Pretty Girls Make Graves
Encyclopedia
Pretty Girls Make Graves was an art punk
band, formed in Seattle
in 2001, named after The Smiths
song of the same name (which itself was named after a quote from Jack Kerouac
's The Dharma Bums
). Andrea Zollo and Derek Fudesco had played together previously in The Hookers, as well as The Death Wish Kids and Area 51 along with Dann Gallucci, with whom Derek had formed Murder City Devils
. Not long before the Murder City Devils disbanded, Derek and Andrea formed Pretty Girls Make Graves along with Jay, Nick and Nathan. They played the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
in 2004.
News broke that the band was breaking up on 29 January 2007. Their final two shows were 9 June 2007, in Seattle.
on Dim Mak
and Sound Virus Records before releasing their debut album Good Health
on Lookout Records in April 2002. The band would later sign to Matador records
where they released The New Romance
. Guitarist Nathan Thelen left Pretty Girls Make Graves in March 2004 to form Moonrats and Leona Marrs (formerly of HintHint) joined as a multi-instrumentalist. On January 29, 2007 the band announced that Nick had left the band and their May 2007 tour would be their last.
with former Blood Brothers members, Johnny Whitney
and Cody Votolato
, with whom he has taken up drumming duties. They have recently signed with Matador Records
, former home of Pretty Girls Make Graves. On February 18, 2009 it was announced Jay was no longer playing in the line up of Jaguar Love, being replaced with a drum machine on that tour.
Nick Dewitt continues working on his solo electronic project Dutch Dub. He also plays with Amy Blaschke in Night Canopy.
Derek Fudesco formed The Cave Singers
with Pete Quirk (of Hint Hint) and Marty Lund (of Cobra High).
Nathan Thelen started Moonrats in Seattle soon after leaving Pretty Girls Make Graves together with keyboard player Aska Matsumiya and drummer Jason Echeverria. They soon moved to Los Angeles
and self-released an EP, have just recorded a new album and have a 7" coming out on LA Record in 2008.
Andrea Zollo plays drums with Triumph of Lethargy Skinned Alive to Death.
Leona Marrs returned to her old band, Hint Hint.
The band's song "Something Bigger, Something Brighter" was featured in the game Rock Band 3
.
Art punk
Art punk or avant punk refers to punk rock of an experimental bent, or with connections to art school, the art world, or the avant garde....
band, formed in Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
in 2001, named after The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
song of the same name (which itself was named after a quote from Jack Kerouac
Jack Kerouac
Jean-Louis "Jack" Lebris de Kerouac was an American novelist and poet. He is considered a literary iconoclast and, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Kerouac is recognized for his spontaneous method of writing, covering topics such as Catholic...
's The Dharma Bums
The Dharma Bums
The Dharma Bums is a 1958 novel by Beat Generation author Jack Kerouac. The semi-fictional accounts in the novel are based upon events that occurred years after the events of On the Road...
). Andrea Zollo and Derek Fudesco had played together previously in The Hookers, as well as The Death Wish Kids and Area 51 along with Dann Gallucci, with whom Derek had formed Murder City Devils
Murder City Devils
-History:The band's original lineup, consisting of Spencer Moody, Dann Gallucci, Derek Fudesco, Coady Willis, and Nate Manny formed in Seattle, Washington in 1996. Gabe Kerbrat was their permanent roadie, and considered a member...
. Not long before the Murder City Devils disbanded, Derek and Andrea formed Pretty Girls Make Graves along with Jay, Nick and Nathan. They played the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is a three-day annual music and arts festival, organized by Goldenvoice and held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Inland Empire's Coachella Valley...
in 2004.
News broke that the band was breaking up on 29 January 2007. Their final two shows were 9 June 2007, in Seattle.
History
The band released their first EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
on Dim Mak
Dim Mak Records
Dim Mak Records is a record label founded in 1996 by Steve Aoki and based in Los Angeles, CA. Dim Mak's first release was a 7" by a little known hardcore band from southern California, Stickfigurecarousel.-Roster:Active* Steve Aoki* All Leather...
and Sound Virus Records before releasing their debut album Good Health
Good health
Good health may refer to:*Health, the medical state of physical, mental and social well-being.*Good Health, an album by Pretty Girls Make Graves.*Our Lady of Good Health, an apparation of Mary in India....
on Lookout Records in April 2002. The band would later sign to Matador records
Matador Records
Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...
where they released The New Romance
The New Romance
The New Romance is the second album from Pretty Girls Make Graves. It was released September 9, 2003 on the label Matador Records.-Track listing:# "Something Bigger, Something Brighter" – 5:09# "The Grandmother Wolf" – 2:58# "Mr...
. Guitarist Nathan Thelen left Pretty Girls Make Graves in March 2004 to form Moonrats and Leona Marrs (formerly of HintHint) joined as a multi-instrumentalist. On January 29, 2007 the band announced that Nick had left the band and their May 2007 tour would be their last.
Members at the time of disbanding
- Andrea Zollo – vocals
- Derek Fudesco – bass, vocals
- J. ClarkJ. Clark (musician)J. Clark, born Jason Clark, is an American musician from Minneapolis, Minnesota who became well known after moving to Seattle, Washington...
– guitar, keyboards, samples, vocals - Leona Marrs – keyboards, accordion, vocals (2004–2007)
Previous members
- Nathan Thelen – guitar, vocals (2001–2004)
- Nick Dewitt – drums, samples, keyboards, trumpet, vocals (2001–2007)
- quit the band subsequently causing their break-up, but played through the end of their final tour.
