Social Distortion

Social Distortion (often also known as Social D.) is a punk rock band founded in 1979, in Orange County, California. The band is formed currently by Mike Ness (singer and lead guitar), Jonny Wickersham (rhythm guitar), Brent Harding (bass) and David Hidalgo, Jr. (drums).

The band broke up briefly in 1985, due to leader Ness's drug problems. A year later they returned to the stage and remain active to this day, even after the death of guitarist Dennis Danell, who died in 2000 due to a brain aneurysm. Since its formation, the band has seen constant comings and goings of musicians, although Ness has been the only original member still in the band. The classic line-up of Social Distortion is Ness himself on guitar and vocals, Danell as guitarist, John Maurer as bassist and Chris Reece on drums.

Among his most important hits at the single level are "Prison Bound", "Ball and Chain", "Story of My Life", " I Was Wrong" and "Reach for the Sky" as well as the Johnny Cash cover 'Ring of Fire'.

To date, the Californian band has released seven studio albums, two compilations, one live album and two DVDs. After 29 years of musical career, the band decided to release a Greatest Hits, which was released on June 26, 2007. The band's last album was Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes i>, the seventh in his career and released in 2011.

History

Origins and first breakup

Social Distortion was formed in late 1978 by Mike Ness in Orange County, California. The original lineup included Ness as lead guitarist, Rikk and Frank Agnew as backing guitarists, and Casey Royer on drums. Ness met Dennis Danell in high school and insisted that Danell take bass, even though he had never played. that instrument. When Danell finally joined Social Distortion, Frank, Rikk and Casey left the band to form their own. Ness and Danell remained the only original members of the line-up for the next two decades, as bass and drums suffered. changes practically every year.

The music was initially inspired by well-known punk rock bands of the time, such as the Sex Pistols and Ramones, and rock classics such as The Rolling Stones and Johnny Cash. They began playing with some local Orange County bands such as The Adolescents, China White and Shattered Faith, who would be the emerging leaders of the new Californian hardcore punk movement. Their music was fast, aggressive and energetic.

His first single, Mainliner/Playpen, was released in 1981 through Posh Boy, the label responsible for the release of the early work of several local Orange County bands. A KROQ disc jockey- FM, Rodney Bingenheimer, was responsible for getting a lot of punk rock on Orange County radio in the early 1980s. Additionally, he became a fan of the band including the single "1945" in their 1981 compilation album, in the 1983 Rodney on the ROQ, Blood On The ROQ and in 1989's The Best Of Rodney On The ROQ. Around 1982, the Band at that time consisted of Ness, Danell (then playing guitar), Brent Liles on bass and Derek O'Brien on drums. That year, Social Distortion embarked on their first national tour with Youth Brigade, a trip that was immortalized with the rockumentary Another State of Mind.

After returning from tour, Social Distortion (SD) records their first studio album, Mommy's Little Monster. It was released in early 1983 through his own record label, 13th Floor Records. Mommy's Little Monster included the song that gave its name to the album and the one that named the previous tour, 'Another State of Mind'. This was the album that "made a name for the band in national punk circles." Ness mentioned on the DVD that they had nowhere to go when the tour ended, so they would sink into the sofa of whoever had it. In 1983, Liles and O'Brien left the band mid-New Year's Day concert and were replaced by John Maurer, who met Ness at school in Fullerton, California, and Christopher Reece on drums. Ness' drug addiction continued through 1984, and in 1985 the band managed to continue amassing success with Another State of Mind, appearing on MTV's punk rarities, and touring California and Arizona. As a result of Ness's drug habits only increasing and his troubles with the law, SD suffered his first breakup in 1985. During that time, Ness was continually in and out of rehab centers and spent some brief stints in jail.

Reappearance and success

The band reunited around 1986, once Ness finished his rehabilitation program. They released their second studio album, Prison Bound, two years later and the last members of SD already participated, John Maurer on bass and Christopher Reece. Although Prison Bound never entered Billboard, the song of the same name was played on KROQ. The musical style of the album had certain changes. While Mommy's Little Monster was an album with a typical punk or hardcore punk sound, Prison Bound was influenced by country rhythms and marked the beginning of what was called more late as "cowpunk". Country legend Johnny Cash and The Rolling Stones became notable influences on Social Distortion's music at the time. There are references to them in the songs "Prison Bound" and "On My Nerves", as well as a cover of a Stones song, "Backstreet Girl". In 1990, by the way, Social Distortion would also cover Cash with their legendary "Ring of Fire".

Following the release of Prison Bound, Social Distortion leaves Restless Records and signs with Epic. The band returned to the studio in late summer 1989 with producer Dave Jerden to record their third album, the self-titled Social Distortion. Released in 1990, it was the first album that was not self-financed by the band, and included singles such as "Ball and Chain", "Story of My Life" and the aforementioned Johnny Cash cover "Ring of Fire". It achieved more commercial success than Mommy's Little Monster and Prison Bound combined and has been described as one of the best rock albums of the 1990s, "breaking the difference between rockabilly and the punk of the Ramones.

