Social Distortion
White Light, White Heat, White Trash

THE REVIEW

It seems... It appears... They say...

It seems that, on the occasion of Lucio Dalla's funeral, a high prelate hastened to issue a stern warning: «Oh, don't even think about playing his songs during the ceremony». Heaven forbid that someone in attendance might crack a smile to lighten the grief.

Whether true or not, from that moment on, the thought of dying unsettles me a little more. Because I don't want to see sad and whiny faces at my funeral; and so, to exorcise my fears, I have prepared a soundtrack for the event (a best of what I usually listen to). To delight the guests with wild pogo rhythms. But if a priest comes and says: «Pinhead or not Pinhead, Social Distortion cannot be played in the cemetery», I swear I'll turn into a modern-day Lazarus, and until I hear some feedback followed by four distorted chords, I refuse to go back into the coffin and be covered by a meter of earth.

So, I warn you now: don't try to ruin this moment for me, because I have organized it well!

And the track that will conclude the whole story is right here: «When The Angels Sing». Not my all-time favorite Social Distortion song, but the video convinced me that it is perfect for the occasion, and if I could also find two beautiful girls dressed in black like those that appear in some sequences, then it would be apotheosis. And yes, I will finally be able to run happily to meet Joey, Johnny, and Dee Dee and have them sign the copy of «Rocket To Russia» that (obviously) will come with me.

But do you realize? This record has the song to the notes of which I will bring down the curtain, and this alone is enough to make it a small masterpiece, you will agree.

But besides «When The Angels Sing», there are also «Don't Drag Me Down» and «I Was Wrong», which make «White Light, White Heat, White Trash» an essential album for any Social Distortion fan, on par with «Mommy's Little Monster»; indeed, to those who want to get close to the band, I would recommend this rather than the debut to get acquainted with Michael Ness.

All things considered, «White Light, White Heat, White Trash» is the fifth album released by Social Distortion in 1996, following the groundbreaking debut of 1983, «Prison Bound» of 1988, the self-titled 1990 album, and «Somewhere Between Heaven And Hell» of 1992. Thirteen years have passed since the beginning of the journey, and Michael, in this album, throws in all the troubles that happened during that time, which I leave to your imagination, amazed (he more than the fans) to be still alive or, perhaps, only aware of having died and resurrected to take advantage of a second chance.

Three core tracks, the ones already linked.

«Don't Drag Me Down» is the new «Moral Threat», the song of resistance against the world that wants to bring you down just because it doesn't understand you and can't assimilate you (something like «My Generation» or thereabouts); and if in 1983 you would have spit in the world's eye and cheerfully kicked its ass, by 1996 you must invent new forms of resistance, the important thing is not to get dragged down into the depths.

But has Ness become bourgeois? A glance at the lyrics of «I Was Wrong» might raise the doubt: I admit it, today I understand that I was wrong, I fought against the whole world sure of winning, but the world punished me for my mistakes. Yet, here I am, because what I've learned wasn't to toe the line, but only not to destroy myself with my own hands; here I am, I have climbed back from the abyss and the world will have to struggle to push me back into it. This is the simple Nessian philosophy in Pinheadian sauce, that is, the song that best symbolizes Michael's resurrection from the hell he had thrust himself into.

The circle is closed with «When The Angels Sing»: Ness is a nearly reconciled man, capable of standing tall in front of the world, bearing pain, suffering, and memories, sustained by the conviction that life, love, and death matter nothing on the day when the angels will sing, and as long as they continue to do so, and the only solace is in watching children play and grow day by day. This, perhaps, is the only form of resistance; some might call it maturity.

For many, this is indeed the album of Michael Ness's maturity. It is for me as well, if maturity means that the Ness of 1996 can look back and recognize the Ness of 1983, without renouncing him; whereas the one from 1983, no, wouldn't have been able to do the same. Here, then, is the meaning of «Under My Thumb»: recorded shortly before «Mommy's Little Monster» (and originally appeared in the collection «Mainliner»), the song fits perfectly into the tracklist of «White Light, White Heat, White Trash», precisely (or perhaps, only) because deep down Michael Ness knows how to recognize Michael Ness. Here, then, is the meaning of «Gotta Know The Rules» and «Pleasure Seeker» which, yes, are dated 1996, but are imbued with the epic and raw street poetry of «Mommy's Little Monster».

Here, then, is the meaning of an album important beyond words.

A while ago, I had the chance to share some feelings about «Divine Rites» by The New Christs: «White Light, White Heat, White Trash» originates from the same root, just like «Don't Drag Me Down» and «I Swear». Another album of (my) life.

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And then, this is the album that marks the exit of Dennis Danell, a lifelong companion, the one who always stayed in the shadows, the one who built the wall of sound on which Social Distortion climbed one day in the late seventies to scrutinize the world as it would appear thirty years later.

And if I still enjoy messing around with an electric guitar today, it is because of people like him, Deniz, or Johnny (Ramone or Thunders, take your pick).

Dennis dies on February 29, 2000, at 38 years old from a damn cerebral aneurysm, and Michael takes four years to give him the only possible worthy tribute and thanks; but the result is «Sex, Love & Rock'n'Roll» and then you understand that those four years were not in vain.

Never thought I'd get emotional listening to a Social Distortion album.

So when my time comes, «White Light, White Heat, White Trash» will also be there to keep me company, and I will go and look for Dennis too...