Albums
- Good HealthGood healthGood health may refer to:*Health, the medical state of physical, mental and social well-being.*Good Health, an album by Pretty Girls Make Graves.*Our Lady of Good Health, an apparation of Mary in India....
(2002, Lookout) - The New RomanceThe New RomanceThe New Romance is the second album from Pretty Girls Make Graves. It was released September 9, 2003 on the label Matador Records.-Track listing:# "Something Bigger, Something Brighter" – 5:09# "The Grandmother Wolf" – 2:58# "Mr...
(2003, MatadorMatador RecordsMatador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...
) - Élan VitalÉlan Vital (album)Élan Vital is the third and last studio album by Pretty Girls Make Graves. It was released by Matador Records on March 4, 2006 in Australia and on April 11, 2006 in the United States...
(2006, MatadorMatador RecordsMatador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...
)
Singles and EPs
- Pretty Girls Make Graves EPPretty Girls Make Graves (album)Pretty Girls Make Graves is a self-titled EP by Pretty Girls Make Graves, released in 2001 by Dim Mak Records. The four songs on this album are also found on Matador Records' re-release of the band's first full-length album, Good Health....
(2001, Dim MakDim Mak RecordsDim Mak Records is a record label founded in 1996 by Steve Aoki and based in Los Angeles, CA. Dim Mak's first release was a 7" by a little known hardcore band from southern California, Stickfigurecarousel.-Roster:Active* Steve Aoki* All Leather...
) - More Sweet Soul b/w If You Hate Your Friends, You're Not Alone (2001, Sub PopSub PopSub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
) - Sad Girls Por Vida b/w The Getaway (2002, Sound Virus)
- By The Throat b/w Ghosts In The Radio & More Sweet Soul (2002, Hand Held Heart)
- Speakers Push The Air b/w Bring It On Golden Pond & If You Hate Your Friends, You're Not Alone (2002, Dim MakDim Mak RecordsDim Mak Records is a record label founded in 1996 by Steve Aoki and based in Los Angeles, CA. Dim Mak's first release was a 7" by a little known hardcore band from southern California, Stickfigurecarousel.-Roster:Active* Steve Aoki* All Leather...
) - This Is Our Emergency (2002, MatadorMatador RecordsMatador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...
) - All Medicated Geniuses b/w C-30 C-60 C-90 GO! & Magic Lights (2003, MatadorMatador RecordsMatador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...
) - Pyrite Pedestal b/w The Lament of St. Bernadette (2006, MatadorMatador RecordsMatador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...
) - Live Session EP (2006, MatadorMatador RecordsMatador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...
)
Videography
- Speakers Push the Air (2002)
- This Is Our Emergency (2003)
- All Medicated Geniuses (2003)
- The Nocturnal House (2006)
Post-breakup
J. Clark formed Jaguar LoveJaguar Love
Jaguar Love is an American indie rock band from Portland, Oregon, composed of former members of The Blood Brothers.-History:The band was formed by members of the bands Blood Brothers and Pretty Girls Make Graves...
with former Blood Brothers members, Johnny Whitney
Johnny Whitney
Johnny Whitney is a singer, author and multi-instrumentalist from Seattle.He is probably most well known for his vocals alongside Jordan Blilie in the now defunct post-hardcore band, The Blood Brothers. He is currently the vocalist of Jaguar Love. Johnny has also provided vocals for The Vogue,...
and Cody Votolato
Cody Votolato
Cody Votolato is a musician from Seattle, Washington, best known for being the guitarist in the post-hardcore band The Blood Brothers. He grew up in the eastside suburbs of Seattle, attending high school with his bandmates in the late 1990s when the band originally formed...
, with whom he has taken up drumming duties. They have recently signed with Matador Records
Matador Records
Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...
, former home of Pretty Girls Make Graves. On February 18, 2009 it was announced Jay was no longer playing in the line up of Jaguar Love, being replaced with a drum machine on that tour.
Nick Dewitt continues working on his solo electronic project Dutch Dub. He also plays with Amy Blaschke in Night Canopy.
Derek Fudesco formed The Cave Singers
The Cave Singers
The Cave Singers is an American band from Seattle, Washington. Rising from the ashes of Pretty Girls Make Graves after its disbandment in 2007, former PGMG-member Derek Fudesco teamed up with Pete Quirk and Marty Lund and began playing in the Seattle area. Soon after the band's conception, The...
with Pete Quirk (of Hint Hint) and Marty Lund (of Cobra High).
Nathan Thelen started Moonrats in Seattle soon after leaving Pretty Girls Make Graves together with keyboard player Aska Matsumiya and drummer Jason Echeverria. They soon moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and self-released an EP, have just recorded a new album and have a 7" coming out on LA Record in 2008.
Andrea Zollo plays drums with Triumph of Lethargy Skinned Alive to Death.
Leona Marrs returned to her old band, Hint Hint.
The band's song "Something Bigger, Something Brighter" was featured in the game Rock Band 3
Rock Band 3
Rock Band 3 is a music video game, developed by Harmonix Music Systems. The game was initially published and distributed by MTV Games and Electronic Arts, respectively, with Mad Catz taking over both roles a year later. It is the third main game in the Rock Band series...
.