Customer Reviews

Social Distortion

5 star:		(50)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ten years ago, I was in hell or high school to be exact. Being an outcast from the jocks and the cheerleaders, I sought solace in alternative/punk music while everyone else was listening to either hair metal or r&b music which didn't sit well with me. One day I was hanging out at a friend's house and while watching MTV (pre-Carson Daly), out of nowhere the video for Social Distortion's "Ball and Chain" appeared right before my eyes. Within a matter of seconds, I found myself humming along to the song. It was the catchiest song I had ever heard at the time. It is one of those songs that you can never get out of your head to save your life. To this very day, I still find myself humming that song. After hearing the song "Ball and Chain", I immediately bought the album a few days later. Like L7's "Bricks Are Heavy", Social D's self-titled album made an huge impact on me. The band's cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" was incredible from the very second I heard it. I loved Social D's version of the song. The entire album is incredible. All of the songs are catchy as hell and just overall fun to listen to. I love Mike Ness' raspy vocals and searing guitar licks. Other than "Ring of Fire", the rest of the album are originals that chronicled Mike's battles with alcohol & drugs and just life in itself. "Social Distortion" is the other album from the early '90s that still holds up in the sea of [junk] that is passed off as "alternative music".

First of all, I must state that this album is one of the essenetials in your collection, if you wish to truly understand punk rock, and rock n' roll in general. Songs like "Story of My Life" and "Ball and Chain" are the ones that make you think, the ones that procure an emotional reaction. The glimpse you get into Mike Ness's head is true-to-life, not the usual bull$#1+ that a lot of bands exude. Second, this guy from Hobart, WA that wrote a review of this album is clearly ignorant and mis-(or un- , either prefix applies here)informed. While he's surely entitled to his opinion, he should get his facts straight. Social Distortion released their first lp in 1981. They're not some "new" band that just became popular. Also notice that his review was posted in 1998, 8 years after this particular album was released. They've had 2 more studio releases since, not to mention their "Live at The Roxy" album which encompasses songs from 1981 through 1996. Get the facts straight before you start attacking someone's work.

I remember when I was a freshman in college, watching the now-defunct 120 Minutes on MTV, I came across the videos for both "Ball And Chain" and "Story Of My Life". At the time, neither video made an impression on me...

Well, fourteen years later, I came across SD's self-titled CD at the library and decided to borrow it. All I can say is that rockabilly and punk never sounded so good together! The CD is so good I went out and bought a copy of my own! In addition to that, Mike Ness' tales of hard luck and the downtrodden make it even all the more appealing. I especially like their cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring Of Fire". Pretty darn good if you think about it. :)

In any case, this is a CD that I'll be playing for years to come!

This album is really a great one. One of Social D'S all time best. There are so many songs on here that just make you feel good when you hear them.

Mike Ness has a style that is unmatchable, and he puts a lot of heart and soul into his tunes. Songs like Let it be me, Sick Boy, and So Far Away make me feel good on bad days.Ball and Chain is a good one, but I must say as famous as this one got I think there are some others on this album that should have got just as much recognition.

This band has been making tunes for a long time, and they deserve much respect, not to mention that the band members have been through a lot. Social Distortion isn't just a another Punk group. These guys are different. It seems like Punk Rock today is a bunch of sophmoric boys singing and whining. Social Distortion on the other hand are MEN who sing about real life, and what we all go through good and bad. Lots of times when I hear Social D I don't just hear great music, I hear the sounds of a band who understands people today, and the problems and rough spots of our society and living in Urban America.

I saw Social Distortion about a year ago, and I was so impressed to see and hear a punk rock group that I grew up listening to as a boy play in front of me as a man and have all of the power and energy a band could ever desire.They played quite a long set list too.

Social Distortion isn't on MTV AND VH1, and to me thats a good thing because it seperates the true punk rock from the sophmoric cheese punk of today. These guys don't sing about what its like to be rich, and do abnoctious videos were they dance around and try and get you to giggle. Social Distortion appeals to us middle class Americans who work long hours, mis our girlfriends/wives and have ups and downs with the law.They acknowledge that it's OK to not be perfect and we all make bad decisions in our lives.

The self titled album has so many Social D classics. Don't get this one because you heard "Story of my Life" in the movie "Orange County" and you want that song, get it because every song on this CD is a Social D classic. Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire is covered better than any other band could ever hope to, and Mike Ness' love for Johnny Cash is clearly apparent when you hear it. If your a Social D fan I'm sure you've heard this song whether you own this album or not.

