Social Distortion frontman Mike Ness will release his first solo album, "Cheating at Solitaire," next week. Fans of Ness' punk-ish power chords may be a little surprised by the disc's lively mix of acoustic-based folk rock and honky-tonk blues.

As we previously reported (see "Mike Ness Solo CD To Feature Setzer, Springsteen and Royal Crown Rhythm"), Ness enlisted aid from such high-profile peers as Bruce Springsteen and Brian Setzer for the effort, which also features covers of Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice" and Hank Williams' "You Win Again."

While this stylistic switch suggests a new direction for Ness, he recently told MTV News that his burgeoning solo career does not mean the imminent demise of Social D.

"I've been doing Social Distortion for almost 20 years now," Ness said,

He added, "[Social Distortion is] an institution. I don't feel that we've really peaked yet, and we're still having fun with it, so there's no reason to end it. I just think that it's crucial that we all do our own thing separately for a little while, and I think it's necessary to grow [as individuals]. Then when we get back together, we can share what we've learned while we've been apart."

Mike Ness will perform four solo shows in California at the end of April and at the beginning of May. Here's where you can catch him:

  • 4/26 - S.J. Capistrano, CA @ Coach House
  • 4/27 - S.J. Capistrano, CA @ Coach House
  • 5/3 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theater
  • 5/4 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theater