Rachel Chaiya Blumberg (born February 10, 1969) is an American musician, artist, and filmmaker, best known for her tenure as the drummer for the

indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...

band

The Decemberists The Decemberists are an American indie rock band from Portland, Oregon. The band consists of Colin Meloy (lead vocals, guitar, principal songwriter), Chris Funk (guitar, multi-instrumentalist), Jenny Conlee (piano, keyboards, accordion), N ...

Early life

Blumberg was born in

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populou ...

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

, Blumberg was a member of many Portland-based indie bands, including Sissyface, Boycrazy,

Norfolk & Western The Norfolk and Western Railway , commonly called the N&W, was a US class I railroad, formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It was headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia, for most of its existence. Its motto was "Precisio ...

The Minders The Minders are an American band closely associated with The Elephant Six Collective. Started by Martyn Leaper in Denver, Colorado in 1996, the band's original members included Leaper on guitars and vocals, Rebecca Cole, on drums, Jeff Almond ...

(briefly) and

M. Ward Matthew Stephen Ward (born October 4, 1973) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Portland, Oregon. Ward's solo work is a mixture of folk and blues-inspired Americana analog recordings; he has released ten studio albums since 1 ...

'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. In 2007 and early 2008, she recorded new records with Norfolk & Western, M. Ward, and

Jolie Holland Jolie Holland is an American singer and performer who combines elements of folk, traditional, country, rock, jazz, and blues. Career Growing up in Houston, Texas, Jolie left in 1994, moving to Austin, New Orleans, and San Francisco before ...

. Blumberg has recorded with Providence, RI band

The Low Anthem The Low Anthem is a band from Providence, Rhode Island formed in 2006 by friends Ben Knox Miller and Jeff Prystowsky. The current lineup consists of Knox Miller (vocals, guitars, trumpets, saws), Prystowsky (vocals, drums, double basses, synths), ...

and performed with

Califone Califone is an experimental rock band from Chicago. The band is named after Califone International, an audio equipment manufacturer. Their work has been critically acclaimed. Roots & Crowns review AllMusic Califone has released an album and feat ...

, Death Vessel, and

Honeybunch Honeybunch is an indie pop band from Providence, Rhode island formed in 1987 by future Velvet Crush member Jeffrey Underhill, releasing a string of records before splitting up in 1995. The band reformed in 2003. History The band was formed in 198 ...

. She has performed her own music under the monikers Manzanita and Arch Cape. In addition to drums and singing, she plays

ukulele The ukulele ( ; from haw, ukulele , approximately ), also called Uke, is a member of the lute family of instruments of Portuguese origin and popularized in Hawaii. It generally employs four nylon strings. The tone and volume of the instrumen ...

, banjo, accordion, piano, and other various stringed, electronic or percussion instruments. Blumberg has taught for many years at Portland, Oregon's

Rock and Roll Camp For Girls The Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls is both the original Rock n Roll Camp for Girls non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon, United States, and the common name associated with the Girls Rock Camp movement of youth organizations for girls ins ...

and its Girls Rock! Rhode Island offshoot.

Filmmaking and art

Blumberg makes music videos using

stop motion Stop motion is an animated filmmaking technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appear to exhibit independent motion or change when the series of frames ...

animation and a variety of other techniques including painting, collage, and puppetry. Notable videos she has directed include "Dry Town (Demo)" by

Gillian Welch Gillian Howard Welch (; born October 2, 1967) is an American singer-songwriter. She performs with her musical partner, guitarist David Rawlings. Their sparse and dark musical style, which combines elements of Appalachian music, bluegrass, count ...

, and "Jules and Jim" by

Nada Surf Nada Surf is a New York City-based American alternative rock band formed in the 1990s, consisting of Matthew Caws (guitar, vocals), Ira Elliot (drums), Doug Gillard (guitar, backing vocals), and Daniel Lorca (bass, backing vocals). History ...

