eonMusic recently spoke with Vixen vocalist Janet Gardner, who  is set to release her new self-titled solo album on August 18th. Gardner spoke about Vixen’s split, and the impact it had on her.

On whether the change in musical landscape and the arrival of grunge affected their decision to split: “There were a lot of internal and external factors. Our label had a fight with our manager, and we got dropped from our label, so there was a lot of stuff like that going on. Of course, the change in the music landscape; we were trying to figure out what we wanted to do with our third album. When you get the external turmoil, it also causes some internal turmoil, no matter how tight you are, or how much you love what you’re doing; everybody’s got their own opinions on how to proceed.Eventually we just threw in the towel and said; “Let’s just take a break, let’s just split up”.”

On the impact of the break up: “You’re on top of the world one minute, and the next you’re like; “What the hell just happened?!” It all happened fast, and that’s the way the music business goes; it has extreme highs, and extreme lows. But you have to roll with it, and you can’t base your self-esteem on your success of the moment. You have to say; “Hey, we’re the same band we were six months ago. Nothing has changed - we are no less than we were before”, which is very hard when all of a sudden the phones not ringing anymore, and people have moved on to other bands and other things. So it was a time to reflect on things, and obviously to get caught up on other things in life that had been neglected for the last few years. So that was nice. You try to look at the positives of it.”

On how the death of guitarist Jan Kuehnemund brought the remaining members of Vixen closer: “It was very, very devastating. The good thing was that we did all patch everything up; we were united, we were ready to go, and in the end, she ended up bringing us all together again, and I think she was very happy about that. It was a very sad time, and I don’t even know what else to say; it was horrible. It was hard to pick back up and continue moving forward, but we knew that we had to, and we figured she would want us to.”

Read the full interview at eonmusic.co.uk.

As the lead vocalist of Vixen, Janet Gardner's powerful vocals propelled that band to the top of the Billboard charts with crossover hits "Edge Of A Broken Heart" and "Cryin’'" and AOR rockers "How Much Love" and "Love Is A Killer”. Vixen toured extensively, grinding out 200 shows per year, opening for the likes of Deep Purple, Ozzy Osbourne, The Scorpions, KISS, and Bon Jovi.

In an era primarily dominated by male rock musicians, Vixen's all-female lineup didn't come without its struggles. But their undeniable musicianship, matched with Gardner's unique and powerful vocal style, propelled the band quickly to Gold Album status and earned the band critically acclaimed success that is still celebrated to this day on the likes of Sirius XM, MTV/VH-1 Classic, and nationally syndicated specialty radio shows. Vixen, along with their predecessors, helped pave the way for the current wave and success of female-fronted acts such as Halestorm, In This Moment, The Pretty Reckless, and many others.

Teaming up with guitarist/songwriter/producer Justin James (who has worked with members of Staind, Collective Soul, and Tyketto), Gardner ventured into the solo realm to unleash a new side of her musical creativity. Together, Janet and Justin have penned a collection of emotionally charged songs with gritty grooves, infectious hooks, and inspired lyrics that merge hard rock influences from the last four decades.

The result is a perfect blend of modern hard rock with a touch of old school flare that will turn the heads of generations of rock fans. The self-titled Janet Gardner album hits shelves on August 18th, released through Pavement Entertainment (North America) and Eternal Sounds Records (Europe). The album will be available both digitally and in retail stores.

Janet Gardner has once again proven herself as a leader in the female-fronted hard rock world.

Tracklisting:

“Rat Hole”
“Hippycrite”
“If You Want Me”
“Candle”
“Your Problem Now”
“Let It Be Over”
“Lost”
“The Grind”
“Best Friend”
“The Good Or The Bye”

Teaser trailer:

As a special treat to everyone who pre-orders the album, Pavement Entertainment is offering an exclusive bundle deal. The bundle features the debut CD (hand signed) and a limited edition Planet Janet t-shirt for $30. Pre-order your bundle here.

Don't miss the chance to see Janet and Justin live in September. The tour features songs from the debut solo album and hits from Vixen. The dynamic duo will perform in Midwest and on the East Coast. Tickets are available now.

Tour dates:

September
1 - Battle Creek, MI - The Music Factory
2 - Chesterfield, MI - Diesel Concert Lounge
8 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance
9 - Sellersville, PA - Sellersville Theater 1894
12 - New York City, NY - Iridium
14 - Clifton, NJ - Dingbatz
15 - Baltimore, MD - Fish Head Cantina

Janet and Justin recently performed an acoustic set at New Jersey’s WDHA 105.5. Video of the performance can be seen below: