Social Distortion Visit Kevin & Bean, Perform “Machine Gun Blues” And “Ring Of Fire” In Studio R

Social Distortion performing live on the Kevin & Bean Show

Fullerton band Social Distortion boasted some of the founding fathers of the Southern California punk rock movement including the last remaining original member of the band and one of the most infamous: vocalist Mike Ness.

Both starting in the 1970s, KROQ and Social D have ”grown up together” in the Southern California rock scene. It could be said that Social Distortion is a quintessential KROQ band and one that has easily transitioned through KROQ’s different incarnations as we have with Social Distortion’s many musical manifestations.

Social Distortion came by Kevin & Bean this morning, sat down for a quick chat, and performed an amazing live acoustic performance for KROQ listeners and the lucky winners of the Social D Trivia Contest. As you will see, it pays to be a hardcore Social Distortion fan. Even if that means driving out to Fresno.

Social Distortion in Studio K on the Kevin & Bean Show

Social Distortion has been labeled a punk rock band for the thirty-one years since their Orange County inception. They undoubtedly appeal to the punk crowd, but Mike Ness said that the diversity of Social D’s audience is a testament to how they have easily bucked musical labels–even finding a super-fan in a now corporate, former NBA Basketball player. Ness explained:

“The funniest one I remember was recently. We did this corporate show in Orange County and I’m looking out in the crowd at a guy over 50…He’s 50 yards away but he’s standing out because he’s apparently taller than most of the people. Singing all the words. You can’t help but notice him each time you look that way.”

“So, we have to do a meet and greet afterwards and this guy that knows all the words to the song–turns out he’s Bill Walton. The dude was taller than me sitting in a chair.”

“ This guy that knows all the words to the song--turns out he's Bill Walton.
” Mike Ness

“That just shows our diversity. Even back in the day, I didn’t want to be punk rockers only. Back then that was the majority of our crowd. I wanted to reach everybody.”

Ten albums into their career with an eight-year gap between White Light, White Heat, White Trash and Sex, Love, and Rock ‘N Roll and a six-year gap between that album and Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes, Social D has been slowly, but successfully churning out albums in between their crazy tour schedule.

Kevin and Bean pointed out that this process has definitely worked for Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes –the highest charting album in Social Distortion’s career, boasting their biggest first week sales. All California shows sold out except for Fresno, to which Ness quipped, “Apparently times aren’t so hard” and “Anyone that comes to Fresno for a show, that shows willingness.”

Ness assured fans that they won’t have to wait that long again for another album:

“Well, it wasn’t as long as the last gap. The last gap was eight years. You can’t make a record until you stop touring. And we tour a lot and–fortunately–we all have lives outside of the band we have to put energy in. We are going to try to not let that much time go by, because if I let six years go by again, I’m going to be old.”

Aging hasn’t stopped Ness from reinventing how he sees the creative process: Ness took full reins of the album production process for the first time ever with Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes. Ness elaborated: “Yeah, I’ve always kind of been there co-producing, but this is the first time where I was at the helm calling the shots…I think everyone’s happy at the end.”

[Gallery] Social Distortion Performing…

Adamant that Social Distortion is not just a punk rock band, Ness brought soulful female vocalists (much in the same vein as his childhood influences the Rolling Stones and the Black Crowes) onto Hard Times–also another Social D first.

As Kevin and Bean put it, Ness pays homage to his influences “proudly and for all to see.” This includes his riveting performance of Hank Williams‘ country classic “Alone and Forsaken” at their 2010 KROQ Acoustic Christmas performance. Ness explains his admiration of Williams:

“For me, he’s one of the guys who’s really, really shaped me. Just how he holds his notes and sings and just puts his whole heart into it.”

The band played “Machine Gun Blues,” and brought out Bean’s favorite instrument–the accordion.

The band then did an amazing version of  Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire.”

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Mike Ness with the Social D trivia contest winners

After their performance, Mike was standing in the hallway with one of the contest winners who was talking about how huge of a fan his friend was (apparently a tattoo of Social D across your chest makes you an ultra-fan) when Mike told him to call his buddy up for a surprise phone call. The dude lives in New Jersey and was shoveling snow at the time of the call…this is why Mike Ness is awesome.

We also got a chance to catch up with the winners real quick to talk about their experience in Studio R. Needless to say, they were pretty stoked!