This fall,
Craft Recordings will reissue three titles from
Social Distortion’s independent catalog on vinyl. Set for a
September 27th release, the LPs include the band’s
1983 debut,
Mommy’s Little Monster, their
2004 studio album,
Sex, Love and Rock ‘n’ Roll, and
1995's
Mainliner (Wreckage From the Past), which compiles early singles and rare B-sides. Celebrating their
40th anniversary this year, the enduring So-Cal punk icons just kicked off their
extensive, two-month North American tour with Flogging Molly yesterday (8/13) in Dallas (full tour itinerary below).
Social Distortion formed in Orange County, CA, with front man Mike Ness and guitarist Dennis Danell at the helm. With their distinctive blend of punk and primitive rock ‘n’ roll, the four-piece (whose bassists and drummers would fluctuate over those years) found equal influences in bands like the Sex Pistols, the Ramones, and the Clash as well as the early country music of Hank Williams and the classic blues of artists like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and Lightnin’ Hopkins. Their 1983 debut, Mommy’s Little Monster was released on the band’s own label,13th Floor Records. Full of raw vocals, powerful guitar-driven hooks, and plenty of attitude, the seminal album gained Social Distortion a national following and went on to inspire the likes of the Offspring, Rancid and many other well-known artists. Standout tracks include “The Creeps (I Just Wanna Give You)” and “Another State of Mind.”
The next two decades would bring the band continued lineup changes, a rehab stint for Ness—who has maintained his sobriety since 1985—a major label deal, some of their highest-charting singles (“I Was Wrong” and “Bad Luck”), and two Gold records (for 1990’s Social Distortion and 1992’s Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell). In the late ‘90s, the band returned to their indie roots and signed to Time Bomb Recordings.
2004’s much-anticipated Sex, Love and Rock ‘n’ Roll marked the group’s first studio album in eight years, following 1996’s White Light, White Heat, White Trash and two solo records from Ness. The band had also taken time to refocus after the sudden death of founding member Dennis Danell at just 38. Sex, Love and Rock ‘n’ Roll found a grieving Ness looking inward, but it also produced some of the band’s most acclaimed material. AllMusic called it “Potent, hard-hitting rock & roll with real heart and soul behind it.” Adding that Social Distortion had “Held onto what made them great while growing and changing in the best ways, and the result is one of the best albums this band has made to date.” Highlights include the opening track, “Reach for the Sky,” which became one of the band’s biggest hits, as well as the introspective "Live Before You Die," and the hopeful "Don't Take Me For Granted," written for Danell. Sex, Love and Rock ‘n’ Roll also featured a new guitarist, Jonny “Two Bags” Wickersham, who remains with Social Distortion today.
The final reissue, Mainliner: Wreckage From the Past, offers Social Distortion’s earliest singles and B-sides from 1981, the majority of which never appeared on any of the band’s full-length albums. Released in 1995, the compilation gives fans a peek into the group’s creative development, when they were still teenagers, with fan favorites like “1945,” “All the Answers,” and “Moral Threat,” plus a cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Under My Thumb.”
With a current lineup of Mike Ness on vocals, guitarist Jonny “Two Bags” Wickersham,bassist Brent Harding, and Dave Hidalgo Jr. on drums, Social Distortion shows no sign of slowing down. With seven studio albums under their belt, the punk godfathers’ searing guitars and locomotive rhythm section sound as alive today as they did in the early ‘80s, as do Ness’ hard-luck tales of love, loss, and lessons learned. As Craft continues to celebrate the band’s immense 40-year (to date) legacy, stay tuned for more announcements coming soon.
