Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch
Episode: Julia Lauren: Rock and Roll Adventures...and Ghosts!
Date: August 6, 2025
Host: Rachel Dratch, with Irene Bremis
Guest: Julia Lauren (Musician—The Foxies, Actor)
Episode Overview
This lively episode brings musician and actor Julia Lauren onto Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch, with co-host Irene Bremis. The conversation is a mix of rock & roll backstage stories, ghostly encounters, and plenty of comedic banter. Julia shares her vivid supernatural experiences, especially a possibly haunted childhood bedroom and a ghost sighting in a Stuytown apartment. Alongside the laughs and scares, Julia opens up about her music career (most recently touring with Billy Idol) and brushes with the unexplained. The trio's tongue-in-cheek approach makes for a hilarious and occasionally hair-raising listen.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Introduction and Musical Backstory
[01:07–06:30]
- Julia Lauren is introduced as a powerhouse frontwoman for The Foxies and recent collaborator with Irene on a new comedy pilot (“Bridal Party”).
- Recap of The Foxies’ opening stint for Billy Idol across Europe.
- “We did. Our first tour in Europe ever was with Billy frickin Idol…We just were sleeping on the bus with Billy’s crew, and it was great. We had fun. Licorice every night. And they love fried chicken.” (Julia, [04:06])
- Moves from her early years in Bushwick and Arizona to founding her band in Nashville circa 2014.
2. Julia’s Entry into Woo Woo: Recent Ghost Sighting in Stuytown
[08:18–12:00]
- Julia recounts a fresh ghost encounter in her friend’s Stuytown apartment in NYC.
- She recalls taking an edible to help sleep before a filming day, waking in the night to see a full-body apparition—a man she instantly named “Thomas.”
- “I see a man and I audibly gasp. I never gasp when I feel like there’s an energy there...I guess it was the ghost that I saw standing in your living room last night, just hanging out. Don’t know why I thought his name was Thomas, but that’s the name that I got.” (Julia, [09:39])
- The friend’s dog also reacts strangely to the same corner where ‘Thomas’ appeared.
- Attempts at neighborhood sleuthing about a ‘Thomas’ yield no clear answers, but the entity’s era-appropriate clothing is noted.
3. Early Life, Attraction to the Supernatural, and Extreme Experiences
[12:00–22:34]
- Julia describes being the “ghost girl,” hosting graveyard birthday parties as a kid, and her lifelong pull toward all things supernatural.
- Shares a formative, intense encounter after the sudden death of a former boyfriend, Brandon.
- While at dinner, Julia thought she saw Brandon as the waiter, only to realize it wasn’t him. She soon learned he had died in a motorcycle accident two days prior.
- “I saw him, I felt him, I smelled him randomly and he had a very distinct smell. And I was like, oh, Brandon’s here. And then found out that he—yep—has been gone.” (Julia, [25:45])
- That night, Julia tries to contact Brandon, resulting in a harrowing episode:
- Out-of-body perception of herself sleeping, a vision of a Victorian “newsboy” ghost leaving a teacup, then a terrifying episode where her bed appears to levitate, flip, and slam down amid “demonic harmonies”—interpreted as either paranormal or sleep paralysis, but differentiated by Julia.
- “My bed flew up in a—literally perpendicular to the ground...I’m stuck to my bed. It’s happening. I’m like, this is some shitty case of sleep paralysis…But ever since then, when I take edibles, when I take mushrooms, anything like that, I’ve been more susceptible to noticing an energy, whether it’s good or bad.” (Julia, [15:08])
4. Processing and Cross-Examination
[18:38–27:09]
- Rachel and Irene pepper Julia with follow-up questions:
- Did anyone else hear noises during the bed incident? (No.)
- Was Julia under the influence? (No substances involved.)
- Did her siblings sense anything odd in the haunted room? (Yes, all disliked it; her brother also saw odd things.)
- Group discusses how families often compare supernatural notes only later in life—tying back to previous podcast guests.
5. Julia’s Identity as the “Ghost Girl”
[27:41–28:21]
- Julia humorously embraces the “ghost girl” moniker among friends.
