Social Distortion is an American rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California and often credited as one of the leading bands of the 1980s hardcore punk explosion in the US.
The band has overcome numerous personnel shifts, the demise of the Los Angeles hardcore scene that spawned them, and the heroin addiction of singer/guitarist Mike Ness to achieve a certain degree of mainstream success. Ness formed the group in 1978 with drummer Casey Royer and brothers Frank (bass) and Rikk Agnew (guitar). When the brothers left to join the Adolescents, Ness’ schoolmate Dennis Danell joined on bass; the next few years saw members come and go.
Social D recorded its debut album, ‘Mommy’s Little Monster’, a significant few years after the band originally formed in 1983. The band then took four years to record a follow-up, as Ness descended into heroin addiction and latched onto a self-destructive streak. Ness finally sorted himself out and regrouped in 1988 with John Maurer on bass and Chris Reece on drums. This lineup recorded ‘Prison Bound’, a mature album broadening Social Distortion’s sound with elements of country added into the rock mix.
Battling through line-up changes and re-inventing his band in between the odd hiatus and downward spiral, Ness has kept Social Distortion very much alive and he’s managed to make history in the music world in the process with legendary songwriting and performances.
