Preview Mode Links will not work in preview mode

Desert Lady Diaries


May 14, 2019

Since the age of six, Juliette Tworsey knew she wanted to sing. Growing up in Chicago, she attended a small Catholic school with a really small choir. As she tells it, "there were like three kids in the choir". 
 
In her teens, Juliette worked up the courage one day to sing with the 'basement band' in her neighborhood. A group of kids, playing for other teens in her neighborhood. That lit the fire and Juliette began the process of trying to start her own bands, which she describes as difficult, being a woman, particularly a woman who wants to sing rock music without the trappings of the stereotypical female singer.  There was a time Juliette's music was back-burned, devoted to work with no time for band practice, securing gigs or playing out. But, as a bartender at a Chicago blues bar, every once in awhile, near closing time, Juliette would get on stage there and belt a few tunes.
 
Eventually, Juliette met her current band mate and life partner, Jules Shapiro, who'd been in a band that had a song called 'Firebug'... and their own band, Firebug was born. They left Chicago for Los Angeles landing in the Silverlake area. After a number of years, including playing at LA's famed Viper Room,  they headed to New Orleans, getting into the music scene there and trying on being street musicians, to slide into the NOLA street culture. In this episode, Juliette explains this was not only a great way to meet other musicians, but also to try out new material to see what resonated with the crowds.
 
Though she loved New Orleans, she and Jules found they missed the West. Remembering their time recording at Rancho de la Luna in Joshua Tree, they decided to come to the hi-desert, where they could live more affordably while pursuing their passion.  Juliette is currently studying web and software development, affording her the opportunity to work from home, like many do here in the desert, to meet expenses and play music.
 
Photo credit Jules Shapiro
 
Firebug Website: https://firebugmusic.com/

Firebug's new album on Bandcamp: https://firebugmusic.bandcamp.com/
 
Firebug on Instagram: www.instagram.com/firebugmusic
 
Firebug on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FireBugMusic/