Yes, pop-punk heroes Blink-182 are coming back… but with a replacement.
Singer Tom DeLonge is to be temporarily replaced by Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio. Although the former band sound similar in style to Blink-182, it will be interesting to see what the trio will come up without DeLonge.
While Tom DeLonge may still not be making music with Blink-182 since early last year, Hoppus and Barker state that “the show must go on for our fans.”
The latest single from the band, featuring Skiba, was posted online early last week. The new line-up don’t stray from the original emo-pop-punk beginnings. However, for a trio of grown-up men, you’d think their lyrics would be ‘adult.’ Instead, they stick to their teenage melodramas, perhaps out of ease and habit. Then again, maybe the other songs will have more substance.
As for whether or not the original line up will be working together in the future, DeLonge says “We DO have a future together if we want it…” However, for now DeLonge seems happy to be working on his own projects, which include new music, a film and his project Sekret Machines which is to collaborate with the Department of Defense.
Blink-182 are remembered for those pop-punk anthems that we all grew up with: ‘Feeling This’, ‘Always’, ‘First Date’, as well as the occasional ballad, like ‘I Miss You’ and ‘Adam’s Song’.
Their first album, Cheshire Cat, was released in 1995 to mediocre success. It was their next album, Dude Ranch, that spawned their mainstream success. Perhaps the songs best remembered from this time are ‘Dammit’ and ‘Josie’. From there, it was single after single that propelled them further into stardom.
Blink-182 kept playing international tours and releasing new albums, until they went on an indefinite hiatus in 2005. According to a statement released by their management, the band wanted to “spend some time enjoying the fruits of their labors with loved ones.” They also individually pursued other forms of music and projects.
According to MTV, Travis Barker worked on “everything under the sun,” while Hoppus worked on a podcast that included introducing underground punk bands to his audience.
Fans may most remember Barker for his work with the bands The Transplants and Box Car Racer, with DeLonge. “In no way, shape, or form is the Transplants a side project,” stated Barker to drum magazine. “It’s just like when I go make a Blink record.”
Transplant’s music was characterized by a mixing of genres, from rap, R’n’B and hip-hop, into one seamless style.
DeLonge was also working on a new band called Angels and Airwaves.
“I have a new band…and it is the most amazing music I have ever made by a long shot.”
Their debut album featured a sound that was a long departure from the catchy, pop-punk of Blink-182. Although not quite the “revolution” in music that DeLonge had promised, or prophesied, the first album featured lush orchestration over sampled drum beats and space-station signals.
The trio then reunited in 2011 and released a new album. Titled Neighbourhoods, the band embraced more electronic sounds reminiscent of bands like Joy Division.
In a recent facebook post, one of the reasons for DeLonge’s reluctance to work with the band was in part due to their decision to hire songwriter John Feldmann, the songwriter behind Good Charlotte, Ashlee Simpson and 5SOS. DeLonge further stated that hiring Feldmann was “too far a change,” and that the move only displayed their “artistic differences,”
“But, at the end of the day, I support their desires. And if they are happy, then that’s what matters.”
The new Blink-182 album is to be released in July this year. What do you think the trio will sound like now? Do you think that a new member means they’ll bring something different to the table? Whether they choose to write in the vein of their early pop-punk, or introduce new musical elements, I am really looking forward to some new Blink-182.