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A great swath of musicians, their music, and their fans have frequently been disparaged over the years. I'm talking about "hair metal" bands and their fans.

A new three-part series now on Paramount+ digs into several musicians and their experiences of the era, recounting their rise and when the fiery flame of the brightest period for their brand was snuffed out.

We had the chance to catch up with a couple of those musicians, and today, we're sharing our discussion with Janet Gardner, best known as the lead singer of the all-female group Vixen.

Gardner, now a dental hygenist and still making kickass music with her husband, Justin James, opened up for I Wanna Rock: The '80s Metal Dream director Tyler Measom and for us during our candid discussion.

Please see the full conversation below, which has been edited for clarity.

Hi, Janet. How are you?

I'm good, thanks.

The highly anticipated spy thriller “Special Ops: Lioness” arrives on Paramount+ on July 23. The original series from Taylor Sheridan is based on a true story and stars Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Nicole Kidman, and Morgan Freeman. De Oliveira plays a CIA undercover operative, a “lioness,” charged with befriending someone close to a high-value enemy target, a key member of a state terrorist organization.

Catch the “Special Ops: Lioness” trailer

Also coming to Paramount+ next month will be a reunion filled with humor and romance. New film “Zoey 102” will premiere on July 28 and reunite many of the cast members from the beloved high-school series “Zoey 101.” The gang is getting back together in Malibu to attend Logan and Quinn’s wedding, but that is not the only romance in the air. Jamie Lynn Spears, Sean Flynn, Christopher Massey, Erin Sanders, and Abby Wilde star in the sequel film.

Watch...

Paramount+’s documentary series I Wanna Rock: The ’80s Metal Dream delves into the world of heavy metal music and gets up close and personal with Dave ‘Snake’ Sabo from Skid Row, Kip Winger from Winger, Dee Snider from Twisted Sister, Janet Gardner from Vixen, and John Corabi from The Scream. Directed by Tyler Meason, the three-part docuseries is set to premiere on July 18, 2023.

Paramount+ offers this description: Hairspray. Spandex. Leather pants. I Wanna Rock: The ’80s Metal Dream follows five young dreamers chasing stardom in the cutthroat world of ’80s metal. Some will succeed, some will fail, but each will make you see an entirely new side of the metal genre.

Ep 101 – “I Wanna Be Somebody”

As ’80s metal sweeps America, five rockers set out to make it in the world of hair spray and spandex. Ep 102 – “Headed for Heartbreak”

Metal has been taken to new heights. As our rockers become stars,...