Almost a year since the death of Social Distortion guitarist Dennis Dannell, frontman Mike Ness will take a retooled version of the veteran Los Angeles punk group to clubs in San Diego, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Anaheim, California, starting next weekend.

The Social D outing is slated to kickoff January 13 in San Diego and continue through a January 30 date at the House of Blues in Anaheim, according to the band's publicist at Time Bomb Recordings.

Others set to join Ness include bassist John Maurer — a member of the band since 1988's Prison Bound — and drummer Charlie Quintana — who played on Ness' 1999 covers LP, Under the Influences, as well as short stints with Cracker and the John Doe Thing.

Taking over for Dannell, who succumbed to a brain aneurysm February 29, will be former Cadillac Tramps and Youth Brigade guitarist Jonny "Two Bags" Wickersham. Wickersham also sat in with the other members of Social Distortion during the May 6 "When the Angels Sing" tribute concert for Dannell, which also featured performances from the Offspring and X.

The label rep said that Social Distortion are at work on a new studio album, the band's first since 1996's White Light, White Heat, White Trash, with producer James Saez. Saez previously handled production on the 1998 Social D concert album, Live at the Roxy, as well as both of Ness' critically hailed solo efforts, Influences and 1999's Cheating at Solitaire.

Among the new songs Ness has penned for possible inclusion on the record, due later this year, are "Nickels and Dimes" and "Don't Take Me for Granted."

Social Distortion tour dates: