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Blink-182 (formerly known as blink) is a Southern-Californian pop punk band that was formed in 1992 by Tom Delonge, Mark Hoppus, and Scott Raynor in Poway, California. After the rise of mainstream punk bands such as Green Day, the Offspring, and Rancid, they are credited for continuing the post-grunge pop-punk revolution.

Blink-182 is made up of three members: Thomas (Tom) Matthew DeLonge (also spelt "Delonge") on guitar, Markus (Mark) Allan Hoppus on bass, and Travis Landon Barker on drums (Travis replaced their original drummer who left the band shortly after Dude Ranch was released). The band is known for playing catchy melodies as well as for their satirical toilet humour. Blink-182 are unusual amongst punk rock bands for playing up-tempo songs in a major key, with prominent major-chord harmonies that are usually digitally mixed to provide a much cleaner sound than most other punk/rock recordings, which generally employ distortion and a ragged analogue mix to achieve the opposite effect. The lyrical content of their songs (prior to their last album) is often humorous and uplifting.

History

In 1992, when Hoppus moved to San Diego, California and was thinking of starting a band, he was introduced to Delonge. They decided that they needed to look for a drummer, and DeLonge discovered Scott Raynor at his school who played drums. After considering a number of names (such as Duct Tape) the band agreed to call themselves just 'blink. This would later have the numbers "182" added onto the end to avoid legal conflicts with an existing Irish band called blink (see below).

Early demos and Cheshire Cat

Towards May, 1993 blink released an EP known as Flyswatter, recorded using a boom box in Scott's bedroom, which explains the poor sound quality. Before the end of the year, the band released another demo cassette known as Buddha. Around 1,000 copies of this were produced by Kung Fu Records. In early 1994, blink released their first full-length album, Cheshire Cat, released on Grilled Cheese Records. The album contained many new versions of songs that had appeared on the Buddha demo.

Shortly after the release of Cheshire Cat, blink were threatened with legal action by a techno band in Ireland of the same name. In order to avoid a lengthy lawsuit, blink added the numbers 182 to the end of their name. Although there are rumours as to why these numbers were chosen (for example, that it is the number of times Al Pacino utters the word “fuck” in Scarface, or that they represent Hoppus' ideal weight), all the band members but one have made it clear that the numbers were picked at random. In one interview, Travis stated that the "182" was the U.S. radio codeword meaning 'homicide' (apparently confusing "182", the radio codeword for conspiracy, for "187"). During the pop punk boom of the 1990s, blink-182 were signed by MCA which later became Geffen records.

Dude Ranch

After moving to Encinitas, California, the band recorded the album Dude Ranch with producer Mark Trombino. The album was a hit, and two singles from it ("Josie" and "Dammit") rose to the top of the U.S. airplay charts. In 1998, the band met a slight setback. Raynor, who had a serious drinking problem at the time, was reportedly asked to leave the band and go into rehab, although there are also reports that he decided to leave to go to college and earn a degree. Raynor claims he agreed to go into drug rehab, but the rest of the band kicked him out over the phone because they didn't believe that he would do it. Whatever the explanation, he left midway through a U.S. tour. He was replaced by Travis Barker, who had been playing with support band The Aquabats. It is widely believed that the single "Man Overboard" on the band's live album speaks directly to Raynor's rift with Mark and Tom.

Enema of the State

In 1999 the album Enema of the State was released. The CD was successful, propelling the band to pop punk fame, and gaining a large amount of airtime on MTV and Total Request Live(TRL). This was largely due to the commercial success of the songs "What's My Age Again?", "Adam's Song", and "All the Small Things"; and particularly to the infamous music video for "What's My Age Again" which featured the band streaking. They sold seven and a half million copies of the album worldwide, which made it their best-selling album up to that point. The sound on Enema of the State was rooted in the same genre as earlier punk-rock bands such as NOFX, Green Day, and The Offspring, but it was more accessible to the mainstream, with a punky-feel. Many original fans felt that the band had strayed from their punk rock roots.

Take Off Your Pants and Jacket

2001 saw blink-182 continue their commercial success, recording Take off Your Pants and Jacket (the strange title was a punning reference to masturbation), which followed the same basic formula of "Enema of the State". In 2001, blink-182 appeared on the cover of CosmoGirl, and won a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award. Tom Delonge and Travis Barker were involved in side-projects The Transplants and Box Car Racer, bands which explored other musical styles.

