Former Vixen singer Janet Gardner recalls Ozzy Osbourne tour
Janet Gardner, the former singer of ’80s glam metal band Vixen, is now a part-time dental hygienist. The rocker is reflecting on her rise to stardom and touring with the “Prince of Darkness” in the docuseries “I Wanna Rock: ‘The ’80s Metal Dream.”
When Janet Gardner found herself “Cryin’” after the plug was pulled on her rock star career, she turned to dentistry.
The former lead vocalist of the glam metal band Vixen went on to pursue the family business after the Sunset Strip music scene went silent. The 61-year-old recently joined several artists who survived the decadent era of the ‘80s for the three-part Paramount+ docuseries, “I Wanna Rock.”
The series, produced by MTV Entertainment Studios in partnership with Gunpowder & Sky, features new interviews with Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, John Corabi of Mötley Crüe, Dave “Snake” Sabo of Skid Row, and Winger’s Kip Winger, among others.
Janet Gardner, the former frontwoman of ’80s glam metal band Vixen, is now a part-time dental hygienist. (Courtesy of Janet Gardner)
Garner said that when Seattle’s grunge scene hit pause on her music career, she became a dental hygienist in Connecticut, a trade she still practices today.
“My grandfather was a dentist,” the singer explained to Fox News Digital. “My uncles, a couple of them were dentists. Their kids are now dentists, a couple of hygienists – lots of dental people. And they all had really good lives. They were able to do their work and have the sort of work/life balance [that] was very good… I needed something that would allow me enough time for my family, for my music, other things in life. That work/life balance really appealed to me. If I had this kind of skill, I could work more when I needed more money, and I could work less when I needed more time for other things.”
“It worked out great,” she shared. “And I like learning. I like school. So going back to school for me was very satisfying. And I loved what I was learning. We had to take pharmacology… And I love science. It was invigorating. I loved it. I studied my butt off. I kicked a–… Not only did it give me something that I could do in my life… for money and security and for my family. [But], I also [get] to use a side of my brain that hadn’t been used in a while.”
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Janet Gardner performing onstage, circa 1989. ( Paul Natkin/Getty Images)
Garner is a part-time dental hygienist, which allows her to still make music and hit the road on her terms. In June of this year, she and guitarist/producer husband Justin James released a new album, “No Strings.”
She said few of her current patients know about her rock star past.
“I do it three days a week, and then