Their fourth album, Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell, was released in 1992 and featured two of the band's hits, "Bad Luck" and 'When She Begins', with a sound similar to the band's previous works. Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell surpassed the previous albums in terms of popularity and received great attention on American radio thanks to its single 'Bad Luck'. The album had a similar sound to their previous work, self-titled < i>Social Distortion, which was a mix of "punk, blues, country and rockabilly". After being released, drummer Christopher Reece left Social Distortion in 1994 and was replaced by Randy Carr, who toured with SD until his departure in 1995. The band once again suffered a break in their career and did not return until that same year. During the group's hiatus, a compilation album, Mainliner: Wreckage From the Past, was released. Its only new features were the versions of "1945" and "Playpen", as well as a cover of The Rolling Stones, "Under My Thumb".

In June 1994, Social Distortion began working on some demos for their fifth album and in 1995 they returned to the studios to record White Light, White Heat, White Trash. It was released in 1996 and its singles were "I Was Wrong", "When the Angels Sing" and 'Don't Drag Me Down'. The album also included a new version of 'Under My Thumb', a cover by the Stones. Former Danzig drummer Chuck Biscuits joins Social Distortion between the recording and release of the album, appearing in the album credits despite the fact that at that time the session drummer was Deen Castronovo. It was the last work recorded with Dennis Danell before his death.

Death of Danell

Social Distortion left Epic in 1997 and returned to Time Bomb Recordings after eight years and the label founded by SD manager, Jim Guerinot, was in charge of releasing the live Live at the Roxy in 1998. The band disintegrates again and Ness begins his solo adventure, releasing two albums: Cheating at Solitaire and Under the Influences.

Dennis Danell died on February 29, 2000 at his home in Newport Beach after apparently suffering from a brain aneurysm. Mike Ness, leader of the band, thus remained the only original member of Social Distortion and the rumors about The band's final farewell after Danell's tragic death did not take long to appear. However, they found the former U.S. guitarist as a replacement. Bombs, Jonny Wickersham, who interestingly was Danell's guitar technician. Biscuits also joined the casualty list and was replaced by Charlie Quintana. Although Danell's death was very recent, the band began an intense tour of California for three years in a row.

Social Distortion began working on their new album which was to be released in late 2000, but it was not completed. Since 2001, due to the touring schedule, the final release date of the album was postponed numerous times. At the end of 2003, after completing some demos, Social Distortion entered the studios with producer Cameron Webb to complete the album. Finally, Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Rollon September 28, 2004 and was the band's first album with Wickersham and Quintana. A month after the album's release, John Maurer left the band and was replaced by Matt Freeman, Rancid. He remained with SD until the end of 2004, when Brent Harding came in for him.

Recent activity

The band continued to tour between 2005 and 2007. They headlined Australia's Soundwave Festival in February-March 2008 alongside Incubus and The Offspring, but it was canceled only because they had already played there the previous year. They played with various bands such as Versus the World, Tsar, Shooter Jennings, I Hate Kate, Flogging Molly, Nine Black Alps, The Supersuckers, Blackpool Lights, The Lost City Angels, The Street Dogs, The Backyard Babies, The Hangmen, The Eyeliners, Cooper, Mest, Bullets and Octane and The Dead 60's.

In February 2006, Ness injured his wrist while skateboarding and recruited his friend and TSOL guitarist Ron Emory to cover his guitar while he sang songs at concerts. Another fateful news took place on January 18, 2007 when Brent Liles, bassist in Mommy's Little Monster, died after being hit by a truck when he was riding his dirt bike. in Placentia, California.

Social Distortion released their first greatest hits on June 26, 2007, where their most important singles of their career appear, from the first Mommy's Little Monster to the latest work Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll. They also included an unreleased song, "Far Behind" and they re-recorded 6 of their classic songs.

In December 2006 it was announced that the band was returning to the studio to work on their seventh studio album. According to an interview Ness gave in July 2008, the album is expected to be released in 2009. Some new songs that will appear on the album were played in various live shows. Among them are 'I Won't Run No More', 'A Diamond in the Rough', 'Road Zombie', 'Private Hell' 34;, "Bakersfield" and 'Can't Take it With You'. The new work will be the first without bassist John Maurer since he entered in 1983 after the recording of Mommy's Little Monster.

At the same time, Ness assured that the band is planning to make an acoustic album that would be released in 2010. He also has in mind to release a new album within his solo career, but the only doubt he has is whether to do it before or after the seventh Social Distortion album or the acoustic album.

On April 23, 2009 the band announced the departure of drummer Charlie Quintana, who was replaced by Atom Willard, former drummer of The Offspring.

At a show in Poughkeepsie, New York on July 27, 2010, singer Mike Ness revealed that the new Social Distortion album will be called Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes and also promised a release date of November. However the album was finally released on January 18, 2011 through Epitaph. The album's first single, 'Machine Gun Blues', was released on November 16, 2010.

Members

Timeline

Discography

Albums

• Mommy's Little Monster (1983)
• Prison Bound (1988)
• Social Distortion (1990)
• Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell (1992)
• White Light, White Heat, White Trash (1996)
• Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll (2004)
• Greatest Hits (2007)
• Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes (2011)

Compilations and live recordings

• Mainliner: Wreckage From the Past (1995)
• Live at the Roxy (1998)