Mike would like to do a duet with.... Dolly Parton? Be the next Wayne Newton?

**deadliner** · May 29th, 2008, 02:27 AM

http://www.alrightimwrong.com/2008/0...mike-ness.html

20071203144438

You are one of the few musicians who I can think of that has so seamlessly morphed from one style to another and not only kept all of your original fans but acquired a whole new set of them, how have you been able to do it?

I don’t know technically how I did it, I just have theories. I think that Social Distortion fans always appreciated the fact that Social Distortion was never afraid to evolve and to grow and mature and I think if we were still writing about the same things we were writing about in 1979 it’d be silly - we’d still be singing about Ronald Reagan. That’s one aspect, the other aspect is the honesty of the music and - ya know I still try to deliver the same way I deliver with Social Distortion in terms of a live performance. I put the same effort into this, and even though the songs are different the crowd has been just as enthusiastic and receptive, it’s refreshing minus the testosterone in the pit – you don’t have this guy trying to be king of the pit. Life’s about taking risks man, I took a huge risk when I went and recorded this record 8-9 years ago, leaving the comfort zone, stepping into something else and it worked out for me. It cast a different light on me with journalists; it was a critically acclaimed record, not only Mike Ness founder of Social Distortion, [but for] Mike Ness - American singer songwriter, future storyteller of his generation

What do you think about that new role?

It’s a role that I completely welcome and appreciate. It’s a very flattering role. I take it as a compliment.

You are playing huge festivals like Stagecoach and 1000 seaters still, which sort of venue do you prefer?

My favorite places to play are the 2000-2500 seat theatres and we’ll end up doing a couple of those on this tour. With no record for this the tour it just lets people know I’m still into this and I’m still going to be into this in the future. Some of the venues are places Social Distortion plays.

In certain places, especially California you are more than a musician, you have become an icon but one that seems down to earth, are you or have you gone completely crazy like one might assume someone with your level of fame has gone?

I would say its both, I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy my celebrity status, I do interviews, [I’m a] California icon and this and that and it’s a little hard to understand but at the same time I don’t recoil from it, it actually feels good. I have worked hard for almost thirty years building this image up and working hard to make it everything that it is.

Who are you touring with? Who would you like to be working with in the future?

Jessie Dayton is with me, local Austin, Texas guy I’ve known for years. I would have to say Dolly Parton or George Jones - Merle Haggard, any of them man - it would be awesome. There’s always the next record. I had a list of guest performances [for the last album] and Johnny Cash was one of them and we came so close. I was lucky Brian Setzer and Bruce Springsteen did [guest appearances].

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from the music industry?

I don’t know if I’ve learned anything. I think I had to have a brutal determination to make this work. Sometimes it’s still a very discouraging road. Its instilled a good work ethic in me – never giving up and moving forward.

Here's some more....

http://www.alrightimwrong.com/

Mike Ness said he always looks forward to playing Vegas since it was one of the few places that would regularly give Social Distortion shows back in the day. He also didn’t rule out the idea of becoming the house entertainment sometime in the not too near future.

“I think some day Vegas would be the perfect place for me to be house entertainment, whether its once a month same venue or more. As far as the commercial side of [that happening] I don’t know if they recognize us yet - maybe Wayne Newton has to die first and the new generation has to take over. Vegas is a place people just go to for the hell of it and they get to see bands when they’re there too.”

[img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[ May 29, 2008 07:48 PM: Message edited by: deadliner ]

**scottybro** · May 29th, 2008, 02:47 PM

i can't say that i love the idea of mike and/or social d becoming 'house entertainment' at a vegas casino. when i think of house entertainment in vegas, i think of wayne newtown, sigfried and roy, celine dion, elton john, cher, etc...all are cheesy, mainstream, pop figures that are sellouts for the almighty dollar.

i think mike is WAY better than that. hopefully, he was joking.

**Steadfastpunk** · May 29th, 2008, 03:15 PM

nice find.

**scottybro** · May 29th, 2008, 04:08 PM

Originally posted by Steadfastpunk:
Dont forget Sinatra, Dino, and Elvis where house acts too.

i didnt forget that, but vegas is nowhere near what it used to be when those icons performed there.

**jen415** · May 29th, 2008, 05:20 PM

Originally posted by SxDx23:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Steadfastpunk:
Dont forget Sinatra, Dino, and Elvis where house acts too.

i didnt forget that, but vegas is nowhere near what it used to be when those icons performed there.<hr /></blockquote>and they were past their prime and cashing in when they became vegas acts

**lpcp11** · May 29th, 2008, 09:47 PM

Originally posted by jen415:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by SxDx23:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Steadfastpunk:
Dont forget Sinatra, Dino, and Elvis where house acts too.

i didnt forget that, but vegas is nowhere near what it used to be when those icons performed there.<hr /></blockquote>and they were past their prime and cashing in when they became vegas acts<hr /></blockquote>Wait a minute. Elvis died when he was 42, which is 4 years younger than Mike is now. I for one believe Mike and Social D have some more great years in them. But using the ages listed above wouldn't Mike be past his prime too.

IMO, one str8 month of shows in a certain casino would be cool. I would fly in from OC to see a few of those, as I'm planning to do for the solo show next month at the HOB

[ May 29, 2008 06:52 PM: Message edited by: lpcp11 ]

**jen415** · May 29th, 2008, 09:54 PM

Someone's "prime" has nothing to do with their age.

**Steadfastpunk** · May 29th, 2008, 10:02 PM

I dont know if anyone here has ever gone "on tour" but Im sure Mikes not going to want to do that well into his sixties. Id rather see him retire in a place like the Hard Rock in Vegas playing once a week, than seeing him only playing Christmas HOB shows at disneyland.

**cbojanower** · May 30th, 2008, 01:58 AM

About 4 years ago I was in Vegas and grabbed one of the local major newspapers. There was an article talking about what bands would attract the next generation of people to Vegas once the Wayne Newton's and S&R's (this was right before the tiger mauling) went out of favor.

The writer actually said Social D would be an ideal choice, seemed odd at the time, but as I get older it doesn't seem that odd anymore

**Steadfastpunk** · May 30th, 2008, 03:14 AM

Dont forget Sinatra, Dino, and Elvis where house acts too.

Thread: Mike would like to do a duet with.... Dolly Parton? Be the next Wayne Newton?

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