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Social Distortion

Real Name:
Mike Ness, Brent Harding, John Wickersham, Atom Willard
Profile:
The legendary and influential punk/alternative quartet Social Distortion was formed in 1979 in Fullerton, California by frontman Mike Ness and then-guitarist Dennis Danell. The band underwent line-up changes before releasing their first album, Mommy's Little Monster, in 1982. During that year, Social Distortion embarked on their first national tour with fellow punk band Youth Brigade – a trip chronicled in the celebrated punk rockumentary, Another State of Mind.

Social Distortion disappeared for a while before releasing their second album, Prison Bound, in 1988, which would be their first recording with the classic line-up of Ness, Danell and newcomers John Maurer on bass and Christopher Reece on drums. In 1989, the band signed a deal with Epic Records and recorded their highly successful third album, which is self-titled, containing their popular hits "Story of My Life" and "Ball and Chain" as well as the Johnny Cash cover "Ring of Fire".

The band disappeared again after the release of their fourth album, 1992's Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell, and Reece left Social Distortion in 1993. After auditions were held to play drums in the band, former D.O.A./Danzig drummer Chuck Biscuits joined Social Distortion to record their next album, White Light, White Heat, White Trash, in 1996, which would be their last release on Epic Records.

In 1999, while Social Distortion wasn't touring, Ness went solo, releasing two albums, Cheating at Solitaire and Under the Influences, in the same year. Although some of Social Distortion's songs paid homage to country music artists, Cheating at Solitaire was an unalloyed expression of Ness's country influences. His second solo album, Under the Influences, contains country covers.

Before the band could work on their sixth album, Danell passed away on February 29, 2000 in his Newport Beach home after apparently suffering a brain aneurysm, leaving Ness as the only remaining original member of the band. He was replaced by current guitarist Jonny Wickersham. Biscuits also left during that time, and was replaced by Charlie Quintana.

Following Danell's death, Social Distortion continued touring on and their sixth album, now-titled Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll, was released on September 28, 2004. After it was completed, Maurer quit the band and was briefly replaced by Rancid's Matt Freeman. Months later, Freeman was replaced by current bassist Brent Harding, who was also part of Ness' solo tour. In April 2009, Quintana annoucned that he was leaving the band to explore other musical opportunities. He's replaced by Angels & Airwaves drummer Adam "Atom" Willard, formerly of Rocket From the Crypt and The Offspring.

It is rumored that the band has returned to the studio working on a new album that is due out sometime in 2009.
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Discography

