BLINK 182 - BLINK-182'S BARKER AND HOPPUS FORM NEW BAND

Former BLINK-182 members TRAVIS BARKER and MARK HOPPUS have formed a new band and will release their debut album in November (06). Blink-182 announced last year (05) that they were going on an "indefinite hiatus". Now Barker and Hoppus are concentrating on new band +44, named for the international dialling code to the UK and pronounced "plus 44". Barker said in a statement yesterday (29AUG06), "Mark and I have a natural chemistry after playing together for so long and it's only gotten stronger." The group will release its debut album WHEN YOUR HEART STOPS BEATING through Interscope Records on 14 November (06). The other member of the original Southern California punk-rock trio, singer-guitarist TOM DeLONGE, has already found success with his new band ANGELS AND AIRWAVES. Barker and Hoppus will be joined in +44 by guitarists SHANE GALLAGHER and CRAIG FAIRBAUGH. The band will make their debut performance next month (SEP06) in Europe and will hit the road in the US in October (06).