Social Distortion formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California, by Mike Ness along with high school friends including drummer Casey Royer, bassist Rikk Agnew, and vocalist Tom Corvin. Early lineup changes saw Royer and Agnew leave to form the Adolescents, with Ness recruiting childhood friend Dennis Danell on guitar despite his lack of experience; Ness and Danell remained the core members until Danell's death in 2000. The band's style blends punk rock with country, blues, and rockabilly influences. They gained recognition in the Orange County punk scene with their 1981 single 'Mainliner' and 1982's '1945,' followed by albums like Prison Bound (1988), the self-titled Social Distortion (1990) featuring 'Ball and Chain,' Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell (1992), and White Light, White Heat, White Trash (1996). Social Distortion is known for energetic live performances documented in the 1984 punk rockumentary Another State of Mind, which chronicled their first national tour, and for maintaining a raw, aggressive sound in clubs and on tours.