In today’s reality where punk rock’s edges often get sanded down by glossy production or corporate playlists, SBÄM Records claws its way through the noise with an inspiring defiance that’s as much about love as it is about survival.
Founded by Stefan Beham, this Austrian label doesn’t just churn out records—it’s a living, breathing testament to the idea that passion can outlast fleeting trends and empty wallets.
What began as one man doodling artwork for bands he adored has morphed into a whole ecosystem: a label, a festival, a visual signature, all stitched together with the stubborn thread of DIY ethos. The story isn’t about meteoric rises or overnight triumphs—it’s about the slow burn of commitment, the kind that thrives on late nights, loud riffs, and a refusal to let the fire die.
The evolution of SBÄM isn’t marked by grand epiphanies but by jagged turning points—moments where the stakes got higher and the operation got messier.
From its scrappy origins as a solo art venture, it’s grown into a recognizable name in punk circles, boasting a roster that straddles the line between underground grit and polished chaos. Beham’s journey mirrors the punk attitude itself: rough around the edges, fueled by instinct, and unapologetic about its scars.
The label’s visual identity—sharp, punk-drenched artwork—sets it apart as much as its sound does, a deliberate nod to the aesthetics that first hooked him. But it’s the mission, not the polish, that keeps the wheels spinning. This isn’t a tale of conquering the mainstream; it’s about digging deeper into the muck of the scene and pulling out something real.
Our sit-down with Beham peeled back the layers of SBÄM’s decade-long rumble. We dug into the nuts and bolts of running a label in 2025—scouting bands, wrestling with social media, dodging the pitfalls of “professionalization” while still keeping the lights on. He spoke of the thrill that still jolts him awake: hunting for new sounds, striking deals, watching a crowd lose it at SBÄM Fest.
Dive in for the full scoop on the label’s past stumbles, its festival’s sweaty soul, and what’s cooking for 2025.
Looking at how SBÄM has evolved over the last few years—from an independent project to a recognizable brand with a solid roster and a strong visual identity—it’s clear that things have leveled up significantly. What were the biggest turning points that got you to where you are now? Was there a moment when you realized, “Yeah, this is more than just a passion project now”?
It will always be a project driven by passion, and that’s what it was always about. If the passion is gone, there’s no point in continuing. The only thing that has changed is that it now fills your entire life. We’ve had our ups and downs, but that’s life and they’re part of the process. We have a great team of friends behind us and we have our mission. There’s still a lot we want to do. And there’s still music that has not been played.
Running a label today isn’t just about pressing records and sending them out—it’s a whole operation. If you had to break down what goes into running SBÄM into a few key categories, what would they be? And which part still feels the most exciting to you, even after all these years?
Yeah, there‘s a lot more. You have to deal with Social Media a lot. If I had to categorize it, it would basically be: on the lookout for bands / deals / pr-plan / artwork / campaign, promotion For me, it is definitely the first part. I love looking for bands, collaborations, etc. That’s what drives me. Music is my drug.
There’s this constant push and pull between keeping things DIY and stepping into a more professionalized space. Has your approach to running the label changed as things grew? Are there things you used to do differently in the early days that you laugh at now?
You learn something new every day. And hell yeah, we made a lot of mistakes. Some of them I would have rather not made, but on the other hand you learn a lot from these mistakes and who is important and who is not.
Of course, we did a lot of things differently in the beginning because we were new to the game. Absolute beginners with a great love for the scene and for music. But as things get bigger and bigger, we have to deal with a lot more things.
We try to stay DIY, especially since we tried to move towards the mainstream. You have to try things out, but that wasn’t for us. However, it’s always a tightrope walk between DIY and, let’s call it, mainstream, because DIY can be a very professionalized area.
Sometimes you have to deal withsponsors. It is not possible to organize a festival for more than 2,000 people without help.
For someone just starting out with their own small independent label, what are the biggest lessons you’ve learned that you wish you had known at the beginning? Any specific mistakes or challenges that helped shape how you operate today?
As I mentioned earlier, we made a lot of mistakes, or, to put it another way, we did things differently. The lessons we have learned: you need reliable partners and a great team. Not just fair-weather partners. A good distribution network, passion and endurance. That’s all.
SBÄM isn’t just a label—it’s a whole ecosystem now, with the festival, the art, the partnerships. Did you always see it expanding like this, or did it just grow naturally as new opportunities came up?
Absolutely not. In the beginning, it was just me doing artworks for bands that I love. Then this turned into my first art show with bands. And that was leading into doing club shows. It was a whole process based on opportunities.