Releases:
1945 (Maxi) (4 versions)   13th Floor Records ... 1982
Mommy's Little Monster (Album) (6 versions)   13th Floor Records ... 1983
Prison Bound (Album) (4 versions)   Restless Records ... 1988
Another State Of Mind (7", Single, RE, Cle)   Triple X Records 1989
Ball & Chain (Skeletal Mix) (7", Single, S/Sided)   Not On Label (Social Distortion Self-released) 1990
Ball And Chain (12", Promo, Smplr)   Epic 1990
Ring Of Fire (Single) (2 versions)   Epic 1990
Social Distortion (Album) (7 versions)   Epic ... 1990
Story Of My Life (2 versions)   Epic 1990
Bad Luck (12", Single, Promo)   Epic 1992
Bad Luck / Bye Bye Baby (7", Single)   Epic 1992
Cold Feelings (CD, Single, Promo)   Epic 1992
Cold Feelings / Bad Luck (7", Single, Promo)   Epic 1992
Somewhere Between Heaven And Hell (Album) (4 versions)   Epic 1992
Mainliner (2 versions)   Time Bomb Recordings 1995
Don't Drag My Down (CD, Single, Promo)   550 Music 1996
I Was Wrong (CD, Single, Promo)   550 Music, Epic 1996
I Was Wrong (7", Single, Ltd, Red)   550 Music 1996
When The Angels Sing (EP) (3 versions)   Sony Music Entertainment (Canada) ... 1996
White Light, White Heat, White Trash (Album) (5 versions)   550 Music ... 1996
Live At The Roxy (Album) (3 versions)   Time Bomb Recordings 1998
Story Of My Life (CD, Single, Promo)   Time Bomb Recordings 1998
Sex, Love And Rock 'N' Roll (Album) (4 versions)   Time Bomb Recordings ... 2004
Death Or Glory (CDr, Single, Promo)   Universal Music (Australia) 2005
Greatest Hits (Comp) (2 versions)   Time Bomb Recordings 2007
Appears On:
Toast And Olive. "Friends Of Tomorrow." (2xCD) Ball And Chain Bulletproof Music, Gray Dot Records 1998
1/3 Mensch 1/3 Tier 1/3 Bier (CD, Album) Wenn Sie Beginnt True Rebel Records 2005
Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood (Album) (4 versions) Making Believe Mascot Records (2) 2008
Tracks Appear On:
Hell Comes To Your House (Album, Comp) (3 versions) Lude Boy, Telling Them Bemisbrain Records ... 1981
Rodney On The Roq: Volume 2 (LP, Comp) 1945 Posh Boy 1981
The Future Looks Bright (2 versions) Playpen, Justice For All Posh Boy ... 1981
Someone Got Their Head Kicked In! (LP) Mass Hysteria Better Youth Organization 1982
Posh Hits Vol. 1 (LP) Moral Threat Posh Boy 1983
The Sound Of Hollywood - Du BEAT-e-o (LP, Album) Wasn't A Pretty Pictur... Mystic Records (USA) 1985
The Future Looks Brighter (LP, Smplr, RE) Playpen, Justice For A... Posh Boy 1987
The Best Of Rodney On The ROQ (CD) 1945 Posh Boy 1989
Expand-O CD Tune Up 3 (CD, Promo) Ball & Chain The Album Network 1990
Posh Boy • The Singles Vol. One (4x7", RE, Ltd) Playpen, Mainliner Posh Boy, Posh Boy, Posh Boy, Posh Boy 1990
Theodore: An Alternative Music Sampler (CD, Album, Smplr) Let It Be Me Epic, Columbia 1990
Noises 4 2 Day (Cass, Promo, Smplr) Cold Feelings Sony Music Entertainment (Germany), Sony Music Entertainment (Germany) 1992
Rockin' The Cradle (CD, Maxi, Promo) Cold Feelings Dragnet Records, Dragnet Records, RockHard 1992
Grunt (CD) When The Angels Sing Sony Music Entertainment (Australia) 1996
Rock Sound Volume 3 (CD, Smplr) I Was Wrong Rock Sound 1996
Crossing All Over! - Vol. 5 (CD, Comp) I Was Wrong Gun Records (2), Ariola, BMG 1997
New Voices Vol. 11 (CD, Comp, Car) Untilted Rolling Stone (Germany) 1997
Sounds Of 97 Vol. 4 (CD) Don't Drag Me Down Epic, Musikexpress 1997
Visions Präsentiert Musik Für Die Neunziger Vol. I (CD, Comp) Don't Drag Me Down Visions Magazine 1997
Vivamania Volume 1 (2xCD, Comp) When The Angels Sing Sony Music Entertainment (Germany) 1997
Rock Against Bush, Vol 1 (CD, Comp + DVD-V, Comp) It's The Law Fat Wreck Chords 2004
Music From The Motion Picture Lords Of Dogtown (CD, Promo) Death Or Glory Geffen Records 2005
Unofficial Releases:
Whiskey '82 (7", EP, Unofficial, Blu)   Whitehead Records 1993
Girls Cars And Loud Guitars! (LP, Comp, Unofficial, Ltd)   Hit & Run (2) 1996
More Girls More Cars And Even Louder Guitars (LP, Comp, S/Sided, Ltd, Unofficial)   Hit & Run (2) 1996
Live Heat (LP, Unofficial)   Not On Label (Social Distortion) 1998
Mommy's Little Monster (Album) (2 versions)   Doug Moody Productions 2000
More Girls More Cars And Even Louder Guitars + Bonus! (LP, Comp, Unofficial, Ltd)   Not On Label (Social Distortion) 2000
Live And Demo Recordings (Comp) (2 versions) Under My Thumb, It's A... Pickwick International 2001
White Light, White Heat, White Trash (Album) (5 versions) Dear Lover, Don't Drag... Epic (2) 2002
Sex, Love And Rock 'N' Roll (Album) (2 versions)   Time Bomb Recordings (2) 2004
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YouTube Videos

Mommy's little monster - Social Distortion