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Madam X / Vixen drummer
Roxy Petrucci

FIB MUSIC:  What's new, what have you been up to lately and what's in the future?

Roxy:  Hey Adam, How's it hangin? I'm currently working with Lorraine Lewis and Brian Young. We're crankin out some killer tunes that I'm real excited about. You can hear a clip on my site www.roxypetrucci.com

FIB MUSIC:   Please give us a brief history about how you and your sister began playing music and how long it took before the two of you formed Madam X. Did you come from a musical family?

Roxy:  Maxine and I have been making music since elementary school. We were never typical girls. All through Junior high and High School the only thing on my mind was music and guys! There are actually five of us and we all play instruments. My dad encouraged us from an early age, he basically made us pick up an instrument or two. My brother Remo was also a huge influence on us. His musical talents are limitless. Our house was like a music studio with the constant blasting of clarinets, Flute, Saxaphone, drums, guitar, bass and the ever popular accordian. My father had hoped Maxine and I would continue in the classical direction but once Remo introduced us to Black Sabbath, it was all over.

 Madam X - Roxy, Maxine, Godzilla, Bret
Early Madam X photo

FIB MUSIC:  What was the process you two went through to form Madam X? How did you find Godzilla?

Roxy:  We went through the audition process and had some real funky characters show up. I'm surprised my parents let some of these wackos into our home! We connected with Chris(Godzilla), he had a great look, played a mean bass and the shit that came out of his mouth was outrageous!

FIB MUSIC:  What is Godzilla doing now?

Roxy:   Terrorizing Detroit!

FIB MUSIC:  How soon after forming Madam X did the band get signed?

Roxy:  Too soon, we should have waited for the right people who had the same vision to team with before we jumped into that debacle.

FIB MUSIC:  Any memories come to mind from the "We Reserve the Right" recording sessions? What was the budget? Where was it recorded? How long did it take? Any cool, brilliant, great, sucked moments stand out? Feel free to share more than one.

Roxy:  Budget? I blinked and it was over! We were under pressure to record the album quickly. Rick Derringer who by the way is a wonderful guy was picked as our producer. We didn't get much sleep and would wander around the studio looking for dark corners to curl up in and crash. I think Bret crawled up in a Grand Piano and fell asleep. The studio was our home for about three weeks and we had some cool guests stop by. Carmine Appice jammed on my kit and showed me some cool syncopated beats. Robin Zander had us laughing til we cried with his Beef Curtain jokes. This was our first album so what the hell did we know about the process of recording. We just did as we were told. I would love to have the record remixed to today's standards...it would rule!

FIB MUSIC:   Describe a typical day in the life of Roxy Petrucci during that time. From the time you woke up to the time you went to sleep?

Roxy:  In the very early days of Madam X we would wake up in a roach infested motel and get up off the floor, step over the band or crewmember next to you and go to Dennys for breakfast at around 1pm. We'd hang out with friends we'd made in that town, have dinner at some buffet and share the food cuz we had little ka ching in our pockets, head over to soundcheck and get ready for a ragin sold out show that night. Once we'd hit the stage it was all good!



FIB MUSIC:  What were some of the bands that you toured with to promote that release? How long did the band tour? Any moments stand out from that tour?

Roxy:  We did some shows in England at the famous Marquee and filmed a live TV performance with Motorhead which was awesome! We didn't tour enough to support that record, in fact we toured more before we were signed. We used to pack this place called Rockers in Phoenix. Madam X was practically the house band. Rob Halford came to our show and ended up singing about 6 Priest tunes with us… he was unbelievable, especially the song Hellion/Electric Eye! Joe Perry jammed with us but was so high he couldn't remember his own songs....our fans did NOT dig him..

FIB MUSIC:  Why hasn't there been a re-release for that cd? Who owns the rights to it? Will there ever be a re-release?

Roxy:  I've heard it's being re-released on some label and that the release date is scheduled for March 27.

