You don’t wait fifteen years to make a record unless life gets in the way. Social Distortion‘s Mike Ness is ready to give us new music!
The band is ready to release their eighth album, Born To Kill, on May 8 via Epitaph Records. It’s their first in 15 years, and the first since Ness battled and beat tonsil cancer.
He told Noise11, “Fifteen years ago we were touring heavily. A lot of real-life stuff started to happen… COVID and cancer and family stuff… but I don’t feel I could have made this record fifteen years ago. I wasn’t in a headspace. So, it is what it is. All I knew is when it came time to make this record, I knew I couldn’t deliver a sleeper.”
Ness added, “There’s two that are left over from the ‘White Light’ demos,” he said, referencing White Light, White Heat, White Trash. “‘No Way Out’ and ‘Don’t Keep Me Hanging On’… they just didn’t get finished in time back then. I had over 40 songs… and we had to spend a couple of months arranging them… It was a very tough decision. We plan to shock everybody and put out another studio album in a timely manner.”
Ness co-produced Born To Kill with Dave Sardy, with contributions from Lucinda Williams and Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The artwork was created by Ness alongside Shepard Fairey.
As for how it stacks up against the past, Ness didn’t hesitate.
“I was kind of using ‘White Light’ as a compass… but I do think that this is a better record. My voice is stronger than it’s ever been. I think I’m singing like there’s no tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, Social Distortion start a 25-date tour August 25 in Phoenix, Arizona.