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The festival scene has changed a lot in recent years, and SBÄM Fest seems to have found its own unique identity. What makes it stand out from other punk festivals? Have there been any behind-the-scenes moments where you thought, “This is exactly why I do this”?
When you see happy faces at the festival and people having a good time, that’s what keeps me going. The same goes for booking your favorite bands and they enjoy it. It’s not about the money, because there isn’t any. As you already mentioned, the festival scene has changed a lot.
It’s getting harder and harder to get people to a festival. Costs are rising enormously. And on the other hand, everyone has less money available.
So you have to decide what you spend money on. Many of them then no longer spend it on festivals. I don’t think we have a unique selling point like Punk Rock Holiday, for example. They have found one of the most beautiful places for a festival – that’s hard to top. But we’re not a festival by a lake or a river. We’re a festival in an urban landscape. In one of the hottest venues in Austria.
The way you integrate punk aesthetics into your art is a big part of SBÄM’s identity. When you’re working on an album cover or a poster, what’s your process like? Do you approach it differently when it’s for a band you personally love versus a band you’re just starting to workwith?
Thanks. No, it’s always the same routine. Putting on music (loud) from the band you’re working for – that‘s the first and most important thing. Then I lay back and wait for inspiration to kick in. The only difference to a band that I dearly love and some new projects (bands I’ll probably fall in love with) is that I know almost everything about the band and idea hits me within the first few notes.
You’ve collaborated with a ton of bands over the years. Have there been any artists that really surprised you, either in terms of their work ethic, their sound, or just their approach to making music?
Yes, we have done a lot in the last few years. We are currently at catalog number 180. That’s crazy. But to answer your question… I enjoyed working with almost every band. Because every release and every band is different. So I can’t pick a favorite band.
Continued below…
Signing new bands is always a bit of a gamble. What’s the last band you took a real risk on, where you weren’t sure how it would go but just had a gut feeling about them?
Yes, it is a real gamble. Because if you love something, it doesn’t necessarily mean that others will love it too. So unless you sign artists like Taylor Swift, Blink182 or Post Malone (to name just a few), you don’t know if it will sell or if you will ever recoup. But that’s the risk of the job. You have to find out.
A lot of labels talk about supporting underground artists, but you actually seem to put your money where your mouth is. How do you find and decide on newer, lesser-known bands to work with? Do you actively go searching for them, or do they mostly come to you?
It’s both. We get tons of submissions and I also go to a lot of shows. The hard part is deciding which bands to release and which ones not to. Which sucks. There’s so much good music out there but we only have a limited amount of bands we can release. It’s really stupid. So if I ever win the lottery and have bought a huge farm to adopt all homeless dogs, I will release all the bands that I have not yet been able to release.
Every year, there are bands that break through in unexpected ways. Were there any artists you discovered in 2023 that really stood out toyou, whether they’re on SBÄM or not?
Yeah, definitely. Destroy Boys, The Chats, The Iron Roses and Yokohomo. Just to name a few.
What’s the punk scene like in Austria right now? Are there any up-and- coming bands that people outside of the region should be paying attention to?
I think the scene in Austria is doing well. There are many great bands from Austria.
Personally, I love Yokohomo and The Rumperts.
Not only because they make great music, but also because they are great people. Or Mudfight. I also like this band from Vienna – Curb.
With the way streaming, vinyl, and physical media are shifting, do you think running an independent label today is harder or easier than it was a decade ago? What’s changed the most in how you operate?
I don’t know if it’s harder to run a label today because you have many more ways to promote your band than you did in the 90s or early 2000s. But the fact is, you make a lot less money than you used to.
You can’t make a real profit from streaming unless you have millions of streams. And we are light years away from that time with physical sales. If I had to choose between now and the 90s, please take me back. I’m ready. Bags are packed.
Labels come and go, but SBÄM has managed to stick around and keep growing. What’s kept you motivated through the tougher times? Have there been moments where you thought about walking away?
Of course there were moments where I thought about quitting. A lot of. But at the end – even when it seems so hard and hopeless – there’s usually a light at the end of the tunnel. It may sound cheesy, but it’s true.
We’ve had some fucked up times but we’re still here. And none of this would have been possible without our amazing team and our amazing friends and supporters.
Looking ahead to 2025, what’s the biggest thing on the horizon for SBÄM? Any new releases, festival plans, or other projects you’re especially stoked about?
2025 looks like a very busy year. We have a lot of releases planned. SBAM Fest at the end of May.
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Dozens of club shows. And SBAM turns 10 years old.We haven’t mentioned that yet, so there’s a chance we’ll do some kind of anniversary party.
If you had to sum up the SBÄM philosophy in one sentence, what would it be?
No rules, just Punk. Breaking boundaries every day.
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