Mike Ness
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mike Ness | ||
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 Mike Ness sings and plays guitar in Social Distortion.
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| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Michael James Ness | |
| Born | April 3, 1962 | |
| Origin | Lynn, Massachusetts, USA | |
| Genre(s) | Punk | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician | |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar | |
| Years active | 1978 to date | |
| Label(s) | Time Bomb Recordings | |
| Associated acts |
Social Distortion |
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Mike Ness (born Michael James Ness) (born April 3, 1962) is a guitarist, vocalist, and chief song writer for the punk rock band Social Distortion. As of Dennis Danell's death in 2000, he is the sole original member of the band.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life and early career with Social Distortion
Ness was born in Stoneham, Massachusetts and raised in Orange County, California. Kicked out of his Uncle's home in Fullerton at the age of fifteen, he dabbled in drugs and petty crime, involving himself in the punk scene and founding Social Distortion in 1978. The band released the Mainliner/Playpen 7" record on Robbie Field's indie label, Posh Boy Records in 1981. The following year, they released the album Mommy's Little Monster (1983) 13th Floor Records which was owned by their manager at the time, Monk Rock.
Ness was featured in the independent film Another State of Mind, which chronicled Social Distortion's first cross-country tour with Youth Brigade. Five years passed before Social Distortion released their next album, 1988's Prison Bound on the heels of Ness's well publicized recovery from drug addiction.
[edit] Major career with Social Distortion
In 1989, Social Distortion signed a deal with Epic Records and released four albums with that label: Social Distortion (1990), Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell (1992) and White Light, White Heat, White Trash (1996).
The band left Epic Records after White Light, White Heat, White Trash (1996) and joined Time Bomb Recordings, releasing Mainliner: Wreckage From the Past (a collection of old recordings and singles that were done in the early '80s) and Live at the Roxy (1998).
In 1999, Ness released his first solo album, Cheating at Solitaire. 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. Solitaire included guest appearances by rock icon Bruce Springsteen, former Stray Cat Brian Setzer and drumming legend Josh Freese as well as members of Royal Crown Revue. Springsteen had touted Social D's Heaven and Hell as his favorite record of the year in a Rolling Stone interview in 1992. Ness continued in this vein, releasing a compilation of country covers entitled Under the Influences that same year. Both albums came out on Time Bomb Recordings. Ness toured extensively in the U.S. in support of these albums, backed partially by the present-day (2006) incarnation of Social Distortion; ex Plugz Charlie Quintana (drums) Brent Harding (upright & electric bass) and Jonny Wickersham (guitar tech). Ness and the band played at Woodstock '99.
[edit] Danell's death
Childhood friend, and founding member of Social Distortion, guitarist Dennis Danell died on February 29, 2000 at 38 years of age due to a ruptured aneurysm. Ness was devastated, stating "I am saddened beyond any possible form of expression. Dennis and I have been friends since boyhood, starting Social Distortion while we were in high school. My deepest regrets to his family."[1] The band went back to work in June of 2000 on the album, Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll. Many of the songs on this new album are dedicated to Danell such as "Don't Take Me For Granted" and "Angel's Wings".
[edit] The Black Hole
Mike Ness' apartment. Commonly refered to because of the fungus growing on the windows always making the room dark. This is famously reffered to in The Adolecents song "Kids Of The Black Hole." This shows the life of all the screw ups and drop outs living in the small apartment.
[edit] Present day
In 2003, Social Distortion recorded a live DVD called Live in Orange County at the House of Blues in Anaheim, California which was released in 2004 along with Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll, both of which were released on Time Bomb Recordings. These efforts marked the first recordings with a line up consisting of Ness on Guitar and vocals, Wickersham replacing Danell on guitar, and Quintana on drums and also consisted of songs co-written by Ness and Wickersham. This is the first time Ness collaborated with another songwriter since 1990's self-titled album, on which he and then bassist John Maurer wrote "Let it be Me". The band's lineup changed twice after Maurer left the band, just a month before the release of Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll. He was replaced by Operation Ivy/Rancid bassist Matt Freeman until early 2005 when current member, Brent Harding, joined as his replacement.
In February 2006, Ness broke his wrist while skateboarding in Las Vegas. Mike continued to perform vocals on the tour while TSOL guitarist Ron Emory filled in on guitar until Mike's wrist healed.
Ness currently lives in Santa Ana, California with his wife Christine Marie, and two sons Johnny and Julian. He is an avid collector of retro ephemera and hot rods, driving a chopped 1954 Chevy leadsled, a 1936 Ford, and a 1960 Chevy Impala. In 2003 he founded Black Kat Kustoms with "long time hot rodder and builder," Don Nemarnik.[2] Black Kat Kustoms is an expression of his love for hot rods, bikes, and counter-culture clothing.
Social Distortion is currently working on their as-yet-untitled seventh album, which is due for release sometime in 2007.
[edit] Discography
Solo:
- Cheating at Solitaire (1999)
- Under the Influences (1999)
Social Distortion:
- Mommy's Little Monster (1983)
- Prison Bound (1988)
- Self-Titled (1990)
- Somewhere Between Heaven And Hell (1992)
- Mainliner: Wreckage From the Past (1995)
- White Light, White Heat, White Trash (1996)
- Live at the Roxy (1998)
- Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll (2004)
- TBA (2007)
For full discography, see Social Distortion discography.
Other Appearances
- Another State of Mind (1982)
- Fresno Smooth
- Live at the Hootenanny, Vol. 1 (2000)
- Live In Orange County (2004)
[edit] References
- ^ "Archived News" SocialDistortion.com. February 29, 2000. Retrieved on July 30, 2006.
- ^ "Bio" BlackKatKustoms.com. Retrieved on July 30, 2006.
