Chay Vicious (not pronounced “shay”) is a DC-based hard rock band formed by close friends. Though our influences vary widely, we share a passion for creating dynamic, high-energy music. Our latest EP, Donate Your Clothing, captures the chaos, chemistry, and intensity that defines our sound both on stage and in the studio.

Nostalgic for the raw-sounding hard rock records of the 90s that defined our youth, we tracked Donate Your Clothing live in-studio to capture the energy and spirit of our live shows. This approach let us focus on doing what we do best: feeding off each other and letting the unique push and pull of each song guide us through the project. 

From the grunge-laced opening of “Slow Walk” to the in-your-face drumming of “Copperhead” and the infectious hooks of “Cheers to the Governor,” this is our best attempt yet at boiling all our influences down in the same pot and seeing what it tastes like. We hope you enjoy it! 

Our band’s story starts with Alex Capobianco (guitar) and Ben Stern (Bass) demanding that their old college buddy, John (drums), move back to DC so they could start a band. Back then the dream went no further than hoping we might someday convince a bar to let us play a few covers for our friends, but that was before we met Nick DeLibero (guitar). Anyone who’s ever seen him play guitar knows this, but Nick doesn’t play guitar to impress the smattering of friends and family we could convince to come see us at a bar on a Monday night, he plays guitar to conquer the world. And after just one rehearsal with him, he’d converted the rest of the band to that attitude as well. 

The first lineup was complete once we successfully recruited our original singer, CJ Glines, from a karaoke bar in Philly. We released our first EP, The Red Room Sessions (named after our rehearsal space in the famed DC-musician hub 7DrumCity) in November 2023. 

We went through a lineup change: David D’Andrea joined us as lead singer, and with that came our busiest era yet. A whirlwind of gigs, new songs, and recording sessions followed as we solidified our sound, our vision for the band, and the idea that for us, music is the most fun when we take our craft seriously. 

That doesn’t mean we always take ourselves too seriously, however. We are a band that started as a group of musicians who liked to spend time together, and the roots of our creative output will always draw on that friendship. Our hope is that all you Chaybies in the world feel that camaraderie as well, and that no matter who you are, if you love rock music, you know you’re part of the gang.