D'MOLLS

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 self-titled debut album. While the video for the first single, \"777,\" received substantial rotation on MTV, the album, a #2 import in England, failed to chart in the States.

The debut record has been and still is criticized for its lifeless recording that severely failed to capture the true essence of the band, which was their heavy driving, big bottomed, live/raw sound. Despite the album\'s gutless studio 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.\"