26 Facts About Mike Ness

Michael James Ness was born on April 3,1962 and is an American musician who is the lead guitarist, lead vocalist and songwriter for the punk rock band Social Distortion, which was formed in 1978.

Mike Ness has released two solo albums, Cheating at Solitaire and Under the Influences.

Mike Ness was born in Stoneham, Massachusetts on April 3,1962.

Mike Ness's family relocated to Orange County, California, later that year, and he grew up in Fullerton.

Mike Ness later recruited his high school friend Dennis Danell into the band in 1979, and Ness dropped out of high school at age 17 to focus on his music career.

Mike Ness was featured in the independent film Another State of Mind, which chronicled Social Distortion's first cross-country tour with Youth Brigade.

Mike Ness performed in the band Easter from 1986 until 1988 and appeared in the music video for the songs "Slipping Away" and "Lights Out".

The band left Epic Records after White Light, White Heat, White Trash and Mike Ness formed Time Bomb Recordings, releasing Mainliner: Wreckage From the Past, a re-issue of the long out of print Mommy's Little Monster, along with a re-issue of their second album Prison Bound, and Live at the Roxy.

In 1999, Mike Ness released his first solo album, Cheating at Solitaire.

Mike Ness continued in this vein, releasing a compilation of country covers entitled Under the Influences that same year.

Mike Ness toured extensively in the US in support of these albums, backed by the 2006 partial incarnation of Social Distortion: ex-Plugz and Bob Dylan drummer Charlie Quintana and Brent Harding.

At an October 2010 concert in New York City Mike Ness dedicated "Don't Take Me For Granted" to Joey Ramone.

In February 2006, Mike Ness broke his wrist while skateboarding in Las Vegas.

Mike Ness dedicated a performance at the Anaheim House of Blues to him shortly after.

Also touring with Mike Ness were Chris Lawrence on Telecaster and pedal steel guitar and Dave Raven on drums.

However, in June 2023, recording was postponed due to Mike Ness being diagnosed with tonsil cancer.

Mike Ness is an avid collector of vintage ephemera such as Hamburglar toys and hot rods, owning a 1954 Chevrolet and a 1936 Ford.

On June 7,2023, Mike Ness announced that he was diagnosed with stage one tonsil cancer and is expected to make a full recovery from surgery.

Early in his career, Mike Ness was seen using Gibson SGs and SG Juniors, most notably a black 1970's SG covered in stickers as seen on the cover of the compilation album Mainliner: Wreckage from the Past.

Mike Ness currently uses four 1970s Gibson Les Paul Deluxes.

Mike Ness uses Eb Standard tuning and usually uses a capo on the second fret while using his goldtops.

Mike Ness has used Seymour Duncan P-90 pickups in all of his guitars since touring with Neil Young in the early 1990s; Ness recalled seeing Young's guitar tech take the stock mini humbucker pickups out of a Les Paul Deluxe, throw them in the trash and replace them with the P-90s.

Mike Ness' goldtops have maple necks which he says contribute to his tone especially when using a capo on the second fret.

Mike Ness once used a non-reverse Gibson Firebird, as seen on the back cover of Social Distortion's 1983 debut Mommy's Little Monster, and a white Gibson Les Paul Custom in the "Ball and Chain" and "Story of My Life" music videos.

Mike Ness uses Fender Bassman amps modified by Fred Taccone of Divided by 13 through Marshall 4x12 slant cabs with Celestion Greenback speakers.

The only effect pedal Mike Ness uses live is an overdrive, previously a Boss SD-1 and currently a Klon Centaur, though he has used various delays in the studio.