Mike Ness has still got it. The quintessential Bad-Ass frontman has been steering the Social Distortion ship for three whole decades now, a feat that barely any band can boast. But this Southern California Rockabilly Punk act is still barrelling through the razed rock landscape, powerful as ever.
Even though the band was formed back in ’78, they started out releasing a few singles between ’80 and ’82, and did not formally release their first LP (that’s Long Play for you non-nerds) entitled Mommy’s Little Monster until 1983. And although I had spend the early 90’s rocking out to singles from the eponymously titled release as well as ‘92’s Between Heaven And Hell, I didn’t fully get on board until ‘96’s good-time-swaggering, whiskey-swilling White Light, White Heat, White Trash.
Social D., The Early Days
It’s a testament to the group’s strong songwriting craft and killer runaway train force that I still know every word to every song I heard on the radio from when I was 15, before I even knew who Mike Ness and his nasty demons were. Ball & Chain, Story Of My Life, Bad Luck—I knew them all and I always turned those songs up when they came on the radio.
Demographically I couldn’t have been more different from Mr. Ness. But he’s one of those artists who can distill the human experience to it’s volatile essence. “I write songs for myself, and I hope that other people will like them too,” Ness says. “I think every record you make is showing people what you’ve learned over the past few years. It’s showing people, ‘This is what I know.'” He’s one of those rare story tellers who can take the personal and draw out the universal in it. And yeah Mike, no worries–we like the songs, dude. Love ’em in fact.
” Ball & Chain”: I Can Remember Watching This On 120 Minutes
Take the above gem, for instance. When he begs for some omnipotent power to “take away this ball and chain”, well, gee–I could relate to that simple wish. Budding bad-ass that I was back when that single was released, I was as a matter of principle breaking all the rules suburbia could throw at me. When you’re a kid engaged in a groping, unarticulated but nonetheless passionate quest for a unique and deliberate existence, hearing the likes of Mr. Ness coming across the airwaves, well, that’s the kind of sound that convinces you to stick to your guns.
Quintessential Bad Ass, Mike Ness
And stick to his guns he has, this godfather of sweet, gravelly punk. Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes is the first Social D. album produced by Mr. Ness, and it recalls one of those mornings when you wake up knowing that you had the time of you life the night before, despite your inability to account for the rainbow of bruises along your body, and that bloody lower lip that’s still a bit swollen…
The sun, which you forgot existed until this moment, hits and you drift upwards to consciousness. Behind fluttering lids and a cement wall hangover, you remember something fleeting, something lovely, something bruised and something bloody. Walk into the day, light a smoke, get into your car, and spin this record. Because Mr. Ness has captured the essence of the American Night, as Kerouac liked to put it, yet again.
Woah Now! Chuck Ragan
I’m ready to take a few bruises myself if things get nuts when Social D. kicks off the season at Asbury Park’s own Stone Pony Summer Stage this Saturday, May 14th. Opening the grand afternoon will be Sharks and Chuck Ragan. The Pete let me know that I definitely should get there early for the openers, especially Chuck who has toured with other great acts like The Bouncing Souls in the past.
So don’t be one of those Johnny-Come-Lately’s and miss the opener because you were in the parking lot drinking warm PBR. I mean, there’s hardly any other way to get turned on to great music these days other than seeing it for yourself, right?
And as far as the PBR’s—I hope you’ll respect Mr. Ness and break out the whiskey, ladies and germs. It’s gonna be a hard rockin’, hard drinkin’ evening. And I’m a hard-drinking woman, so don’t let me down, yeah?
XOXO
Ang
