Bib/Oa: So, where did you get the name Pretty Girls Make Graves from?
Andrea: (laughing, in a 'I knew this would come' type of laughter) Well, I kind of decided on the name... The sad thing is that it never was really a discussion, which isn't fair now that I look back on it, but... Anyway, you know there's a Smiths song called Pretty Girls Make Graves, and I always thought that was a very good name, and that it should be the name of a band. So when Dereck and I were looking for the people to play with, we were like 'oh, you're gonna play in Pretty Girls?' So we just made it as a joke first, so that everyone were already into it, with us calling it that (she laughs), although there was never really even a discussion about it... And so, I don't know what they think about it now, but I mean, people always ask us about the name...

Bib/Oa: Well, I guess they would let you know if they didn't like it....
Andrea: Yeah, I know, but people always ask us about the name, and it could be interpreted in so many different ways. The Smiths took it from Jack Kerouac, so people always go: 'are you a Kerouac fan, or are you a Smiths fan?' Other ask us sometimes on the internet if we are a Smiths cover band, and a lot of Smiths fan get really disappointed when they discover we're not a Smiths cover band. It's not even a tribute to the Smiths, I just like the quonotation behind it.

Bib/Oa: Right, let's talk about your background... You grew up in Seattle?
Andrea: Yeah, well actually, I lived in New Jersey, Philadelphia, on the East coast when I was young, but I pretty much grew up in Seattle. Everybody else is from all over the United States, but I lived in Seattle the longest out of everybody in our band

Bib/Oa: Alright, so you probably can try and explain what, in your opinion, makes Seattle, and Washington state in general, such a great place for women in music.
Andrea: Well, since I spent most of my teenage years there, and going up to Olympia, I didn't realize that. But I know now, from travelling more, and seeing so many other places, I realized how fortunate we were to grow up in there beacuse there's always been a lot of music, and women involved in music, it's always been very comfortable for women, I think, well, as far as it can be. It's just a very musical city, so there are always tons of musicians, tons of clubs to play, you know. Like you could go there any night of the week, and hear any kind of music you want to hear, go to any kind of club. it's one of this kind of cities; I always take this for granted until some people come and visit and go 'is it always like this? I mean there are three shows I wanna see on the same night!' And yeah, That's how it is. I think that's one thing that always made me feel comfortable to be involved in music, beause there were so many bands that I liked or looked up to. And as far as the whole riot grrl movement is concerned, you know, it was sort of started in Olympia, which is very close to Seattle

Bib/Oa: So you hung out there a lot?
Andrea: Yeah, when I was younger, in bands I was in when I was younger


Bib/Oa: Did you go to Evergreen College?
Andrea: No, I didn't, but I loved riot grrls bands when I was younger. It came at the right time of my life....the good thing about it is that it totally inspired me, and showed me that I could do all these things, and women could do al these things in music. I know that people look at the riot grrls like a really negative sort of conotation sometimes, and when you look back there were some negative things about it, but over all, I think the positive things that came out of it made it worth while. I am very thankful that I got to grow up and be part of that. It was a lot of women not only making music, but also networking and setting up resources for everybody, setting up meetings, and teaching you how to play guitar. That was very cool and very inspiring. I think it made it way easier for me to get involved in music as well. Especially, in Olympia when I was a teenager, it was a totally safe place to go to and get involved to begin with which is the scariest when you're not very confident. Like I played the drums in a band, but I am a terrible drummer, honestly, I can't play the drums at all, but it didn't matter, because I felt like it didn't matter, I wasn't there to impress anyone or be judged, I just wanted to have fun, you know what I mean?



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