FIB MUSIC:   What happened to Bret Kaiser? Why did he leave?

Roxy:   Bret became increasingly unhappy in Madam X and felt his opinions and ideas weren't being heard so he left to form a band with his brother Bruce.



FIB MUSIC:  What is he doing now?

Roxy:  He's performing a successful Elvis tribute and has a website. www.bretkaiser.com



FIB MUSIC:   You then replaced Bret with vocalist John Ward, is that the same John Ward that was in London? How did he end up being in the band?

Roxy:  I was gone by then. How about that hair!






FIB MUSIC:  When was the last time you talked to anyone from the original Madam X lineup, other than your sister? What was that conversation like?

Roxy:  I recently spoke with Bret and Chris about recording one more monster heavy song. It's a possibility but don't hold your breath.

FIB MUSIC:  Why didn't it work out with John Ward?

Roxy:   Was it the hair?

FIB MUSIC:  Why did you leave Madam X?

Roxy:  After Bret left things just weren't the same. Without getting into details we basically had a mutual parting of ways. Maxine and Chris were to continue on with Maxine being the focal point of Madam X. Janet Gardner and Pia Vai were keeping tabs on me and caught wind of the split. Janet called me immediately and the rest is Vixen history. I don't think I ever thanked them so thanx gurrls!

FIB MUSIC:   Were you already gone by the time Sebastian Bach joined? How did the band find Sebastian, how old was he at that time?

Roxy:  I was gone but I have met him a couple of times.

FIB MUSIC:   What was Sebastian like back then? How would you describe him?

Roxy:  "Hey Rox, enough about me let's talk about you...what do YOU think of me?!!" He's an animated guy who clearly loves his metal and is great to watch on stage. Maxine's got some funny stories about working with him.


Madam X w/ Sebastian Bach


FIB MUSIC:  What was the groupie scene like while you were in Madam X. Did you ever make a fans dream come true?

Roxy:   Madam X fans were just as entertaining to watch from the stage as the band! Godzilla's female fans loved to masterbate in the front rows and would stick their fingers in his sweaty cod piece as he's playing and...well I'll let your imagination run wild. Our music and stage show drove people crazy in a head banging lust. It was all in fun.

FIB MUSIC:  3 fond memories of your days in Madam X

Roxy:   Are you kidding me...we could have written Spinal Tap, we lived it everyday! Try squeezing five or six stinky tired rockers into a beat up Camaro driving for days in nowheresville New Mexico or some shit and seeing Jesus on the side of the road dragging a giant cross on his back, we pull over long enough to see that his cross has little wheels and we yell "HEY MAN YOUR CHEATING". We squeal away leaving him in the dust and not even offering the poor guy a ride. Ahh, the good old daze! We had our own Semi full of Lights, Sound and Stage Gear. We couldn't afford to eat but man we had great equipment. Most gigs the truck was bigger then the club. We were a traveling rock n roll circus.
FIB MUSIC:   How did Vixen form?

Roxy:   zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ask Jan.

FIB MUSIC:  How did the band come in contact with Richard Marx? Why did you use his songs?

Roxy:   Richard wrote Edge of a Broken Heart for us and it became the defining sound of Vixen

FIB MUSIC:  How many copies of that album were sold?

Roxy:   One million worldwide




FIB MUSIC:   Who were some of the bands that you toured with to support that release? Anything stand out from that tour?

Roxy:  Scorpions baby! What a great tour that was! We were on the road nonstop for about 18 months so a lot of it is a blur. Many great bands and concerts!

FIB MUSIC:   What was the groupie scene like for Vixen? Was it just like it was for the guys in bands back then? Did you have flocks of guys waiting to meet you?

Roxy:   Compared to the wild characters Madam X attracted Vixen fans were tame.

FIB MUSIC:  As many records as the band sold on the first release. Did the band recoup its expenses? How were you surviving at that time?

Roxy:  I was living it up! We weren't swimming in money but were doing well.