In 2002, bands such as Good Charlotte, New Found Glory, and Simple Plan began following the same route as blink-182, marking the expansion of the pop-punk genre. Mark Hoppus participated in the making of Simple Plan's debut album, No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls.

Untitled album

The band released their fifth untitled record on November 18 2003. Described as a self-meditation on romantic decay, the album featured the hit singles "Feeling This" (previously named "Action") "I Miss You", "Down", and the 1980s-influenced "Always". Travis Barker has confirmed that the band left the album untitled (rather than self-titled) to represent a whole new blink-182. It showcased a style of music deeper than anything blink-182 had done previously, but still got a good deal of play on pop stations and MTV. Critics have deemed their sound similar to that of The Police and U2, although members of the band claim they took most of their influence from The Cure, whose front man Robert Smith had appeared on "All of This". Listeners called the riffs heavier and the lyrics profound. A tour with No Doubt was very successful in the summer of 2004. In many ways it also helped blink-182 break away from the common pop punk genre, dismissing predictable similarities that could be seen from band to band. blink were now on a pedestal next to Green Day overlooking the genre they helped to create despite the album's lack of commercial success. This would be the first sign of the decline in the regular pop punk scene which was later followed by Green Day's huge commercial success American Idiot, an album very dark and experimental like the one from blink, but with a more political theme that was able to launch them to new heights.

Indefinite break

2005 was set to be a busy year for blink. In the middle of a European tour, Geffen records had them scheduled to release another album, as well as a fifth and final single from the untitled album. However, on February 21 2005, the band announced that they would not be able to play at the "Music for Relief" Tsunami benefit show in Anaheim, California because of "unexpected circumstances". The following day it was stated on the band's official website that they would take an indefinite break in order to spend more time with their close friends and loved ones. The statement has since been removed.

Band member Travis Barker confirmed during a recent interview on KROQ that they are taking a rest from their normal activities, and that they are focusing on some alternative projects: Delonge will continue directing music videos (as he directed the Taking Back Sunday music video "I Know You Know"), Hoppus will be producing records (he recently produced the Motion City Soundtrack album "Commit This To Memory"), and Barker will be busy with the Transplants and this summer's Warped Tour. In addition to this, the beginning of 2005 marked the premiere of Barker's own reality TV show, called "Meet The Barkers". In a similar fashion to previous MTV reality TV shows (such as "The Osbournes") "Meet The Barkers" features all the members of the Barker family in their day-to-day activities.

In an interview held with MTV News, Mark Hoppus announced that he and Travis Barker were working on a side-project called Plus 44, that Carol Heller (of So-Cal punk band Get the Girl) would be in the band, and also that a CD release is expected in Autumn 2005. Later Barker said that the date has been pushed forward to Summer 2006.

Barker has been interviewed many times since the start of the break in performing and recording. He has given many answers which have confused the fans. In a recent interview with Drum! Magazine Travis Barker stated that the band "probably, most likely" will make a new record in January 2006. However, he has also claimed a number of times that blink are completly over. In August 2005 he told Kerrang magazine: "Being in the Transplants is a step forward for me. I'm in a band with two dudes who love playing music, and that's much more than I could say for blink-182 towards the end."

Information concerning who was the cause of the split has recently surfaced, with Barker claiming that Delonge is the reason: "It's just Tom who decided that he didn't want to play that kind of music and that he wanted to come back home, with his family." The final word Barker had to say about the situation is: "I'm only 1/3 of the band, I'm not blink-182 alone. I mean I don't want to talk about it. All I can say is that you can ask your questions to two other persons." Also according to Barker there will be a best-of album issued in December 2005, which in his opinion means the virtual end of the band. However, there is no word from other band members, or an official statement as to whether the band has permanently ceased to exist.

