Blink 182
Date of birth
14th November, 1975
Band form
1992
Height
1.75
Blink-182 (formed 1992)
Blink-182 is a Californian pop punk band that rose to fame with hits such as 'All The Small Things.'
Formation: Blink-182's first demo tape was recorded in 1993, under the name Blink. Named 'Flyswatter', the tape was mainly distributed amongst family and friends, because of the poor sound quality of the recording. Later that year, they recorded 'Demo #2'. The latter recording featured a number of songs that would go on to form their debut album.
Buddha was released by Filter Records in 1993 and later re-issued in 1998.
The Breakthrough: The band signed to Cargo Music in 1994. Their debut album for Cargo, entitled Cheshire Cat, was reportedly recorded in just three days. Two singles were released from the album ('Wasting Time' and 'M&Ms') but neither track reached the charts.
The band changed their name to Blink-182 to avoid confusion with an Irish band by the name of Blink. In 1994, the band released a split EP with Iconoclasts entitled 'Short Bus'. They then released their own three-track EP the following year, with the name 'They Came To Conquer. Uranus'.
The album Dude Ranch was released in 1997. Originally intended for release under Cargo Records, the band later signed a deal with MCA in order to increase their distribution levels.
Drummer Scott Raynor left the band in 1998, half-way through their US tour. Hoppus and DeLonge invited Travis barker to join the band (they knew Barker as he drummed for their support band, The Aquabats).
1999 saw the release of Blink-182's Enema of the State, which saw the band soar to mainstream success, with the release of singles such as 'All the Small Things', 'Adam's Song' and 'What's My Age Again?'
Blink-182 released a 'behind the scenes' DVD in 2000, entitled The Urethra Chronicles. That year, they also released The Mark, Tom and Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back), a live album featuring versions of their biggest hits to date.
The band continued their success in 2001 with the release of Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. The band released the album in three different versions. Each version contained a different coloured CD and two different bonus tracks. Their promotional tour for the album suffered a number of setbacks, including being delayed because of the September 11th terrorist attacks and the rescheduled dates being delayed because of DeLonge's back troubles.
In 2002, Blink-182 toured with Green Day, as documented on the Riding In Vans With Boys DVD. Following the tour, DeLonge and Barker spent some time working on their side project, Box Car Racer.
The next year, the band released their next album, which was untitled. The album spawned the singles 'I Miss You', 'Down' and 'Feeling This'.
The Break-up: Although it was not known at the time, Blink-182's gig at The Point Depot in Dublin, would turn out to be their last. In February 2005, the band's manager telephoned Hoppus and Barker to inform them that Tom DeLonge had left the band. Although it was initially marketed as a hiatus, the band has yet to reform and it is now widely considered to be a permanent break. In 2005, Geffen released a Greatest Hits collection.
Life After Blink: In November 2005, Tom DeLonge announced the arrival of his new band, Angels and Airwaves. The band has released two albums, We Don't Need To Whisper and I-Empire.
Hoppus and Barker's new band, +44 also emerged in 2005 and released the album When Your Heart Stops Beating.
Travis Barker was involved in a plane crash in South Carolina in September 2008. His personal assistant was killed in the crash, along with three others. Barker was released from hospital in mid-October and it has been reported that he is due to make a full recovery.
Travis Barker: The Man Who's Bringing Pop-punk Into The 2020s
By Holly Mosley in Music / Festivals on 18 May 2021
The pop-punk revival is here, and it's all Travis Barker's fault.
There was a time we thought that pop-punk was a relic of the 2000s never to be heard again - at least, not in anything that wasn't a "guilty pleasure" capacity. But it seems that, somehow, it's back in vogue and if there's one person we need to thank for it it's Travis Barker.
The Blink-182 drummer has teamed up with numerous hip hop and mainstream pop acts over the last decade, but rather than his sound taking a more commercial turn, in the last couple of years it's been his collaborators that have adopted the music style that Blink-182 helped shape.
Continue reading: Travis Barker: The Man Who's Bringing Pop-punk Into The 2020s
World UFO Day: The Alien Soundtrack To Your Life
By Holly Mosley in Music / Festivals on 02 July 2020
When music and the cosmos collide.
The truth is out there... and what better way to get your nerd on than by getting in the alien mood with our World UFO Day playlist? Artists have been singing about space and other worlds for decades, and these are just seven of our favourite interstellar tunes.
E.T. - Katy Perry ft. Kanye West
Continue reading: World UFO Day: The Alien Soundtrack To Your Life
Tom DeLonge Will NOT Be Rejoining Blink 182
By Ed Biggs in Music / Festivals on 19 October 2018
However, drummer Travis Barker has now been cleared by doctors to play with the group again.
The recent internet rumours concerning Blink 182’s upcoming tour – namely, that lead singer Tom DeLonge might be about to come back in to the fold – are bogus, apparently.
The rumour mill began yesterday (Thursday October 18th) when drummer Travis Barker shared a picture of DeLonge’s face with the caption “Where are youuuuu” – referencing a lyric from their 2004 hit ‘I Miss You’.
