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No one can question Mike Ness’ punk rock badge, with his being the sole remaining original member of seminal rockabilly punks Social Distortion and having survived an addiction to heroin. And while some may question the authenticity of Ness’ solo work — which is markedly less “punk” and more straight-ahead country/Americana/acoustic rockabilly — anyone who’s heard his two 1999 solo albums, Cheating at Solitaire and Under the Influences, can’t help being reminded of the brooding-rebel vibe of Johnny Cash. And hearing Ness play live with his super-solid band — which includes of two members of Social D (bassist Brent Harding and guitarist Johnny Wickersham) — only provides further proof that Ness means business, and his solo work isn’t some fly-by-night foray into another genre.
