I've heard "Ball and Chain" on the radio three days in a row, and I turned it up every time.

np: Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell

All I know from them is the s/t.

I can't listen to it too often, because of the sameness of it all. But when I am in the mood for it, it really hits the spot. And yeah, it's gotta be LOUD.

I guess that sameness is what's kept me from getting Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell, but i guess that my love should push me to get that album someday. It's just one of those that's on the 3rd tier of the "things to buy" list.

Blech

I've only ever had the s/t, but I didn't like it.

i've always had a space in my col' col' heart for white light, but nothing else really

I like these guys too. Remember seeing them in a shithole bar in the early/mid 80s? maybe 30 people in the place and they played for a couple hours, broke several guitar strings, did a crapload of Stones covers, and sold home made t-shirts for $5. I vaguely remember sneaking swings from a bottle of smuggled whiskey in the bathroom and smoking a joint out back, and it's one of my fondest live music memories.

For me, they are a great example of a band that came out of the hardcore scene but were able to evolve and grow musically since they had some actual chops and weren't just bashing things out as fast as possible. I like the way they evolved to incorporate a real rootsy rock 'n' roll vibe without totally getting away from their punk underpinnings.

Some of the lyrics are cheesy as shit, but I still dig 'em. I think I'm gonna go play Prison Bound now. Their cover of Backstreet Girl on there is killer.

I do think Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell was their last really strong album all the way through, but songs like I Was Wrong and a couple tunes off the last one are still solid.


Oh...and I expect a bunch of people to crap all over this band. Don't care.

Like 'em.

Also a big fan of the Mike Ness solo album Cheating at Solitaire

I think we've had this conversation before. I like them and have since I had their poster on the back of my door at age 13.

never liked 'em.

Love them even if they only write one song. Ness is good people.

And, as long as I'm listening to it right now. Yes, it's a cover, but has there ever been a better song written about wanting a girl on the side than Backstreet Girl? Good job to Mick & the Boys.

I generally have no problem with Social Distortion, and have some high school friends who are huge fans of them.
The only animosity I have for them at all comes from a recent $1 tallboy night where some jag off dumped like $10 in the jukebox to play a string of Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, Social Distortion and I believe anti-flag before going into The Smiths and Sonic Youth.

I've heard a lot worse runs on the jukebox.

I used to enjoy going into a corner bar and drop in about 5 bucks and play I Think I Love You 20 times in a row as I was leaving.

I musta missed that one.

All my favorite songs by them seem to be three chords for five minutes. i enjoy them, but i don't know if I would describe them as having "chops"

People do that with Gay Bar or Andrew WK around here, but you can skip those tracks after one play. I'm just getting to be one of those "If you really want to hear all that music while you drink, why don't you stay home with your booze and stereo" people. I really tend to like it now when a bartender is able to play their IPOD mix without interruption.

Compared to many, many hardcore bands...yeah Social Distortion can play. They're not Yes, thank God, but they are not shoddy musicians by any means. Playing fairly simple does not necessarily mean they aren't good musicians. And, I think there's a lot more to some of the guitar parts than you have noticed on many songs.


And, ya know Promo, that all depends on the bartender. One place I go to regularly has 2 bartenders that play music. How crowded the bar gets and how long people stay directly correlates to which bartender is working that night.

I like the democracy of a jukebox as long as you go somewhere the crowd's decent and the box itself is good. My favorite jukebox in town is still in this place that stays open until 3 with a small pool room upstairs with a leftover vinyl jukebox from the 70s that's still full of about 80% old soul 45s and a few Johnny Cash and Hank Williams tunes for variety.

digital jukeboxes should be illegal.

Just because you know lots of fancy chords doesn't mean you have to play them.

I like most of their music, especially the early output, but I dig the later straight ahead rock stuff too.

Love Ball & Chain, but, yeah, what Todd said. It's all samey.

I played this a week or two ago and was pleasantly surprised how much I still enjoyed it...probably my favorite from them

and I liked both of the Ness solo joints

I love them when the owners first get them and are pretty loose with the parameters, so you can download about anything. I hate them when they barely have any choices besides what you would have regularly at any regular bar with an old jukebox a decade ago.

i didn't say anything about fancy chords.

The only one I've ever heard or used was in a cheap bowling alley, and I can't even begin to describe how awful it sounded. (Of course that could just have been the speaker system.)