Saddle Creek Records


Saddle Creek Records is an American record label based in Omaha, Nebraska and named after Saddle Creek Road, a major street in midtown Omaha. Started as a college class project on entrepreneurship, the label was founded in 1993 by Mike Mogis and Justin Oberst. Mogis soon turned over his role in the company to Robb Nansel. It was initially called Lumberjack Records; Saddle Creek first appeared in print on a show flyer, offering to "Spend an evening with Saddle Creek". Distribution is handled by Redeye Distribution. SCR continues to be the flagship label of a style of music called "The Omaha Sound", characterized by a slight country twang. A "sister label" of sorts to Saddle Creek is Team Love, which was begun by Justin Oberst's brother Conor Oberst in 2004.

History

The company was incorporated in 1993 as Lumberjack Records. It was started as part of a college class in entrepreneurship by Mike Mogis and Justin Oberst. Mogis was soon succeeded by Robb Nansel. The label's first release was "Water", a solo recording on cassette by Oberst's younger brother Conor Oberst, who was 13 years old at the time. When national distribution began in 1996, to avoid confusion with another distributor the name was changed to Saddle Creek Records, for Saddle Creek Road in Omaha. Artists who recorded for the label including Conor Oberst and Tim Kasher were at the time members of a local music scene centered on Saddle Creek Road whose members were known as "Creekers", and the label name was partly inspired by the A-side single of Polecat's 1994 -ismist Recordings release 2500 Ft of Our Love, "Saddle Creek".
Initially a local label, Saddle Creek opened its arms to non-Omaha bands in 2001 with releases by Now It's Overhead and Sorry About Dresden. Other artists not from Nebraska followed including Los Angeles' Rilo Kiley, Eric Bachmann, Georgie James, Two Gallants, and most recently Tokyo Police Club.
In 2005, Spend an Evening with Saddle Creek, a documentary detailing the first ten years of the record label's history, was released. The DVD features extensive interviews with the Saddle Creek bands, archival footage, and rare live performances. On June 8, 2007, the label opened their own music venue in downtown Omaha, named Slowdown after the group Slowdown Virginia.

Bands

Current

Former

Discography

All releases marked either LBJ or SCE
YearNo.ArtistTitleFormat
1993LBJ-01Conor OberstWaterCS
1993LBJ-02PolecatDilly DallyCS
1994LBJ-03Slowdown VirginiaDead SpaceCD
1995LBJ-04SmashmouthSome of You Will Be HermitsCS
1995LBJ-05Polecat/SunbrainHappy Valentine's Day/Makeout PartySplit 7-inch
1995LBJ-06Commander VenusDo You Feel at Home?CD
1995LBJ-07We'd Rather Be FlyingThe Solution for Your Thinning HairCD
1995LBJ-08Norman BailerSine SierraCS
1996LBJ-09VariousMusic Me All Over7-inch
1996LBJ-10CursiveThe DisruptionCDr, 7-inch
1996LBJ-11Lullaby for the Working ClassConsolation7-inch
1996LBJ-12Lullaby for the Working ClassBlanket WarmLP
1996LBJ-13Drip/Commander VenusLast Go/Bow to the Prom KingSplit 7-inch
1997LBJ-14The Wrens/Park Ave.Split SingleSplit 7-inch
1997LBJ-15Lullaby for the Working Class...In Honor of My Stumbling7-inch
1997LBJ-16comm.venus*The Uneventful VacationLP
1997LBJ-17Lullaby for the Working ClassI Never Even Asked for LightLP
1997LBJ-18CursiveThe Icebreaker7-inch EP
1998LBJ-19Bright EyesA Collection of Songs Written and Recorded 1995–1997LP
1997LBJ-20VariousA Sampler CDCD
1998LBJ-21The FaintMediaCD
1998LBJ-22CursiveThe Storms of Early Summer: Semantics of SongCD
1998LBJ-23Bright EyesLetting Off the HappinessCD/LP
1999LBJ-24Lullaby for the Working ClassThe Ebb & Flow, the Come Go, the To & Fro7-inch
1999LBJ-25The Faint/Ex-Action FiguressplitSplit 7-inch
1999LBJ-26GabardineGabardineCD
1999LBJ-27Lullaby for the Working ClassSong (Lullaby for [the Working Class album)|Song]LP
1999LBJ-28The FaintBlank-Wave ArcadeLP
1999LBJ-29SpoonThe Agony of LaffitteCD Single
1999LBJ-30Bright EyesEvery Day and Every NightEP CD/12"
2000LBJ-31CursiveDomesticaCD/LP
2000LBJ-32Bright EyesFevers and MirrorsCD/LP
2000LBJ-33The FaintBlank-Wave Arcade Remixes12-inch

Compilations