Dennis Danell

Who was Dennis Danell?

Dennis 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. 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, Prison Bound, Social Distortion and White Light, White Heat, White Trash. He remained the guitarist for the band until his death, from an apparent brain aneurysm, 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.