Sarah Radossevich and Linsey Chrishel were introduced in 1998 at a mutual friend's neighborhood benefit for the Crisis Nursery of Phoenix. They didn't meet again till 2000 when Sarah was hired by a mutual friend to work at the same shop Linsey was working at. They quickly developed a friendship.

In February of 2001, Linsey was booked to perform at Modified to play the "Take Out" showcase. Linsey asked her good friend Sarah to back her up. Billed under the name Wilt, they performed at the gallery Urbana Productions for the first "Friday Art Festival". At the second appearance on this art tour, Firebelly was born.

Sarah Radossevich, 25, started playing guitar in her early teens. She played with numerous bands of friends, as well as solo performances. She joined a band called Plasterfish in 1996. She continued to do side projects until Firebelly.

Linsey Chrishel, 22, started playing Christmas day of 1994 - when she received her first guitar. She co-founded a band called Beautiful Losers (1995-96). She began playing guitar, and due to the lead singers drunkenness and inability to remember the words, she began "back up singing". In late 1996, she joined a band called Shed (now Read Black). She played rhythm guitar, but continued to write her own music on the side. After her break from the band, she played a few parties with select members. She also played as a guest member of the Sea Monkeys.