Mike Ness’s music and style has influenced me greatly over the years… I think maybe that Social Distortion was kind of like the missing link I had been searching myself for musically… it was the edge I was needing. I have two of my favorites for you today…
I can’t tell you how many times I have sat around strumming and singing Angel’s Wings over the years…
…
Angel’s Wings – Sex, Love and Rock ‘n’ Roll 2oO4 ♫
Down on the World Again – White Light, White Heat, White Trash 1996 ♫
…
Two songs released eight years apart, from the band’s two consecutive studio albums. Part of that long gap was shaped by the death of longtime guitarist Dennis Danell in 2OoO, a loss that deeply affected the band and delayed their return to the studio.
I also included a cool short interview with Mike Ness from 2o25. After undergoing surgery and treatment for throat cancer, he’s back out on the road doing what he loves. You just can’t stop the guy!
Also they just put out a new album, Born to Kill… in May.
Back around 2oO4, my baby sister met this guy. He was a punk rock skateboarder dude, not my sister’s normal type. His name was Tony. We became good friends. He hung out with guys in bands. On the weekends I would jam with them all. Tony turned me onto this next band, Mike Ness and the boys, aka Social Distortion, or Social D as their fans call them.
I had heard of them. I was familiar with two of their songs and I liked them, but I had no idea the depth of their music, and little did I know they would become my favorite.
Mike Ness is special. He founded the band in 1978 in Fullerton, California, Orange County, just outside of LA. Their early stuff was just raw rebellious punk rock, but they evolved into something unique. They are a mix of punk, country, rock, and blues, almost like a rockabilly type sound, very melodic but gritty. Mike writes great songs, lyrically and musically.
They are still going strong today, just put out a new record. They are true to themselves, the music, the fans. Mike and the boys are all heart. This is what I love about them. I think it’s why I connect like I do.
I have been deeply influenced by them. Tony died in a motorcycle accident a few years after I met him. I’m reminded of him often as I strum and sing their songs.
Here’s two good ones to start you off…
Reach for the Sky — 2oO4, Sex, Love and Rock ’n’ Roll 🎶
Featuring “Again” from Angels & Devils and “Quarter” from Natural Selection 🎵
Hey yall… this is the final fuel post… I hope you’ve enjoy them… next week something super special… probably my favorite band… but today I have these last two for you…
Hey yall… I’m trying to get back in the swing of things… so I’m sticking with Fuel this week… and probably the next one too… then I’ll move on down the road to something super special.
Today I have two more hidden gems for you…
Die Like This… Natural Selection 2oo3 🎶
Won’t Back Down… Natural Selection 2oo3 🎶
Also… “Won’t Back Down” was written by Carl Bell specifically for the 2oo3 superhero movie Daredevil… starring Ben Affleck… most songs on movie soundtracks are borrowed after the fact… not this one… so that’s pretty neat…
Also Fuel songs have ended up all over movie/game culture…
“Won’t Back Down” → Daredevil
“Walk the Sky” → Godzilla (also written specifically)
In my opinion… they’re just so good— so many super songs…
As I’ve been running this series… I’ve also been playing their stuff every day when I practice 🎸 I do that with most artists I post about…
I think it’s because the songs get stuck in my head… and I find myself singing them all day— so I might as well grab my guitar… and give those melodies somewhere to land…
Today… I’ve got two cool ones for you…
🎶 Bittersweet (Sunburn 1998) 🎶 Jesus or a Gun (Sunburn 1998)
I also included an interview with Brett Scallions… turns out… we’ve got something in common— the band Cinderella…
I’ve been a huge fan of theirs for years… they really shaped me back when I was a young teenager… just learning my way…
hope yall enjoy— and thanks for listening… always.
I’m fine in the fire… beside me— a fourth man… So go ahead— turn it up.
“Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt. and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” — Book of Daniel 3:25 (KJV)
When I was a kid… I wore Superman underwear— ’cause he was my hero… 🦸♂️
Then I got older— and found out Superman wears Chuck Norris underwear 😄
But here’s one most people don’t know…
Many of your favorite artists— across every genre—
they’re secretly wearing Elton John underwear.
