| Big Scary Monsters | |
|---|---|
 The BSM 2019 logo | |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Founder | Kevin Douch |
| Genre | |
| Location | Oxford, England |
| Official website | bsmrocks |
Big Scary Monsters Recording Company (often known simply as Big Scary Monsters or BSM Records) is an independent record label based in Oxford, England. It primarily releases punk and alternative rock, as well as related genres.
History
[edit]Big Scary Monsters was established in 2001 by Kevin Douch, whilst aged 17 and attending sixth form.[1][2]
In 2006 Douch launched a sister-label, Alcopop! Records, with Jack Clothier.[3]
On 7 September 2010, the label celebrated its 100th release. The release was titled Partied Hard was a DVD/CD compilation featuring overcthirty promo, live and bonus videos from the label's history. It was only available between 7 September (the day after BSM099 came out) and 24 October 2010 (the day before BSM101 was due out)[4]
In 2010 BSM co-founded Pink Mist with fellow indie labels Holy Roar and Blood And Biscuits. Pink Mist is an East London-based collective releasing records and promoting regular live shows.[5]
Kevin Douch was featured as a speaker at AIM's Indie Con event in 2017.[6]
From 2007 to 2016 BSM hosted an annual five-a-side football tournament at Wembley Powerleague, with bands, labels, magazines, shops and other music industry teams competing.[7]
Pop-up stores
[edit]In December 2016 the label announced that they would be opening up a pop-up Store in Hackney London from January 23 to February 4 in 2017. This two week period was eventually catalogued as BSM200 and was a celebration of the label's 16th birthday. During the pop up there were in-store performances from Modern Baseball, Kevin Devine, Gnarwolves, Delta Sleep, Tall Ships and more. There were also other non-music based events including, a-bring-your-dog day, a screen printing day with Awesome Merchandise, and a cocktail bar run by the band Tiny Moving Parts.[8][9]
In March 2018, BSM announced that they would be opening their second pop-up store in Cardiff. The in-store featured performances from UK based signings Jamie Lenman, Orchards, Nervus, and US band Slaughter Beach, Dog.[9]
In 2019, BSM continued its run of form and announced their pop-up store would be coming to Glasgow in Scotland. Over their time there the label hosted in store performances from We Were Promised Jetpacks and in store talks from prominent Scottish music figures.
Since then, the label have gone on to open pop-up shops in Brighton, Cologne and Norwich, as well as a craft beer and record shop in Oxford called Big Scary Monsters Social Club, which was open from September 2020 until September 2023.
Artists with releases on Big Scary Monsters
[edit]- American Football[10]
- Andrew W.K.[10]
- Beach Slang[8]
- Blakfish
- Chris Farren
- Crash of Rhinos
- Cursive[8]
- Doe
- Delta Sleep
- The Gloria Record
- Great Grandpa
- Gnarwolves[8]
- Grown Ups
- Hell Is For Heroes
- Jamie Lenman
- Jeniferever
- Joyce Manor[8]
- Kevin Devine
- La Dispute[10]
- Lambrini Girls
- Meet Me In St. Louis[10]
- Minus The Bear[10]
- Modern Baseball[8]
- Owen
- Pedro The Lion
- Prince Daddy & The Hyena
- Pool Kids
- Pulled Apart By Horses[8]
- Remember Sports
- Richard Walters
- Shoes and Socks Off
- Slaughter Beach, Dog
- Tall Ships[8]
- Talons
- Thin Lips
- This Town Needs Guns
- Toe[8]
- Tubelord
- Vinnie Caruana
References
[edit]- ^ Carter, Daisy (16 June 2025). "DIY Label Spotlight #7: Big Scary Monsters". DIY. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
- ^ Dobson, Gareth (26 July 2007). "Big Scary Monsters Label focus". Drowned In Sound. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ Hastings, Isabella (18 March 2020). "EPs on frisbees: the art of promoting an indie record label". iwoca. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ "Big Scary Monsters Records turns 100 releases old!". The Line of Best Fit. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ "The 10 British record labels defining the sound of 2014". The Guardian. 19 April 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
- ^ "Additional speakers announced for AIM's Indie-Con 2017". Music Week. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
- ^ "Rock Sound BSM Football Tournament Groups Announced - News - Rock Sound Magazine". Rock Sound. Archived from the original on 17 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Dedman, Remfry (1 February 201). "Big Scary Monsters: a big player in a little bubble". The Independent. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ a b "Big Scary Monsters Records Are Pleased To Announce They'll Be Bringing Their Popup Shop To Cardiff!". Cardiff Times. 29 March 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "From Andrew W.K. to McLovin: Why I Started A Record Label". Kerrang!. 5 June 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2025.