SOCIAL DISTORTION's MIKE NESS: 'We Plan To Shock Everybody And Put Out Another Studio Album In A Timely Manner'

In a new interview with Paul Cashmere of Noise11, Mike Ness of punk rock legends SOCIAL DISTORTION spoke about the band's long-awaited eighth album, "Born To Kill". Due on May 8 via Epitaph, "Born To Kill" is SOCIAL DISTORTION's eighth album, first in 15 years, and first since Ness successfully underwent cancer treatment. Ness co-produced the LP with veteran producer Dave Sardy, and it features appearances by Lucinda Williams and Benmont Tench (of TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS). The album artwork was made by Ness and Shepard Fairey.

Asked why now was the right time for SOCIAL DISTORTION to release a new album, Mike told Noise11 (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I wish I had a good answer for you. Fifteen years ago we were touring heavily. A lot of real-life stuff started to happen. My older son got into some trouble with drugs and alcohol. I still had to tour and deal with that. I don't know, honestly, though. I mean, I could name all these things that have happened — COVID and cancer and family stuff — but I don't feel I could have made this record fifteen years ago. I wasn't in a headspace [to make an album]. So, it is what it is. All I knew is when it came time to make this record, I knew I couldn't deliver a sleeper."

Asked how old some of the songs on this album are, Ness said: "I can tell you there's two [songs] that are left over from the [1996] 'White Light, [White Heat, White Trash]' demos — 'No Way Out' and 'Don't Keep Me Hanging On' were both songs that I couldn't finish in time to record [for] the 'White Light' album. And like many ideas, they just get kind of shoved in a corner, and they didn't make the record. It wasn't because they weren't good enough; it's just we didn't have the time to finish them all. And the same thing when it came time to pick these eleven songs. I had over 40 songs to go through and 40 ideas, and we had to spend a couple of months just kind of arranging 'em and playing them and seeing which ones kind of [worked best]. And it was a very tough decision, because you're, like… I guess we can just look at it, like, 'This will go on the next record for sure.' So you just to make a decision."

Regarding "how finished off" the remaining thirty songs are that weren't included on "Born To Kill" and whether they are "in shape to be released", Mike said: "Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I mean, look, we plan to shock everybody and put out another studio album in a timely manner. [Laughs]"

Asked if he thinks SOCIAL DISTORTION delivered on his desire to make the record of his career, Mike said: "I think so. I was kind of using 'White Light' as a kind of compass of some sort. But that was in the '90s, and I was working with a producer that… I just don't personally — I don't like how he made me sing the songs. He made me sing them really at '15', where it's almost like it wasn't really singing anymore. I thought they were beautiful songs, and if I would've been more aware, like I am now, I would've sang them… Because for me, I've noticed that when I sing a song of mine, or someone else's, the attitude comes out when it's supposed to. It doesn't have to just be slamming the whole time. I feel like you lose something. That's my own critique on myself. But I do think that this is a better record than 'White Light', yes."

SOCIAL DISTORTION will support "Born To Kill" with an extensive North American tour. The trek will kick off August 25 in Phoenix and play a total of 25 shows in 22 cities before concluding October 3 in San Diego.

Last December, Ness, who revealed a diagnosis of tonsil cancer in June 2023, offered an update on his recovery, telling Kevin Ryder at the annual KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas 2025: "I was afraid I was gonna not gonna live. I've been through some hard things in my life in some dangerous situations, as you can imagine, but nothing like that."

Asked if he had to learn to talk and sing again, Mike said: "I had to learn to eat, swallow — everything. I mean, they went in there — they sent a robot. I call him Ike, the robot. He went down and cut out my tonsil and the tumor. And then the second part of the surgery was, they slit my neck and cut the lymph nodes out. So I could not eat food. I mean, I came out of surgery with a drain and a feeding tube."

After Ryder noted that he is "glad" that Ness could sing again after his cancer battle, Mike said: "My voice is stronger than it's ever been. I think I'm singing like there's no tomorrow. So every show is great because I'm singing like there's no tomorrow."

Ness started SOCIAL DISTORTION as a teenager in 1979. Over the course of the next decade, Ness battled drug and alcohol addiction, spending stints in jail and rehab.

Formed as rebellious teenage punks in the working-class suburb of Fullerton, California, SOCIAL DISTORTION survived their tumultuous youth to pioneer an undeniably honest and fiery brand of rock 'n' roll that would incorporate outlaw country, classic seventies punk and primal blues. Seven studio albums and countless electrifying live shows have earned the band a dedicated worldwide fanbase and catalog of timeless anthems, including "Story Of My Life", "Ball And Chain", "Prison Bound" and more. The band's last release, 2011's "Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes", entered the Billboard 200 at No. 4, and in 2019 SOCIAL DISTORTION celebrated 40 years as a band.