Page 12 - Black Velvet Issue 94

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thrilled that it was there, but we didn’t
know what we were doing. So that’s when
Pavement entered the picture.”
Pavement Entertainment is a record
label that was founded in the 90s. Like
Vixen, it also took some time out – and
was then resurrected in 2013. Artists on
the label include Candlebox, Powerman
5000, Cavo and (Hed) P.E.
“They had a great plan for us,” says
Janet about the label. “They were very en-
thused. They have other great artists on
their label that made us feel really com-
fortable with the high level of quality that
they have. So we said, ‘What the heck?
Let’s sign with these guys’. And since
then, it’s just been non-stop. We’re just
going and going and going. Where it
ends, hopefully never! Hopefully, we’ll
keep going and going, and make another
one and keep going and going.”
We definitely like the sound of that –
especially if subsequent releases are as
good as this self-titled one. The album
features a lot of modern rock energy as
well as important subject matter.
Justin says, “It just kinda came natu-
ral. It was what we were feeling when we
were writing the songs. It came out with a
ton of energy.”
The album’s big opener is the fiery
‘Rat Hole’. ‘Taking our hard-earned cash
and givin’ nothin’ back, feeding our fears
and playin’ our tears,’ sings Janet. A fin-
ger is being pointed at someone. The vo-
calist explains, “‘Rat Hole’ is about the
healthcare system in America. It’s a big,
fat mess, as you probably know. It’s one
of the most hotly-contested topics in this
country. It’s a political hotbed, and the
health insurance companies do that. They
profit on our fear of becoming sick. It’s
kind of twisted to me that they’re allowed
to do that. It’s like a monster that we keep
feeding. The bigger it gets, the hungrier it
gets. And the more money we put into it,
the less we get from it. It’s not good. It’s
not a good thing.”

he album features a range of sub-
Tject matter and musical styles.
There are some songs that Janet says are
“a little more fluffy and fun.” ‘The Good Or
The Bye’, Janet says, has carefree,
tongue-in-cheek lyrics. ‘If You Want Me’ is
a relationship song. “You’ve got to have a
couple of those,” smiles Janet. While
there’s a more reflective song called ‘Can-
dle’ about Janet’s now-deceased parents.
Including a lyric about struggling with
confidence, Janet says, growing up, her
parents helped give her confidence and
were supportive of her following her
dreams.
“They were very encouraging to me
about everything I did, always made me
feel better about anything and everything
that I was doing. That’s really part of what
I miss about them, the support, of course,
that they’ve always given me.”
One of the most poignant songs on
the album is ‘Let It Be Over’, a very so-
cially conscious song which includes ref-
erences to mass shootings, oil drilling
and world bombings. What’s going on in
the world at the moment is something that
is scary not only for our current genera-
tion, but also future generations.

JANET GARDNER