Social Distortion’s Mike Ness Opens Up About Battle With Tonsil Cancer

Mike Ness has opened up about his battle with tonsil cancer.

The Social Distortion frontman provided an update on his progress in a new interview on 95.5 KLOS‘ “New & Approved” show.

Ness, who revealed in June that he was diagnosed with tonsil cancer, has completed radiation and six weeks of chemo therapy.

“Well, first of all, obviously it wasn’t in the plan,” Ness told Matt Pinfield. “So the shock is a lot just to take in. But, yeah, the surgery – I mean, you can hear it in my voice; it’s still weak, just talking. I have a lot of work to do before April, for a tour, of rehab. But it’s only been a month since the treatments ended.”

“But, yeah, it’s been hell, because head and neck is a little bit different than other types of cancers, and they have to go in and disrupt major structures that you’ve been living with your whole life,” he added. “I had to learn how to swallow all over again, and speech is just slowly getting stronger and then eventually singing.”

Ness said he learned of his diagnosis during the recording of a new album and ended the session abruptly.

He added that the rest of the pending work on the upcoming album will be completed next year.

Social Distorion recently announced a co-headlining Spring 2024 U.S. tour with Bad Religion, scheduled to kick off in Bakersfield, California, on April 9, 2024.

The punk rock band also plans to complete its rescheduled North American dates in Fall 2024.