[spoiler]Initially Demolition 23. was a covers band playing live shows in New York with Monroe and Hening joined by the accomplished session drummer Jimmy Clark. Their shows were notable for guest appearances by music industry friends such as Sebastian Bach and Kory Clarke.

Demolition 23.’s eponymous first album, Demolition 23., was recorded at Power Station Studios in New York City and produced by Little Steven. Monroe’s former Hanoi Rocks bandmate Sami Yaffa played bass guitar on the album and the music was a return to Monroe and Yaffa’s punk roots with tracks such as “Same Shit Different Day”, “Hammersmith Palais” and covers of songs by Johnny Thunders, UK Subs and The Dead Boys. The album was dedicated to the memory of Stiv Bators and released on the Music For Nations label in 1994.

Hening was injured in a road accident in 1994 and after being refused entry to the UK for a tour of Europe was replaced on guitar by Nasty Suicide. With three former members, the touring line-up of Demolition 23. was the closest to a reunion of Hanoi Rocks since that band had split up in 1985. On February 14, 1995, the former Hanoi Rocks guitarist Andy McCoy joined Demolition 23. for three songs at the Tavastia Club in Helsinki. That date, despite the 2001 rebirth of Hanoi Rocks, marks the only time that the four surviving members of the classic Hanoi Rocks line up (Monroe-McCoy-Suicide-Yaffa) have played together since January 1985 at the Europe-A-Go-Go Festival in Helsinki.

In March 1995, Nasty Suicide announced his departure from the band much to the surprise of Michael Monroe who then decided to end the band.