- “I am. I’m Ghost Girl. It’s fun.” (Julia, [28:03])
6. Rock and Roll: Manifesting Childhood Dreams
[29:03–32:28]
- Julia describes falling for rock as a toddler, watching MTV and idolizing Billy Idol and Annie Lennox.
- “I fell in love with Billy Idol’s hair...Also Annie Lennox’s hair, too. I fell in love with her.” (Julia, [29:18])
- Started her first band young, hustling with flyers at Guitar Center, and gigging at Cici’s Pizza.
- Reflects on destiny and following synchronicities:
- “I think your soul knows what it’s meant to do. And…it will continue to give you things until you finally listen.” (Julia, [31:48])
- Manager once had her make “dream” and “reality” lists for touring partners. Billy Idol was on her “reality” list—fulfilled within a year.
7. Backstage—The Billy Idol Experience
[32:28–33:16]
- Julia gushes about Billy Idol and crew’s kindness and character.
- “He’s brilliant. Still such a dream.” (Julia, [33:20])
8. Career Manifestation—Next Steps
[34:02–34:53]
- Manifestation talk: Julia lists Green Day and No Doubt (“it’s gotta be Gwen Stefani No Doubt era!”) as her top dream-tour picks.
9. Show Business: The "Bridal Party" Pilot
[35:32–36:51]
- The group discusses the pilot they worked on together.
- Julia plays a “stock girl” with fashion ambitions but chronic party habits; Irene is a tough-as-nails alterations manager.
10. Woo Woo Bonus—Pendulum Reading
[36:54–38:57]
- Rachel busts out the pendulum for a yes/no psychic read. Both pendulums say “Yes” to Julia’s question about the pilot’s success.
- Julia jokes: “Will bridal party pop off and everybody see it? And it’s a resounding yes.” (Julia, [38:31])
11. Upcoming Shows
[39:09–40:29]
- Julia reveals The Foxies will play in NYC at The Sultan Room on November 16th, with more dates coming soon.
Notable Quotes & Moments
- "[I] audibly gasp. I’m like—but I never gasp when I feel there’s energy there...Don’t know why I thought his name was Thomas, but that’s the name I got." (Julia, on the Stuytown ghost, [09:39])
- "I was bopping, bopping dicks around. It’s fine." (Julia, joking about dating, [13:20])
- "My bed flew up in a—literally perpendicular to the ground...I’m stuck to my bed. It’s happening." (Julia, on her most intense supernatural episode, [15:08])
- "I’m Ghost Girl. It’s fun." (Julia, [28:03])
- "I fell in love with Billy Idol’s hair...Also Annie Lennox’s hair, too." (Julia, [29:18])
- “I think your soul knows what it’s meant to do...it will continue to give you things until you finally listen.” (Julia, [31:48])
- "He’s brilliant. Still such a dream." (Julia, on Billy Idol, [33:20])
- “Will bridal party pop off and everybody see it? And it’s a resounding yes.” (Julia, [38:31])
- "Even if we put little, like, old lady earplugs in our ears because we can’t handle the loud noise." (Rachel, on plans to attend a Foxies show, [39:09])
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Meet Julia, Backstory & Foxies Tour: [01:07–06:30]
- Stuytown Ghost Story: [08:18–12:00]
- Graveyard Birthdays & Ghosts from the Past: [12:00–22:34]
- The Haunted Bedroom & Sleep Paralysis?: [18:38–27:09]
- Becoming “Ghost Girl”: [27:41–28:21]
- Rock & Roll Origins, Manifestation: [29:03–32:28]
- The Billy Idol Experience: [32:28–33:16]
- Tour Dreams & No Doubt Manifestation: [34:02–34:53]
- Bridal Party Pilot Teaser: [35:32–36:51]
- Pendulum Reading: [36:54–38:57]
- NY Show Announcement: [39:09–40:29]
Final Thoughts
This episode is a wild ride through haunted bedrooms, serendipitous music dreams, and the supportive weirdness of Rachel and Irene. Julia Lauren’s stories bring heart, humor, and a touch of rockstar magic to the world of Woo Woo. The hosts—always ready with snark, encouragement, and their own skepticism—make the conversation breezy, hilarious, and unexpectedly moving.
Next up: Julia’s manifesting her way onto stages with Green Day and No Doubt. For now, catch her ghosts (and The Foxies) at a venue near you!