspiration and motivation back.

This week I will move out my last stuff from the studio to allow someone else to use it. For the last couple of months, I have only used it to work on a book project together with my father, and I haven't been there very often. I do most web design work at home, and it works great for me. While it feels good to finally leave the last leftovers of the Baygroove project behind, I will really miss the studio. I have spent many days (and nights) in it and I have some amazing memories from the place, so I do feel a bit sad about saying good-bye to it. But deep inside, I know that it opens up for new adventures. And I can't wait to see what is coming up next…