BLINK 182: Three the hard Way

With the help of three talented young musicians, punk rock made an easy transition into the world of mainstream.

In the 1990s, Blink-182 brought the genre of pop punk to a whole new level. For over a decade, the band has continued to cultivate the movement with the same momentum that they started with in 1992. Blink-182 combines catchy lyrics, talented instrumentals, and the humorous personalities of each band member to create a style that has enchanted teens and young adults for years. The band’s satirical music videos and concerts filled with toilet-humor have showed that they are three guys who definitely don’t take themselves too seriously.

With five studio albums under their belt as well as several popularized live albums and demos, Blink-182 has gained a loyal following that has stuck with them as they matured. From a new band member addition to the trio becoming husbands and fathers to an unexpected breakup, their fan base has stuck behind them with perpetual support.

Blink-182 formed in suburban San Diego, Calif., when Tom DeLonge (guitarist/vocalist) met Mark Hoppus (bassist/vocalist). The band, originally called Blink, was heavily rooted in Californian skate-punk culture, and when they met Drummer Scott Raynor, they knew that he would fit right in.

The three teens devoted themselves to their craft by constantly practicing and performing at festivals and clubs. The group recorded indie demos that gained increasing popularity in the early 1990s.

In 1994, the band released their first full-length studio album titled, “Cheshire Cat,” with Cargo Music, a small record label. After the album’s release, the band added “-182” to the end of their name to avoid a potential lawsuit with an Irish band. After releasing their second studio album “Dude Ranch” in 1997, the single “Dammit (Grow Up)” brought the band their first taste of mainstream success. This led Blink-182 to participate in multiple worldwide tours, but when they returned to the U.S., Raynor, the band’s drummer, was fired and replaced by Travis Barker.

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[ Photo credit: Cory Schwartz/Getty Images

Barker became a drumming celebrity and helped the group reach its full potential. The band became an unstoppable force, releasing the quintuple-platinum album "Enema of the State."

Singles such as: “All the Small Things,” “Adam’s Song,” and “What’s My Age Again?” earned the band substantial radio airplay as well as top music video spots on MTV.

Blink-182’s 2003 self-titled album combined a more mature and serious side to their usually playful style. “I Miss You,” “Feeling This,” and “All of This” topped modern rock charts and led the band to become a household name. Blink-182 was at the top of their game in the early 2000s, but the seemingly invincible band did not continue on the path everyone expected of them.

 In February 2005, at the height of their popularity, the band unexpectedly announced that they were going on an “indefinite hiatus” to spend more time with their growing families. Without Blink-182, the punk world was not the same. But a series of tragic events brought about a reunion for the trio in 2009.

It all started in September 2008, when Barker was severely injured in a plane crash near Columbia, S.C; he was one of few survivors. DeLonge and Hoppus visited Barker in the hospital and the band tied up loose ends. To the delight of fans, in February 2009 at a Grammy Awards ceremony, the band made their first live appearance since their break-up and announced their reunion.

Blink-182 has been busy ever since, whether they are on world-tours or perfecting their upcoming sixth studio album (set to release in Spring 2011). Blink-182 has proved that they have the same passion for music and appreciation for their fans that they started with in the early 1990s. Fans eagerly await the new music that this unique band is going to throw at them next. Hoppus gave a preview of what to expect from the upcoming album in a December 2010 interview with MTV.

 “We’ve gone through a lot of really heavy stuff over the past few years. [...] There’s plenty of heavy stuff to write about. I think in moments [the album] will [be dark]. We’re still just barely getting into the whole writing process. We have about three or four songs done. I wouldn’t say it’s going to be a dark record; I think it’s really an expansive record. There’s stuff that sounds like what we were doing on the last Blink record, and there’s stuff that sounds like what we were doing 10 years ago and stuff that we’ve never done before.”

Blink-182 has never done things the typical way. Though they have reached widespread popularity, their style and personality stands out among their colleagues. As a punk band they burst through a decade marked by boy-bands and ballads, a feat that few other bands have been able to accomplish. Now, decades later Blink-182 has maintained its relevance in pop culture without sacrificing the uniqueness that defines their music.

http://www.blink182.com/

-Morgan King

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