Rachel Blumberg
| Rachel Blumberg | |
|---|---|
 Rachel Blumberg playing drums for Bright Eyes | |
| Background information | |
| Born |
February 10, 1969 Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Genres | Indie pop, folk rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | drums, percussion, vocals, ukulele, banjo, accordion, piano |
| Associated acts | Norfolk & Western, M Ward, The Decemberists, She & Him, Jolie Holland |
Rachel Chaiya Blumberg (born February 10, 1969)[1] is an American drummer and singer, best known 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.
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.[2]
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.[2] In 2007 and early 2008, she recorded new records with Norfolk & Western, M. Ward, and Jolie Holland.[3]
In addition to drums and singing, she plays ukulele, banjo, accordion, piano, and other various stringed, electronic or percussion instruments.[2]
She is also a visual artist and 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
- ↑ "United States Public Records, 1970-2009," database, FamilySearch (23 May 2014), Rachel Chaiya Blumberg, Residence, Portland, Oregon, United States; a third party aggregator of publicly available information.
- 1 2 3 McCullough, Amy (October 17, 2007). "Here Comes Your Fan: Dude, I’m In the Band!". Local Cut. Willamette Week. Retrieved 2008-12-11.
- ↑ Jurek, Thom. "allmusic ((( The Living and the Dead > Overview )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-12-11.