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Melodic, soulful, and powerfully energetic - this was the sound that propelled JULLIET to hard rock success in the late ’80s and the early ’90s.

The Tampa-based band was born in 1985 by lead guitarist Jimmi DeLisi and bassist Ty Westerhoff. After cycling through various lead vocalists, they found their perfect match in Kenny McGee. The early line-up also included drummer Morgan Evans and keyboardist Kevin Wilson, solidifying the style that would launch them to rock-and-roll fame throughout Florida. They performed their unique brand of hard rock to sold-out crowds throughout the state and the southeastern U.S. in the following years.

During this time, JULLIET caught the attention of Kevin DuBrow of Quiet Riot, who went on to produce their first album entitled “Passion.” Dubrow enlisted the talent of drummer Frankie Banali of Quiet Riot to play drums on the album, which contained nine dynamic songs displaying the band members’ individual talents, although the album was shelved and not released for several years.

Having hit regional success, JULLIET’s ambitions turned to a bigger stage. The band relocated to Los Angeles in 1988 to enter the most competitive and vibrant rock-and-roll scene in the world. The Sunset Strip had become a magnet for bands of this era - a living, breathing representation of what was musically possible to achieve. JULLIET would add drummer Greg Pecka (Dokken and Hellion) and the band was ready to conquer the world!

Luck and a loyal following came next. They quickly gained a strong fan base and sold out show after show, earning the reputation as a powerful live band. One year to the day after hitting L.A., Enigma/Capitol Records signed JULLIET to a major label deal, where they released their self-titled album.

They later hooked up with producer Frankie Sullivan (Survivor guitarist/producer), who incorporated the bluesy McGee vocals onto tape. Backed by the strong harmony vocals of DeLisi and Westerhoff and the powerful Pecka backbeat, all the pieces fell in the right musical places. The self-titled album went on to sell over 300,000 copies. With hits like “Eight Lives Gone,” “No More Tears,” and “Revvin’ Me Up,” JULLIET received national notoriety as one of Enigma’s breakthrough acts for 1991.

But the music scene was changing in the early ’90s, and commercial success took a sharp turn toward the “Seattle sound” of alternative rock. Countless bands from the “hair/glam” era were forced out of the spotlight as the Seattle scene exploded across the country. Record labels were becoming more reluctant to work with the ’80s bands that formerly dominated the radio waves. After enjoying success and high reviews for their self-titled album, the band eventually split. McGee moved back to Tampa where it all started, beginning his solo career with the band Heartless, a band deep in the rock and roll tradition, while DeLisi and Westerhoff kept the JULLIET name alive in Los Angeles.

This album is dedicated to our bassist and brother Ty Westerhoff.