From the Social D archives, reproduced with kind permission, here's the series of tour diaries
John Maurer originally posted at socialdistortion.com.
Monday January 13th
Moore Theatre Seattle,WA: Opening Night. Back on tour. We have the Supersuckers and Swingin' Utters for support, looks good.

Tuesday January 14th
The Thrift Lodge Portland, OR: Portland is pretty cool. We did a little shopping today. Mike picked up a new Les Paul. Dennis and I hit some thrift stores, I got some 70's polyester and a slip from the 30's for my wife. Got to go, time for sound check.


Wednesday January 15th
Fresno, CA: Had the day off in Fresno. I hung out with Anthony, a friend of mine from Newport who's going to school here. We had some good Thai food then went to see "The People vs. Larry Flynt". How 'bout Courtney Love showing us her best side(s)?

Thursday January 16th
Rainbow Ballroom Fresno, CA: This is the first time it will host a rock show. Usually it's Tejano and Mariachi. Maybe we'll start a trend and there will be more shows here in the future.


Friday January 17th
Ventura Theatre Ventura, CA: Two shows at the Ventura Theatre. Nice place, nice crowd as always. I like this town. My wife showed up with our son Jack who destroyed our hotel room and broke the phone. Sorry Holiday Inn. He's only 1 and a half. I wonder where he gets it?

Saturday January 18th
Ventura Theatre Ventura, CA: Lots of cool thrift stores here. Today Dennis and I picked up an old 1" 4 track tape machine. I can't wait to get it back into our studio.


Sunday 19th January Glass House Pomona, CA: "Will the real Johnny Maurer please step forward?!" This is my response to "Maurer's new look is no excuse" posted by Jane on February 8th 1997 at 23:44:56
I must say that I am flattered that people take the time to write their observations and opinions of me. The fact that people notice me individually at all blows me away. Mike has always been the center of people's focus in our band and that's great. It's his job and his fate as a lead singer. Sorry to report everyone, but it's me, and has always been me up there playing for you.
I don't know how to explain me looking shorter and younger (Thanks!) but "scrawnier" might be because I don't eat well on the road. I have an aversion to McDonalds and Dennys. I've also laid off the beer which seems to make the biggest difference in more ways than one. I usually do wear my wedding ring but on our last tour I decided to be more permanent about it and tattoo a wedding ring on my finger so sometimes I don't wear the actual jewelry. The high kicks and the different stage presence may be explained in part by Chuck Biscuits. His playing is so "on" and we are so in sync that it could have changed the way I perform. Not to say that Chris Reece wasn't great, he is just a different person and a different drummer. Jane, if you still don't believe this letter then drop me an email so we can discuss it further. But guys, it's me.


Monday 20th - Tuesday 21st January
Two days off at home, YEAH! More studio time, more surf time and time to spend with my family.

Wednesday 22nd January
The Zone Alberquerque, NM: Flew to New Mexico from L.A., just before the plane doors closed, this gal got on and sat right across from me. It was Lisa Bonet. I just said "Hi". I didn't talk to her, maybe I was shy or just respecting her privacy. I think both. I'm a big fan.


Friday 24th January
Cain's Ballroom Tulsa, OK: This is the place Sid Vicious cracked some guy over the head with his bass. Perhaps Max from the Swingin' Utters will reenact it tonight. P.S. who is this Sid Vicious guy?

Saturday 25th January
The Blue Note Columbia, MO: I did some thriftin' today got some real cool shirts and a Jesus tapestry I picked up for Mike. The show went good, my brother-in-law Ryan came down. He's a college freshman and a frat boy. Those guys are wild. They made Social D look like monks.


Monday 27th January
Sokol Hall Omaha, NE: Great show. Sold every last ticket. To my surprise 18 below zero. A little too cold for me.

Tuesday 28th January
The Rave Milwaukee, WI: Jack Koshick presents another killer show at The Rave with Social D. I think it was our best show here yet.


Thursday 30th January
The Orbit Room Grand Rapids, MI: Damn it's cold in Grand Rapids. Love the Orbit Room. What a great club. Got to hang out here last night on our night off and work some disco.

Friday 31st January
Bogarts Cincinnati, OH: A great sold out show. First time we've ever sold this one out! Thanks for all the support Cinci, we appreciate it! P.S. Did you make it to the gig Bruce D?


Saturday 1st February
The Newport Music Hall Columbus, OH: Up on High St! I like coming here the people are great. First time we've sold this one out as well. Thanks!

Sunday 2nd February
The Metropole Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh, where doo wap was king in the 50's. Mike picked up some rad doo wap singles for his jukebox at home.


Tuesday 4th February
Atlantis Syracuse, NY: First time to Syracuse. What a cool town. I hope we can return here soon. Preferably in the summer. It's too cold here for my SoCal bones.