Track Listings:
Mommy’s Little Monster
A1. The Creeps
A2. Another State of Mind
A3. It Wasn't A Pretty Picture
A4. Telling Them
B1. Hour Of Darkness
B2. Mommy's Little Monster
B3. Anti-Fashion
B4. All The Answers
B5. Moral Threat
Sex, Love And Rock ‘N’ Roll
A1. Reach For The Sky
A2. Highway 101
A3. Don't Take Me For Granted
A4. Footprints On My Ceiling
A5. Nickels And Dimes
B1. I Wasn't Born To Follow
B2. Winner And Losers
B3. Faithless
B4. Live Before You Die
B5. Angel's Wings
Mainliner (Wreckage From The Past)
A1. 1945 - Posh Boy Version
A2. Playpen - Posh Boy Version
A3. Mainliner
A4. Moral Threat
A5. All The Answers
B1. Justice For All
B2. Under My Thumb
B3. 1945 - 13th Floor Version
B4. Playpen - 13th Floor Version
B5. Mass Hysteria
2019 Tour Dates
Tues, August 13: Dallas, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Wed, August 14: Houston, TX @ Revention Music Center
Fri, August 16: Orlando, FL @ Orlando Amphitheater
Sat, August 17: Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy
Sun, August 18: Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater
Tue, August 20: Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
Wed, August 21: Baltimore, MD @ MECU Pavilion
Fri, August 23: Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
Sat, August 24: Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia
Sun, August 25: New York, NY @ The Rooftop at Pier 17
Tue, August 27: Buffalo, NY @ Canalside
Wed, August 28: Boston, MA @ Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion
Fri, August 30: Westbrook, ME @ Maine Savings Pavilion at Rock Row
Sat, August 31: Asbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony Summer Stage
Sun, September 1: Lancaster, PA @ Freedom Hall
Tue, September 3: Toronto, Canada @ RBC Echo Beach
Wed, September 4: Cleveland, OH @ Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
Fri, September 6: Detroit, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
Sat, September 7: Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
Sun, September 8: Minneapolis, MN @ The Armory
Tue, September 10: Des Moines, IA @ Water Works Park
Wed, September 11: Council Bluffs, IA @ Harrah’s Stir Cove
Fri, September 13: Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
Sat, September 14: Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
Tue, September 17: Bonner, MT @ KettleHouse Amphitheater
Wed, September 18: Nampa, ID @ Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater
Fri, September 20: Portland, OR @ Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Sat, September 21: Seattle, WA @ WaMu Theater
Sun, September 22: Eugene, OR @ Cuthbert Amphitheater
Tue, September 24: Sacramento, CA @ Papa Murphy's Park
Thu, September 26: Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre At UC Berkeley
Fri, September 27: Paso Robles, CA @ Vina Robles Amphitheatre
Sat, September 28: Las Vegas, NV @ Downtown Las Vegas Events Center - DLVEC
Sun, September 29: Mesa, AZ @ Mesa Amphitheatre
Flying Colors and Music Theory Recordings / Mascot Label Group announce global release of new studio album 'Third Degree' on October 4, 2019
BAND WILL TOUR IN SUPPORT OF UPCOMING RELEASE WITH
APPEARANCES PLANNED IN BOTH THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE
New York, NY --- Music Theory Recordings / Mascot Label Group and Flying Colors have announced the global release of the band’s third studio album THIRD DEGREE on October 4. The band’s self-titled debut launched a career that has had fans across The World anticipating the magic that emanates from the studio each and every time the five members reconvene. That title was released on March 26, 2012 and was celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic with a Top Ten debut on the Billboard Hard Rock chart, alongside an entry at #11 on the BBC’s Rock Album chart. SECOND NATURE followed in September, 2014 and was celebrated worldwide. Third Degree will be available as a CD Digipack, limited edition 2LP 180 gram blue vinyl in a gatefold sleeve (w/ download card), a 2LP 180 gram black vinyl in a gatefold sleeve (w/ download card), and a limited edition box set featuring CD, 40 page photobook, two coasters, and a bonus disc with six tracks.
In chemistry, when certain galvanizing elements come together, they become quite explosive. In music, when certain galvanizing artists come together, they become Flying Colors. In fact, whenever the five gentlemen who encompass Flying Colors — guitarist Steve Morse (Deep Purple, Dixie Dregs, ex-Kansas), drummer Mike Portnoy (Winery Dogs, ex-Dream Theater, Transatlantic), keyboardist/vocalist Neal Morse (Transatlantic, ex-Spock’s Beard, and a prolific solo artist in his own right), bassist Dave LaRue (Dixie Dregs, ex-Joe Satriani), and powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Casey McPherson (Alpha Rev, The Sea Within) — are able to conjoin their collective talents, the result is a sweet sonic bouillabaisse that reflects where their inherent mastery of melody intersects with top-shelf progressive musicianship.
And now, Flying Colors soar to even loftier heights with Third Degree, their third studio album in a decade. Third Degreebuilds upon the genre-bending momentum of 2012’s self-titled Flying Colorsand the aural-template ascension of 2014’s Second Nature. From the skittery psychedelic/classical turnaround of the lead single “More” to the Beach Boys-meet-Asia vibe of “Love Letter” to the deep emotionality of the album-ending, prog-leaning epic “Crawl,” the nine tracks that comprise Third Degreesignify just how much Flying Colors are willing to explore new frontiers. “There’s a lot of ear candy sprinkled throughout every song,” observes Mike Portnoy, “and each one takes you on a little journey. As albums go, Third Degreeis a complete piece that I don’t think ever overstays its welcome. I think it’s an enjoyable ride from start to finish.”
Third Degree continues to build upon the deep-rooted musical connection the members of Flying Colors established on their first two boundary-stretching albums. “There’s a real special chemistry between the five of us,” Portnoy confirms. “We keep getting better and better as we get more comfortable and more familiar with each other, and the music itself keeps getting more and more mature.” Adds Steve Morse, “This one, dare I say it, explores new ground for the band. One of my favorites, ‘Geronimo,’ has an upbeat, jazzy, heavy, melodic feel all at once. We just do what makes us smile and sounds good, instead of wondering how critics or program directors will like it. It makes for the best music!”
