Rachel Blumberg

Rachel Chaiya Blumberg (born February 10, 1969) is an American musician, artist, and filmmaker, most notable for her tenure as the drummer for the indie rock band the Decemberists.

Early life

Blumberg was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1969. She is the daughter of Naomi Blumberg, a Portland cellist and President Emerita of the Oregon Cello Society, and Bernie Blumberg, a professional musician and a public school music teacher, supervisor and principal.

Music career In addition to drumming for the Decemberists, Blumberg was a member of many Portland-based indie bands, including Sissyface, Boycrazy, Norfolk & Western, the Minders (briefly) and M. Ward's backing band.

She spent most of 2007 lending her drumming and singing talents to the touring Omaha indie band Bright Eyes on the Four Winds and Cassadaga tour.

Blumberg has recorded with Providence, Rhode Island, band the Low Anthem and performed with Califone, Death Vessel, and Honeybunch. She has performed her own music under the monikers Manzanita and Arch Cape.

In addition to drums and singing, she plays ukulele, banjo, accordion, piano, and other various stringed, electronic and percussion instruments. and "Jules and Jim" by Nada Surf; others include songs by Musee Mechanique, Dramady, and Tom Hagerman. Blumberg says her animation style was influenced by the work of the Brothers Quay and Jan Svankmajer.

As a visual artist, she has shown her work in Portland, Oregon, and Omaha, Nebraska. Notable musicians who own her work include Gillian Welch, Jonathan Richman, Matthew Caws of Nada Surf, Jenny Conlee of the Decemberists, and Laura Veirs.

Performing discography

Norfolk & Western

Centralia (LP, FILMguerrero, 2000) Winter Farewell (LP, FILMguerrero, 2002) Dusk in Cold Parlours (LP, Hush Records, 2003) If You Were Born Overseas (LP, self-released, 2005) The Unsung Colony (LP, Hush Records, 2006)

Otterpop a.k.a. Bunny Summer Pollen Count (Compilation Cassette, Amacha Productions, 1992) (as Otterpop) Slaughter on 13th Street (Compilation Cassette, Disgraceland Productions, 1993) (as Bunny Summer) The One About Las Vegas (7" single, spinART Records, 1994) (recorded 1991) (as Bunny Summer)

Sissyface

A Night at the x-Ray (Cassette, Cravedog Records, 1994) Damn Everything but the Circus (7", Cravedog Records, 1994) 4X4 Monster Truck Series (Compilation 7", Cravedog Records, 1995) Can't Stand the Smell (Compilation Cassette, Cravedog Records, 1995) Muscle Car (Split 7" with Scribble, Cravedog Records, 1995) With a Shower of Sparks (Compilation 7", Cavity Search Records, 1995) Tiger Stripes Forever (Compilation 10", Undercover Records, 1996) King Lighter Stealer (CD, Cravedog Records, 1996) Can't Stand the Smell, Vol. 2 (Compilation CD, Cravedog Records, 1996)

Boycrazy

Last Thursday +2 (7", Magic Marker Records, 2000) Foreign Words (LP, Magic Marker Records, 2001)

The Decemberists

Castaways and Cutouts (LP, Kill Rock Stars, 2002) Her Majesty the Decemberists (LP, Kill Rock Stars, 2003) The Tain (EP, Acuarela Discos, 2004) Billy Liar (Single, Rough Trade, 2004) Picaresque (LP, Kill Rock Stars, 2005) 16 Military Wives (Single, Rough Trade, 2005) Picaresqueties (EP, Kill Rock Stars, 2005)

M Ward

Transistor Radio (LP, Merge Records, 2005) Post-War (LP, Merge Records, 2006)

Robert Deeble

This Bar Has No One Left (EP, Fractured Discs, 2005)

Douglas Shepherd

Type Foundry Sessions EP (EP, self-released, 2001)

Corrina Repp

The Absent and the Distant (LP, Caldo Verde Records, 2006)

She and Him Volume One (LP, Merge Records, 2008)

Jolie Holland The Living and the Dead (LP, Anti, 2008)

Notes and references