Joel RL Phelps is a songwriter originally from Montana and was part of the indie rock band Silkworm

Silkworm (band)

Silkworm was an indie rock band active from 1987 to 2005.The members were Tim Midgett, Joel RL Phelps, Andy Cohen, and Michael Dahlquist. Phelps left the band in 1994. Matt Kadane of Bedhead and The New Year played keyboards on Italian Platinum and It'll Be Cool...

. He left that band in 1994 and since has recorded his own material. He recorded his first non-Silkworm album in 1995 in Seattle with members of other bands such as Jessamine

Jessamine

Jessamine may refer to:* Jessamine , a 1990s post-rock band from Ohio* "Jesamine" , popular UK song recorded by The Casuals-Plants:* Cestrum, a genus of flowering plants...

, Citizens' Utilities, Engine Kid, and the Deflowers assisting. The following records pared down the members to a trio including Joel, Bill Herzog (Citizens' Utilities, Jesse Sykes

Jesse Sykes

Christened Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter in 2002 , singer-songwriter Jesse Sykes and guitarist Phil Wandscher , began what has become their long lived musical partnership....

 and the Sweet Hereafter, Sunn O)))

Sunn O)))

Sunn O))) is an American doom metal band known for its synthesis of diverse genres including drone, ambient, noise, and black metal. Supported by a varying cast of collaborators, the band has two core members: Stephen O'Malley and Greg Anderson .-History:Sunn O))) is named after the Sunn...

), and Robert Mercer (the Deflowers, Treasure State). The instrumentation is somewhat shared but essentially Joel on vocals and guitar, Robert Mercer on bass, and William Herzog on drums. Together they are known as Joel RL Phelps and the Downer Trio.

The group continues recording, and touring, but with much less frequency than in the 1990s when there were tours with Damon and Naomi

Damon and Naomi

Damon & Naomi are an American dream pop/folk-rock duo formed in 1991 by Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang, formerly of Galaxie 500.-History:After Galaxie 500 completed a tour of the US supporting The Cocteau Twins, guitarist and vocalist Dean Wareham quit the band, forcing the cancellation of an...

, and Mark Eitzel

Mark Eitzel

Mark Eitzel is a musician, best known as a songwriter and lead singer of the San Francisco band American Music Club.-History:Eitzel spent his formative years in a military family living in Okinawa, Taiwan, Ohio and the United Kingdom. He moved to America in 1979.He started making music while he was...

. The Trio has shared the stage with many notable acts such as Television

Television

Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

, Billy Bragg

Billy Bragg

Stephen William Bragg , better known as Billy Bragg, is an English alternative rock musician and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, and his lyrics mostly deal with political or romantic themes...

, Low

Low (band)

Low is an American indie rock group from Duluth, Minnesota, formed in 1993. As of 2010, the group is composed of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker , both founding members, and Steve Garrington ....

, Palace, Bonny Prince Billy, and Modest Mouse

Modest Mouse

Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington, by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. They are based in Portland, Oregon. Since their 1996 debut album, This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think...

.

Discography

• Warm Springs Night (1995)
• Spokane Motel Blues 7" (1995)
• The Downer Trio EP (1997)
• 3 (1998)
• Blackbird (2001)
• Inland Empires
• Customs/Traditions (2004)