Tune in to AT&T AUDIENCE Network for “Ernie Ball: The Pursuit of Tone ‘Mike Ness’” on Friday, April 22 at 8:00 p.m. PM ET/PT (DIRECTV Ch 239/U-verse Ch 1114).
Watch as renowned guitarist, singer-songwriter and producer Mike Ness sits down for the new documentary series. In the candid interview, Ness touches on a wide range of topics from how he found his “groove” to rebelling through the music of his band, Social Distortion. The interview digs deep into Ness’ songwriting process.
“The pursuit of finding one’s tone can be a long and delicate process; I am lucky to have found mine,” says Ness. “The intimacy and the freedom that playing guitar has provided for me, the voice it’s given to me, is a gift that I don’t take for granted.”
Watch the trailer for AT&T AUDIENCE Network’s “Ernie Ball: The Pursuit of Tone ‘Mike Ness’” (HERE).
As a boy, Mike Ness’ heroes were not athletes or presidents; they were gangsters and guitar players. Johnny Cash, the Rolling Stones, Woody Guthrie and Creedence Clearwater Revival marked Ness’ early years. He was inspired by the roots of American music and his earliest influences were the pioneers of rock and roll; musicians that were scandalous and rebellious.
By the time Ness was a teen he would be playing in Social Distortion. Over the past 30 years, the punk godfathers Social Distortion have all but trademarked their patented mix of punk, bluesy rock n’ roll and outlaw country. Their searing guitars and locomotive rhythm section sounds as alive today as it did in ’82, as do Ness’ hard-luck tales of love, loss and lessons learned. But long before he ever heard the Ramones, the Clash or the Sex Pistols, Ness grew up listening to early rock and roll. With uncompromising intensity, Mike brought a working class spirit to his songs. As he matured as a songwriter and musician, his solo recordings Cheating At Solitaire (1999) and Under The Influences (1999), incorporated the raw power and social relevance that has always marked his music, while embracing many of the defining styles in American rock and roll history. This radical essence would become his calling card but Mike would never lose the love of his roots. The work integrates punk, rockabilly, primitive rock and roll, country and blues while maintaining the energy that typifies Mike Ness.
Ness continues to perform worldwide with Social Distortion. Social Distortion’s latest musical offering, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes (produced for the first time, by Ness himself), debuted at #4 on the Billboard Top 200 and was the highest debut yet for the band. Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes was also #1 Independent Album and #2 Modern Rock/Alternative Album.