Seriously folks this band and this album deserve 6 stars, its really that good. So get this album and some Rum and Coke ,a few good friends and some beers, and crank this one up.

It's a shame you never see these guys on any "Most Important American Artists" lists or even getting much recognition or respect at all. Hell, I don't know if VH-1 has called them yet. It was always my hope that one of their songs would hit in such a tremendous way that they could someday retire as fat, over indulgent rock stars and live off of royalty checks until they finally bit the punk rock bullet. Don't get me wrong, this is a good thing, it beats slaving in a cube hoping your 401K pays off - trust me.

So what makes these guys and this album so great? First it takes a lot of something swinging down below to get up on stage and channel Johnny Cash to a bunch of punk skateboarders in California. Sure we had all heard the Stray Cats' watered down rock-a-billy and it wasn't half bad for commercial radio play, but these kids were used to bands like 7 Seconds and Black Flag. It's hard to explain why Johnny is cool to a pile of kids smacking their heads against any solid surface they can find.

Somehow the styles just seemed a natural fit although its sad to say that Social D's last studio album was more packaged for MTV play while most of their audience had already sold their skateboards and took up the more lucrative career of selling Ecstasy at raves. Secondly Mike Ness was way ahead of the curve on the tattoo bandwagonering that has taken place in our elder years. This album came out years before Dennis Rodman turned himself into an MTV princess and a living freak show (nothing against his uncanny rebounding ability). And not to say that trendsetting is inherently cool, but its hard to argue that Ness' tats weren't the most badass thing many 13 year olds had seen at the time, outside of any Playboys found under dad's mattress.

The greatness of this album smacks you in the face right from the get go when you wake on a summer morning hungover with a black eye, and hits its crescendo in "Ball and Chain" when you stop at the bar at half past noon only to "awake there in the morning or maybe in the county jail." Hard luck and trouble the old country way is what you get throughout your listen, all played as if it had fallen out of the soundtrack to Repo Man. Try the actual Cash cover "Ring of Fire" and you'll be a convert. Go out and tell dad to rip down his Shania Twain posters in the garage and if he asks what the hell you are doing, calmly say, "If it ain't Cash, it ain't country".

So pop this disc in when entertaining some of your more hard living friends and be sure to invite either Jack or Jim to the party. This album will forever remind you of what it meant to be down trodden but loving it. Take a cue from "Story of My Life", "Good times come and good times go / I only wish the good times would last a little longer / And I think about the good times we had and why they had to end." Can I get an amen from the congregation.

Wow, this is such a great album throughout. One bonus is that it's relatively short and there are no wasted, throwaway tracks.

This should be required listening for anyone who's into punk music. Actually, anyone who loves the new Green Day 'American Idiot' CD should be required to listen to SD.

It's shocking that this has held up so well 15+ years later. I just listened to it and swear that musically it could have been put out in 2005. Good punk still sounds good 15 years later.

Plus with the new focus on the late Johnny Cash, you get a kickin' cover of 'Ring of Fire'.

Buy it - it's a total bargain at $7.97 here!

Wow, This has to be included in my ALL TIME top 10 (if not top 5). This album has so many memorable, true songs!! Like others, it has been on regular rotation for years with me!! I just NEVER get sick of hearing these great songs. Mike Ness is one of the greatest and most honest song writers that I have EVER heard!!! This band just gets better over time, unlike many bands!!Mike Ness has the staying power as he writes un-dated music!!! Get this and you will be hooked for life!!!

This is Social D's first album on a major label. And an awesome one, at that. A cleaner, more mature sound since their 80's records. Story of my life, Ball and Chain, Sick boys, She's a knockout... Just to name a few. Great CD.

Having listened to 'punk' for the past 20 years or so, I can say that I've been around long enough to say that there are some bands that just rock. Social Distortion is one of those bands. This is one of those records that, no matter what, can be counted on to rock. Whether you want to call it punk or rockabilly or cowpunk or whatever. These guys are great. Along with the classics Mommy's Little Monster and Prison Bound, this disk stands the test of time. I have this on LP, tape AND CD. And if you ever get the chance, see them live!! I haven't seen them since the early 90's, but what you hear on the CD is what you hear live. And they play forever (hours, well worth the price of admission). This was probably one of their best tours. Stop reading, buy the CD already.

I'm not sure Social D is a punk band per se. Or rockabilly, or alternative, or what. I don't care! This band, led by the great Mike Ness is a freakin' GUITAR ARMY! They bleed raw, stinging, pounding rock. Don't compare. don't analyze, don't look beyond the energy that Social Distortion provides. Buy this CD, play it, you'll love it.