DeLonge then responded “I am the voice inside your yeeeeaaaad”, another lyric from the track.
Continue reading: Tom DeLonge Will NOT Be Rejoining Blink 182
Blink-182 Cancel Autumn Tour Due To Travis Barker's Ongoing Medical Issues
By Ed Biggs in Music / Festivals on 07 September 2018
The band's drummer is still recovering from blood clots in his arms that prevent him from performing.
Blink-182 have been forced to cancel their upcoming autumn tour, as drummer Travis Barker has been unable to overcome his recent medical issues.
The group made the announcement to their fans via Twitter on Thursday night (September 6th), saying that Barker’s recent medical issues, detected back in June when Blink-182 had to pull out of several of their Las Vegas residency dates because of blood clots in both of their drummer’s arms.
As a result, the legendary prank-punk outfit have been forced to ditch their upcoming mini-tour of North America, including their headline appearance at Riot Fest in Chicago next weekend (September 14th-16th).
Continue reading: Blink-182 Cancel Autumn Tour Due To Travis Barker's Ongoing Medical Issues
Linkin Park Back In Charts After Chester Death
By Clive King in Music / Festivals on 24 July 2017
Linkin Park have returned to America's Billboard Chart following the tragic suicide of their frontman Chester Bennington last week.
A host of Linkin Park albums are back in the charts following Chester Bennington's death.
The band's frontman took his own life last Thursday (20.07.17) aged 41 and fans have paid tribute to the singer in many ways, including purchasing a number of the rockers' records which has seen them surge up the Billboard Chart.
Linkin Park's latest album, 'One More Light', appeared at number 17 after selling 23,000 copies, 18,000 of which were physical, and the band's debut album 'Hybrid Theory' re-entered the chart at 27 following 15,000 sales.
Continue reading: Linkin Park Back In Charts After Chester Death
Mark Hoppus performing with his band Blink-182 at the Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre - West Palm Beach, Florida, United States - Saturday 6th August 2016
Four Artists Most Likely To Release A Surprise Album This Year
By Joe DeAndrea in Music / Festivals on 27 March 2015
Take a look at the artists that could be the next ones to release a new album unexpectedly.
Surprise albums are all the rage, and it’s easy to understand why. They make sense for both fans and artists, and there’s hardly any downside to just throwing your highly anticipated album up for download on a random Saturday night with nothing else going on around the Internet. It practically sells itself at that point.
Continue reading: Tom DeLonge Speaks About Blink-182 Situation
Tom DeLonge's Blink-182 Departure Gets Ugly As Hoppus And Barker Label Him "Disrespectful And Ungrateful"
By Stephanie Chase in Music / Festivals on 27 January 2015
It looks like Tom DeLonge has officially left Blink 182 and his departure doesn't appear to have been amicable.
It’s been a tough few days for Blink 182 fans, as Tom DeLonge’s status within the band has been at times confusing. But it appears the guitarist has indeed left the group and will be replaced by Alkaline Trio’s Matt Skiba at this year's Musicink festival in March.
It all began on Monday (January 27th) when bassist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker released a statement saying DeLonge had quit and would be replaced by Skiba.
Continue reading: Tom DeLonge's Blink-182 Departure Gets Ugly As Hoppus And Barker Label Him "Disrespectful And Ungrateful"
Tom DeLonge Claims He "Never Quit" Blink-182, Despite Reports
By Nick Hill in Music / Festivals on 27 January 2015
On Monday bandmates Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus released a statement to announce that the co-lead vocalist had left the band "indefinitely."
Despite earlier reports suggesting Tom DeLonge was no longer a member of Blink-182, the band's guitarist and co-lead vocalist has come forward to reassure their fans that he hasn't quit the punk-rock trio.
However, the mistake can't just be put down to the media publishing false reports as news of DeLonge's apparent exit from Blink-182 was first broke by his two bandmates, Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus.
Continue reading: Tom DeLonge Claims He "Never Quit" Blink-182, Despite Reports
Leeds Festival 2014 - Live Review
By Alister Roberts in Music Reviews on 28 August 2014
It came, It went, It conquered as per. Leeds Festival 2014 was a real pinnacle for this year's UK live music, cramming it's masses into the colossus fields of Bramham Park, this year's Leeds Festival was a true menace of a machine. From strolling the sights and stalls of the relatively tame arena, to hiking through the foothills of Red camp and afar, the beast of Leeds Festival was out in full glamour this year. Not only for the sheer size and scale of the glorified playground, nor for the big bad names it captured upon its stages, but purely the immense and sometimes overwhelming atmosphere of Leeds Festival is what attracts the crowds in their droves - (Each and EVERY year).
Without further ado, we present to you this year's top live sets and why they really made this year what it was.
Continue reading: Leeds Festival 2014 - Live Review
Blink 182 and Travis Barker Saturday 26th April 2008 Former Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker shopping with his kids Malibu, California