Greg Norton, best known as the former bassist of melodic punk icons Hüsker Dü, has announced that he has been diagnosed with cancer.
Writing on his Facebook page, Norton said, “At the beginning of June, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. My doctors at the Mayo Clinic believe I have excellent odds, but we need to get in right away and move forward with treatment and surgery.
“Due to this, we have canceled our upcoming UltraBomb dates in England and Scotland. We will also be pushing our fall tour in the states back a bit to allow me time to recover and return in full force.
“My sincere apologies to those who had tickets purchased or who were planning on attending our upcoming shows across the pond. I am frustrated, as I know you may be feeling disappointed or upset. I was really hoping to be sharing how excited I was to be coming back to play England for the first time in 35 years!”
Meanwhile, UltraBomb drummer Jamie Oliver has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to pay for his bandmate’s treatment.
“We can't imagine the stress and anxiety he and his family must be going through,” writes Oliver. “One thing that's for sure, though, is that the cost of treatment in the United States is eye-watering. We want to help alleviate some of that pressure, so we've decided to set up a GoFundMe account to collect money for Greg to put towards his treatment.
“Please help us by donating what you can. Let's get Greg treated and well, back on his feet and rocking out again in no time!”
The fundraiser has already surpassed its initial target of $30,000, with many fans leaving messages of support and recollections of their interactions with Norton.
Norton played with Hüsker Dü from their formation in 1979 to their explosive breakup in 1988. He later ran a restaurant in Red Wing, Minnesota and worked as a wine dealer, before returning to music in 2006 with the band Gang Font and more recently UltraBomb.
Norton says in his Facebook post that the “good news” is the impending release of UltraBomb’s debut album, Time To Burn, on July 15 via DCJam records and that the band still hope to headline local all-layer Roots, Rock, & Deep Blues 11, at the Hook and Ladder, in Minneapolis on July 16.
Here’s to a speedy recovery for Norton. In the meantime, you can head to the GoFundMe page to make a contribution to his medical bills.
“They had to fight to get the bass that high in the mix. I thought it was too much”: How do you anchor a band like Pleasure? If you’re Nate Philips, you do it with a formidable slap technique
“Hard to believe that rehearsals begin a week from Monday. We begin again. Every time a rebirth. Every time an adventure”: Another former Smashing Pumpkins bassist is joining Garbage on tour
