We here at Tone Deaf love nothing more than reporting on everything that is music, however sometimes there might be a little bit too much focus on just the artists, and the myriad of work that goes on behind closed doors is forgotten. Therefore, each fortnight we will now focus on important sectors within the industry, speaking with leaders in their field as they detail their role within the whacky world that is the music industry.
Founded in 1993 and based in Omaha, NE Saddle Creek Records is an independent record label which has worked with artist such as Bright Eyes, Cursive, The Faint, Rilo Kiley, Hop Along, Tokyo Police Club, and many more.
Ahead of his visit to Bigsound 2015, we caught up with Saddle Creek owner and president Robb Nansel who tools us inside the creation of this iconic indie label whose main focus is creating an artist-friendly environment by championing creative control and acting in the best interest of their partners. Robb will be speaking on the Indie Labels and Community panel pop by our Bigsound section for more info.
The Birth Of Saddle Creek
“Saddle Creek came as a way to unify a group of bands/friends that were all growing up in Omaha, NE. It started out more as an idea and morphed into an actual record label over a number of years. I was in school when we were starting the label.”
First Release Robb Worked On
“I have been somewhat involved with every release for the label, but it was around LBJ-12 (Lullaby for the Working Class – Blanket Warm LP) that I really started working on things on a regular basis.”
Any Label inspirations?
“Absolutely… Merge, Matador, Dischord, Sub Pop, Touch & Go. All of those labels that were documenting local scenes were a huge inspiration.”
Major Hurdles
“We had a lot… but I would say starting with zero knowledge and zero dollars were two huge struggles. We really had to learn how to do everything on our own and do it with extremely limited resources. But I think it probably made us stronger in the long run.”
Most Importnat Lesson Learned?
“Stay inspired. Stick to your principles. Follow your gut.”
Favourite Saddle Creek Releases
[include_post id=”428507″]”That’s a bit like picking your favorite child… but there was a very defining moment for me right around the dual release of Cursive – The Storms of Early Summer: Semantics of Song and Bright Eyes – Letting Off the Happiness where I had to resign from what was my paying job at the time in order to focus more on the label.
For that reason, those records will always stick out in my head and help define a special time in my life”.
Proudest Moments
“I am always most proud when I see people reacting to the music. There is nothing I enjoy more than being in a room amongst hundreds (or thousands) or strangers and seeing the joy on their faces. It is those moments when I know that all of the effort isn’t for naught.”
The Future Of Indie/ Niche Labels
“I think there is going to continue to be a place for indie labels. There is a lot of work that goes into releasing a record and that work is often times not best suited for the artists creating the music. The artists need to be writing, recording, playing shows, etc. there will always be a need to have a team in place, and the record label is a good fit for that.”
Advice For Those Wanting To Start Their Own Label
“Just to find something you believe in. And figure out how to find your place. Running a record label isn’t easy. You have to want to do it. But if that is where your passion is, then by all means.”
Plans For The Rest Of 2015
“We just released:
The Mynabirds – Lovers Know CD/2xLP/Digital (August 7th, 2015)
The Good Life – Everybody’s Coming Down CD/LP/Digital (August 14th, 2015)
That will essentially wrap up our release schedule for the year, aside from a digital single or two. We are continuing to promote all of our 2015 releases and getting ready for 2016.”
