Social Distortion - S&D C/D

The first Mike Ness solo album has its moments too.

Also, hats off to guitarist Dennis Danell, who was friends with Mike since school and formed the band with him, stuck with the band as well through thick and thin...and then was walking in his driveway Leap Year Day 2000 and fell over dead due to a brain aneurysm. Left behind a family, one of the truly tragic rock and roll deaths.

From behind the Orange Curtain!

There's certainly something lame about them, but I don't think I'd ever call them cowpunk wannabes (that's Ch3 you're thinking of). Mommy's Little Monster is still great, but the rest of their stuff is pretty meh!

Best albums are 'Mommy's Little Monster' and 'White Light...' though each have a bit of filler. The self-titled probably ranks next, as it's pretty solid, and the other stuff I'd say is more for fans--yes, yes, their "Making Believe" does smoke (I was sad the other day when I learned it--the best song on the album!--was a cover).

I love the fact they can make simple songs so powerful--check "Let It Be Me", all two chords of it (esp the 'Live At The Roxy' version). I dislike their general same-y-ness, especially in the lead guitar stuff, and the fact that they are prone to pad their LPs with subpar stuff.

Ness' solo LPs are good fun, too. I haven't listened to the second--all-covers--one, but the first has some great originals and great covers (however cliche--"You Win Again", "Don't Think Twice").

PS:

The first two major label LPs you seek I frequently find as cheap-ass "midlines"--look for 'em.

Search: the Another State Of Mind movie, which is one of the best touring/road movies ever.

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Music/01/24/obit.liles.ap/index.html

Listening to the new one now, "Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes." More of the former, less of the latter though I guess that depends on what whiskey you drink. Sometimes it sounds like something the Black Crowes coulda done a decade ago... lotsa good riffs and Mike Ness' patented nasal twang. Does 'em justice, for sure.

Yo is it true some MAGA chud got sonned by Mike Ness in a concert beef?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgSeKpMYdHM

https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2018/08/15/social-distortion-mike-ness-beating/

haha awesome

<3

from my FB feed

Awwwwww, I saw Mike Ness punch a Nazi skin in 1985. Good to know some things stay the same!

Hildebrand says the singer started badmouthing President Trump and America and the Republican farmer from Galt didn’t like it.

“I stood pretty much with my silent protest with my middle finger up for the next two songs.”

“If he wants to have a talk someday, man to man, I would love that but he would have to not be a child about it.”

sorry was the second quote from Ness or...

lol I saw that this had happened but the Trump angle was not originally reported

anyway this band is terrible

I like the stuff they did before the first break up in the mid 80s OK enough

Omar the second quote was from the guy he hit

Btw i am happy this happened

yeah I mean I fully support right wingers being punched at punk shows even if the band sucks

I never listen to this band, but they are not terrible. I'd compromise on mediocre. Too many good songs. White Light, White Heat, White Trash might be the hottest mixed album I've ever heard.

LA Prison Bound is dope

i knew that, it's just another example of a MAGA redpill chud acting like a middle schooler and then pretending they're the adult in the room

Story of My Life is one of those songs i still hear all the time around here.

but the Social D ethos are bad overall, aesthetically terrible. though probably more influential than acknowledge, Guy Fieri is a descendant of their weird so-call punk rockabilly flame bowling shirt thing

i think unfortunately a lot of people think of them when they think of socal so-called punk

well they were huge in the 83-85 era, 1st LP is a total classic of the genre although in hindsight u can see they were really just a regular rock band

I dunno. I saw the band's infamous 1992 CBGB show that they simulcast in Times Square and they were on fire. Mommy's Little Monster is pretty great too. They've been hit or miss since and might be guilty of inspiring some terrible bands, I will concede.

I haven't listened to Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell in decades, but I just looked through the tracklisting and still remember large swaths of it fondly. I don't really know them outside of that album, but I bought it on the same day I finally picked up Nevermind. Ball and Chain was way too overplayed on my local alt rock station for many years until I couldn't stand them anymore.