22 June 1998
Dust has settled, hostile relationships with major record label giants are being patched up.
Why did the band leave the majors and what's up with the boys of Social D?
1983: Mommy's Little Monster has been out for a year, Another State of Mind has been documented, our tattered Dickies and rode-on Doc Martens are fifteen years away from American malls. If you told me Social D would be touring in a bus, traveling around the world and that our genre of music would reach the multi-million mark in national and international commerce, I would have had to ask you to pass what you were toking.

In 1990 we were asked by Epic Records (then owned by CBS) to join their roster of shimmering stars -- who wouldn't have been impressed? I think we were the only band from our scene to ink a major label deal. Besides, I didn't even know what cross-collateralization meant anyway. Thank God Social D is a self-supporting tour act or we would have been dead in the water long ago. So CBS changed to Sony, Epic changed to 550. Three presidents, four product managers and countless regional reps, a Seattle grunge scene and unseen promises later, the shimmering star had slowly fizzled. It was time for a new label.

The timing was right, our longtime friend and manager was now president of his own label, Time Bomb Recordings, and everything fell into place. It was time to return to a small label once again and take control of our art, careers and lives and sign with Time Bomb for our live record.

Since the first of the year, Mike had already produced two acts A&M's mxpx (a song for the Clash tribute record) and Maverick's Wank (the song Larry Brown), so it only seemed right that he coordinate and produce the recording of Social D's three night stint at Hollywood's famous Roxy for our first live record to be released on June 30th.
We went down to San Diego over the weekend to play the 91x fest. They always put on a great party. You folks down there are fortunate to have such a rad station. July 4th and 5th are going to bring on OC's annual Hootenanny. I think I've died and gone back to the 80's! X and the Cramps, my two all-time favorite bands on the same stage again.

So there it is for now be sure to keep your eyes and ears out for the Swingin' Utters new record, Five Lessons Learned, that yours truly played bass on.

Live and Love
John Maurer
6/22/98


22 December 1998
Everyone has been asking me, "JM, what have you been doing? Are you going to start Fuel back up? (A band I started and had Dennis playing bass, not to be confused with the Sony 550 Fuel)." After two years of touring the White Album, I just couldn't see myself getting right back on stage with Fuel, but I wouldn't stay idle.

So I whisked up to San Francisco to hang out and to play bass with old pals the Swingin' Utters for their new record Five Lessons Learned. They are such a cool band. Did anyone get to see them live in '98? I thought their two shows at the Whisky were great.

As you know, Social D recorded Live at the Roxy in April of '98. Now, when someone asks us what Social D's all about, we have something to really show 'em. As you may also know, Mike's recording a solo record, but what you might not know is that he asked me to play on his demos. I really enjoyed working so closely with Mike on the live record as well as on his demos. I get to see him at his happiest when he's working in the studio. Any real SD fan will go mad for his new songs on the solo record.

Where have the blood, sweat and tears gone? Well, I've started my own independent label Slip Records. This is something I've been waiting to do for years. My first release is an OC/LA based psycho punk-a-billy band called Hellbound Hayride, the new LP is titled SINNER. These gas hog'n, bush eat'n, sick boys are another band SD fans will be mad for. The second release is Huntington Beach's ANYONE. The maximum acid band can be seen on the Togetherment documentary rock video. Third is a compilation, What's So Hard-core About It? This record will PISS YOU OFF!!! The good thing about it is that all the profits will go to less fortunate families of both North and South America. The objective is to get a bowl of rice or beans on the tables of starving families per CD sold (yes people, there are starving families in America, so please help).

A lot of people ask me if I post on the message board. No I don't, but I do read it regularly, I love all your comments, questions and quirks. However, I do post on other boards so drop me a line, anytime.

Live and Love,
JM

June 14, 2000
Odelay Kiddies,

Once again we're put into one of those unexpected, unexplainable situations that makes life seem like we're running from a continuous wall of crap that's right on your heels. We've had time to pick ourselves up, dust off the dirt and do what's right. We keep looking forward and staying ahead in order to make A KICK ASS FLIPN' SOCIAL D. RECORD! A record that makes every SxDx member, friend and fan proud as well as revert back to the first feeling that we had experiencing Social D.

I think Mike sums the new record up, "So this record will be a departure from our others without losing our signature style. It has a real '70's feel and a real 2000 feel. It's definitely a balance of the two." I'm going to do what I have to do to fill my slot and continue the legacy of Social Distortion.

I would like to personally thank and dedicate my efforts to every promoter, security guard, bartender, waitress, dancer, fan, friend and family member for the last fifteen years of shaping me and my memories of Social D. I would especially like to thank the person who shared all these memories with me, the man I loved and consider my brother -
Dennis Eric Danell 1961-2000

John Maurer



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