I was honored to be asked by Mike Ness to create the cover art for Social Distortion’s new album “Born to Kill.” The album is great with a ferocity, but also has stylistic diversity and great songwriting. It’s awesome that the band still sounds fresh and vital over 45 years into their career! I first heard Social Distortion in 1985, and I was immediately struck by their punk power and rebellious themes delivered with an undeniable melodic appeal. I begged my parents to buy me the first Social Distortion album, “Mommy’s Little Monster.” My parents hated punk, so when they asked me if the music was punk, I lied and said, “No, it’s New Wave.” I listened to the album non-stop, and a lot of the themes- freedom, generation gaps, questioning authority, subcultural community, etc.- really resonated with me. I’ve seen Social Distortion many times over the years, and I’ve watched their evolution firsthand. They grew from a more conventional punk sound to a broader definition of punk that includes nods to early Rolling Stones and Johnny Cash, artists who pushed social boundaries and outlaw themes. I remember hearing the band’s song, “Story of My Life,” on the radio in 1990, pre-grunge, and thinking to myself, “what a coup… what a triumph, that these guys infiltrated rock radio.” In my opinion, Social Distortion shattered a glass ceiling and did what few bands can do: they found broad appeal without abandoning their punk roots or watering down their sound. -Shepard
PRINT DETAILS: Social Distortion Born to Kill. 24″ H x 18″ W. Screen print on 80# cream Speckletone paper. Signed by Shepard Fairey and Mike Ness. Numbered edition of 550. Comes with a Digital Certificate of Authenticity provided by Verisart. $75. Available on Thursday, September 17th @ 10 AM PDT at https://store.obeygiant.com. Max order: 1 per customer/household. International customers are responsible for any applicable import duties, taxes and customs fees due upon delivery, except for UK orders under $160 USD and EU orders.
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