Mike Ness
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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.
Ness was born in Stoneham, Massachusetts and raised in Orange County, California. Kicked out of his parents' home 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 signed a contract with Posh Boy Recrods in 1981, releasing the Mainliner/Playpen 7" record. Then the band moved to 13th Floor Records in 1983 and released the album Mommy's Little Monster (1983).
By this time, Ness's drug addiction and self-destructive behavior had deepened to the point that the band almost broke up. The turmoil was captured on a video, Another State of Mind, which chronicled a cross-country tour. Five years passed before Social Distortion released their next album, 1988's Prison Bound, on TimeBomb Recordings but Ness emerged from the time off, free of his addictions and ready to work.
More Social Distortion albums followed after signing with Epic Records in 1989: the self-titled album (1990), and Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell (1992).
The band left Epic Records after Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell and rejoined TimeBomb Recordings, releasing White Light, White Heat, White Trash (1996), Mainliner: Wreckage From the Past (a collection of old recordings and singles that were done in the early 80's) and Live at the Roxy (1998).
In 1999, Ness released his first solo album, Cheating at Solitaire. Although Social Distortion's music had contained country inflections as far back as Prison Bound, Cheating at Solitaire was an unalloyed expression of Ness's country side. Ness continued in this vein, releasing a compliation of country covers entitled Under the Influences that same year. Both albums came out on TimeBomb Recordings.
In 2004, Social Distortion came back with a live DVD called "Live In Orange County," and then recorded an album titled Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll, which was released on TimeBomb Recordings.
Mike Ness currently lives in Santa Ana, California with his wife Christine Marie, and two sons Johnny and Julian.
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)
Other Appearances