16 things you might not know about blink-182
How's your blink knowledge?
blink-182 fans are some of the most loyal fans in the pop-punk sphere. They've been through plenty of ups and downs with the band over the years - through the 'indefinite hiatus' years and beyond, through side-projects and reunions... Fans have stayed true to the band.
After founding member Tom Delonge reunited with Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker for new music and a MASSIVE tour, brush up on your blink knowledge with our interesting facts below...
What are blink-182 up to now?
On 14th October 2022, blink-182 released their first song with Tom DeLonge in 10 years, titled 'Edging'. The track, produced by drummer Travis Barker, is a trademark blink-182 pop-punk anthem, and serves is the first taster of the trio’s upcoming ninth studio album.
Tom has also teased that a new blink-182 album could be on the way in 2023, and the trio are preparing for a gigantic world tour - and even teased that there's a part 3 of fan-favourite track 'Anthem' in the pipieline...
1) The 182 was added later
The three piece - originally Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Scott Raynor - were previously called Blink but had to change their name after an Irish band threatened court action.
2) And it has no meaning
Fans have speculated that the 182 comes from the amount of times Al Pacino says the F word in the movie Scarface. However, the band have admitted that - although they joke about various hidden meanings - it is in fact just a number they made up.
3) The song 'Josie' was named after the dog of Elyse Rogers, vocalist for Dance Hall Crashers
Remember these hair colours? There are some pretty special shades being rocked by the trio.
4) 'What's My Age Again?' was originally titled 'Peter Pan Complex'
It doesn't quite have the same ring to it, does it? It almost definitely wouldn't have enjoyed quite the longevity and success with the original title.
5) There's more to Mark than songwriting
Not only is he a talented songwriter, musician and singer, he's also enjoyed success producing records for groups such as New Found Glory and Motion City Soundtrack. He even has had his own clothing lines - Atticus and Hi My Name is Mark.
6) The band once appeared in an episode of The Simpsons
It's surely an American rite of passage. The band appeared in 2003 episode 'Barting Over', where they can be seen performing in Tony Hawk's loft.
7) They also had a cameo in American Pie
Tom, Mark and Travis had a small cameo in 1999 film American Pie starring Jason Biggs, and, well, you know the story - they end up seeing Jim and Nadia on that webcast.
8) Tom was expelled from Poway High School when he was 16 for going to a basketball game while drunk
This act of drunkenness forced him to attend Rancho Bernardo High School where he befriended classmate Kerry Key and his girlfriend Anne Hoppus... Mark's sister! The rest, as they say, is history.
9) Mark met his future wife Skye on the set of the 'All The Small Things' video
Who says work and play can't mix? Skye, whose maiden name is Everly, was an MTV talent executive at the time, and initially refused to go on a date with Mark. He once explained how they met, "Tom always used to embarrass me. Any girl he'd talk to, he'd say, 'Hey, you wanna go on a date with Mark?' He asked Skye, my wife, who looked at me and said 'No.' That's how it all started."
10) Mark both broke ankles during one of his first meetings with Tom
Whilst trying to impress his new bandmate, Mark climbed to the top of a street lamp - but fell on the way down and seriously injured himself. He was left using crutches for the next few weeks.
11) Travis was recruited after learning a 20-song setlist in 45 minutes
The band were due to perform at a gig in 1998, but were left without a drummer after Scott quit. Travis, who was at the time drummer for the band's tour-mates The Aquabats, stepped in and learnt the entire set in less than an hour. He subsequently joined the band full time that year.
12) 'Enema of the State' nearly had a very different title
You can see the boys had a particular theme in mind. After considering 'Turn Your Head and Cough', 'Viking Wizard Eyes' and 'Blink-182: Electric Boogaloo', nothing else fits for the album that ended up being their most successful.
13) Mark originally left the band early on
At the time of forming, Mark's then-girlfriend was seriously unhappy with the amount of time he was spending with the guys on their music instead of with her, and gave him an ultimatum. He left the band to be with her, but soon broke up with her when he heard they were recording a demo.
