Self-indulgent facts and boring stories:

We released this compilation CD on 23rd May 2005. The label had just been given a national distribution deal for the first time so this sampler was to showcase many of the bands we'd be working with over the coming months. The title was something which popped into my head between my day job at a phone company and my evening job at the local supermarket, although I once read someone talking about it on a popular (and particularly negative) music forum saying it was obviously something the BSM "marketing department" had spent ages coming up with. I kinda wished that was true. The CD went on to sell about 7 copies.

Chariots were the first heavy band we ever released. Their album came out around the same time as Jeniferever's EP and not long after some very emo bands. I was worried people wouldn't "get it". They did. Thankfully. Chariots later went on to release an EP with our good friends Holy Roar.

Itch's album 'Well, Well, Well, Three Holes In The Ground' still rates as my favourite ever album title and one of my favourite albums we've ever released. If you're into some of the mathier stuff we've put out you NEED to check it out.

The Remarkable Rocket (Jamie from Tanou's sometimes-side project) featured on a split 3" CD with Get Cape Wear Cape Fly, the first thing we ever put out from Get Cape and also the first ever BSM release on that format. It was limited to just 100 copies and sold out instantly. The sleeves were individually hand-stamped in Sam's front room the Sunday morning after his 18th birthday show at Chinnery's in Southend. I'd taken 2 buses and 3 trains to get there only to see Frank Turner playing acoustic covers of Abba songs when I finally arrived. I told my friend he'd never amount to anything as a solo artist and should stick to Million Dead.

This version of The Trees They Speak by Secondsmile was recorded in their hometown of Bridport shortly before starting work on their debut album. I went to the video shoot for the 1st single taken from that record, 'Our Great And Secret Show'. My one and only job was to smoothly open the curtains at the beginning of the video. However, my mug of vodka and orange soda hampered this process, making the opening very jerky. The director was less than impressed. I then spilt drink all over myself and was even less amused.

Days Ago probably still hold the record for most amount of lineup changes from any BSM band ever, just ahead of This Town Needs Guns. A couple later went on to form The Tupolev Ghost whilst vocalist Ivano worked at the label handling PR for a year, before moving on to setup And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Press, an in-house company at Hassle Records. After Days Ago he fronted a band called Capitals for a short while, who opened for Toby's final gig with Meet Me In St Louis.

Sparks Lights & Flames' vocalist Iain Mudford definitely holds the unwanted record of being the most drunken band member I've ever seen. One night on tour in Manchester he spent half a song trying to remove his t-shirt whilst Elbow front man Guy Garvey and 20 or so others watched on, absolutely bemused. Guitarist Tom later joined Secondsmile in time for their 2nd and final album.

Kneehigh self-released a couple of EP's and took part in our 2005 Christmas tour, but never actually put out a proper release on the label. To this day I still can't remember how or why that is!

King Lifting were another Norwich based band who were bloody brilliant. Some of their members later went on to form These Monsters.

The stories of Get Cape Wear Cape Fly's time with the label before signing to Atlantic Records could fill a whole book with tales of Halfords, sausage rolls, too much alcohol, a stolen laptop and lost trousers. Maybe one day I'll write some of them down.

Boom In The Diamond Industry released an EP on BSM under the name of FogDonkey. If you have ever so much as heard a worse band name than that, I want to know! A member of awesome Welsh punks Douglas later joined, before he and Boom drummer Andy became part of Get Cape's band later on. Another 2 members of Douglas eventually formed The New 1920.

Jeniferever were the first overseas band we ever worked with. They released a split with The Next Autumn Soundtrack and the incredible 'Iris' EP (which, ok, I'm biased, is still my favourite thing they've ever done). They were the first and only band to stay with me in the early days of the label when I still lived with my parents. My Mum still occasionally asks after them.

Written From Negative were one of the earliest nods in the direction the labels sound took over the following years. Their 7" single was the first thing we ever had reviewed in NME, picking up a few glowing words from now Kerrang editor (and fellow wrestling fan) James McMahon. Seem to remember John Peel playing it too. The trick was to post things to his house and he'd always play them.

If Jeniferever were our first overseas band, I guess The Campaign For Real Time must've been second, and our first from the States. They boasted a couple of members of Garrison and were one of the best live bands I've seen.

After the Jairus EP release they spent time writing and recording an album (would've been their second) but eventually split up before completing it. The proposed artwork was some of the best I've seen although the files never made it further than my computer. Shame.