DIY Label Spotlight #7: Big Scary Monsters • Interview • DIY Magazine

DIY wouldn’t be what it is without buzzy bands and grassroots scenes, and independent labels are a crucial cog in that wonderful new music wheel.

Up next in our monthly feature spotlighting some of the very best in the biz, we chat to Kevin Douch of Big Scary Monsters - the cult Oxford indie behind releases from American Football, Modern Baseball, Lambrini Girls and more.

How would you describe, in less than 10 words, the ethos behind Big Scary Monsters?
Fun, creative, interesting, and always learning.

Was running a label always the dream job? Tell us a bit more about your route through the industry.
My initial dream was to be a graphic designer and that interest in art eventually lured me towards the music industry. I was running a zine where I drew terrible pictures of bands (who very kindly pretended not to be offended) and that just kinda morphed into a label when I realised I had no musical talent myself, but wanted to get closer to those who do. I was 17 then and now I’m 41, some 300+ releases later and, now that I write this, I realise I can’t remember the last time I actually created any kind of artwork! I often describe this job as an out of control hobby, but I also now consider it my dream. I get to work with my friends, travel the world, sign inspirational musicians, and play a small part in records which genuinely change people’s lives. How can that not be a dream job?!

How do you go about deciding what to record and publish at the label? What makes someone a ‘BSM artist’?
The music always comes first. If myself and Josie love it, we then talk to the artist. We want to know about them, why they do this and where they want to take it. We see our role as helping them to reach their targets and those come in all different shapes and sizes. It’s through these conversations where we really work out if they fit the way we work and vice versa. It’s very much a partnership, and we want everyone to enjoy working on these campaigns together.

What would you say you’re most proud of, when it comes to Big Scary Monsters?
It’s really hard to pick just one thing. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of my all-time favourite artists like The Get Up Kids, Modern Baseball, La Dispute, Andrew WK, American Football, Laura Jane Grace, Hell Is For Heroes and Reuben, which has led to so many ‘pinch me’ moments along the way. Something I’ve always really loved, though, is working with new artists. We’ve signed a lot of bands at very early stages and have been able to help them build and sustain amazing careers. The most recent example of that is Lambrini Girls; we discovered them via a ten second story of one of their first shows, seen by chance on a friend’s Instagram, and I knew immediately I needed to meet and learn everything about them. It’s been such a pleasure watching their constant, unrelenting rise and no one could be prouder of everything they’ve achieved - and will continue to achieve.

“I often describe this job as an out of control hobby, but I also now consider it my dream.”

And what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve encountered since the label’s inception?
This answer has probably changed every couple of years since I first started the label. In the very early days it was hard to be taken seriously, being a kid running a business from his bedroom at home. But that forced me to work even harder and learn everything, from DIY distribution to website design to tour booking to PR to… well, everything! Since then, we’ve seen physical formats come and go, the panic around illegal downloading, the rise of streaming, the collapse of big retail outlets, bands breaking up… not to mention Covid, the cost of living crisis and Brexit in more recent times. One of the things which challenges us most right now though is cutting through the noise. We’re lucky enough to have many years of experience and a good fanbase behind the label, but even so it can be hard to reach people with new music. But just like the early days when I had to learn the skills to keep things going, we just have to find new ways to shout louder.

If you could re-release any classic album on BSM, what would it be and why?
In 2011 we re-released ‘Right Now, You’re In The Best of Hands’ by Bear vs Shark, which certainly isn’t a well-known album, but it’s one of my all-time top 10. They recently played their first ever UK shows and someone came up to me in Leeds and said they only heard the band because of that reissue, then went on to become a huge fan. So as much as I’m tempted to say ‘Clarity’ by Jimmy Eat World, the Blue album by Weezer or ‘Definitely Maybe’ by Oasis - as they’re absolute classics and defining records for so many people, including myself - I’m gonna stay niche and say ‘The Future Is Cancelled’ by Captain We’re Sinking. It’s another personal favourite which not enough people have heard, and I’d love for that to change.

What are you most excited about for the rest of 2025?
This is actually a pretty quiet year in terms of new releases, but intentionally so. The last few have been non-stop so we decided to take a little moment this year to focus on doing more with less. We’re still working with some brilliantly exciting new artists like Adore, SUDS and Love Rarely, as well as getting ready for a fun festival season (where you’ll find us running merch tents and stages) with our bands at 2000Trees, Truck and ArcTanGent. And we’re also busy behind the scenes working on plans for BSM’s 25th birthday celebrations next year! I’ve never been very good at stopping to celebrate the wins, so we’ve decided to focus on that in 2026 and have a whole lot of very cool things already in the works.

To find out more about Big Scary Monsters, head to bsmrocks.com.

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