One ROCKIN' booksigning event at the Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles

AWESOME day all around.

Over 300 people attended the ROCKIN' booksigning at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles yesterday afternoon. All the ROCKIN' books at the Museum--over 200 copies--were sold out within hours.

The hero of the day was Mike Ness. Social Distortion fans came from hundreds of miles away to shake his hand, get their photo taken, get their book(s) signed. Mike was gracious and humble throughout, and totally appreciative of everyone who came down. And nearly all the Social D t-shirts worn that afternoon featured cars that Mike's proudest of helping restore, or simply loves for the great designs they are.

Also joining us at the signing table: Big Slice (Snoop's personal car customizer); Dean Jeffries (designer of the MonkeeMobile, among much, much else); artist Dan Quarnstrom (who did the Johnny Reno posters in ROCKIN'); and Brent Rector, the ROCKIN'-est book designer on the planet.

Then, midway thru the event, in strolled Billy F Gibbons from ZZ Top (and CadZZilla fame) who then signed more than a hundred copies himself.

Gotta thank David Myers, the Petersen's director, for hosting the event, and Ray Salim, operations manager and Philip Truong, the merch store manager, for all their tramendous logistical support and enthusiasm.

According to Myers, "this was one of the best events we've ever done. Completely rock & roll! And, gotta do a major shout-out to Mike Ness and his fans."

Ness drove one of two Black Kat cars right onto the Museum floor, as did Slice, who brought the "Angel Dust" Cadillac. And, Michael Lederman, president of the Crystal Group, had his '37 DeSoto there as well, pumping out Social D music and videos on the screens and speakers.

Also wonderful . . . Amy Bierly from Crystal, who worked so closely with Ray and Philip to showcase Mike's Black Kat apparel as well as my own line, PHANTOM (done in collab with the great Ames Bros. Design Group outta Seattle). More on this in future blogs.

And, a special high-five to Shane Trulin from Rebel Waltz, Ness' management company, who helped me engineer the whole affair.

Everyone was snappin' photos, including Mike's wife Christine (who took the photo of Ness that graces the book's foreword). In attendance, photogs Greg Bojorquez, Michael Marks, and Zach Cordner--all whose work is showcased in ROCKIN'. In the next couple blogs, I'll show you some of the hundreds of great folks who showed up.

This was one GREAT day to be ROCKIN' with cars and stars.