Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll

Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll is the first album Social Distortion's sixth album. It is their first studio release in 8-years since White Light, White Heat, White Trash in 1996. The album was released on September 28, 2004. A great deal of the album is a musical eulogy to former guitarist Dennis Danell, who died in 2000. The album has also been previously delayed for every single year after his death and Social Distortion has been promising to release it. The album's opening track, "Reach For The Sky" became one of Social Distortion's biggest hits in the fall of 2004.

Track listing

All songs written by Mike Ness unless otherwise noted.

"Reach For The Sky" – 3:31
"Highway 101" – 3:44
"Don't Take Me For Granted" – 3:47
"Footprints On My Ceiling" – 5:08
"Nickels And Dimes" (J. Wickersham/Ness) – 3:05
"I Wasn't Born To Follow" – 2:55
"Winners And Losers" – 4:45
"Faithless" (Wickersham/Ness) – 3:02
"Live Before You Die" – 2:47
"Angels Wings" (Wickersham/Ness) – 4:59

Status, possibilities and delays of the album

In November 1999, Mike Ness was planning to record a follow-up to White Light, White Heat, White Trash, "I'd like to get one out next fall (2000). But it might be longer than that. I want to do it right. I don't want to just do it for the sake of doing it, you know? I've got to make sure all the songs are right."

In May 2001, a question asked Ness how the album was coming along. He replied "slow." His wife elaborated that he was in "home mode", working on restoring a house in Floral Park, New York. The band was rumored to resume recording in June or July.

In July 2001, five songs that were going to appear on the album were announced. The songs are "Road Zombie," "Winners and Losers", "I Wasn't Born to Follow", "Don't Take Me for Granted" and "Footprints on My Ceiling". "Don't Take Me for Granted" was the only known unreleased song that the band played at the When the Angels Sing benefit concert in 2000.

Also in July 2001, in a Los Angeles Times article, Ness discussed the possibility of releasing the album in spring 2002 and made mention of an invitation from Johnny Cash to record together.

In January 2002, an inside source reported that Social Distortion was planning to begin recording the album in March.

In November 2002, it was announced that the band recorded demos for the album in October. In addition, they were hoping to release the album spring 2003.

A January 2003 issue of a German magazine "Visions" conducted an interview with Ness. About the album, he says: "Definitely more glam and seventies influences and less country since I'm able to realize this part of me better by the Mike Ness Band. And certainly more hope and light than on White Light, White Heat, White Trash. You can't forever tell yourself and others that life's all bad. Apart from other things, punk rock also is about fun and loud guitars. Before doing the last album I went through a really hard time, and even if not all is great in my life, I'm much better now than at that time."

In February 2003, it was announced that up to twenty songs for the album were demoed/recorded.

In November 2003, the band entered the studio in Los Angeles, California to begin recording the album.

On January 11, 2004, during a concert in Orlando, Florida, Ness revealed that the album was 3/4 of the way completed and that it was rumored to be released in June.

In June 2004, it was announced that the band were in a Los Angeles, California studio mixing the songs.

On August 4, 2004, it was announced that this album would finally be released on September 28th.

Notes/Trivia

This was the first album not to feature Dennis Danell (the guitarist for all previous Social Distortion albums), due to his death on leap day 2000. This album featured the work of Johnny Wickersham on guitar. It is also the band's first release with current drummer Charlie Quintana.
The previous bassist, John Maurer, left the band in 2004 after the recording of this alblum. Rancid's Matt Freeman joined as his replacement for the initial touring, but was replaced a few months later by Mike Ness's touring bassist for his solo project, Brent Harding.

Charts

Album

Peak position: The Billboard 200 #31 on October 16, 2004

Singles

Year	Title	Chart	Chart Positions
2004	"Reach For The Sky"	Modern Rock Tracks	-#27
2005	"Highway 101"	Modern Rock Tracks	-
2005	"Don't Take Me For Granted"	Modern Rock Tracks	-#34