Dennis Danell
Encyclopedia
Dennis Eric Danell was the founding guitar
ist for the Southern California
punk rock
band Social Distortion
.
Danell formed Social Distortion in 1979 with frontman Mike Ness
while attending high school together. Originally the group's bassist
, Danell switched to guitar
after some band defections, and helped define the group's signature jangle on such albums as Mommy's Little Monster (1983), Prison Bound (1988), Social Distortion (1990) and White Light, White Heat, White Trash (1996). He remained the guitarist for the band until his death, from an apparent brain aneurysm (Mike Ness stated on the DVD commentary of Another State of Mind that Dennis died from a heart condition), at his Costa Mesa, California
home at the age of 38, while in the process of moving to his new home in Newport Beach.
"I am saddened beyond any possible form of expression," Ness said in a statement. "Dennis and I have been friends since boyhood, starting Social Distortion together while we were in high school. My deepest regrets to his family."
After Social Distortion went on hiatus following the release of Live at the Roxy in 1998, Danell produced numerous local bands at the group's recording studio, Casbah
, in Fullerton, California
. His production credits included Fanmail
(BEC Records), Value Pac (Four Door Entertainment), Fraidy Cats (Bulletproof Records), The Deluxtone Rockets
(Tooth & Nail Records
), and Rock Star Barbecue, the debut artist on Danell's new independent label, Masterpiece Records. By 2000, Danell was quickly becoming a much sought after producer
in the Orange County
area.
Danell also started a new side band called Strung Gurus, with Michael Knott
of the Orange County band, Aunt Betty's (formerly on Elektra
). Danell produced, co-wrote and played guitar for them, whilst working on their first full length album. The Strung Gurus debut, to be the second release on Masterpiece Records, was nearly completed.
In an interview for the Strung Gurus promotional bio, Danell had said, "I am very excited about Strung Gurus because the music is high energy and commercial, but it does not sound like Social Distortion. The new band allows me to stretch as a songwriter and producer by tackling a sound outside my comfort zone." Rough mixes of four Strung Gurus songs were already in limited circulation and had started a buzz among fans and local journalists impressed with Danell's versatility and writing abilities.
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist for the Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
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...
.
Danell formed Social Distortion in 1979 with frontman 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...
while attending high school together. Originally the group's bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
, Danell switched to guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
after some band defections, and helped define the group's signature jangle on such albums as Mommy's Little Monster (1983), Prison Bound (1988), Social Distortion (1990) and White Light, White Heat, White Trash (1996). He remained the guitarist for the band until his death, from an apparent brain aneurysm (Mike Ness stated on the DVD commentary of Another State of Mind that Dennis died from a heart condition), at his Costa Mesa, California
Costa Mesa, California
Costa Mesa is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 109,960 at the 2010 census. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to a primarily suburban and "edge" city with an economy based on retail, commerce, and light...
home at the age of 38, while in the process of moving to his new home in Newport Beach.
"I am saddened beyond any possible form of expression," Ness said in a statement. "Dennis and I have been friends since boyhood, starting Social Distortion together while we were in high school. My deepest regrets to his family."
After Social Distortion went on hiatus following the release of Live at the Roxy in 1998, Danell produced numerous local bands at the group's recording studio, Casbah
Casbah
The Casbah ) is specifically the citadel of Algiers in Algeria and the traditional quarter clustered around it. More generally, a kasbah is the walled citadel of many North African cities and towns...
, 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...
. His production credits included Fanmail
FanMail
FanMail is the third studio album by American girl group trio TLC, released on February 23, 1999. As with previous album CrazySexyCool , the group re-teamed with Dallas Austin, Babyface, and Jermaine Dupri on the album's production and the album features the computer voice female named Vic-E .The...
(BEC Records), Value Pac (Four Door Entertainment), Fraidy Cats (Bulletproof Records), The Deluxtone Rockets
The Deluxtone Rockets
The Deluxtone Rockets are a band from Muskegon, Michigan. They began as a punk band, but by the time of their signing to Tooth & Nail Records they had evolved into a swing revival outfit....
(Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
), and Rock Star Barbecue, the debut artist on Danell's new independent label, Masterpiece Records. By 2000, Danell was quickly becoming a much sought after producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
in the Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
area.
Danell also started a new side band called Strung Gurus, with Michael Knott
Michael Knott
Michael Knott is an American singer-songwriter and frontman for various bands, many of them Christian. He has released some 35 albums, including solo albums and with bands such as LSU and Cush....
of the Orange County band, Aunt Betty's (formerly on Elektra
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
). Danell produced, co-wrote and played guitar for them, whilst working on their first full length album. The Strung Gurus debut, to be the second release on Masterpiece Records, was nearly completed.
In an interview for the Strung Gurus promotional bio, Danell had said, "I am very excited about Strung Gurus because the music is high energy and commercial, but it does not sound like Social Distortion. The new band allows me to stretch as a songwriter and producer by tackling a sound outside my comfort zone." Rough mixes of four Strung Gurus songs were already in limited circulation and had started a buzz among fans and local journalists impressed with Danell's versatility and writing abilities.