Rasputina (band) - History

History

In 1989, Creager, wanting to form an all-cello band, placed an ad to find members. Julia Kent responded and the two formed the Traveling Ladies' Cello Society as a duo. Creager also toured with Nirvana after they released In Utero. In 1991 (their official website claims "1891"), Creager and Kent expanded the group with members who attended the same nanny school in Manhattan (which wasn't known until post-formation). They were then renamed "Rasputina" after one of Creager's songs. The group played shows and became a local favorite in New York City. Columbia Records' A&R representative Jimmy Boyle saw the group perform at a festival, and they were then signed to the label.

In 1996, they released Thanks for the Ether. Rasputina toured with such bands as Bob Mould, Porno for Pyros, Marilyn Manson and Les Claypool. In 1997 the band released Transylvanian Regurgitations, a follow up EP remixed by Manson and Twiggy Ramirez.

On their second full-length album, How We Quit the Forest, Rasputina signed on Chris Vrenna (from Nine Inch Nails) as their drummer and producer. He encouraged the group to go ahead with the distortion they had been experimenting with. He provided electronic drums and sound effects.

Rasputina went through several line-up changes. Lisa Haney performed as third chair cellist before the group signed to Columbia. "Carpella Parvo" was credited as the third cellist on Thanks for the Ether, but Creager has since admitted that Carpella never existed, and her name was a play-on-words joke representing the carpal tunnel syndrome that Kent and Creager developed after playing all the second chair parts. Agnieszka Rybska performed on How We Quit the Forest. She temporarily left the band in 1998 due to pregnancy.

Drummer Perry L. James toured with the Rasputina in 1998-1999. Julia Kent left during the four-year hiatus between How We Quit the Forest and 2002's Cabin Fever, which was released on Moby's label Instinct Records. In 2004, they released a follow-up album, Frustration Plantation, which featured Zoë Keating, who left the band in 2006. Upon her departure, Creager's ensemble consisted of her and Jonathon TeBeest. Ex-Graces cellist Stephanie McVey occupied second chair from September 2006 to January 2007. Sarah Bowman rejoined Rasputina on their spring 2007 tour of the U.S.

In 2008, Bowman and TeBeest left the band and were replaced by second chair cellist Daniel DeJesus and drummer Catie D'Amica.

In summer 2010, a documentary was made about Rasputina called Under the Corset by Dawn Miceli. In January 2011 Melora Creager announced in The Dawn and Drew Show that Dawn Miceli will be playing the drums on the February 2011 tour.