…
I’ve been a fan of Elton since I first picked up a guitar as a teenager… and over time—I started noticing something…
the greats… they all love him too.
…
I saw an interview with Axl Rose once— they asked what he listens to… no pause— he says “Elton John.”
Then one night… I was watching one of the late night shows… I believe it was Letterman…
Dave Grohl walks out solo with an acoustic guitar…
starts playing “Tiny Dancer”… He gets the audience to sing along…
one of those moments you don’t forget.
And later… I found out Dave Grohl loves him some Elton.
…
So I started paying attention… and it’s everywhere. Across all genres… many have Elton in common.
His music is loved… admired… and listened to by his peers…
Fuel’s no different. Brett and Carl… they feel the same.
…
Elton… bruh… you’re the man! 🙌…
…
So today—
I’ve got two for you.
…
🎵 Innocent Something Like Human — 2oO0
🎵 Daniel (Elton John cover) Something Like Human — 2oO0
…
I love this cover of Daniel… it’s great… and it holds a deep place for me… I sang it on my guitar earlier tonight
But back in 2o12… I was hanging out with my friend Nathan… We were roommates… he was younger than me… like my little brother… so anyway… this song started playing…
Nathan told me how much it meant to him… said it reminded him of his older brother, Daniel… who had passed a few years earlier from a drug overdose…
Well… in 2o14… I lost Nathan… also to drugs…
I knew his brother too…
So now… when I hear this song… I don’t just hear it—
…
I remember them both…
…
Also “Innocent” is one of my all-time favorite songs… I’m not sure what it is about it… but it just gets better and better every time for me… and I love when the drums kick in around the 1-minute mark…
Also I’ve included a bonus interview with Carl & Brett… it’s really cool… I think…
So before Fuel was even Fuel… they moved through a couple early names like… “ReelTooReal”… and “Small the Joy”… before everything finally settled into place.
…
And right at the center of it all—
was Carl Bell.
Lead guitarist… but more than that—the architect.
The one writing the songs… lyrics… music… structure… building the sound from the ground up…
and even producing along the way.
…
Because Fuel… was never just a band…
it was Carl Bell’s vision— brought to life through the voice of Brett Scallions.
…
Today—I’ve got two good ones for you 🎧🔥
🎵 Falls On Me — Natural Selection (2003) 🎵 Sunburn — Sunburn (1998)
…
I’ll be here a while with these guys… hope yall enjoy 🔥
Hemorrhage (In My Hands) 🎵 Leave the Memories Alone
More Fuel… just for you…
I’m gonna be here a while… because… they’re incredible… and there’s just too many great songs… honestly… they’re one of my favorites… top 3 easy…
So here’s a cool recent story…
My uncle… he’s one of a kind… musician… singer… painter… writer… pilot… great cook… tells the best jokes… haha… super funny… just a straight up… Rockstar Renaissance dude…
He’s dealing with a rare form of cancer… and he calls me most every day…
So last time we were talking… music… bands… he asks me— “you know that band DIESEL?”
I said… nah… not ringing a bell…
He goes— “yeah… DIESEL… they sing that song Hemorrhage…”
I said— “Oooo… you mean FUEL bro…”
He pauses… “…yeah… FUEL!” 😂
He said they’re awesome…
I told him— yeah… you’re absolutely right… and started throwing him a few more songs to check out from them…
So… here’s two of them…
🎵 Hemorrhage (In My Hands) 🎵 Leave the Memories Alone
Hope you enjoy…
Also… I’m easing you into them… right now you’re getting milk from the baby’s bottle… later on… you can graduate to the red meat 🍖😋…
Also… Fuel had two different lead singers… over time… Brett Scallions and Toryn Green… Brett was first… Toryn came later… I’m a Brett fan… but Toryn is cool too… hemorrhage is Brett era… leave the memories alone is Toryn…
Heart of Loia `'.,°~ 