Mommy's Little Monster
Encyclopedia
Mommy's Little Monster is the first album
by American
punk rock
band Social Distortion
, released in 1983 (though the CD erroneously notes 1982).
The album was critically acclaimed but was, however, not commercially successful. The album includes their live staples "The Creeps", "Another State of Mind
", "Telling Them" and the title track, which has been frequently played by KROQ
.
(as chronicled in the documentary Another State of Mind) and broke up shortly afterwards. However, because of the tour's success, the band reconciled not long afterward and decided to begin work on their first album. They recorded the album in a single session. Mommy's Little Monster was recorded at The Casbah in Fullerton, California
, on December 24, 1982, for numerous hours to cut down studio costs, which explains low budget production.
The exposure afforded to Social Distortion from the tour and subsequent documentary led to Mommy's Little Monster being a surprise hit despite being self-released. However, the album went out of print in the mid-1980s after leader Mike Ness
started subsidizing his drug habit with the checks coming in to 13th Floor Records that were intended to be put towards future pressings of the album or new releases.
LP in 1983 on 13th Floor Records, a label owned by their manager at the time, Monk Rock.
The Triple X Records
label reissued the album on vinyl and cassette in 1989. Six years later, Mommy's Little Monster was re-issued once again when Ness started Time Bomb Recordings
with some of the profits he made from Social Distortion's Epic
releases, and reissued Mommy's Little Monster on vinyl, cassette and CD through a distribution deal with Arista Records
. The 1995 version has remained in print ever since.
To date, the 13th Floor and Triple X versions remain out of print.
A gramophone picture disc
version of Mommy's Little Monster was released in 2001, but it is also rare.
in a somewhat abandoned house, with nothing except for the chair, television, mailbox, three lead pipes and a lot of debris. It is suggestive of the after effects of an early hydrogen bomb test and an archetypal hardcore image. The album cover was designed by Art Morales.
The title track was used in the computer game Tony Hawk Underground, and the live version of the title track is used in the game Guitar Hero: Metallica
. "All the Answers" and "Moral Threat" were originally recorded in 1981 and can be heard on the 1995 compilation Mainliner: Wreckage from the Past
. "Another State of Mind" was covered by Green Day
as a bonus track on 21st Century Breakdown
when pre-ordered on iTunes. Blink 182 refer to the album name in their song "Easy Target". Face to Face
covers "Telling Them" on their live album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Social Distortion
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness , Jonny Wickersham , Brent Harding and David Hidalgo, Jr...
, released in 1983 (though the CD erroneously notes 1982).
The album was critically acclaimed but was, however, not commercially successful. The album includes their live staples "The Creeps", "Another State of Mind
Another State of Mind (song)
"Another State of Mind" is a song by the American punk rock band Social Distortion. It is the second track on their 1983 debut album Mommy's Little Monster, and was released as a 7" single that year on their then-record label 13th Floor Records. The single was released again in 1989 on Triple X...
", "Telling Them" and the title track, which has been frequently played by KROQ
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
.
Background
In 1982, Social Distortion took part in the tour with Youth BrigadeYouth Brigade (band)
Youth Brigade is a Southern California punk music trio formed in 1980 by brothers Mark Stern, Adam Stern, and Shawn Stern. The band subsequently founded BYO , which served both as their record label and as a statement of their attitude toward the young people involved in the punk subculture, which...
(as chronicled in the documentary Another State of Mind) and broke up shortly afterwards. However, because of the tour's success, the band reconciled not long afterward and decided to begin work on their first album. They recorded the album in a single session. Mommy's Little Monster was recorded at The Casbah in Fullerton, California
Fullerton, California
Fullerton is a city located in northern Orange County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 135,161.It was founded in 1887 by George and Edward Amerige and named for George H. Fullerton, who secured the land on behalf of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway...
, on December 24, 1982, for numerous hours to cut down studio costs, which explains low budget production.
The exposure afforded to Social Distortion from the tour and subsequent documentary led to Mommy's Little Monster being a surprise hit despite being self-released. However, the album went out of print in the mid-1980s after leader Mike Ness
Mike Ness
Mike Ness is an American guitarist, vocalist, and chief songwriter for the punk rock band Social Distortion, which was formed in 1978. As of Dennis Danell's death in 2000, he is now the only original member of the band...
started subsidizing his drug habit with the checks coming in to 13th Floor Records that were intended to be put towards future pressings of the album or new releases.
Reissues
Mommy's Little Monster was reissued several times, with different formats and labels. The album was originally released on vinylGramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
LP in 1983 on 13th Floor Records, a label owned by their manager at the time, Monk Rock.
