Crowds of people gathered in our Downtown Plaza on April 3rd to celebrate the music and legacy of Social Distortion frontman and founder Mike Ness. The free event, hosted by the City and Fullerton Museum Center, recognized the important contributions made by Mike to the world of music through his pioneering role in the punk scene dating back to the late 1970s right here in Fullerton. Mike grew up in Fullerton and attended Commonwealth Elementary School, Ladera Vista Junior High, and Troy High School. At Troy High School, he and fellow classmate and friend Dennis Danell formed Social Distortion. At the time, Troy High School was also home to other bands, such as The Adolescents and DI.

Mike talked about the fond memories he has of growing up in Fullerton and credited our city with helping to shape him and the band. We reminisced about old venues, old stories, music, and life. In speaking with Mike, he solved a decades-old debate over the location of the “pool hall he loved as a kid” that he referenced in Social Distortion’s hit song “Story of My Life.” The location? The Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour is located at State College and Chapman, which today is Panera Bread. We put great emphasis on tracking down the locations so that we can properly commemorate them in local history books. You can view a copy of the proclamation in the local history room and on exhibit at the Hunt Branch Library.

There were many punk rock bands in Fullerton during the 70’s and 80’s, including one that Mike indicated had helped to influence him early in his career: The Mechanics. Though I missed the punk rock era (I was just a baby at that time) and my time at Troy High School was 20 years later, I have had the opportunity to grow up listening to Social Distortion because of family and friends. Being from Fullerton seemed to make the band’s image and music that much more impactful. And thanks to the Fullerton Museum Center, we will be able to properly honor the city’s punk rock history in an exhibit coming in April 2025 entitled “Fullerton Punk.”

The event was capped by live music from Greg Antista and His Lonely Streets and Kid Ramos. Thank you to sponsors Bootlegger’s Brewery, Learn to Forget Clothing, Almquist Development, Fullerton POA, and the OC Power Authority, who covered the costs of the event. Because of their contributions, we were able to use the event as a fundraiser to raise over $15k for the Fullerton Museum Center, which they will be able to put towards their costs for the upcoming “Fullerton Punk” exhibit.

As Mayor and council member, I am passionate about our city and its rich history. Recognizing a fellow Fullertonian’s contributions to the world while also delving into research, meeting new people in and from Fullerton with great stories, and properly commemorating the history and places behind these great stories is a true honor and one I take great pride in. Thank you for coming out to celebrate with us. We look forward to seeing you next April at the Fullerton Museum Center!