; others include songs by Musee Mechanique, Dramady, and Tom Hagerman. Blumberg says her animation style was influenced by the work of the

Brothers Quay Stephen and Timothy Quay ( ; born June 17, 1947) are American identical twin brothers and stop-motion animators who are better known as the Brothers Quay or Quay Brothers. They were also the recipients of the 1998 Drama Desk Award for Outstandin ...

and

Jan Svankmajer Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to: Acronyms * Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN * Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code * Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group * Japanese Article Numb ...

. As a visual artist, she has shown her work in Portland, Oregon and Omaha, Nebraska. Notable musicians who own her work include

Jonathan Richman Jonathan Michael Richman (born May 16, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. In 1970, he founded the Modern Lovers, an influential proto-punk band. Since the mid-1970s, Richman has worked either solo or with low-key acoustic ...

Matthew Caws Matthew Rorison Caws (born August 5, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the alternative rock band Nada Surf. Caws is also a member of the indie rock duo Minor Alps, alon ...

Jenny Conlee Jennifer Lynn Conlee-Drizos (born December 12, 1971) is an American musician, best known as the accordionist, pianist, organist, keyboardist, melodica player, and occasional backup singer and harmonicist for the indie rock quintet The Decemberist ...

, and

Laura Veirs Laura Pauline Veirs (born October 24, 1973) is an American singer-songwriter based out of Portland, Oregon. She is known for her folk/alternative country records and live performances as well as her collaboration with Neko Case and k.d. lang ...

Performing discography

Norfolk & Western

* ''

Centralia Centralia may refer to: Places Australia * Central Australia, sometimes called "Centralia" Canada * Centralia, Ontario ** RCAF Station Centralia, a former Royal Canadian Air Force training base ** Centralia (Essery Field) Aerodrome United State ...

'' (LP,

FILMguerrero FILMguerrero is an independent record label based in Portland, Oregon. It was founded in 1998 by John Askew as a way to release ''Ames'', the debut album by Askew's band Tracker. Roster * Gabriel "Naim" Amor * Buellton * Graves * Holy Sons * ...

, 2000) * ''

Winter Farewell Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cult ...

'' (LP, FILMguerrero, 2002) * ''

Dusk in Cold Parlours Dusk occurs at the darkest stage of twilight, or at the very end of astronomical twilight after sunset and just before nightfall.''The Random House College Dictionary'', "dusk". At predusk, during early to intermediate stages of twilight, eno ...

'' (LP,

Hush Records Hush Records is a Portland, Oregon based record label founded by Chad Crouch. Background Crouch, frontman of the band Blanket Music, organized Hush Records in 1997 in music, 1997, when he self-released a solo record called ''Portland, Or''. The fol ...

, 2003) * '' If You Were Born Overseas'' (LP, self-released, 2005) * ''

The Unsung Colony ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in ...

'' (LP, Hush Records, 2006)

Otterpop a.k.a. Bunny Summer

* ''

Pollen Count A pollen count is the measurement of the number of grains of pollen in a cubic meter of air. High pollen counts can sometimes lead to increased rates of allergic reaction for those with allergic disorders. Usually, the counts are announced for spe ...

'' (Compilation Cassette,

Amacha Productions is a Japanese herbal tea made from fermented leaves of ''Hydrangea macrophylla'' var. ''thunbergii''. The name derives from the characters for and . Amacha means ''sweet tea''. This tea contains tannin and phyllodulcin, a sweetener 400–800 tim ...

, 1992) (as Otterpop) * ''

Slaughter on 13th Street Slaughter may refer to: Animals * Animal slaughter, the killing of animals for various purposes ** Ritual slaughter, the practice of slaughtering livestock in a ritual manner *** '' Dhabihah'', the prescribed method of ritual slaughter of anim ...

'' (Compilation Cassette,

Disgraceland Productions ''Disgraceland'' is the second studio album by American band The Orwells. It was released June 3, 2014, by Atlantic Records. Singles "Who Needs You", was the first single by the band to ever chart. The song received moderate radio airplay, and ...

, 1993) (as Bunny Summer) * ''

The One About Las Vegas ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in ...

'' (7" single,

spinART Records SpinART Records was a New York City-based independent record label that released recordings by The Apples in Stereo, Clem Snide, Frank Black, and Michael Penn. The label was started by Joel Morowitz and Jeff Price in 1991. SpinART filed for bank ...