14) The riff from 'Dammit' was down to Mark losing two guitar strings
Imagine what could have been with those extra strings... Or maybe he was onto something.
15) The band did not speak for three years after the hiatus
However, when Mark heard about the crash, he immediately flew out to see him, and Tom sent a heartfelt letter. The band reunited not long after this in 2009.
16) The band mocked One Direction... 12 YEARS before they even existed
With superb foresight, it’s transpired that blink-182 poked fun at One Direction more than a decade before the saccharine boyband were a thing. Yes, the beach where the band filmed a parody scene in their ‘All The Small Things’ video is the EXACT place where 1D filmed ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ some 11 years later.
The clip in the Blink video is part of a series of scenes where they ridicule nauseating boybands who were polluting the airwaves at the turn of the millennium, including Backstreet Boys, Westlife, N*SYNC and Five. So, er... We'll just leave that there shall we?
Swipe through to see blink-182's career timeline from the very start...
1992
blink-182 were formed in 1992, when Tom DeLonge entered a Battle of the Bands competition at high school and met drummer Scott Raynor. After befriending a fellow musician named Kerry Key and his girlfriend Anne Hoppus, she then introduced her brother Mark - and the rest, as they say, is history.
1993-1995
Between 1993 and 1995, the band began recording a lot of music. They released two demo tapes in 1993 - Flyswatter and Demo No.2 - and in 1994 recorded their debut album, 'Cheshire Cat', as well as performing their first big gig. The album was released in 1995 and embarked on their first national tour.
1996-1997
After a lot of touring, blink started work on a second album, and also signed to their first major label - MCA, who also looked after artists like Boston, Alice Cooper, Lynyrd Skynyrd and New Found Glory. The second album, 'Dude Ranch', was released in 1997 and was certified Platinum in the US, spawning singles 'Dammit' and 'Josie'.
1998
In 1998, Scott left the band, and Travis Barker - drummer for the band's tour-mates The Aquabats - stepped in, learning the 20-song setlist in 45 minutes. He joined the band full time in July.
1999
The band released their third album, 'Enema of the State', in 1999 - the first with Travis installed as the drummer. It was their most successful album to date, being certified 5× Platinum in the US and Platinum in the UK. It included singles like 'What's My Age Again?' and 'All the Small Things'.
2000-2001
They spent 2000 touring heavily, which included their first big headline tour, and in 2001 released 'Take Off Your Pants and Jacket'. It had some of blink's most well-known songs like 'First Date', 'The Rock Show' and 'Stay Together for the Kids'. Travis and Tom also formed side-project Box Car Racer with guitarist David Kennedy.
2002-2005
blink went on a co-headlining tour in 2002 with Green Day, and Travis and Tom each spent time on separate side-projects. They returned to the studio in 2003 to make their self-titled fifth album, and co-headline a tour with No Doubt in 2004. Sadly, the trio disbanded in 2005 after Tom DeLonge quit, leaving fans all over the world devastated.
2005-2009: Side-projects
Travis and Mark formed new band +44, whilst Tom announced his own, Angels & Airwaves. +44 was made up of Travis and Mark, as well as guitarists Shane Gallagher from The Nervous Return and Craig Fairbaugh of Mercy Killers. They had successful singles like 'When Your Heart Stops Beating' and 'Cliffdiving'.
Angels & Airwaves
Tom formed Angels & Airwaves with Ryan Sinn, Atom Willard and David Kennedy in 2005, releasing successful singles 'The Adventure' and 'Everything's Magic'. Tom continued to work with the band even when blink reunited in 2009.
2009-2011
Tom, Travis and Mark reunited in 2009 following Travis' involvement in a near-fatal plane crash. He said at the Grammys, "We used to play music together, and we decided we're going to play music together again." They embarked on a Greatest Hits tour and put out sixth album 'Neighborhoods' two years later in 2011.
