Social Distortion Want to Be Known Worldwide

This spring, when Social Distortion decamps for Argentina and Brazil, the legendary California punk band will officially strike South America from its list of continents left to rock.

"We're finally realizing that the US is such a small part of the world," frontman Mike Ness tells Spinner. "After touring in Europe and hitting a lot of markets we haven't hit before, we're realizing we want to be known worldwide, not just be a big American band."

The six-date tour starts in Buenos Aires on April 9, by which time Ness should be nearing completion of Social Distortion's seventh studio album, a yet-untitled collection he hopes to release later this year.

Social D's lone original member, Ness is fronting a version of the band whose three other members all joined during the 2000s, the group's third full decade in business. While Ness has confidence in the crew, he admits it can be a challenge working with new musicians.

"It's an adjustment," he says. "You obviously want to welcome what they can bring to the table. That's why you picked them. But at the same time, there are certain things I've learned over 30 years -- what makes this band work, and what I need from it."

Looking beyond the upcoming tour and album release, Ness says it's difficult to predict how long he'll continue flying the Social D banner. He's already released a pair of solo albums -- collections more rooted in country and rockabilly than punk -- and there's always a chance he'll retire the brand, so to speak, and go it alone.

"It's going to have to be one of those things where I see how it feels," Ness says. "You want to always be who you are and not try to be something you're not, but right now, all I know is that everything feels great. Everything feels right. All I can think about now is right now. Right now, there's no end in sight."