, 1994) (recorded 1991) (as Bunny Summer)

Sissyface

* ''

A Night at the x-Ray A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, and others worldwide. Its name in English is '' a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes''. It is similar in shape to the Ancient Gr ...

'' (Cassette, Cravedog Records, 1994) * ''

Damn Everything but the Circus Damnation (from Latin '' damnatio'') is the concept of divine punishment and torment in an afterlife for actions that were committed, or in some cases, not committed on Earth. In Ancient Egyptian religious tradition, citizens would recite t ...

'' (7", Cravedog Records, 1994) * ''

4X4 Monster Truck Series Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case ...

'' (Compilation 7", Cravedog Records, 1995) * ''

Can't Stand the Smell The English modal verbs are a subset of the English auxiliary verbs used mostly to express modality (properties such as possibility, obligation, etc.). They can be distinguished from other verbs by their defectiveness (they do not have participle ...

'' (Compilation Cassette, Cravedog Records, 1995) * ''

Muscle Car Muscle car is a description according to ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary'' that came to use in 1966 for "a group of American-made two-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving." The '' Britannica Dictionary'' ...

'' (Split 7" with Scribble, Cravedog Records, 1995) * ''

With a Shower of Sparks With or WITH may refer to: * With, a preposition Prepositions and postpositions, together called adpositions (or broadly, in traditional grammar, simply prepositions), are a class of words used to express spatial or temporal relations (''in'', ...

'' (Compilation 7",

Cavity Search Records Cavity Search Records is a record label in Portland, Oregon that was formed in 1992 by Christopher Cooper and Denny Swofford. It is known for producing debut records by Hazel, Heatmiser, The Helio Sequence, King Black Acid, Richmond Fontaine, ...

, 1995) * ''

Tiger Stripes Forever The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living Felidae, cat species and a member of the genus ''Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily pr ...

'' (Compilation 10",

Undercover Records To go "undercover" (that is, to go on an undercover operation) is to avoid detection by the object of one's observation, and especially to disguise one's own identity (or use an assumed identity) for the purposes of gaining the trust of an indi ...

, 1996) * ''

King Lighter Stealer King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the ...

'' (CD, Cravedog Records, 1996) * ''

Can't Stand the Smell, Vol. 2 The English modal verbs are a subset of the English auxiliary verbs used mostly to express modality (properties such as possibility, obligation, etc.). They can be distinguished from other verbs by their defectiveness (they do not have particip ...

'' (Compilation CD, Cravedog Records, 1996)

Boycrazy

* ''

Last Thursday +2 A last is a mechanical form shaped like a human foot. It is used by shoemakers and cordwainers in the manufacture and repair of shoes. Lasts typically come in pairs and have been made from various materials, including hardwoods, cast iron, ...

'' (7",

Magic Marker Records Magic or Magick most commonly refers to: * Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces * Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic * Magical thinking, the belief that unr ...

, 2000) * ''

Foreign Words ''Foreign Words'' is a novel by Greek author Vassilis Alexakis that tells the story of middle-aged writer Nicolaides and his decision to learn the African language Sango following the death of his father. The novel was originally published in 20 ...

'' (LP, Magic Marker Records, 2001)

The Decemberists

* ''

Castaways and Cutouts ''Castaways and Cutouts'' is the first full-length album by The Decemberists, originally released on May 21, 2002, on Hush Records and reissued on May 6, 2003, on Kill Rock Stars. The album's title is taken from a lyric of the song "California ...

'' (LP,

Kill Rock Stars Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and Tinuviel Sampson, and based in both Olympia, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, but was originally know ...

, 2002) * ''

Her Majesty The Decemberists ''Her Majesty the Decemberists'' is the second full-length album by The Decemberists, released on September 9, 2003, by Kill Rock Stars. The song "Song for Myla Goldberg" was written years earlier, after Colin Meloy had been a media escort for t ...

'' (LP, Kill Rock Stars, 2003) * '' The Tain'' (EP, Acuarela Discos, 2004) * ''

Billy Liar ''Billy Liar'' is a 1959 novel by Keith Waterhouse that was later adapted into a play, a film, a musical and a TV series. The work has inspired and been featured in a number of popular songs. The semi-comical story is about William Fisher, ...

