Singer and guitarist Mike Ness, of Fullerton, California, founded the American punk band, Social Distortion in 1978.  His original lineup consisted of him on vocals, Rikk and Frank Agnew on guitars, and Casey Royer on drums.  Later, Dennis Danell joined as their bassist, at which the other three left and Danell became the guitarist.

Social Distortion

We like to take our time between records and play the songs at our live shows for a few years so audiences know the songs before we record them

The Early Years

Singer and guitarist Mike Ness, of Fullerton, California, founded the American punk band, Social Distortion in 1978.  His original lineup consisted of him on vocals, Rikk and Frank Agnew on guitars, and Casey Royer on drums.  Later, Dennis Danell joined as their bassist, at which the other three left and Danell became the guitarist.  

They released their first single, Mainliner/Playpen, in 1981 on the Posh Boy label.  Orange County radio disc jockey, Rodney Bingenheimer, who championed the area's punk scene at that time, liked their single and gave it ample radio play, giving them the exposure they needed to build a fan base.  Their next single, 1945, was included on his 1981 compilation punk album.  In 1982, Social Distortion, now composed of Ness, Danell, Brent Liles, and Derek O'Brien, embarked on a national tour with punk group, Youth Brigade.  

Broader Exposure

Upon return from their tour, Social Distortion released their debut album, Mommy's Little Monster, which included the single, Another State of Mind.  They had introduced the single on their tour, and it became their signature hit.  Critics were impressed with Mommy's Little Monster, but the album was not a commercial success.  The band toured following the album's release, which was seriously hampered by Ness's constant use of and dependency on heroin.  Liles and O'Brien left the band and they went on hiatus in 1985.

Ness finished drug rehab in 1986, and the band reunited, with John Maurer and Christopher Reece replacing Liles and O'Brien.  In 1988, they released Prison Bound, which was largely ignored by the public.  Social Distortion signed with Epic in 1989, and released Social Distortion in 1990 and Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell in 1992.  With the support of Epic, these albums both certified gold and made a name for the band.  The band would release two more albums in 2002 and 2004, but these two releases would be their greatest successes.

Tragedy and Aftermath

In 2000, Danell died of a brain aneurism.  He was replaced by Johnny Wickersham, formerly of Youth Brigade.  For the next three years, Social Distortion toured, often to sold-out shows, showcasing new material to be included  on their next album.  Sex, Love, and Rock & Roll was released in 2004.  

Social Distortion has continued to tour since 2004, performing with bands like Flogging Molly, Nine Inch nails, and Versus the World.  Greatest Hits was released in 2007, with a bonus track available through iTunes.  Those who purchased the album  in mp3 format would also get a new single expected to appear on their album due to be released in the summer of 2010.

Did you know . . .

1. When Ness recruited Danell, originally to play bass, Danell had never played a musical instrument.

2. The band, Green Day, offered a cover of Another State of Mind as a free download to those who pre-ordered their 2009 album, 21^st Century Breakdown.

3. Social Distortion adopted a style  known as “cowpunk,” which appeared first on Prison Bound, combining elements of country music with punk style.

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