Mike Ness

Mike Ness is a punk rock icon. He rose to fame as a co-founding member and frontman of the influential Orange County punk rock band Social Distortion. His slicked-back hair, tattoos and eyeliner have been emulated by legions of bands and fans. Recently he has branched out to record his solo material, which he describes as “bringing the dirt back to country, and bringing the blues back into the blues.”

“Originally I started it to show people that I could do different things,” Ness said. “I had already brought roots music to punk with Social D, but this was a chance to bring the angst and dirt and attitude that I’ve experienced during 30 years of being in a punk band to roots music. It’s kind of like the flip side of the coin.”

There are several projects in the future for both Social Distortion and the Mike Ness Band. Studio albums for both groups are in the works, and there is talk of another Social Distortion documentary.

“We’ve got studio albums for both projects,” Ness said. “It’s wide open. [I’m taking] the most part of this year off, and then next year it’s time to gear up and get focused, and create. I think it’s gonna be great. The time off always helps me prepare for creating subconsciously.”

Ness’ own fascination with music began at 5 years old, he said.

“I found music as an outlet at an abnormally early age,” he said. “I didn’t start playing an instrument ‘til about 10 or 11, but I listened to it a lot before that.”

Ness described his early home life as dysfunctional and alcoholic. Music was an escape for him, a way that he could move beyond his past and carve out his future. In the late ‘70s, Ness was introduced to punk rock, which became a driving musical influence for him.

“Someone turned me on to a Ramones record, and it was all over,” he said.

Trouble followed Ness throughout his youth. Dirty jobs, drugs, booze and run-ins with the police were just some of the problems.

“When I was 19, I worked at a porno shop,” Ness said. “It was owned by the Mob. I was lucky to make it out of there alive, because I robbed them blind. It was just filthy.”

Several years later he appeared in the 1984 documentary Another State of Mind. In retrospect he described himself as drunk, sad and hurting.



“Part of me looks at that film and wonders who that kid is,” Ness said. “Another part of me looks at it like, ‘wow, that was the beginning of this journey!’ It’s mixed emotions. In a way it’s like looking at your yearbook and going, ‘God, I was a dork!’”

There are many dimensions to Ness. In addition to his musical ambitions, he collects antique memorabilia and restores vintage cars and motorcycles. He has maintained a vegetarian diet for 10 years.

“I’m a collector,” Ness said. “Anything and everything. I collect everything from furniture to toys to clothes, cars, guitars, motorcycles, bicycles. You name it, I’ve got it.”

We live in a disposable society today, and things aren’t made like they used to be, Ness said.

“Your VCR takes a shit, you don’t get it repaired, you throw it in the landfill and buy a new one,” he said. “I appreciate when art and industry were kind of one. You can see that in the lines of an old ‘30s or ‘40s Ford, or an old Gibson guitar, or an old gabardine suit.”

Two of Ness’ favorite items in his collection are his vintage Gibson guitars.

“I write on two pre-war Gibson J-35 acoustic guitars,” he said. “They’re ballad guitars. You pick it up and you wanna create magic. Very rare, very hard to find, very special.

They were made with, back then they were 100-year-old pieces of wood. There’s soul in them.”

Ness expressed distaste for the current political situation, but hope for improvement in the future.

“I think we’re in a very precarious predicament,” he said. “I went to Europe and talked to people. Man, we’re just really looked down upon by decisions we’ve made. I thought a profound statement was, ‘God bless America, and no one else.’ Chris Rock said it, I think.



“My whole thing is as long as we get a Democrat,” he continued. “To me a woman or a black man is definitely an improvement. My thing would be a black woman. Let’s get a black woman in there. She could go in there and say, ‘Oh no you didn’t!’”

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