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WATCH: Social D’s Mike Ness On New Album

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After more than four years of writing and recording, SoCal punk vets Social Distortion will release Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes, their highly-anticipated seventh studio album and first since 2004, on January 18. Frontman Mike Ness sat down for a video interview to chat about the new LP. Watch below!

In the clip, Ness explains that he’s shifted songwriting styles on the album, expanding on the angst-ridden punk he helped pioneer. “I’ve found a way to get inspiration from the positive things in life as well,” he said. “I want to write light songs as well as heavy songs.” He also discusses his influences (everything from Duke Ellington to Sheryl Crow), the sound of the new album, which, he says, is full of power-pop grooves, and the LP’s title, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes. “When you read a kid a nursery rhyme it calms them and soothes them. It makes them happy. Music, for me, is a nursery rhyme.”

Watch the full video interview below, then sound off in the comment section below.

Social Distortion will launch a tour behind Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes on January 20 in Las Vegas. Check out the itinerary below. To preview the upcoming album, get its first single “Machine Gun Blues,” out now on iTunes now.

Social Distortion tour dates:
1/20, Las Vegas, NV (House of Blues)*
1/24, Bakersfield, CA (Kern Fairgrounds Ex Hall #2)*
1/25, Ventura, CA (Ventura Theatre)*
1/27, Los Angeles, CA (Hollywood Palladium)#
1/28, Los Angeles, CA (Hollywood Palladium)*
1/31, Modesto, CA (Centre Plaza)*
2/1 Davis, CA (Davis Freeborn Hall)*
2/3 San Francisco, CA (The Warfield)#
2/8 Portland, OR (Crystal Ballroom)#
2/12 Seattle, WA (Showbox SoDo)#
2/15 Reno, NV (Grand Sierra Theatre)*
2/16 Fresno, CA (EOC Gym Events Center)*
2/19 San Diego, CA (House of Blues)*
2/20 San Diego, CA (House of Blues)#

* w/ Lucero and Chuck Ragan (of Hot Water Music)
# w/ The Aggrolites and Chuck Ragan (of Hot Water Music)

WATCH: Mike Ness discuss Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes