Vixen's Roxy Petrucci Recalls Drumming Until Her Hands Bled While Peers Said She Was 'Good for a Girl'

Mar. 15, 2025

Share Pedersen, Janet Gardner, Jan Kuehnemund and Roxy Petrucci of Vixen.Photo:Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Roxy Petrucci worked hard drumming her way through the ’80s and beyondThe rocker, who was in both Vixen and Madam X, looks back at the struggles of female musicians in the new documentaryNöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of ‘80s Hair MetalPetrucci recalls the backhanded compliments of her male peersRoxy Petrucci knew her talents on the drums were unlike any other — male or female.The Vixen drummer appears in the documentary series,Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of ’80s Hair Metal. In it, she recalls the challenges that women faced while trying to make it big in the hair meal era.“I wanted to play so hard that my hands would bleed, and they did. I would get blood on my snare all the time. I just thought the harder I hit, the more they were going to take me seriously,” Petrucci shares of going up against all-male bands of the era. “And the record companies just shied away like, ‘We already have a girl band.’ ““They would say some stupid s—,” she adds, recalling a night at the Rainbow Ballroom with Motörhead lead singerLemmy Kilmister, in which a musician who she declined to identify approached her.“He says, ‘You know, you’re really good for a girl.’ " she recalls, saying she wasn’t sure how to reply to the “backhanded compliment” and instead settled on a “thank you.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Maxine Petrucci, Bret Kaiser, Roxy Petrucci and Chris Doliber in Madam X.Chris Walter/Getty"He walked away and then Lemmy says to me, ‘You know, the next time someone says that to you, just say suck my d—,’ " advice she’d go on to take later.Speaking of Vixen’s fans, she notes, “We had plenty of guys that came around too, and they were more shy than anything.““Groupie girls are more aggressive, the guys weren’t like that. They were like, ‘Can I have your autograph? Can I have a hug?’ " she shares.Vixen makes an appearance in 2015.Rick Diamond/GettyDuring her time in Madam X, she remembers a moment when a fan “laid it out on the stage” — gesturing down below — and her bandmate and sister, Maxine Petrucci, “put her foot on it and she just smashed it.“Laughing, she adds, “He loved it. He was into it.“Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of ’80s Hair Metalis now streaming on Paramount+.

Roxy Petrucci knew her talents on the drums were unlike any other — male or female.

The Vixen drummer appears in the documentary series,Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of ’80s Hair Metal. In it, she recalls the challenges that women faced while trying to make it big in the hair meal era.

“I wanted to play so hard that my hands would bleed, and they did. I would get blood on my snare all the time. I just thought the harder I hit, the more they were going to take me seriously,” Petrucci shares of going up against all-male bands of the era. “And the record companies just shied away like, ‘We already have a girl band.’ "

“They would say some stupid s—,” she adds, recalling a night at the Rainbow Ballroom with Motörhead lead singerLemmy Kilmister, in which a musician who she declined to identify approached her.

“He says, ‘You know, you’re really good for a girl.’ " she recalls, saying she wasn’t sure how to reply to the “backhanded compliment” and instead settled on a “thank you.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Maxine Petrucci, Bret Kaiser, Roxy Petrucci and Chris Doliber in Madam X.Chris Walter/Getty

Chris Walter/Getty

“He walked away and then Lemmy says to me, ‘You know, the next time someone says that to you, just say suck my d—,’ " advice she’d go on to take later.

Speaking of Vixen’s fans, she notes, “We had plenty of guys that came around too, and they were more shy than anything.”

“Groupie girls are more aggressive, the guys weren’t like that. They were like, ‘Can I have your autograph? Can I have a hug?’ " she shares.

Vixen makes an appearance in 2015.Rick Diamond/Getty

Rick Diamond/Getty

During her time in Madam X, she remembers a moment when a fan “laid it out on the stage” — gesturing down below — and her bandmate and sister, Maxine Petrucci, “put her foot on it and she just smashed it.”

Laughing, she adds, “He loved it. He was into it.”

Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of ’80s Hair Metalis now streaming on Paramount+.

source: people.com