Furthermore, on the U.K.'s BBC Radio 1, rumours about a solo album from Delonge were partially confirmed during a live interview with The Foo Fighters on 23 August. They claimed that Delonge is currently at the Foo Fighters' studio and is "recording the drums for his new record". Recently, information has surfaced regarding Delonge's solo album. According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, he registered the name "Angels and Airwaves" on June 24th 2005 and also claimed that "It is so much more powerful, emotional and melodic than Box Car and Blink put together". Although many are skeptical regarding the authenticiy of the statement and the project itself, the Angels and Airwaves website (www.angelsandairwaves.co.uk) and the band's MySpace page have been registered by Geffen (although the reason for using a UK domain name is unknown) This statement, along with much of the information disclosed about reasons for the break, presents a greater sense of ambiguity.

Discography

Studio albums

• Cheshire Cat (1995) Cheshire Cat (1995)
• Dude Ranch (1997) #67 US, #9 Australia Dude Ranch (1997) #67 US, #9 Australia
• Enema of the State (1999) #9 US (4x platinum), #15 UK, #1 Australia Enema of the State (1999) #9 US (4x platinum), #15 UK, #1 Australia
• Take off Your Pants and Jacket (2001) #1 US, #4 UK, #2 Australia Take off Your Pants and Jacket (2001) #1 US, #4 UK, #2 Australia
• (Blink-182) (2003) #3 US, #22 UK, #7 Australia (Blink-182) (2003) #3 US, #22 UK, #7 Australia

Live albums

• The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show: The Enema Strikes Back (2000) #8 US

Demos

• Flyswatter (1992)
• 2nd Demo (1993)
• Buddha (1994)

Singles

From Cheshire Cat

• "M+M's" (1995)
• "Wasting Time" (1996)

From Dude Ranch

• "Dammit (Growing Up)" (1997) #34 Australia
• "Josie (Everything's Gonna Be Fine)" (1998) #31 Australia
• "Apple Shampoo" (1998)

From Enema of the State

• "All the Small Things" (1999)
• "What's My Age Again?" (1999)
• "Adam's Song" (1999)

From The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show: The Enema Strikes Back

• "Man Overboard" (2000) #40 Australia

From Take off Your Pants and Jacket

• "The Rock Show" (2001) #71 US, #14 UK, #34 Australia
• "First Date" (2001) #31 UK, #50 Australia
• "Stay Together For The Kids" (2002)

From blink-182

• "Feeling This" (2003) #15 UK, #20 Australia
• "I Miss You" (2004) #42 US, #8 UK, #13 Australia
• "Down" (2004) #24 UK, #35 Australia
• "Always" (2004) #36 UK, #45 Australia

DVDs

• The Urethra Chronicles (2000) (Label: MCA)
• Man Overboard/Adam's Song (2001) (Label: MCA)
• The Urethra Chronicles II: Harder Faster Faster Harder (2002) (Label: MCA)
• Riding in Vans with Boys (2003) (Label: Resting Bird Entertainment)

Band

• Tom Delonge – guitars, vocals (1992–2005)
• Mark Hoppus – bass, vocals (1992–2005)
• Travis Barker – drums (1998–2005)
• Scott Raynor – drums (1992-1998)

Trivia

• Travis Barker currently co-stars in a new television show, Meet the Barkers, with his wife, Shanna Moakler both star in.
• Tom Delonge appeared in the film Idle Hands as a fast-food worker; he only had one line.

Side projects by band members

• Box Car Racer (now defunct)
• The Transplants
• Plus 44

Companies owned by band members

• Atticus Clothing (Co-owned by Mark and Tom)
• Loserkids (Apparel Store)
• Macbeth Shoe Co. (Co-owned by Mark and Tom)
• Famous Stars and Straps Apparel Store (Owned by Travis)
• La Salle Records (Owned by Travis)
• Wahoo's Fish Tacos (one store in Northern California owned by Travis)
• Resting Bird Entertainment (Co-owned by Mark and Tom)

External links

• Official Site
• Interview with Travis Barker
• Unofficial Site
• blink-182online.com
• blink-net.com
• blink-182 at allmusic.com
• b-182.de German blink-182 Fanpage
• carousel182.com Blink 182 Fan Forum
• plus-44.org Blink 182 and Plus-44 fan site, covers Mark, Tom and Travis with news, facts etc

See also

• Punk rock
• Pop punk

• Pop punk groups
• American musical groups
• Rock music groups