Diamond Rexx To Release New Album ‘Psych Ward’ August 8th

Diamond Recordings / Pavement Entertainment
28 August 2020
Back in the days of MTV Glam and Hair Metal, Motley Crüe was running wild in L.A., and four guys from the mean streets of Chicago united and took the city by storm.

Diamond Rexx was formed in 1985 by founding members Nasti Habits (vocals) and S.S. (guitars). They were solidified with the addition of Andre (bass) and Johnny Cottone (drums).
Four months after their first live show, the band signed a management deal with Pacific Entertainment, who then got the band signed to Island records. They released their debut album, Land of the Damned, in 1986. In 1989, the band signed to the independent Red Light Records, where they released their second album, Rated Rexx, in 1990, followed by the six-song EP Golden Gates in 1992.

The band went on hiatus in the 1990’s, but Nasti and S.S. came back with a new line up in 2001 and recorded the Rexx Erected album released on the Diamond Recording label. In 2002 they released The Evil on Crash Music. In 2006, The band then went dormant and remained quiet over the next few years. In 2009, the original line-up of Nasti/S.S./Andre/Cottone reunited to once again do some live shows.

While doing some spot tour dates, Nasti and S.S. continued to work on new material, which eventually led the four original members back to the studio to record and release the single “Dead” in 2016. The band celebrated the single with a sold out XXX Reunion show in Chicago, where they played their entire debut Land of the Damned album. Shortly after that performance, the band opened for Ratt at another packed venue in ChiTown.

Diamond Rexx got back in the studio in 2019 to record their new album, Psych Ward. This is the first time that the original line up of Nasti, S.S., Andre, and Cottone have recorded together since their debut. The band was actually rehearsing to go into the studio to cut another demo and realized it was way too long since they had released a full length album, plus their fans were anxious and demanding more. After a long night of rehearsing, while in a room full of band members, roadies, and empty Heineken bottles, which all seemed to be babbling senselessly, Nasti turned to S.S. and said, “This is it… It’s like a f’n Psych Ward.” Thus, the concept for the new album was born.

If there is anything these ChiTown Glamsters hope to leave with their fans, it can be summed up quite simply. Nasti says, “If we can make people forget about their problems and just escape life for a while, then we’ve accomplished what our music is all about.”