A Rabbit Hole Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts

My summer 2023 live music plan just took a hit, and not in the good way. An early August date to go see Social Distortion at the Norva here in town was deleted from the calendar. For among the crummiest of reasons. 

Singer and lifeblood Mike Ness has tonsil cancer. Echo the "F cancer" refrain.

He posted a couple of weeks ago:

We think that life is going to go according to our plan, but it has a way of saying “I don’t think so!”

In the midst of pre-production, I was diagnosed with stage one tonsil cancer. I was feeling well enough to continue with recording in the studio up until the very day before surgery. The band and I were so inspired and excited to lay down these tracks, which by the way sound f-ing AWESOME!

The recovery from surgery is a day-by-day process and in three weeks we start radiation and that should be the last therapy I need. The team of doctors are certain that once finished with this course, I will be able to start the healing and recovery process. We expect a full recovery enabling me to live a long and productive life.

It breaks my heart to postpone the Summer Tour, and this album release, but time is required to heal. I can’t thank our loyal fans enough who have been waiting so patiently for this. While it will take a little longer-I promise you that it will be delivered and it will exceed your expectations.

I want you all to know that this has opened my eyes to a whole new struggle. I know it’s one that many of you or your loved ones have personally endured, and my heart goes out to you-because I now know what it’s like from this heavy experience.

I’m surrounded by love and support from my friends and family ESPECIALLY my lovely wife and incredible boys (oh and don’t forget my 3 dogs and kitty) THANK YOU ALL in advance to our unbelievable fans for YOUR love and support right now. ♥️

We WILL get through this….

Rooting like hell for Mr. Ness. Go get 'em. Happy that the prognosis isn't worse.

I intended to post a Gheorghe's 6-pack for Social D as a tip of the cap to the man, the band, and the predicament. Turns out, I did that 5 years ago! Fancy that.

Post abandoned. Except... my G:TB search returns for "Social Distortion" were way more interesting than I'd ever have thought! 

The beauty of nearly 20 years of Gheorghedom is that I forget most of what our goofy band of misfits have etched in the walls of this blogcave. And walks into the past amuse me greatly, if only to discover how we wrote back then, what predictions did and didn't come true, and what amazing time on my hands I had when I was employed by your federal government.

Take a look at what I mean. Searching for "social distortion" on gheorghe77.blogspot.com...

1. A Social D concert review soon after I attended a show in Norfolk from 14 years ago. A 39-year-old me chiding rob for being/acting old. 

2. The aforementioned Six-Pack. Not their greatest hits but a half-dozen of my faves.

3. The Mike Ness Files, according to rob. A list of being wrong with some of our prognostications.

4. The launch of Music Month. A month that concluded with the list of biggest douches in rock and roll (one which could use some updating... and was recently tagged by Blogger as vulgar). But this post was my equation of album track chronology and baseball lineup cards, with Social D's s/t record as the quintessential analogy. Good banter in the comments.

5. Ghoogles!! From 2009!! "mike ness quotes," "social distortion live at the roxy," "social distortion sick boys blogspot download"... glad we could be of help.

6. Gheorghe's Milestones in Music... wherein we all listed our first concerts, longest road trip for a show, etc. And a quiz! Great comments.

7. Utter filler... Les Coole listing favorite punk band names.

8. 2016 Gheorghemas Day Three: Three Punk Rock Playlists. 

I suppose one could be labeled onanistic for re-reading our posts of yesteryear, but the Gheorghe: The Blog roster has made me chuckle and learn more consistently for longer than any publication out there. 

Dig deep and enjoy. 

And get better, Mike Ness.