By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
October 30, 1992
He’s got a name that sounds like Elliott Ness’ punk cousin and a look that’s half Elvis, half mechanic. Mike Ness is Social Distortion’s singer, songwriter and mouthpiece. The music industry’s indifference almost made the medium-core punk band disappear. But 13 years after its inception, the California group is finally enjoying success, thanks to radio’s acceptance of its latest album, “Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell.”
If Social Distortion’s music was as neatly defined as the musicians’ well-pomaded quiffs, the band probably would have broken through sooner. But Social Distortion is a dichotomy, creating joyous cacophony with guitars while singing about painfully autobiographical subjects (“Born to lose is what they all said/You know I was better off dead”).
The group’s shows are powerful and raw – the kind where fans play pass-the-jerk above their heads all night. After a jaunt with Neil Young, where Distortion outshone co-opener Sonic Youth, Ness and company are back on the road, this time with the Ramones. They play Halloween at the Aragon. Trick or treat.
Distortionists: In addition to Ness, there’s Dennis Danell on guitar, John Maurer on bass and Christopher Reece on drums.
How they met: Danell and Ness went to the same grammar school. In the fifth grade, Danell threw a clump of sod at Ness’ head and made a direct hit. The two hung out, but didn’t play music together until high school. As young punks who played punk rock, the two got beat up regularly by construction workers. “People don’t leave you alone when they realize you’re different,” says Ness, 30. “They have fun making your life miserable.”
Addictions: Ness has been on his own for half his life. At 15, his parents kicked him out when he refused to give up drugs and alcohol. He got started on both at 11. Seven years ago, Ness kicked his heroin addiction. “Drugs gave me a new world that I needed then,” he says. “Getting off (heroin) was one of the most difficult things I’ve done. It becomes such a habit. That’s such a good word to describe what it’s all about – habit. Dennis used to have a hard time with me because he’d have to try to revive me when I OD’d. I think it’s almost worse for the people who care for you to watch you destroy youself than it is for you to live it. You’re too out of it to know any better.”
He got Van Goghed: Ness has an ear for music – well, 1-3/4 ears, actually. During a barroom brawl, someone bit off part of his ear.
Bellyache: The tough guy image is for real. He’s a tattooed love boy, but one of the tattoos few fans get to see is on his belly: It reads “sick boys” – the title of one of the band’s 1990 songs.
I remember . . . “the first time I saw the Ramones play when I was 17 or 18,” says Ness. “My friends and I didn’t have money to get into the club, but we went to the club anyway. I had on a biker jacket, and I walked around to the (back of the club) and (the Ramones) were heading in. I just walked in with them like I was part of the entourage. I got in. It was so cool. Them and the Sex Pistols were it for me back then. They’re both pretty much it for me now.”
