9 MARCH 2025
Distro is down forever. I do still have some records. If you are really looking for something feel free to try sending an email: bigbear@dyinghorse.com. This site will remain online as long as you should remain vegan (forever) but will probably never be updated again.
6 JUNE 2019
Over four years since the last update, but the distro is still shipping. FM Radio is becoming cool again and the local oldies station called up and said they might be interested in some donations so if you want anything, now could be your last chance.
17 MAY 2015
I guess I have to post this approximately once a year or people keep asking, but:
YES you can still order from the distro.
YES everything listed on the store is still in stock, the inventory is automatically updated when things go out of stock.
IF the distro really stops shipping, I will take the site offline, so if the site is online even if its 2016, 2017, 2018, or 2019, you should feel safe that you will get your order.
IF you want 50 percent off your order use the promo code CATSRULE at checkout. You have to read and use it, I can't credit people for past orders, it's too complicated to keep track of this. This code was posted multiple times on many places. Use it on a new order :).
6 MARCH 2014
Just a quick post here as I've been getting a lot of messages asking if the distro is still active, so here is what you need to know if you are thinking of ordering. The distro is definitely still open for ordering, if you order something it will be sent out and you will recieve it. Nothing should be sold out as everything is inventory based so if something is sold out you should not see it on the site. I am not actively adding any new items to the distro, though I have occasionally found some records around that I realized were not previously added in which case you may see some 'new' things appearing in the distro. I am also considering at some point in the near future listing some of my personal record collection for reasonable prices on the distro, but this is incredibly time consuming because I would have to list them all individually. I may do this without taking pictures to make the process easier but who knows.
For anyone wondering about trading or anyone who messaged me about trading that I was not able to reply to, I'm sorry. The distro/label is not actively trading anymore. It is just too time consuming to send out large packages and to list new items in the distro when the label is no longer very active. That said, if you are interested in getting multiple copies of any bear records releases that are still in stock please do not hesitate to contact me and I will make sure you get a good discount on whatever you are interested in getting.
For anyone asking if the label will ever be coming back, the answer is almost certainly: Absolutely not. The reason? Quite simply because there are too many immature people out there who drove the label to fail and I'm just not interested anymore. People who really think they know everything and like to spread rumors, gossip, and really just lies about other people to make them look bad. What kind of place is there for punk in a world where people don't even respect one another? Maybe one day these people will grow up. I hope so, for everyone's benefit. But it won't make BEAR Records come back.
BEAR Records was never about making money. Throughout the life of the label I spent lots of my own money (in cash, never once on credit cards) most of which I never saw some back and never expected to. I did this for one reason only, to help spread knowledge of music that I thought other people should hear - and with over 1000 orders to people from countries all around the world, always selling records at the lowest possible price without losing money, I think I've achieved that. But now it's time to move on. Please buy what you want from the distro, but also: start your own labels, start your own distros... even if they are small, stand up for what you believe in - not what someone else tells you that you should believe in no matter how punk you think they are. Make your own decisions and do what you know is right without worrying about what other people think of you... and oh yeah... there's one more thing you can do if you actually want to make a difference in this world: GO VEGAN. And do something other than going to shows once in awhile. You can't change the world if you aren't living in it.
21 OCTOBER 2012
New Adobe Homes record went to the pressing plant last week. Pre-orders soon.
10 JULY 2012
Time for some updates. The biggest news is that finally after an extended wait and pre-orders the new Carrion Spring record A Short History of Decay is out on LP and Cassette! Both of which can be ordered from the BEAR Records store. That's cool! The LP is also for sale from the band, Forever Escaping Boredom, and FITA records. FITA's copies are a little different "euro edition" if you want, since the covers were seperately hand screened in the UK and everyone elses were done by meeeeee! So true collectors will want to get both editions, yeah? Anyway! The tape is great too and you can also get it very soon from Friends For Life and also the band will have copies of that as well. Everything came out pretty awesome!
What else? Well, since the last update I also got my copies of the Lara Korona LP 'Land Unter' which is super heavy! I guess not very many people in the United States have really heard of this band because not too many copies sold so far, but I highly encourage you to check it out and the entire record is streaming on bandcamp so there is really no excuse!!!
Uh.. oh, more news... well, eventually will be putting out the Adobe Homes - Pinata record... still working out the details. This is going to be a split release with Dog Knights Productions and maybe some others... whats that? your label wants to help out release it? that's so cool!! really! you should email bigbear@dyinghorse.com and make that a reality.
24 MAY 2012
The Locktender / Cassilis splits are completely done and shipping now. If you pre-ordered you should have it soon. Everyone else, if you want to check this out, it's a great split so head over to the store and pick it up. Bands will also have copies, and people in Europe can order from I.CORRUPT records. Other distros will probably have copies soon too. Get in touch for wholesale or trades.
Carrion Spring LP is almost done at the plant. It's going to be some hard work now to make the covers! Time to stop being lazy! Pre-orders now.
22 APRIL 2012
After a wait, the shirts for the Fire Team Charlie Discography pre-order package finally arrived. So, this week all the pre-orders are shipping, and the record is out! So, if you didn't order yet, order now and your record will be ready to go right away!!
Other updates? Well, the Lara Korona records are almost ready... there was a slight mistake at the pressing plant and the plant made regular weight records instead of 180g. But, that's okay... the record cost will be a bit cheaper now. It shouldn't be too much longer for this record, but my copies will be shipping from Europe, so... more updates as I get them.