Yeah, it's not like Mike Ness is some Johnny come lately poseur, he's a lifer. Even if, like a lot of bands from that era, in retrospect SD is just a regular rock band

Ok, "large swaths" is an exaggeration. Maybe half of it.

shoulda put "regular rock band" in quotes, was not intended as a dis

Social D ethos are bad overall, aesthetically terrible

I wanna make a George Thorogood comparison here for some reason

just this kinda embarassingly dumb thing distilled down to its bare essence

Board descript

2 1/2 points, all in response to Οὖτις:

1) Social Distortion are a good-to-very good rock band. As I said way upthread, I saw them live 3 times in their major label heyday - once in an arena opening for Neil Young & Crazy Horse and Sonic Youth, once headlining a large-ish club, and once headlining at Maxwell's (a tiny bar in Hoboken, NJ). The large headlining show was genuinely great. Tons of energy, big hooky songs that fill the room, solid stage presence...

2) George Thorogood is a lot smarter than you're giving him credit for being. I interviewed him about 10 years ago and saw him live a few years after that; he knows what his role in the universe is and he puts on a hell of a show even at 60+.

2.5) Re Guy Fieri:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK6zuii2OLI

he knows what his role in the universe is

I think SD does too and I think their roles are similar, is all I was saying

that I don't enjoy either of their aesthetics is kind of beside the point

that is a good story btw, I've seen you link it before

LA Prison Bound is dope

Wish the title track had become as much of a legacy song for them as Ball and Chain, Story of My Life, and Ring of Fire.

1) i LIKE triple D & fieri, but the whole so-cal smashmouth shirt thing is the worst fashion ever
2) george thorogood is dope, he's not that far from like dr. feelgood if he was english and associated w/punk he would be a cult figure

here's mike ness talking about his background in music and sound for an hour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=044h_SAWnpU

I've never seen the early '90s videos, it's weird seeing punk heartthrob (such pouty lips!) Ness - in my mind's eye he transformed from looking like he was 16 in Another State of Mind to immediately being 65 after the couple of lost years in the early '80s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrIJyL9ZnPs

wrong video, no throbbing there
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh8zcbC_Dcw

Rotten news:

Today, legendary OC punks Social Distortion announce that they have postponed their upcoming North American headlining tour due to the stage-one tonsil cancer diagnosis of vocalist Mike Ness. As he recovers from a recent surgery, the band is also temporarily halting the recording process of their eighth studio album. The previously announced tour, set to kick off on June 30th with support from fellow California rockers The Bellrays, is now being rescheduled for future dates. Check out the emotional statement from Ness below:
“We think that life is going to go according to our plan, but it has a way of saying “I don’t think so!”
In the midst of pre-production, I was diagnosed with stage one tonsil cancer. I was feeling well enough to continue with recording in the studio up until the very day before surgery. The band and I were so inspired and excited to lay down these tracks, which by the way sound f-ing AWESOME!
The recovery from surgery is a day-by-day process and in three weeks we start radiation and that should be the last therapy I need. The team of doctors are certain that once finished with this course, I will be able to start the healing and recovery process. We expect a full recovery enabling me to live a long and productive life.
It breaks my heart to post pone tours, and this album release, but time is required to heal. I can’t thank our loyal fans enough who have been waiting so patiently for this. While it will take a little longer-I promise you that it will be delivered and it will exceed your expectations.
I want you all to know that this has opened my eyes to a whole new struggle. I know it’s one that many of you or your loved ones have personally endured, and my heart goes out to you-because I now know what it’s like from this heavy experience.
I’m surrounded by love and support from my friends and family ESPECIALLY my lovely wife and incredible boys (oh and don’t forget my 3 dogs and kitty) THANK YOU ALL in advance to our unbelievable fans for YOUR love and support right now. ♥️
We WILL get through this….”

Thanks for this Ned, sad indeed but hope for the best.