Casey McPherson concurs with his fellow bandmates by noting, “What Third Degreereally proves to me is that we have our own sound. There are no egos in this band, and we all want the best parts to come out, which is such a joy for me to participate in. I think that really allows people’s uniqueness to show through.” In other words, when five individual musical elements become one, good things inevitably happen. Clarifies Portnoy, “When prog guys like Neal and me join instrumental guys like Steve and Dave, with Casey being the glue in the middle, we’re able to write music that is not only incredibly musical, but also incredibly accessible and melodic.”
That said, Third Degreedid not come effortlessly, nor too quickly. “It took time — but that’s the thing with Flying Colors,” Portnoy admits. “It’s very hard to get the five of us in the same room at the same time. But once we do, it flows so easily.” The first sessions for Third Degreetook place at Steve Morse’s studio in Florida in December 2016, wherein seven songs were written. From there, the bandmembers had to scatter back to their other personal and professional obligations, eventually reconvening two full years later in December 2018, when three more tracks were added to the overall Third Degreemix. (The tenth track, “Waiting for the Sun,” will be made available in forthcoming special editions.)
At this point, Portnoy deployed to Neal Morse’s Nashville studio to cut his drum tracks, while Neal and Casey often got together on Skype, as they’ve done in the past, to hone the lyrics. “Casey and Neal bring incredible levels of humanity and emotion to the lyrics,” admires Portnoy. For his part, McPherson marvels at Neal’s harmonic talents: “That’s really Neal’s brilliance — his ability to stylistically approach harmonies in so many different ways. It just blows my mind every time. It’s like Christmas for me whenever I get Neal’s harmony tracks!” Not only that, but the three-part harmonies between Casey, Neal, and Mike — a hallmark of many a Flying Colors track — again shine through on Third Degree. “It’s an important element of what we do,” agrees Portnoy. “Casey is usually the lead vocalist with Neal and me behind him, though we sometimes switch it up. Either way, the three-part vocals are definitelya key part of the Flying Colors sound.”
As a songwriter, McPherson is never afraid to confront his feelings head-on, whether it’s the nostalgic bent of “Last Train Home” or the raw, relatable universality of “You Are Not Alone.” In short, Third Degreeis a very human record to its core. “For me, music is a platform to sort through the things I’m going through, and it gives the listener the opportunity to do that too,” McPherson believes. “I try to be acutely honest, metaphorically, so that other people can find their own story in our songs — like I hope they will with ‘Crawl.’ Sometimes, we have to be reminded that life is about the overall ebb and flow.” Portnoy agrees that “Crawl” is his personal favorite track on the album. “The minute we finished writing it, I knewit was the album closer, hands down. I knew it right there and then,” he emphatically reports. “It’s the one new song of ours I most look forward to playing live.”
To that end, Flying Colors have booked nine live dates on their calendar, mostly split evenly between the U.S. and Europe — in essence, to perform as many shows for their fans as they can possibly fit in between their many other band and touring commitments. “There’s an evolution happening within our sound on this record, and I’m excited to explore that onstage,” McPherson notes. “We’ve seen that evolution start with this record, and we’re going to see it happen even more so on the fourth record, in terms of capturing all our beautiful differences.”
Another progression has been the band’s use of technology to provide industry-leading sound. Third Degreewas engineered with the award-winning Harmonic Phrase Analysis and Restoration (HPAR) technology. Developed by the band’s resident mad scientist, Bill Evans (also rumored to have approached the fantastic five about forming the band), he created HPAR based on the group’s performance styles — resulting in unprecedented fidelity. Flying Colors regular producer Rich Mouser (The Neal Morse Band, Transatlantic) then crafted a sumptuous mix in his inimitable style.
Portnoy agrees the future of Flying Colors looks quite bright indeed. “Our mission statement when we came together is still the same now,” he affirms. “It’s the same five guys with extremely different musical personalities and backgrounds coming together into a giant melting pot where it all comes out on the other end with music that’s accessible, melodic, deep, and colorful. That’s always been the goal of this band, and so far, I think we’re three for three.”
With Third Degree, Flying Colors continue to fire on all cylinders — and, in the process, they also handily prove the third time’s an unquestionable sonic charm.
The complete track listing features “The Loss Inside,” “More,” “Cadence,” “Guardian,” “Last Train Home,” “Geronimo,” “You Are Not Alone,” “Love Letter,” and “Crawl.”
Flying Colors will make the following appearances in 2019:
8/30 Cross Plains, TN MorseFest 2019
9/05 Ventura, CA Ventura Theater
10/07 New York, NY Sony Hall
10/11 Glenside, PA Keswick Theater
10/17 St. Charles, IL Arcada Theater
12/11 Pratteln, Switzerland Z7
12/12 Cologne, Germany Essigfabrik
12/13 Tilburg, Netherlands 013
12/14 London, England Shepherd’s Bush Empire
