Our interviewee today is Jules & The Howl, a Lost Angeles-based up and coming Rock star. Jules & the Howl recently released a cover for Jimi Hendrix’s masterpiece, ‘All Along the Watchtower’. And we have had the pleasure to listen to the song and write a short review about it. We’ve also interviewed Jules and asked her about her music and several other things.
Review
‘All Along The Watchtower’ is one of the favourite songs for many Rock fans, young and old. Jules & The Howl was able to deliver the feeling from the golden age masterpiece with her own talent and in her own identity. Her voice and performance makes you feel the energy she has and the stunning performance makes this cover one that you must not miss.
Interview
And here’s the interview we had with Jules. We hope you enjoy reading it.
Hello Jules! How have you been lately?
Pretty fantastic! Thanksgiving is actually my favorite holiday because it’s all about food lol. I’m so grateful that I got to spend it with my in-laws and new baby niece, we hadn’t seen them in almost a year because of the pandemic.
That’s great. You released a cover for Hendrix’s ‘All Along the Watchtower’ a week ago. We’ll get to that in a minute, but first how would you introduce your band to our readers?
Jules & the Howl is a blues-infused glam rock project inspired by Queen, Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin. The goal of this project is to inspire listeners to be their full and authentic selves by finding their inner Howl. The Howl is the physical release of your inner emotions that you’ve been bundling up inside of you, and that euphoric feeling of liberation that comes with that catharsis. The Howl comes in many forms – a scream, a dance, a shake – all produce that feeling of freedom of relief that you share with everyone else listening to this music. As humans, howling & growling unleash something wild inside us, which is why I adopted The Howl as part of my name.
The single you released with a music video is a classic that you remade in a wonderful way. How are you feeling about the reception it got from the fans so far?
I’m beyond overwhelmed! It’s the most successful release I’ve had so far. All the comments and messages I’ve received have been full of love and support. The most incredible experience is hearing how your music made someone feel, and I feel so honored that many have felt inspired and empowered when they’ve seen the video and heard the song.
We love to play games here in FemMetal to get to know the artist from a different side. So we’ll play a game called ‘In a universe.. I’ll give you a scenario in an alternate universe and you have to respond to it. Ready?
Hell yeah let’s do it!
In a universe where the senses of taste and hearing are mixed up, what would your music taste like?
Oh wow this is so cool! My music would taste like a bold cup of coffee spiked with whiskey and glitter.
In a universe where there is no music, what art would you be doing?
Definitely theatre. I’m happiest whenever I’m on stage, it’s where I started and certainly where I’d like to return to someday.
In a universe where time travel is possible, what era would you like to pay a visit?
Woodstock 1969. That era of channeling your soul and releasing everything inside of you through music is exactly what inspired the Howl. The growls and grit and sweat left on stage and in those guitars as well as the larger-than-life theatrical performances had a major influence on my songwriting and artistry. The only thing missing from that festival is Queen, I’d have to pick a different time in the late 70s to watch my musical idol Freddie Mercury do his thing. As a singer and a pianist, his ability to infuse piano into rock songwriting along with his insanely physical and mesmerizing performances directly inspired my performance style and songwriting.
In a universe where you’re the president of your country, what interesting law would you try to make?
Every single school must allocate a certain amount of their budget towards the arts. Music, theatre and film have the most monumental impact on youth and are grossly undervalued in our society. I would also pay teachers at least $80k because the amount of crap that they have to go through for what little they make is ridiculous.
That’s a very interesting law! Imagine the talents that would be discovered that way. In a universe where we only see black and white, what would your favourite colour be?
Black. There’s so much mystery and endless depth in the color. So much to explore, yet so much unknown.
Final one, in a universe where you’re the lead singer of a Jazz band, what would the band’s name be?
Oh man, to be the lead singer in a Big Band is totally one of my fantasies. That’s on my bucket list for sure! I’d name my band Jules & the Big Bad Wolves (can you tell I have a theme here with the Howl?)
Thank you for playing, Jules!
Sure that was super fun!
What artists did you grow up listening to and who would you say had the biggest influence on your character as a person and a musician?
Admittedly I listened to a lot of Top 40 and Radio Disney growing up lol. However, the first time I realized that I wanted to be a singer was when I heard Aretha Franklin’s “Respect”. I never knew it was possible to pierce someone in the heart and bring them to their knees with just one note. And that first word she sings just got me. I didn’t know singers could have that power, and right then I knew that was how I was going to leave an impact on the world.
Have you been treated in a sexist way? How would you react to sexism and what advice would you give young women and men around the world who face any kind of discrimination?
What woman hasn’t been treated with sexism and misogyny? Absolutely, I have had my fair share of #MeToo moments and experiences with sexism. My advice to women is to find a community of strong like-minded women in your industry to support you and lift you up. I found that in LA with Gritty in Pink, a new platform that empowers women in music through shows and networking events. The authenticity and sisterhood I found with those Gritty Girls is invaluable to me. For men, just listen. The most empowering thing you can do is listen. It validates women and their experiences in a world where oftentimes women are shunned or shamed because of what happened to them.
Are you planning for a bigger release that you’d like to tell us about?
Yes! I’ve got two upcoming collaborations in December where I’m the co-writer and featured vocalist: “Drifter’s Road” by Ward feat. Jules & the Howl (out Dec. 4th) and “My Turn” by The Noise Machine feat. Jules & the Howl (out Dec. 11th). I’ve also got another co-write with Adam Nye coming out in January and a solo song in the spring.
That’s awesome! Thank you for the interview Jules! Good luck for you and your band in all your projects!
