D'Molls are often an underrated glam band that broke the rules of radio
friendly pop rock and defined the acronym "sleaze rock" in the blink of an
eye. Chicago, Illinois was where group's founder, Billy Dior (drums, who had
played with C.C. DeVille in Screamin' Mimi's, which wrote the original
version of what later resurfaced as Poison's career-breaking single, "Talk
Dirty To Me"), Lizzy Valentine (bass/guitar/piano/vocals), Desi Rexx
(vocals/guitar), and S.S. Priest (guitar) formed The Chicago Molls, which
would quickly morph into the D'Molls.
In 1985, the group, intent on securing a recording contract, relocated to Los Angeles. Within 2 weeks of arriving in Hollywood,
D'Molls inked a major recording contract with Atlantic Records and began
work on their debut album. While the video for the single, "777," received
substantial rotation on MTV, the album, a 2 import in England, failed to
chart in the States. The record has been criticized for its feeble studio production that severely failed to capture the band's heavy driving, big bottomed, live sound and raw attack.
Despite the album's gutless production, the band still toured the
continental US, with Warrant as their support act. While playing in New York
City, Atlantic's chairman/founder, Ahmet Ertegun, attended their show and
was greatly moved by the band's live performance. He insisted that they immediately stop
touring and get back in the studio to make a "real record."
Disagreements in the group over producers lead to tension, and matters didn't
better over the their choice in personal management, proof in their brief
relationship with David Lee Roth's managers, Pete Angelus and Pat Whitley,
whom the group ultimately fired due to managements inability to grasp the
vision/concept of what D'Molls was about.
D'Molls second lp, Warped was the record that finally captured the
energetic strength vibe for which the band's sold out shows were notoriously
built upon.
Atlantic committed to making D'Molls a top priority, giving the band carte
blanche in all areas of marketing and support until lead singer Desi Rexx
abruptly jumped ship on the band to play ryhthm guitar for David Lee Roth's
touring band and promote a record which he didn't even play on. Upon
Atlantic Records learning of this, Warped was released to only a few limited
markets throughout the US. After months of rehearsal with David Lee Roth,
Desi Rexx was fired just days into Roth's tour.
Upon disbanding, Priest returned to his former band Diamond Rexx and Dior
started writing novels under his real name, Billy McCarthy. His debut novel,
The Devil of Shakespeare was a Borders books bestseller in the summer of
2004.
Valentine, while moonlighting as a producer/songwriter, earned a bachelor's
degree in Communication/Film from UCLA, followed by a Law Degree from Loyola
Marymount Law School. Rexx after getting married, returned to Chicago and
resumed his career playing in a cover band and doing carpentry.
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