2012
After 'Neighborhoods' failed to perform as well as expected, the band admitted that it wasn't their "best effort", and split from their label Interscope. Mark told MTV News, "It's a very exciting time here. I feel like our band is in the best place it's been in a long time." They also released an EP entitled 'Dogs Eating Dogs' in December and reveal a seventh album is on the way.
2013
Sadly, the band don't make any progress on the seventh album, and Travis' fear of flying keeps him from being able to tour with the band in Australia, being replaced by Brooks Wackerman. Cracks began to show in the band once again after Travis had a Twitter argument about his no-show in Australia, and Tom and Mark even discussed kicking him out of the band.
2015-2016
Vocalist and guitarist Tom departed the group in 2015, and was replaced by Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba, and the band released seventh album 'California' in 2016. The album, which featured tracks such as 'Bored to Death' and 'She's Out of Her Mind', became their first Number 1 single since 2001 and even earned them a Grammy nomination.
2017-2018
The band spent most of the next two years touring, and also produced a deluxe version of 'California'. They played at various festivals and had a massive UK tour in 2017, and even had a residency at Las Vegas in 2018 entitled Kings of the Weekend.
2019
In 2019, Mark revealed that the band's eighth album was on the way, and was more 'aggressive' and 'darker' than their previous work.
2019
Not only is Mark working on the eighth album with blink, but he has also formed a new group with Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low. Their first EP, 'Strange Love', was released on 29th March.
2020: New single 'Quarantine' and upcoming EP
The trio released brand new track 'Quarantine' on 7th August 2020, all about - you guessed it - their time in the 2020 lockdown. Drummer Travis Barker described the track as "a blink favourite. It'll be like all our fan favourites. It's incredible."
Mark also revealed the band would be looking to release a new EP in 2021.
2021: Travis Barker reveals special guests on new blink-182 album
In February, blink-182 drummer Travis Barker revealed the special guest performers on the pop-punk trio's ninth studio album. He said, 'Nine' is "60% done" and it features collaborations with a trio of special guests – serial hitmaker Pharrell Williams, rapper Lil Uzi Vert and electro pop musician Grimes.'
2021: Mark Hoppus reveals cancer diagnosis
In June, vocalist and bassist Mark Hoppus revealed to fans he was three months into a battle against cancer. He posted a statement revealing he felt 'hopeful'.
Travis Barker and Tom DeLonge were amongst the many sending their support to Mark.
2021: Mark Hoppus is cancer free
On 29th September 2021, Mark Hoppus announced that his chemotherapy has worked and he's cancer free! He wrote on social media: "Just saw my oncologist and I'm cancer free!! Thank you God and universe and friends and family and everyone who sent support and kindness and love. Still have to get scanned every six months and it'll take me until the end of the year to get back to normal but today is an amazing day and I feel so blessed. Can I get a W in the chat?" Amazing news!
2022
The news every blink fan had been waiting to hear... Original member Tom DeLonge has reunited with Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker, with the trio announcing a 2023 UK arena tour. The band also released brand new music in the form of their track 'Edging' on 14th October 2022.
2022
In December 2022, Tom teased that a new album would be dropping in 2023, sharing a throwback photo of the band performing alongside the caption: 'New Album Coming in a few months.' This came just a few days after Travis and Mark teased a snippet of 'Anthem Pt.3' - follow-up to fan faves 'Anthem' and 'Anthem Pt.2' which appeared on 'Enema of the State' (1999) and 'Take Off Your Pants and Jacket' (2001) respectively.
2023
Unfortunately, blink were forced to postpone the start of their reunion tour in South America in February 2023 due to Travis Barker's hand injury. Sharing a macabre photo of the swollen ring finger, Barker told his Instagram followers: 'I smashed my finger so hard I dislocated it and tore the ligaments. Less than two weeks later, Barker hurt his hand again and was due to undergo surgery shortly after.
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