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blink-182
Background information
Origin Poway, California, USA
Genre(s) Pop Punk[1][2][3][4]
Punk rock[5][6][7]
Years active 1992 – 2005
Label(s) Filter, Grilled Cheese, MCA, Geffen
Associated
acts Box Car Racer
Angels and Airwaves
+44
Website www.blink182.com
Members
Tom DeLonge (vocals and guitar)
Mark Hoppus (vocals and bass)
Travis Barker (drums and percussion)
Former members
Scott Raynor (drums and percussion)
blink-182 was a pop punk band originally formed in 1992 by Tom DeLonge
(vocals and guitar)[8] who quickly recruited Mark Hoppus (vocals and bass)
and Scott Raynor (drums) in Poway, California,[9] a northern suburb of San
Diego. Originally, the band's official name was "Blink", however, the
numerical three digit suffix was appended early in their career following an
objection from an Irish band with the same name. Travis Barker replaced
Raynor on drums in 1998, midway through a U.S. tour. The group effectively
broke up in early 2005, portraying it as an "indefinite hiatus". DeLonge
went on to form a different style of music, a band called Angels and
Airwaves While Hoppus and Barker spawned a more punkish yet poppish style
band called +44.
Blink 182 was known for their catchy, simple melodies and lyrical toilet
humor. Songwriters Hoppus and DeLonge cite punk rock bands such as The
Descendents and Screeching Weasel[10] as their early influences, however,
the band's songwriting and production was driven by a pop sensibility. Their
last album featured more musical experimentation and lyrical sophistication
than previous releases.
History
Early years (1992-1998)
In May 1993, Blink recorded its first demo tape, entitled Flyswatter, in
drummer Scott Raynor's bedroom. A 4-track was used to record the material,
resulting in poor sound quality. According to Hoppus, only around fifty
copies of the demo were produced to give to their family and friends. Before
the end of the year, the band released another demo, Buddha. Around 1,000
copies were produced by Filter Records, an independent record company headed
by Hoppus's boss.
In early 1994, Blink signed with Cargo Records. The band recorded their
debut full-length album, Cheshire Cat in three days. The album contained a
number of updated versions of songs such as "Carousel", "Strings",
"Sometimes" and "TV" that had appeared on the Buddha demo as well as some
originals.
Shortly after the release of Cheshire Cat, Blink was threatened with legal
action by a pop band in Ireland of the same name. In order to avoid a
dispute, Blink appended "182" to the end of their name. The band has cited a
variety of reasons for ultimately choosing 182, with some of the more common
explanations being references to the 1985 Timothy Hutton film, Turk 182!,
the band's ideal weight, the number of half the days in a year and the
number of miles Hoppus had to drive to visit his girlfriend. However,
DeLonge has stated that it is just a number that they "pulled out of their
ass".
After moving to Encinitas, California, the band recorded the album Dude
Ranch in 1996 with producer Mark Trombino. Blink-182 recorded the album
under Cargo Records, but signed with MCA which later became Geffen Records
in 1996, in order to handle increased distribution. The album was released
in 1997 and was relatively commercially successful, selling 4 million copies
worldwide. The single "Dammit" did well on U.S. modern rock charts, however
drummer Scott Raynor later left the band. There are two common explanations
for his removal - that Raynor had a serious drinking problem and was asked
to go into rehab or face ejection, or alternately, that he departed in order
to attend college. Raynor claims he agreed to go to rehab, but that DeLonge
and Hoppus were doubtful of his sincerity and subsequently fired him over
the phone.[11] Hoppus and DeLonge had asked drummer Travis Barker of
Blink-182's support band The Aquabats to fill in for Raynor for the
remainder of the tour, thus he had to learn all of the songs in a matter of
hours before the show. He ultimately went on to join the band permanently
afterwards, leaving The Aquabats.
Mainstream success (1999-2004)
For the 1999 album Enema of the State, the band hired Jerry Finn as its
producer. The album propelled the band into the mainstream, granting the hit
singles "What's My Age Again?", "All the Small Things" and "Adam's Song" a
significant amount of airtime on radio and MTV. Enema of the State went on
to sell over 10 million copies worldwide making it the band's bestselling
album to that point.
In 1999 the band had small parts in the film American Pie, though Travis
Barker was incorrectly credited as Scott Raynor.
In 2000, the band released The Urethra Chronicles, a DVD which featured
behind-the-scenes information. The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show: The Enema
Strikes Back, Blink-182's sole live album, was also released in 2000,
featuring songs from their three full-length records. The album also
included one new studio song, "Man Overboard," among the live renditions.
The album quickly went out of print making it a much sought after item. A
limited edition was printed in October 2006.
