Ness was born in Stoneham, Massachusetts and raised in Fullerton in Orange County, California. Kicked out of his parents' home in Fullerton at the age of fifteen, he dabbled in drugs and petty crime, involving himself in the punk scene and founding Social Distortion in 1978. The band signed a contract with Posh Boy Records in 1981, releasing the Mainliner/Playpen 7" record. Then the band moved to 13th Floor Records in 1982 and released the album Mommy's Little Monster (1982).
By this time, Ness's drug addiction and self-destructive behavior had deepened to the point that the band almost broke up. The turmoil was captured on a video, Another State of Mind, which chronicled a cross-country tour. Five years passed before Social Distortion released their next album, 1988's Prison Bound, on Restless Records but Ness emerged from the time off free of his addictions and ready to work.
In 1989, Social Distortion signed a deal with Epic Records and released four albums with that label: the self-titled album (1990), Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell (1992) and White Light, White Heat, White Trash (1996).
The band left Epic Records after White Light, White Heat, White Trash (1996) and joined Time Bomb Recordings, releasing Mainliner: Wreckage From the Past (a collection of old recordings and singles that were done in the early '80s) and Live at the Roxy (1998).
In 1999, Ness released his first solo album, Cheating at Solitaire. Although Social Distortion's music had contained country inflections as far back as Prison Bound, Cheating at Solitaire was an unalloyed expression of Ness's country side. 'Solitaire' included guest appearances by rock icon Bruce Springsteen, former Stray Cat Brian Setzer and drumming legend Josh Freese as well as members of Royal Crown Revue. Springsteen had touted Social D's 'Heaven and Hell' as his favorite record of the year in a Rolling Stone interview in 1992. Ness continued in this vein, releasing a compilation of country covers entitled Under the Influences that same year. Both albums came out on Time Bomb Recordings. Ness toured extensively in the U.S. in support of these albums, backed partially by the present-day (2006) incarnation of Social Distortion; Charlie Quintana (drums) Brent Harding (standing & electric bass) and Johnny Wickersham (guitar tech). Ness and the band played at Woodstock '99. After that, his bandmate and guitarist Dennis Danell died on February 29, 2000 due to an aneurysm, but Social Distortion did not completely disband.
In 2004, Social Distortion came back with a live DVD called "Live In Orange County," and then recorded an album titled Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll, which was released on Time Bomb Recordings. These efforts marked the first recordings with a line up consisting of Ness on Guitar and vocals, Wickersham on guitar, and Quintana on drums and also consisted of songs co-written by Ness and Wickersham. This is the first time Ness collaborated with another songwriter since 1990's self-titled album, on which he and then bassist John Maurer wrote 'Let it be Me'. The band's lineup changed twice after Maurer left the band, just a month before the release on Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll. He was replaced by Operation Ivy/Rancid bassist Matt Freeman until early 2005 and current member Brent Harding joined as his replacement.
In February 2006, Ness broke his wrist while skateboarding in Las Vegas. T.S.O.L. guitarist Ron Emory is filling in on guitar duties while Mike's wrist heals. Mike is still performing, just not playing guitar.
Social Distortion is currently working on their next studio album, which is due for release in late 2006/early 2007.
Ness currently lives in Santa Ana, California with his wife Christine Marie, and two sons Johnny and Julian. He is also a hot rod enthusiast, driving a chopped 1954 Chevy leadsled, a 1936 Ford, and a 1960 Chevy Impala.
(from Wikipedia : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Ness).
I'm In Love With My Car
Mike Ness Lyrics
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I ain't got many friends
Gonna drive that car of mine
To the living end
My baby likes to run
Run as fast as you can
And when I'm in her
I feel like a man
Got a V-8 motor
Listen to her purr
And when I put my pedal down
My whole world's a blur
Cruisin' down the highway
My lead sled's mean and low
The police behind me
I ain't ready to go
I'm in love with my car.
Got twin carburetors
I got dual exhaust
And it don't matter baby
If we get lost
Make love to me girl
In my back seat
The radio's a playin' something
Slow and sweet
I'm in love with my car.
The song "I'm in love with my car" by Mike Ness is a tribute to his car, which he loves and cherishes more than any other possession. The lyrics convey his devotion to his car, which is his primary source of joy and satisfaction in life. The singer does not have a girlfriend, and his friends are few in number, but he has his car, which he sees as a living, breathing entity that he can care for and take pleasure in. He refers to his car in terms of a beloved, as a “baby”, and uses verbs such as “run” and “purrs” to describe its movements.
The rhyme scheme of the song is simple, and the verses follow an ABAB pattern with a refrain. The refrain "I'm in love with my car" is repeated throughout the song, highlighting the singer's obsession with his car. The singer takes pride in his car's powerful engine, which he describes as a V-8 motor that he can feel pulsing under his hood. He also boasts about his car's speed, which he loves to test on the open road. While cruising down the highway, the singer's lead sled is "mean and low," providing him with a sense of coolness and style.
Despite the danger of being pulled over by the police, the singer continues to push his car to drive faster and harder. He does not want to give up the feeling of control and excitement that comes with operating his car at maximum speed. In the end, the singer's love for his car transcends mere passion, as he is willing to make love to his girlfriend in the car's back seat as the radio plays something slow and sweet. In conclusion, the song reflects the devotion and adoration that some people have for their cars, seen as more than machines.
Line by Line Meaning
Ain't got a girl
I don't have a girlfriend.
I ain't got many friends
I don't have many friends.
Gonna drive that car of mine
I'm going to drive my car.
To the living end
I'm going to drive it as far as possible.
My baby likes to run
My car is powerful and fast.
Run as fast as you can
It can go as fast as possible.
And when I'm in her
When I'm driving my car.
I feel like a man
I feel powerful and in control.
I'm in love with my car.
I love my car very much.
Got a V-8 motor
My car has a powerful V-8 engine.
Listen to her purr
My car sounds great when it's on.
And when I put my pedal down
When I accelerate quickly.
My whole world's a blur
Everything around me becomes a blur from the speed.
Cruisin' down the highway
Driving down the highway.
My lead sled's mean and low
My car is low and fast.
The police behind me
I'm being followed by the police.
I ain't ready to go
I'm not ready to stop and pull over.
Got twin carburetors
My car has two carburetors.
I got dual exhaust
My car has two exhaust pipes.
And it don't matter baby
It doesn't matter.
If we get lost
Even if we get lost while driving.
Make love to me girl
Let's have sex in the backseat of my car.
In my back seat
In the back of my car.
The radio's a playin' something
The music is playing on the radio.
Slow and sweet
The music is slow and romantic.
I'm in love with my car.
I love my car very much.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Roger Meddows Taylor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind