Social Distortion [ tickets ], largely out of the public eye since the death of guitarist Dennis Danell in February, is gearing up for a return to live performance. A new Social Distortion album is also in the works, but no release date has been set.

The influential Southern California punk band will perform at the Joint in Las Vegas on Jan. 20, and is also scheduled to play five nights at a new House of Blues venue in Anaheim, Calif., on Jan. 23-27.

After the release of the 1998 Social Distortion [ tickets ] album "Live at the Roxy," the band took a break as frontman Mike Ness supported a solo album. Danell, who had been a member of the band since its inception in 1979, died during the hiatus.

Time Bomb Recordings, Social Distortion’s label, announced in June that Social Distortion was beginning work on a new album with producer James Saez, who worked on Ness' two solo albums and on "Live at the Roxy."

Saez is also contributing guitar and percussion to the forthcoming album. John Maurer (bass), Johnny Wickersham (guitar, formerly of the Cadillac Tramps) and Charlie Quintana (drums) round out the band's lineup.

The last live Social Distortion performance was at a May 6 benefit show in Irvine, Calif., for Danell's family. That show featured Ness backed by Maurer, Wickersham and Quintana.