GRAVES #5FT ABOVE

“She’ll take you down from 5 feet above.”

Hometown: Gravy Train, USA

Derby Position: Jammer and occasional Blocker

How did you get into derby? While working at Betty’s Blue Star Lounge (now GrandBar), I was handed a flyer by someone in the crowd of folks walking up Ashland after the 2007 Pitchfork festival. The call out was for a league called the Chi-town Sirens. So I went to the call out at Skylark where I met Shocka Conduit among others and signed up in July 2007. I skated on rental skates for 2 months before I realized how committed I was to this amazing sport. It was around this time that the Sirens league name got dissolved. WCR (the other Chicago league had call outs so a bunch of Sirens went, including myself, under the wing of Beth Amphetamine. It was at that meeting that I decided to stay back and start a new league with some of the skaters I had just met. Our first meeting was held at Althea N Hell and Tiny Bombs apt. In attendance included Smashley the Spaniard Destructo, Queefer Sutherland, Charlene in Charge, and maybe Matza Ballbreaker and La Femme Nikita, among others. We voted on a name for our league that night and counted the ballot on the spot. Thus, the Chicago Outfit was born.

Tell us about your derby alter-ego: No alter-ego here. I keep it real.

Awards / Honors: 2008 Best Promoter, 2009 Fan Favorite, Miss Congeniality, Best Rack, 2010 Biggest Guns, Best Rack, 2011 Best Rack, 2012 Best Rack, Shade Brigade MVJ at Arch Rival

Who is your derby wife? My derby wife is Smashley “The Spaniard” Destructo. We got married at Rollercon in 2008. Wives foreva!

What is your pre-bout ritual? My game “day” ritual is to eat a big carb meal the night before, sleep in a little the morning of, do some stretching, eat more, and visualize myself playing derby perfectly.

Who’s your favorite band/musician? My favorite musician is Jay Reatard. I saw him live 3 times and did a shot of whiskey with him at one of the shows. R.I.P.