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Biography
Refimprove|date=January 2009Infobox musical artist | | name = Vixen| image =| caption =| background = group_or_band| origin = Saint Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul , Minnesota , United States | genre = Heavy metal music|Heavy metal , Hard rock , AOR , Pop metal , Hair metal , Glam metal , pop rock | years_active = 19801991, 19971998, nowrap|2001present| label = Manhattan Records|EMI | associated_acts = Madam X (band)|Madam X , Phantom Blue , Contraband (band)|Contraband , Bubble (band)|Bubble , Rocktopuss | website = URL| http://www.vixenrock.com/| current_members = Jan Kuehnemund Jenna Sanz-Agero|Jenna Sanz-Agero (Jenna Piccolo) Lynn Louise Lowrey Kathrin "Kat" Kraft| past_members = See: #Former members|former members Vixen is an all-female United States|American hard rock band. Hailed as "the female Bon Jovi ",cite web | url = http://www.allmusic.com/album/r59553 | title = Vixen Rev It Up | accessdate = 2012-05-23 | last = Henderson | first = Alex | work = Allmusic | publisher = Rovi Corporation the band achieved commercial success during the late 1980s and early 1990s as part of the Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles , California glam metal scene.
History
Early years
Vixen was formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul , Minnesota in 1980 by guitarist Jan Kuehnemund while still at high school. They were the first all female rock band from the MinneapolisSaint Paul|Twin Cities ( Tκtes Noires was the first all female rock band from Minneapolis a year or two later).
Alex Henderson, writing for Allmusic , says they started in 1981 in Los Angeles .cite web|author=Henderson, Alex|title=Vixen|url= http://www.allmusic.com/artist/vixen-p21284/biography|work=Allmusic|publisher=Rovi|accessdate=January 27, 2012 In 1984, an early version of the band with Kuehnemund, singer Janet Gardner (singer)|Janet Gardner and bassist Pia Maiocco (who later married guitarist Steve Vai ) appeared in the movie Hardbodies , as the on-screen band Diaper Rash. In 1985, the band moved to Los Angeles, California to be part of the L.A. rock scene.
Commercial success
Lineup changes happened during the following years until the "classic lineup" of Janet Gardner (singer)|Janet Gardner (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Jan Kuehnemund (lead guitar), Share Pedersen (bass), and Roxy Petrucci (drums) was formed. This lineup of Vixen was interviewed in 1987 along with many other rock artists of the day by Penelope Spheeris for her film The Decline of Western Civilization II: The Metal Years .
In 1988 the band was signed to Manhattan Records|EMI , and they began recording their debut album Vixen (Vixen album)|Vixen , which was released in September 1988. Singer-songwriter Richard Marx co-wrote and arranged their signature hit, "Edge of a Broken Heart", as well as performing keyboards and producing the song. Rumor was he was asked to assist the all-female band by EMI to produce their first major hit, to compete with the all-female band the Bangles . Richard Marx had nothing to do with their follow-up CD, since he was becoming more of a mainline singer than songwriter. Vixen spent the next year touring the world, supporting acts such as Ozzy Osbourne , Scorpions (band)|Scorpions , and Bon Jovi , as well as headlining their own shows. The band returned to the studio in late 1989/early 1990 to record their follow-up album, Rev It Up , which was released in July 1990. A year of touring followed, including headlining their own shows and supporting acts such as Kiss (band)|KISS and Deep Purple . In mid-1991, the group disbanded due to musical differences.
First reunion
In 1997, drummer Roxy Petrucci reformed Vixen, with Janet Gardner (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Gina Stile (lead guitar), and Rana Ross (bass). This lineup toured the United States in 1997, and in 1998 Gardner, Stile, and Petrucci recorded the album Tangerine (Vixen album)|Tangerine . After the release of the new album, Roxy's sister Maxine Petrucci was brought in to play bass on a U.S. tour of 1998, but they were sued for copyright infringement by Kuehnemund.
In 1999, Share Pedersen joined her husband's band, the Dogs D'Amour , who were reforming after a long hiatus. She appeared on their 2000 album, Happy Ever After , playing bass, keyboards, and, backing vocals. Share and her husband, Bam, also have their own band, Bubble, which is very popular in L.A..
Second reunion
In 2001, Vixen was reformed by Kuehnemund with a lineup consisting of herself, Janet Gardner, Roxy Petrucci, and new bassist Pat Holloway. This lineup toured the U.S. as part of the Voices of Metal tour. Unfortunately, half-way through the tour, disagreements caused the band to split-up, with only Kuehnemund remaining. Kuehnemund quickly recruited Jenna Sanz-Agero|Jenna Sanz-Agero (Jenna Piccolo) (lead vocals), Lynn Louise Lowrey (bass), and Kathrin "Kat" Kraft (drums) to complete the tour. This lineup is still together, and released two new albums in 2006, a live album, recorded at a live show in Sweden , called Extended Versions , and a studio album, Live & Learn (Vixen album)|Live & Learn .
Recent events
In 2004, VH1 approached the four members of the "classic lineup" to appear on their show, Bands Reunited . The show was recorded in August 2004, and broadcast in the U.S. in November 2004. Following the broadcast of the VH1 show, EMI re-released the first two Vixen albums, Vixen and Rev It Up .
Winner of the 6th annual The Independent Music Awards|Independent Music Awards Vox Pop vote for best Hard Rock/Metal song "I Try".
Band members
Current members
Jenna Sanz-Agero|Jenna Sanz-Agero (Jenna Piccolo) lead vocals (20012004, 2004present)
Jan Kuehnemund lead guitar, backing vocals (19801991, 2001present)
Lynn Louise Lowrey bass, backing vocals (20012004, 2004present)
Hardbodies (1984) with the songs ''"Runnin'", "Give It a Chance", "Mr. Cool", "Be with Me", "Maria", "Computer Madness" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087385/soundtrack Hardbodies (1984) - Soundtracks
Beverly Hills, 90210 : "Slumber Party" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0522914/ "Beverly Hills, 90210" Slumber Party (TV episode 1991) - IMDb (1991) with the song "Streets in Paradise" http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2536346/ Vixen - IMDb
Beavis and Butthead : "Wall of youth" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0823569/ "Beavis and Butt-Head" Wall of Youth (TV episode 1994) - IMDb (1994) with the song "Edge of a Broken Heart"
Videography
Videos
Revved Up& #33; - Behind the Scenes (1990)
References
reflist
External links
http://www.vixenrock.com/ Official website
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2536346/ Vixen at Internet Movie Database
http://www.neilsvixenpage.com/ Neil's Vixen Page- A prolific collection of the band's history and photos, affiliated with some of the band members
http://www.rocknrolltv.net/ Share Ross' rock n roll video blog
http://www.bassgirls.com/bassgirls_index04.htm Lynn Lousie Lowrey interview at BassGirls.Com
http://www.fullinbloommusic.com/roxy_petrucci.html Roxy Petrucci History on Madam X & Vixen
http://www.savioursofrock.com/interviews/interviewVixen.html Interview at Saviours of Rock
Allmusic|class=artist|id=p21284|label=Vixen
http://www.metaladies.com/2010/01/08/vixen/ Vixen at http://www.metaladies.com/ Metaladies.com
DEFAULTSORT:Vixen Category:American hard rock musical groups Category:Glam metal musical groups Category:Heavy metal musical groups from Minnesota Category:Heavy metal musical groups from California Category:Musical groups from Minnesota Category:Musical groups from Los Angeles, California Category:All-female bands Category:Musical groups established in 1980 Category:Musical quartets
