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, which Kerouac took from a correspondence between Alan Ginsberg and Bob Dylan). 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.

Pitchfork Media announced that the band was breaking up on 29 January 2007. Their final two shows were 9 June 2007, in Seattle.

The band released their first EP on Dim Mak 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.

Members at the Time of Disbanding

• Andrea Zollo – vocals
• Derek Fudesco – bass, vocals
• Jay Clark – 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 Health (2002)
• The New Romance (2003)
• Élan Vital (2006)

Singles and EPs

• Pretty Girls Make Graves EP (2001, Dim Mak)
• More Sweet Soul b/w If You Hate Your Friends, You're Not Alone (2001, Sub Pop)
• 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 Mak)
• This Is Our Emergency (2002, Matador)
• All Medicated Geniuses b/w C-30 C-60 C-90 GO! & Magic Lights (2003, Matador)

• "C-30 C-60 C-90 GO!" by Bow Wow Wow

• Speakers Push the Air (2002)
• This Is Our Emergency (2003)
• All Medicated Geniuses (2003)
• The Nocturnal House (2006)

Jay Clark formed Jaguar Love 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.

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.

• PGMG on Matador Records
• interview at www.deathrockstar.info