As his love of music grew, he began listening to bands such as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Aerosmith, Van Halen, The Who, Cheap Trick, New York Dolls, Queen, and especially Kiss.

Instead, he moved to Los Angeles in 1981 and played in various bands, including Screaming Mimi, Lace Slip, and St. James.

DeVille's audition impressed drummer Rikki Rockett and bassist Bobby Dall, but angered vocalist Bret Michaels.

[citation needed] DeVille co-wrote Poison's debut album with Bret Michaels, Bobby Dall, and Rikki Rockett.

It included the hit song "Nothin' But a Good Time", co-written by DeVille, and Poison's only number 1 single "Every Rose Has Its Thorn".

[5] Leading up to the release of the live album Swallow This Live conflict between Michaels and DeVille culminated in a fistfight backstage at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards after DeVille played the wrong song, playing "Talk Dirty To Me" instead of "Unskinny Bop", and being high and intoxicated during the performance.

[7] Following his departure from Poison, DeVille formed Needle Park, a band that also featured vocalist Spike of The Quireboys, bassist Tommy Henriksen, and drummer James Kottak (later of Scorpions), and recorded "Hey, Good Lookin'" for the soundtrack to the Pauly Shore movie Son in Law.

The Samantha 7 song "I Wanna be Famous" would later be used in the opening of the reality show The Surreal Life: Fame Games, in which DeVille starred.

In 2002, DeVille had a brief cameo appearance as "Lloyd", a member of the airband GFK Groovecart, on the last episode of season 6 of Just Shoot Me!

[9] Vallon is also a musician, and plays drums with The Finz, an American rock band local to Southern California.