I was caught off guard this week by the news that TVT Records had fired a good 80% of its staff and that it is expected to file for bankruptcy soon. In the mid-’90s, I worked as a publicist for the label in its New York office on 4th Street, across from what was then Tower Records.

TVT is best known these days for its roster of hip-hop acts (Pitbull, Lil John, the Ying Yang Twins, etc.), but in the late ’80s/early ’90s it was (briefly) the home of Nine Inch Nails. And while NIN’s Trent Reznor famously had a falling out with TVT founder and President Steve Gottlieb (as it seems most big artists on the label eventually did), TVT still prospered over the last 15 years due to Gottlieb’s determination. At one point, TVT was the nation’s largest indie, cranking out CDs at a dizzying pace and competing with major labels despite numerous distribution disadvantages.

People can say what they will about the news of TVT’s seemingly imminent closure (although, in fairness, Gottlieb says a leaner version of the label will soldier on and the publishing division will likely remain open, according to Billboard), but Gottlieb was a vicious and incredibly smart competitor. He started TVT on his own (while still in law school) and went on to build a music publishing empire and record label that produced multiple platinum-selling albums. And like most music industry figures in New York, he was eccentric (and, sadly, ponytailed).

But what I’ll remember most about my time at TVT (besides the bad records I had to promote, such as the dreadful Gravity Kills debut) was the bizarre interview I went through with Gottlieb in 1996. Almost everyone in the music industry in New York during the ’90s passed through Gottlieb’s office for an interview at some point in their respective careers. What transpired during my sitdown seems sufficiently strange, looking back on it now.

Instead of being asked the usual questions about my qualifications as a publicist (and I was qualified, mind you, just coming off a stint as national director of publicity at a Virgin Records-affiliated label), Gottlieb, barefoot in his office, proceeded to ask a series of questions better suited to a game show than a job interview. “What would you say the square footage of the office is, Charlie?” is the one query that sticks out in my mind the most. Needless to say, I got the job — hey, I have good spacial skills!

The staff at TVT probably aren’t too jazzed today; on the other hand, Reznor is certainly pleased.

– Charlie Amter

Photo of Gottlieb, left, and a visibly drunk Charlie at SXSW circa 2000 by Victoria Smith.