Social Distortion - Guide to Social Distortion Music

Social Distortion, or Social D, is a punk rock band from Orange County, California that has been influencing music for nearly three decades. Mike Ness has been the band's frontman since it's inception in 1978, but members have rotated frequently over the years. Still, the band is credited with strengthening several genres of rock- and punk-inspired music.

Social D has had more than a dozen members that have come and gone through their virtual revolving door of talent. The band actually was silenced between 1985 and 1989 when leader Ness had legal troubles and served a stint in drug rehab for a couple of years. Then, in 1989, the band regrouped and was signed by Epic Records. They released their third album, "Social Distortion," in 1990, with a cover of Johnny Cash's famous song, "Ring of Fire."

The band continued to release albums every couple of years with moderate chart success. Critics, however, seemed to revel in the band's ability to socially and musical influence people and their industry peers. In 1995, Social D released a compilation album, "Mainliner: Wreckage From the Past," and did another popular cover of the Rolling Stones' "Under My Thumb."

In 1997, the band left Epic and went back to indie Time Bomb Recordings. Here, they made their first live album and then abruptly went on hiatus. During this time, Ness released two solo albums to moderate success. Currently, the band continues to tour and is rumored to be recording an album set to release in early 2007.