The band continued its commercial success with Take Off Your Pants and
Jacket in 2001, which was in the same vein as Enema of the State. However, a
European tour in winter 2001 was canceled in the aftermath of the September
11th attacks. Rescheduled dates in early 2002 were also canceled due to
DeLonge's problems with his back.
In 2002, Blink-182 co-headlined the Pop Disaster Tour with Green Day. The
tour was documented on the DVD Riding In Vans With Boys.
After taking some time off in 2002, recording of the next record began in
early 2003. The band released its next studio album on November 18, 2003. It
featured the hit singles "Feeling This", "I Miss You", "Down", and "Always".
According to Barker, the untitled record was supposed to represent a new
Blink-182.[12] It received significant airplay on radio and TV. The Cure
front man Robert Smith, often cited as a major influence on the band,
appeared on "All of This". During late 2003, the band embarked on the "Dolla
Bill" tour, named for the inexpensive ticket costs (It was originally
planned to be completely free but later realised that it would be necessary
to charge something for the ticket). A tour with No Doubt in the summer of
2004 was also very successful.
Indefinite hiatus and new bands (2005-present)
In mid-February 2005 the band inexplicably cancelled a performance at Music
for Relief's Concert for South Asia (a show put on to aid victims of the
devastating 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake). Shortly there after, before a
planned final US spring tour, on February 22, 2005, the band announced they
were going on an "indefinite hiatus".
Geffen Records released a Greatest Hits compilation on November 1, 2005 in
the U.S., one previously unreleased track was included "Another Girl Another
Planet" (a cover song originally by The Only Ones). The song was also used
as the theme song to Barker's new reality TV show, Meet the Barkers.
Included was the previously issued "I Miss You" B-side and Blink-182 album
bonus track "Not Now". The album reached number 6 on the Billboard 200 in
the United States.[13]
In the wake of the Greatest Hits album and the announcement of his new band,
DeLonge suggested that the mounting tension between himself and Hoppus,
caused by DeLonge's desire for a break with his family coupled with Hoppus's
feelings of betrayal after the formation of Box Car Racer, were the primary
reasons for tensions within the band. After a year-and-half abstaining from
any interviews surrounding the issue, Hoppus gave an extensive interview
with b182.com in August 2006. Contrary to DeLonge's statements, Hoppus said
that the band had been getting along at the time of their final album.
Hoppus went on to say that DeLonge requested a half-year respite from
touring to spend time with his family, despite a planned final spring U.S.
tour. Hoppus and Barker hesitantly conceded, leading to the cancellation of
the upcoming tour. Further problems arose in discussions regarding the
band's future recording endeavors. It also finally surfaced in this
interview that DeLonge had actually left the band before Hoppus and Barker
announced that they were to make a new band and before they went on an
indefinite hiatus, and that Delonge had changed his number so that they
could no longer contact him.
DeLonge announced his new band, Angels and Airwaves in November 2005. He
also announced his plans to create a film about the final days of
Blink-182.[14] Angels and Airwaves released their debut album We Don't Need
to Whisper on May 23rd, 2006, where it debuted at number 4 on the Billboard
200. The band are preparing their second album I-Empire for October 2007.
Hoppus and Barker's new project +44 surfaced on December 13, 2005 with the
song, "No It Isn't". They released their first album When Your Heart Stops
Beating on November 14, 2006 and debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200.
On April 5, 2007, it was confirmed that Blink-182, along with Rancid and
Green Day are some of the bands set to feature in a documentary about modern
punk music. It's expected to be released early next year. Skateboarding
legend Tony Hawk will narrate the film, which also features the likes of
NOFX and The Offspring.[15]
Discography
References
1. ^ [1]
2. ^ Travis Baker at drummerworld.com
3. ^ Blink-182 at muchmusic.com
4. ^ Hiatus announcement at mtv.com
5. ^ http://www.kidzworld.com/article/4087-travis-barker-of-blink-182-interview
6. ^ http://archives.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/Music/01/26/blink.182/index.html
7. ^ http://www.chartattack.com/features/99/blink182/
8. ^ YouTube.com
9. ^ http://www.punknews.org/bands/blink182
10. ^ http://www.jimdero.com/OtherWritings/Other%20Weasel.htm
11. ^ Interview with Scott Raynor C-Rogalski
12. ^ MTV report preceding the release of the Blink-182 album
13. ^ http://www.rockonthenet.com/artists-b/blink182.htm
14. ^ http://www.aversion.com/news/news_article.cfm?news_id=5174
15. ^ Colothan, Scott (2007-04-05). Green Day, Blink 182 for punk rock film.
Gigwise.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-06.
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