Following news that Blink-182 founding member Tom DeLonge would be taking a break from the pop-punk band, the group’s two remaining members have spoken about his “indefinite” absence.
Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker released a statement on 26 January that explained DeLonge had left the group. DeLonge responded to news on Instagram: “To all the fans, I never quit the band. I actually was on a phone call about a Blink-182 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 …”
In a subsequent interview with Rolling Stone, however, singer/bassist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker suggested his departure from the group has been a long time coming. According to Hoppus and Barker, DeLonge had been reluctant to return to the studio for the follow-up to their sixth album, 2011’s Neighbourhoods.
“We were all set to play this festival and record a new album, and Tom kept putting it off without reason,” Hoppus and Barker said. “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, non-musical endeavours.”
The comments follow years of alleged hostility between band members. Blink-182 first split in 2005, then reunited in 2008 following a plane crash in which Barker was injured and four passengers were killed. Now, Barker has questioned that decision to continue, telling Rolling Stone: “When we did get back together after my plane crash, we only got back together, I don’t know, maybe because I almost died. But [DeLonge] didn’t even listen to mixes or masterings from that record … Why Blink even got back together in the first place is questionable.”
Hoppus added: “Travis and I are intent on protecting the legacy of Blink-182 and continue to do what we’ve been doing for the past two decades: continue playing the songs.”
Blink-182 formed in 1992 and have released six studio albums.