FIB MUSIC:  What was the state of the band when you gals went in to record your follow up release, Rev it Up? Was everyone still on the same page and did everyone still get along?

Roxy:  Things were starting to go sour but we managed to keep it together thanx to our producer Randy Nicklaus and engineer Dennis McCay. They were a pleasure to be around and always kept us smiling.

FIB MUSIC:  Any memories stand out from those recording sessions? Was the recording budget a lot bigger, where was it recorded? Any cool moments to share?

Roxy:  Nah..I have the most fun playing live shows. Well, here's one memorable moment... It was our last day in the studio and also Randy's birthday so Share hired a fat, smelly, hairy stripper for him and I brought a big Pussy cake that read BONE APPETITE. We had a great time but once the party was over it was back to a band divided. I really anticipated great things for Rev it Up and I was so ready to get back on the road and become the huge band we were destined to be. Guess not...

FIB MUSIC:  Did the band tour to support Rev it Up? Who did you tour with?

Roxy:   Ozzy and Deep Purple come to mind but there may have been more I can't remember.
FIB MUSIC:  Why did Vixen break up after that release?

Roxy:  Janet and Share wanted to boot Jan out of the band and also fire our management company. I guess they wanted to clean house. I thought they were nuts! I suggested to them the possibility of a side project along with Vixen but that fell on deaf ears. The chemistry of a band is crucial and when you have it, don't fuck with it

FIB MUSIC:   I know Vixen reformed for the VH1 show, but are there anymore shows planned for the future?

Roxy:  Two years ago fresh after the VH1 show I'd say there was a possibility. Today no. Frankly, I'm not interested. I recorded some real cool heavy shit with Maxine on her new CD Titania. It brought me back to my metal roots. The new music I'm crankin with Lorraine and Brian is kickin my ass! I haven't been this energized in years!

FIB MUSIC:  Out of all the bands you toured with who were the coolest? Who were the biggest jerks?

Roxy:  The biggest jerks I met are in the industry, not the musicians....some bands are just really full of themselves not necessarily jerks. Success can do that to you. I may be a little guilty of it...fuck off at least I'm honest!

FIB MUSIC:  Why didn't your sister join Vixen? What is she doing now?

Roxy:  Shredding on her guitar, You can buy her new cd, which I play on as well as Billy Sheehan, at her site, www.maxattacks.com

FIB MUSIC:  3 fond memories of your days in Vixen.

Roxy:   The record company threw us an extravagent record release party for Rev it Up. It was held at the Joan Crawford estate in a premiere type setting with spot lights and a race car in the driveway. ET was there filming and I remember meeting Michael J. Fox who was rocked out in a long black trenchcoat. Another fond memory is sitting behind Ian Paice while he was performing..what an amazing drummer! How about Richie Blackmore in tight leather pants! The entire Scorpions and Ozzy tours. My experience with Vixen was golden I loved it all... Good, bad and ugly.

FIB MUSIC:  Roxy Petrucci is transported back to the year 1983. Is there anything you would do differently?

Roxy:  Makeup, wardrobe and hair!


THE FAST 5

FIB MUSIC:  What is your most disgusting habit?

Roxy:  Um? Wow, don't think I have any...would you like to sniff my drum stool?

FIB MUSIC:  What is the most masculine thing you do?

Roxy:  I don't think beating the shit out of my drums is very feminine.

FIB MUSIC:  If there is a God, what is the first question you would ask God when you arrive?

Roxy:   If there is a god then he knows my question.

FIB MUSIC:  Greatest Rock band of all time?

Roxy:  Sabbath, Zeppelin and Priest baby!

FIB MUSIC:  What were you doing 40 minutes before you sat down to do this interview?

Roxy:  Oh, you know... girly stuff.


Don't Forget to visit Roxy at her new website:


www.roxypetrucci.com

& her sister Maxine
www.maxattacks.com

Check out this CLASSIC video:
MADAM X live "High in High School"

Search Fibits for Madam X cd's

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