The Triple X Records
Triple X Records
Triple X Records is a Los Angeles based record company. They are the label for bands such as Bo Diddley, The Vandals, Jane's Addiction, Social Distortion, Human Drama, Of Cabbages And Kings, Angry Samoans, Bad Manners, Stephen Pearcy, Dr...
label reissued the album on vinyl and cassette in 1989. Six years later, Mommy's Little Monster was re-issued once again when Ness started Time Bomb Recordings
Time Bomb Recordings
Time Bomb Recordings is a Laguna Beach, California based record label founded by Social Distortion manager Jim Guerinot in a 1994 joint-venture agreement with Arista Records...
with some of the profits he made from Social Distortion's Epic
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
releases, and reissued Mommy's Little Monster on vinyl, cassette and CD through a distribution deal with Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
. The 1995 version has remained in print ever since.
To date, the 13th Floor and Triple X versions remain out of print.
A gramophone picture disc
Picture disc
Picture discs are gramophone records that show images on their playing surface, rather than being of plain black or coloured vinyl.-Development:...
version of Mommy's Little Monster was released in 2001, but it is also rare.
Album cover
The cover of the album has an image of a skeleton and human child (wearing a mask), who are seated in a chair watching a war movie featuring a mushroom cloudMushroom cloud
A mushroom cloud is a distinctive pyrocumulus mushroom-shaped cloud of condensed water vapor or debris resulting from a very large explosion. They are most commonly associated with nuclear explosions, but any sufficiently large blast will produce the same sort of effect. They can be caused by...
in a somewhat abandoned house, with nothing except for the chair, television, mailbox, three lead pipes and a lot of debris. It is suggestive of the after effects of an early hydrogen bomb test and an archetypal hardcore image. The album cover was designed by Art Morales.
Track listing
- "The Creeps (I Just Wanna Give You)" – 2:03
- "Another State of MindAnother State of Mind (song)"Another State of Mind" is a song by the American punk rock band Social Distortion. It is the second track on their 1983 debut album Mommy's Little Monster, and was released as a 7" single that year on their then-record label 13th Floor Records. The single was released again in 1989 on Triple X...
" – 2:38 - "It Wasn't a Pretty Picture" – 3:10
- "Telling Them" – 3:12
- "Hour of Darkness" – 2:49
- "Mommy's Little Monster" – 3:33
- "Anti-Fashion" – 2:19
- "All the Answers" – 2:23
- "Moral Threat" – 5:16
The title track was used in the computer game Tony Hawk Underground, and the live version of the title track is used in the game Guitar Hero: Metallica
Guitar Hero: Metallica
Guitar Hero: Metallica is a music video game developed by Neversoft and distributed by Activision. The game was released in North America on the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 on March 29, 2009 and on PlayStation 2 on April 14, 2009, with a European release in May 2009...
. "All the Answers" and "Moral Threat" were originally recorded in 1981 and can be heard on the 1995 compilation Mainliner: Wreckage from the Past
Mainliner: Wreckage From the Past
Mainliner: Wreckage From the Past is a collection of early recordings by Social Distortion. It was released on July 18, 1995, and contains songs which were recorded in 1981. It is a collection of singles and B-sides that had never appeared on any of the band's full-length albums...
. "Another State of Mind" was covered by Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
as a bonus track on 21st Century Breakdown
21st Century Breakdown
21st Century Breakdown is the eighth studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. It is the band's second rock opera, following American Idiot, and their first album to be produced by Butch Vig. Green Day commenced work on the record in January 2006...
when pre-ordered on iTunes. Blink 182 refer to the album name in their song "Easy Target". Face to Face
Face to Face (punk band)
Face to Face is an American pop punk band from Victorville, California formed in 1991 by frontman Trever Keith. Originally known as "Zero Tolerance", Keith had been the only constant member of the band during their years of touring and recording albums. The group was initially signed by Dr. Strange...
covers "Telling Them" on their live album
Personnel
- Mike NessMike NessMike Ness is an American guitarist, vocalist, and chief songwriter for the punk rock band Social Distortion, which was formed in 1978. As of Dennis Danell's death in 2000, he is now the only original member of the band...
(as Michael Ness) – vocals, guitars - Dennis DanellDennis DanellDennis Eric Danell was the founding guitarist for the Southern California punk rock band Social Distortion.Danell formed Social Distortion in 1979 with frontman Mike Ness while attending high school together...
– guitars - Brent LilesBrent LilesBrent Harrold Liles was the bassist for Social Distortion from 1981–1984 and later was the bassist for Agent Orange from 1988 - 1992. He appeared on Social Distortion's 1983 classic debut Mommy's Little Monster before leaving the band on New Year's Day 1984, with the band's drummer Derek O'Brien...
– bass guitar - Derek O'Brien – drums, backing vocals