Interview with Bob Stubbs, by Barry Hutchinson conducted March 2025 via Instagram.

A former member and drummer with "Social-Distortion", "Race Train Schizo", "Glass Heroes" to name 3. He is still playing, recording, touring in 2025

​

Q1) When did you learn to play drums, and did you take lessons or were you self taught?  What were your influences?
Stubbs "I started early at 9/10 years old in 1976. My half sister dated the drummer of the band "the TWINKEYZ" and I got to go to alot of early punk gigs on San Francisco and L.A. - I actually started on guitar. I had a 1974 e.s.335 copy and a giant Vox royal guardsman amp and would just experiment trying to get feedback and control it with power chords. My aunt Gerry was friends w/Bill Graham and Randy Tuten - I got backstage passes for big shows to B4 high school..."

Q2) You joined Social Distortion in January 1984 - how did that come about?
Stubbs "I came to join actually by chance.My best friend was a fan of the band from 1981 and was friends w/mike. I was playing drums in a goth type band w/John Maurer on guitar, my best friend "Briton Holmstrom on vocals and we were rehearsing at sherpa studios in fullerton. Briton and me moved in w/John and Mike in fullerton.It took mike awhile before he realized I played drums.I was keeping time on the arms of a chair we had in the livingroom one day and mike looked up and said "I think you could play drums if you wanted to.I said I am a drummer.Johnny and me joined SxDx shortly after that."

​

Q3) Can you share your memories of your time in the band - which were the best/most memorable shows would you say?

Stubbs "Ichabods in Fullerton - one show Mike was having such a good time that Johnny, Dennis and Mike all switched instruments for a 15 minute version of 'Playpen'.

Another time when I was transitioning out of the band in summer 1985 - we all went out to see Screamin' sirens gig at Cathay de Grande got toasty and our entire entourage got in a fight outside the club after with LA gang members. Mike bumped into some guy who got mad about it and the whole band (social d) and our friends got in a street fight with a whole bunch of LA street gang members with belt whipping and all. I got a black eye then drank at 'Disgraceland' house (Screamin Sirens home base) in Hollywood. Later on I had to help pick Dennis up off the front lawn after he passed out cold. Later I ended up passing out in the car myself and Mike Ness tucked me into bed when we all got home at 6am. A typical evening out on the town in 1985."

Q4) Is it correct that Social D recorded a version of Prison Bound in 1984 whilst you were on drums?
Stubbs "We had already laid the pre production tracks for Prison Bound, but it was scrapped and completely re-started with new drum tracks. It is evident on that album that it is Chris and not me. I play completely different. I used to have a rough mix cassette of all those songs, but it was stolen from me in the late 1980s. Again in Arizona I lost all my photos and videos I had saved to theft."

Q5) Who funded that album, was it Eddie Egans?
Stubbs "It coulda been Eddie, but most of it was covered by Monk our management. We also played shows to fund a little.  Tim Magg from Sherpa studios was one of the engineers. I used to have a rough cassette from the sound board - but it was stolen in the late 80s. Alot of my stuff is gone from theft over the years by fans, ex-girlfriends etc."

Q6) What songs were recorded at that time, for inclusion on the album?
Stubbs "We did the shirelles cover and painfully so (dennis'song) and 5 others that were never included on the re-recorded Jim Guerinot version that got released. Totally different record (than the one we did). It was very powerful and strong sounding."
 

Q7) Why did you leave Social Distortion in 1984 ?
Stubbs "I only left because mike got locked up in jail facing 20-30 counts of burglary. I went to see him after he was in jail and he told me don't leave! I told him I had no apt, no money left and He could reach me at my Mom's when and if he ever got out of jail and we could continue. Eventually I joined The Vacant and 3 other bands in northern california and could not play w/SxDx because of my new commitments."

Q8) Chris Reece would replace you on drums in mid-1984, can you tell us how that came about?
Stubbs "I helped transition Chris into the drum seat by telling Dennis to ask him to join. Chris was already a good friend of the band. It took awhile, but Chris was able to gel w/the bands new sound / music direction."

​​

Thanks go to Bob for giving me his time.

​​