White Light, White Heat, White Trash

White Light, White Heat, White Trash
Studio album by Social Distortion
Released	September 17, 1996 (U.S.)
Recorded	August 1995 – June 1996, Bearsville Studio
Genre	Punk rock
Length	46:33
Label	Epic
Producer	Michael Beinhorn
Social Distortion chronology
Mainliner: Wreckage From the Past (1995) White Light, White Heat, White Trash (1996) Live at the Roxy (1998)

White Light, White Heat, White Trash is the fifth album by American punk rock band, Social Distortion, released on September 17, 1996, by Epic Records. The album was produced by Michael Beinhorn. White Light, White Heat, White Trash is the last Social Distortion studio album to feature guitarist Dennis Danell who died on February 29, 2000, of a cerebral aneurysm at the age of 38.^[1] He did however appear on live album Live at the Roxy in 1998. It is also the band's last release on Epic Records. The album received Social Distortion's highest chart position at the time, entering the Billboard 200 album chart at #27. In the first week of its release, White Light, White Heat, White Trash sold 30,000 copies.^[2] Stylistically, the album is harder and considered a return to their punk roots.

The title of the album is a play on the 1968 Velvet Underground album, White Light/White Heat. The Velvet Underground record is known for being one of the most influential and well-known, and also one of the heaviest, records of its era, just as White Light, White Heat, White Trash for Social Distortion has a harder sound than those albums preceding it.

Music and lyrics

Stylistically, the album signifies a shift back to Social Distortion's hardcore and punk roots.^[3] When this album was released, Social Distortion had been playing for 18 years. In that time, the music went from a hardcore Ramones-sounding punk to a more melodic Elvis/Johnny Cash rockabilly punk sound. With this album, Social Distortion came full circle to a harder sound which some consider their strongest album thus far.^[3] It was named #41 on Kerrang!'s 50 Greatest Punk Albums Ever.^[4] Some old-school fans were upset when the first single, "I Was Wrong", was widely played on the radio as record sales equals selling out to some of the elitists; however, Social Distortion is something of a legend in the punk genre and continues to receive respect and support.^[5]

The lyrics on this album are as socially conscious as most of their previous albums with "Don't Drag Me Down" and "Down Here (w/the Rest Of Us)". There are also reflective songs such as "I Was Wrong", "Crown of Thorns" and "Pleasure Seeker". There are a couple of more personal songs for Ness on the album like "Dear Lover" and "When The Angels Sing" which is said to be a tribute to Ness's grandmother.^[5]

"Don't Drag Me Down" featured on the soundtrack for the 2000 Acclaim computer game Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX.

"I Was Wrong" is a playable song in the 2008 game Rock Band 2.

Cover and liner art

The cover of White Light, White Heat, White Trash features a photograph of a ventriloquist dummy/puppet taken by Leonard Myszynski. On the back cover is another photograph by Myszynski of religious statues. The inner liner is covered with small icons of religious and Americana nature, illustrating the album's fusion of faith and punk rock with a 1950s influence. The iconography includes dice, a 1950s-style automobile in front of a motel, a pin-up girl with angel wings and a halo, a burning cross and a Sacred Heart.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[6]
Rolling Stone	[7]

Reviews for White Light, White Heat, White Trash have generally been favorable. AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine awards the album two-and-a-half stars out of five and claims that "Social Distortion made a conscious attempt to cash in on the alternative 'revolution" of the early '90s.'" For the musical direction, Erlewine states, "Underneath the layers of glossy hard rock production, the band still hold fast to some of their punk roots, but too often they sound like a heavy hard rock band. Of course, that commercial sheen is intentional – it's the only way they could appeal to the legions of post-grunge alternative fans who appeared since Social Distortion released Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell in 1992."^[6]

Track listing

All songs written by Mike Ness unless otherwise noted.

1. "Dear Lover" – 4:43
2. "Don't Drag Me Down" – 3:51
3. "Untitled" – 4:45
4. "I Was Wrong" – 3:58
5. "Through These Eyes" – 3:15
6. "Down on the World Again" – 3:22
7. "When the Angels Sing" – 4:15
8. "Gotta Know the Rules" – 3:28
9. "Crown of Thorns" – 4:15
10. "Pleasure Seeker" – 3:33
11. "Down Here (With the Rest of Us)" – 4:19
12. "Under My Thumb" (Mick Jagger/Keith Richards) – 2:49 *

'*' indicates a hidden track.

Personnel

• Mike Ness – vocals, guitars, art direction, mixing
• Dennis Danell – guitars
• John Maurer – bass guitar
• Eddie Livingston – drums (uncredited session drummer)
• Chuck Biscuits – drums (credited as band member at the time of release, did not play on the album)
• Michael Beinhorn – producer
• Kalynn Campbell – illustrations
• Jolie Clemens – art direction
• Giulio Costanzo – art direction
• George Marino – mastering
• John Travis – engineer, mixing

Chart and singles history

Album chart positions

All chart positions from Billboard magazine (North America).^[8]

Singles chart positions

All chart positions from Billboard magazine (North America).^[9]

Singles information

Singles information gathered from SocialDistortion.com ^[10][11]

Accolades

The information regarding accolades attributed to White Light, White Heat, White Trash is adapted from AcclaimedMusic.net.^[12]

(*) designates unordered lists.

References