So long, DeLonge.
JUST KIDDING! Or are we? No, but seriously, what's going on with Blink-182? When news broke Monday about Tom DeLonge's split from the group -- via a press release issued by the band (see below) -- DeLonge, a founding member and guitarist of the locally based pop-punk outfit, came back with a post on his personal Instagram.
"To all the fans," DeLonge posted, "I never quit the band. I actually was on a phone call about a blink 182 [sic] event for New York City at the time all these weird press releases started coming in... Apparently those releases were 'sanctioned' from the band. Are we dysfunctional- yes. But, Christ..... #Awkward #BabyBackRibs"
DeLonge's is not the last word, however. Later on Monday, "Rolling Stone" scored an exclusive interview with the other two Blink members and reported that both bassist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker maintain that DeLonge is donezo -- and of his own accord. In the interview, Hoppus said they got an e-mail from DeLonge's manager that was clear: "'Tom. Is. Out.' Direct quote. This is the exact same e-mail we got back in 2004 when Tom went on indefinite hiatus before."
Hoppus and DeLonge formed Blink-182 in the early '90s in Poway. Barker replaced the founding drummer in 1998, and together the group wrote and recorded the 1999 album "Enema of the State," which produced the hit singles that would put the band on the mainstream map. As Hoppus references above, Blink went on an "indefinite hiatus" in the mid-2000s before regrouping off and on beginning in 2008.
When asked about his reaction to DeLonge's Instagram post, Barker had this to say to "Rolling Stone":
"I think he's just bummed because Mark and I were finally honest. We always covered up for him before. ... It's hard to cover for someone who's disrespectful and ungrateful."
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Since then, it's been a back-and-forth of claims. In all likelihood, he last word has yet to be spoken, but in the meantime, it looks as though Hoppus and Barker plan on moving ahead and playing Barker's Musink tattoo convention and music festival in Orange County as "Blink-182 w/ Matt Skiba," as is listed on the event flyer and as verified by the press release below:
Matt Skiba of the Alkaline Trio will join Blink-182 in replacement of Tom DeLonge at the 8th annual Musink Music and Tattoo festival. "We were all set to play this festival and record a new album and Tom kept putting it off without reason. A week before we were scheduled to go in to the studio we got an email from his manager explaining that he didn’t want to participate in any Blink-182 projects indefinitely but would rather work on his other nonmusical endeavors." Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus plan to honor all Blink-182 commitments including the Musink Festival and are excited to have singer/guitarist Matt Skiba join them for this project. "No hard feelings, but the show must go on for our fans." Additionally, Skiba will continue to make new music and tour with the Alkaline Trio.
DeLonge's other nonmusical endeavors include the North County-based Macbeth footwear and clothing line.
Hannah Lott-Schwartz, a San Diego native, moved back to the area after working the magazine-publishing scene in Boston. Now she’s straight trolling SD for all the music she missed while away. Want to help? Hit her up with just about anything at all over on Twitter, where -- though not always work-appropriate -- she means well.
