Saddle Creek Records

"Saddle Creek" redirects here. For the shopping center, see Shops of Saddle Creek.

Saddle Creek Records
Founded1993 (1993)
FounderMike Mogis
Justin Oberst
Distributor(s)Redeye Distribution (US)
GenreRock
Country of originU.S.
LocationOmaha, Nebraska
Official websitesaddle-creek.com

Saddle Creek Records is an American record label based in Omaha, Nebraska. Started as a college class project on entrepreneurship, the label was founded by Mike Mogis and Justin Oberst in 1993 (as Lumberjack Records). Mogis soon turned over his role in the company to Robb Nansel. The label is named after Saddle Creek Road, a major street which cuts through midtown Omaha and also the beginnings of a scene whose members included Justin's brother Conor Oberst (at the time a solo artist and now from Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Desaparecidos, and Monsters of Folk), Tim Kasher (then of Slowdown Virginia, currently of Cursive and The Good Life), and others. Collectively, they were known unofficially as the "Creekers". Saddle Creek first appeared in print on a show flyer, offering to "Spend an evening with Saddle Creek" (later to be the title of the label's DVD.)[1] Saddle Creek became an incorporated entity as a result of a class project on entrepreneurship. Distribution is handled by Redeye Distribution.[2]

SCR continues to be the flagship label of a style of music called "The Omaha Sound", characterized by a slight country twang. It is increasingly inaccurate, though to reference it as such with the rise of more electronic sounds like those favored by The Faint and Broken Spindles. The eclectic sounds of Saddle Creek's disparate member bands is somewhat explained by their history; a number of the original members of the label attended grade school together.[3] A "sister label" of sorts, to Saddle Creek is Team Love which was begun by Conor Oberst in 2004.

  1. ^ Spend an Evening With Saddle Creek. Dir. Jason Kulbel and Rob Walters. DVD. Plexifilm, 2005.
  2. ^ "Beggars leaves ADA to join Redeye, alongside Domino, for physical distribution in the US". January 6, 2020.
  3. ^ Justin Oberst was 13 years old at the time of the first Lumberjack release, Conor Oberst's "Water"