photo of concert posters for this Saturday's Rainy Records showcase at O'Leaver's
[Editor's note: This story previews Rainy Road Records' showcase at O'Leaver's with Worried Mothers and Touch People. The concert starts at 9 p.m. RSVP here.]
by Sean Holohan
Kevin Cline dubs music to each cassette by hand. One by one, he meticulously numbers them. He prints the artwork, designed by Rainy Road Records cofounder Ben Allen. He cuts it out and stuffs it inside the plastic case of each cassette.
And the process repeats. Again and again and again.
This kind of work takes time. At least 30 hours for a run of 200 cassettes.
But that’s OK, because in the background, the “warm, clean” sound of a vinyl dances from the needle of a turntable to the speakers, which fill Cline’s ears and fuel him through the process.
Vinyl and cassettes remind him of an earlier time, and he prefers the personal touch and attention to detail required to produce them. It is an artform.
“Anyone can sit there and burn CDs,” Cline says. “Vinyl and cassettes are more nostalgic. They are more of a niche than just CDs.”
Cline, along with Allen, a friend from high school, started Rainy Road in 2010 in Omaha. The label started off as an outlet to release the work of Watching the Train Wreck, Cline and Allen’s now inactive band. They released their own 7-inch and made 30 copies of it. The two then decided they wanted to expand and put out works from other Omaha bands. That same year, they put out 7-inches from Brimstone Howl and The Shanks.
photo of Kevin Cline
Fast-forward to today, and the label has released works from Omaha bands such as Snake Island!, Worried Mothers and Baby Tears. And in addition to their website, Rainy Road’s releases are available at Homer’s Music, Drastic Plastic and Make Believe Music Shop.
This Saturday, Rainy Road will be holding a music showcase at O’Leaver’s Pub with Omaha bands Touch People and Worried Mothers.
Rainy Road’s mission is to produce limited runs of cassettes and vinyl. Cline says the reason for limited runs is not only because it’s less expensive, but also because of the novelty.
“We’re not trying to sell millions or thousands of copies,” Cline says. “We just want to put out the best music we can.”
Cline says the label, whose name originates from a Watching the Train Wreck song called “Rainy Road,” doesn’t sign bands to recording contracts. Rather, he or Allen approach bands they know well or are interested in and ask if they want to work with the label. All of the costs of producing and distributing the music is paid for by the label, and Cline says about 90 percent of the cost is out of his own pocket.
photo of Brimstone Howl's Magic Hour, released Jan. 9
To Cline, Rainy Road is a labor of love. His full-time job as a courier for a freight company during the day, and screen-printing company with Allen at nights, helps fund the label. He estimates that the 30 or more hours each release requires are spent dubbing music and a few more are needed to cut, print and stuff the artwork.
But Cline doesn’t mind the work. To him, it doesn’t feel like a job. It’s an opportunity for him to stay true to his DIY ethics and allows him to meet and help local bands he admires. He says he sees it as an opportunity to get smaller bands’ names out and to foster great music in the Omaha music scene.
SEE ALL RAINY ROAD RELEASES HERE
And in an effort to get more exposure for Omaha bands, Cline trades music with other record labels and sells Rainy Road releases at stores around the country and even internationally in Japan.
“Rainy Road is about having fun and keeping the DIY culture alive in Omaha,” he says. “We take pride in the music we put out, and we try to keep underground rock ‘n’ roll alive.”
Now-defunct Omaha band Pleasure Adapter released its debut self-titled EP with Rainy Road on cassette last April. It was the band’s only material they released before announcing their disbanding just this Monday. Allen played guitar in the band. Pleasure Adapter’s vocalist Jeff Ankenbauer says he was looking for a way for his band to release something on cassette and enjoyed his experience with Rainy Road.
“Kevin appreciates bands, and he appreciates good music,” Ankenbauer says. “This is something that he does for no charge. He does it because he loves it, and he wants bands’ voices to be heard. He has a great reputation and great contacts, and he will get your music into the hands of people who will help you out.”
Cline, who says O’Leaver’s is a favorite venue of his, expects a great crowd and an even better atmosphere on Saturday.
“I like the small, intimate setting of the venue,” he says. “It’s a tight-knit community, and everyone is good friends there.”
For Rainy Road, this showcase is just the beginning of what the label plans to do for Omaha musicians.
“We want to keep the importance of underground music in the Omaha and Nebraska music scene,” he says. “We want to help bands someday get national and even worldwide exposure.”
Sean Holohan is Hear Nebraska’s editorial intern. He has recently become an avid vinyl collector. Reach him at seanh@hearnebraska.org.