Social Distortion

Social Distortion
L.A. punk band Social Distortion came in to being when L.A. punk scene inspired Ness formed the group in 1978 with drummer Casey Royer and brothers Frank (bass) and Rikk Agnew (guitar). When the brothers left to join the Adolescents, Ness' schoolmate Dennis Danell joined on bass; the next few years saw a series of line-ups changes. When the group finally recorded its debut album, Mommy's Little Monster in 1983, the band consisted of Ness, Danell (now on guitar), bassist Brent Liles, and drummer Derek O'Brien. Often described as a punk version of the Rolling Stones, and Another State of Mind, the band, however took four years to record a follow-up, since Ness became an addict. Liles and O'Brien left, and Ness, after recovering, finally regrouped in 1988, having John Maurer on bass and Chris Reece on drums. Together, they recorded Prison Bound, possessing rock influences with a country feel.

Their self-titled 1990 effort included a cover of Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire and returned the group to MTV via Ball and Chain. Their most famous album, Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell produced a trivial radio hit in Bad Luck and keeping with their now-established blend of punk, blues, country, and rockabilly.

after a long gap, Social Distortion reappeared on the music scene in 1996 with White Light, White Heat, White Trash, which proved to be a moderate hit on MTV and modern-rock radio; former Black Flag and D.O.A. drummer Chuck Biscuits made his debut on the album, following the departure of Reece. Live at the Roxy followed in 1998, and a year later Ness issued a pair of solo albums, Cheating at Solitaire and the covers collection Under the Influences. 38-years-old Danell died on February 29, 2000 due to a brain aneurysm. In the fall of 2000, Jonny Wickersham signed on as the group's new guitarist, and Charlie Quintana took over on drums from the often busy Biscuits. After extensive touring, the band went back into the studio in 2004 to record Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll.

Considered to be one of the pioneering bands of the original punk rock movement out of Orange County, California and their style closely associated with the Ramones, in the mid-80's there was a notable change in their style of music - taking more from their country music and classic rock and roll roots.

Social Distortion's mostly play rock-oriented, with elements of hardcore punk, psychedelic rock, blues, hard rock, modern rock, grunge and cowpunk. They have never considered themselves a hardcore punk band. Social Distortion are mostly influenced by Johnny Cash, The Clash, Dead Boys, Elvis Presley, KISS, Led Zeppelin, John Lennon, New York Dolls, Queen, Ramones, The Rolling Stones, Sex Pistols and Neil Young.

Most of Social Distortion's songs are written and sung by Mike Ness. Other band members who have co-written Social Distortion songs are Dennis Danell (The Creeps, Indulgence, Like an Outlaw (For You), On My Nerves and I Want What I Want), Jonny Wickersham (Nickels and Dimes, Faithless and Angel's Wings) and John Maurer (Let It Be Me).The band has covered many songs including, Ring Of Fire (June Carter Cash, Merle Kilgore), Backstreet Girl (The Rolling Stones), Under My Thumb (The Rolling Stones), and Death Or Glory (The Clash). Mike Ness individually covered 12 songs in his solo album, Under the Influences in 1999.

Social Distortion have influenced various modern artists such as Alkaline Trio, Domestic Violence, Dropkick Murphys, Goldfinger, Good Charlotte, MxPx, Pearl Jam, Rise Against, The Suicide Machines and Sum 41, as well as many notable California punk bands such as ALL, Big Drill Car, blink-182, Bullets and Octane, Chemical People, face to face, Jawbreaker, No Use for a Name, The Offspring, Pennywise, Rancid and Thrice.

The band face to face honored Social D by covering the song Telling Them and a line in the song Riot Girl by Good Charlotte reads: She likes Minor Threat, She likes Social Distortion.

MxPx also covered a Social Distortion song, Sick Boy, on their 1998 B-sides compilation Let It Happen.Goldfinger singer/guitarist John Feldmann has mentioned that he started playing music when he was 13 after listening to Social Distortion's first album Mommy's Little Monster.[17] He also pays tribute to the band in the song Chris Clayton (from Goldfinger's 1997 album Hang-Ups) with the lyrics When we were kids playing Social D.

The Offspring started in 1984 by founders Bryan Dexter Holland and Greg K. The decision came outside of a Social Distortion concert, when both were refused entry.