'' (Single,

Rough Trade Rough Trade may refer to: *Rough Trade Records, a record label * Rough Trade (shops), London record stores *Rough Trade (band), a Canadian new wave rock band * "Rough Trade" (''American Dad!''), an episode of ''American Dad!'' *Rough trade (slang), ...

, 2004) * ''

Picaresque The picaresque novel ( Spanish: ''picaresca'', from ''pícaro'', for "rogue" or "rascal") is a genre of prose fiction. It depicts the adventures of a roguish, but "appealing hero", usually of low social class, who lives by his wits in a corr ...

'' (LP, Kill Rock Stars, 2005) * ''

16 Military Wives "Sixteen Military Wives", sometimes referred to as "16 by 32", is a single released by The Decemberists from their third album, ''Picaresque''. Track listing CD # "Sixteen Military Wives" # "The Kingdom of Spain" # "Sixteen Military Wives" (Vide ...

'' (Single, Rough Trade, 2005) * ''

Picaresqueties ''Picaresqueties'' is a five-track extended play, EP released by the band The Decemberists as a companion disc to the double-Gramophone record, vinyl edition of their album, LP ''Picaresque (album), Picaresque''. It contains previously unreleased ...

'' (EP, Kill Rock Stars, 2005)

M Ward

* ''

Transistor Radio A transistor radio is a small portable radio receiver that uses transistor-based circuitry. Following the invention of the transistor in 1947—which revolutionized the field of consumer electronics by introducing small but powerful, convenient ...

'' (LP,

Merge Records Merge Records is an independent record label based in Durham, North Carolina. It was founded in 1989 by Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan. It began as an outlet for music from their band Superchunk and music created by friends, and has expanded ...

, 2005) * ''

Post-War In Western usage, the phrase post-war era (or postwar era) usually refers to the time since the end of World War II. More broadly, a post-war period (or postwar period) is the interval immediately following the end of a war. A post-war period ...

'' (LP, Merge Records, 2006)

Robert Deeble

* '' This Bar Has No One Left '' (EP,

Fractured Discs Fractured may refer to: * Fracture, the separation of a material into pieces under the action of stress * Bone fracture, a partial or complete break in the continuity of the bone Books * ''Fractured'', a 2008 novel by Karin Slaughter * ''Fractu ...

, 2005)

Douglas Shepherd

* ''

Type Foundry Sessions EP Type may refer to: Science and technology Computing * Typing, producing text via a keyboard, typewriter, etc. * Data type, collection of values used for computations. * File type * TYPE (DOS command), a command to display contents of a file. * ...

'' (EP, self-released, 2001)

Corrina Repp

* '' The Absent and the Distant '' (LP,

Caldo Verde Records Caldo Verde Records is a San Francisco-based indie rock and folk record label founded by Red House Painters and Sun Kil Moon frontman Mark Kozelek in 2005. The label primarily features releases by Kozelek and Sun Kil Moon, but has also releas ...

, 2006)

She and Him

* ''

Volume One Volume One, Volume 1, Volume I or Vol. 1 may refer to: Albums * ''Volume One'' (The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band album), 1966 * ''Volume One'' (Sleep album) * ''Volume One'' (Fluff album) * ''Volume One'' (She & Him album), 2008 * ''Volum ...

'' (LP,

, 2008)

Jolie Holland

* '' The Living and the Dead '' (LP,

Anti Anti may refer to: *Anti-, a prefix meaning "against" *Änti, or Antaeus, a half-giant in Greek and Berber mythology *A false reading of '' Nemty'', the name of the ferryman who carried Isis to Set's island in Egyptian mythology *Áńt’į, or ...

, 2008)

Notes and references

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blumberg, Rachel 1969 births American rock drummers Singers from Oregon Living people The Decemberists members American percussionists American women rock singers American banjoists American accordionists Women accordionists American rock pianists Musicians from Portland, Oregon 20th-century American drummers 20th-century American pianists She & Him members 21st-century accordionists 20th-century American women pianists 21st-century American women musicians American women percussionists Women banjoists