The test pressing for the Locktender / Cassilis split came in and it sounds cool! The art is being done elsewhere. Hopefully everything will be finished around the same time.
18 APRIL 2012
I've kind of been thinking about this for a long time and it kind of sucks, but I feel like the end of 2012 might be the end of BEAR Records at least as it is right now.
Running this label and distro for about the last six years has been really great. I've made a lot of acquaintances in bands, some of whom I have gone on to meet in real life at shows or just traveling. That's been really cool.
I know not everyone will really agree with this decision, and maybe I'll change my mind, but I feel like at the time when I started this thing "punk" or whatever you want to call it, especially screamo, really needed BEAR Records. There were so many great bands I watched come out with demos released on CD-Rs or whatever and then break up and fade away because no labels were paying attention to them, and no label was willing to take a risk on a band no one had ever heard of based on their sound alone.
After starting the label, I've seen bands I've helped out in various ways grow. Some of them have become pretty well known. Others, maybe not. I never expected anything particular to happen when putting out records. I never expected to sell any records at all. I just wanted to have fun and have a good time. This was never a business for me.
Looking at things now, I see a ton of new labels that have been doing a lot of things. Some of them I like a lot, and some of them I don't. I think some of these labels are taking the DIY aspect out of what punk is supposed to be, at least in my opinion, and making it into more of a trend or trying to make it popular based on some image which doesn't really make sense. Then I see other labels which remind me of what I used to, and deep down, still do care about when it comes to the punk scene: Hard-working, dedicated people who continue to put out records they know are great, at their own cost, doing everything out of their own homes - not a warehouse or something like that. Not 'signing' bands. Just having fun, and helping out.
It's really hard to keep running a label or distro when it starts to get big. The bigger it gets, the more work it takes. It's never been too much work for me. It's still not too much work for me. But, I don't think I am needed anymore right now. And I think there are other places in the world where I can be more useful right now.
I still fully plan to release the rest of the things I have already planned to release. I still plan to trade with everyone I always have traded with. And I will keep running the distro until everything is sold for sure. And, maybe before that happens I will feel good about BEAR Records again, and maybe it will come back. Maybe people will read this message and they will start to re-think DIY ethics and punk as a whole. But right now, I think things will be okay without me.
It's okay to cry. It's okay to scream.
23 MARCH 2012
Lara Korona - Land Unter LP pre-order is up now:
here!
The Fire Team Charlie Discography has left the pressing plant and will be here in a little while.
Carrion Spring have sent us their final mastered tracks for their upcoming LP which are outstanding. Become excited.
3 MARCH 2012
Fire Team Charlie discography double LP with CD pre-orders are up now!
Click here!
If you are in Europe you should order from Moment of Collapse!
26 FEBRUARY 2012
First, we have a new website. Got bored of the old one. Hope that you like it?
Second, the Fire Team Charlie Discography went to the plant last week. Soon there will be pre-orders, and then it will be out... maybe near the end of March? Maybe a little bit later? It's hard to say exactly. This is a split release with Moment of Collapse (people from Europe should order from them) and #1 Dad Records (also USA).
We are also helping Moment of Collapse soon to release the self-titled LP from Lara Korona. This record is going to be out around April or May. I will have a limited number of copies, but don't know exactly how many yet. Not sure yet when or if there will be pre-orders for this... more info on that when it gets closer.
8 FEBRUARY 2012
Here are some updates!
The new Carrion Spring tracks are finally being remastered/are almost ready to be put out. Originally, I was just planning on helping to release these on a tape along with Forever Escaping Boredom, but, Fita Records from UK has contacted us about helping to release the LP version. We won't have a whole lot of copies because we are very loaded with other things, but I will definitely be helping out on this because it will be great to have both the LP and Tape versions, and Carrion Spring are awesome!
Not too much news on the 7-Inch compilation... It is still coming out, but we are still waiting on tracks from a few bands, and things need to be decided with artwork, and a lot of other things. Hopefully this will come out sooner rather than later!
Adobe Homes will be recording in the next couple months, and we have decided that their new record, Pinata, will be a one-sided 9 inch with an etched B-side. Both the cover art and the etching will be done by Juan of Comadre, who always does great, cool-looking stuff. So I am very excited for this!
Maybe more relevant, the Fire Team Charlie discography is just about ready to go to the pressing plant. As soon as the final artwork is in, it is going straight there. This is a split release with Moment of Collapse in Germany... and maybe some other labels(?) who are still deciding! Either way, its going to the plant SOON!
12 JANUARY 2012
The Caution Children - Unknown Lands LP is out now! Click store to order it! Find it in the BEAR Releases section! Also, this is kind of older news but I never posted an update here about it - The Silencio, Ahora, Silencio / Descubriendo a Mr. Mime Split 7 Inch has been out! And it looks awesome! Also, The Suffix/Beau Navire 7 inch has been repressed and you can buy it now on mud brown colored vinyl.
Before too long both the Megan & Amelia and Adam Finchler tapes should be out. Also, hopefully in February the Fire Team Charlie discography is going to the plant! Pretty exciting.
I am helping to release the Locktender/Cassilis - Split 7-Inch sometime in the coming months. This should be a really cool release! Locktender has members of Men As Trees who I have always enjoyed, and Cassilis totally rips! So I'm stoked to be a part of that.
As for anything else... running out of space here in the BEAR Records bedroom. So after what is currently planned I won't be able to plan any more releases for a little bit until I can get rid of some of this stuff. Please buy some records!