Blink-182’s eye-opening reunion

By John Benson

The rise and fall of Blink-182 is a cliched tale.

Formed by Tom DeLonge (vocals, guitar) and Mark Hoppus (vocals, bass) in 1992, with Travis Barker (drums) joining in 1998, the pop-punk act went from obscurity to a multiplatinum band (with hit singles “All the Small Things,” “Adam’s Song,” “The Rock Show” and more) that toured the world. Eventually, the pressures of the record industry and the freedom such success provides led to the outfit calling it quits in 2005.

As for the band’s reunion, there is nothing pass about it. In a nutshell, Barker survived a horrific plane crash last year that left four people dead. Though one could speculate the seeds of a reunion were planted when DeLonge and Hoppus visited Barker, who sustained second- and third-degree burns on his body, in the hospital, the truth is friendships were rekindled first with the music coming second.

“I never knew during the time that Blink was on hiatus whether we’d reform or not,” said Hoppus, calling from Jones Beach, N.Y. “And really, in my mind, it was up to Tom because he was the one who had left the band. So it was really just a matter of can we reconnect again as friends, can we relate again as adults, and can we get back to that spot where Blink is fun and it’s something we enjoy doing rather than something that we are collectively punching the clock on, which I felt like we got to at the end of Blink.”

What helped grease the wheels of the return of Blink-182 was the fact all of its members continued playing music after the group disbanded. DeLonge found success with his alt-rock act “Angels & Airwaves,” while Hoppus and Barker teamed up to form +44. Still, it wasn’t the same for Hoppus.

“I missed playing the songs that we spent the greater part of 15 years writing,” Hoppus said. “I missed the brotherhood we had on stage, as cheesy as that sounds. I missed the camaraderie we had, and the sense of fun we have playing music that we worked so hard on for so many years.

“This is the most fun I’ve had on tour in my entire life. I think we’re all here because we are getting something out of Blink that we missed, and that we are all respectful of one another and supportive of one another. I couldn’t ask for anything more. Now, the plan is after this tour to take some time off and then go back in and record another album.”

That leads us to the Blink-182 reunion tour, featuring openers Weezer, Taking Back Sunday and Chester French. The bill is scheduled to play a show Sept. 2 at Blossom Music Center. Over the years, Hoppus said the band has had plenty of Northeast Ohio memories — some of which are good, and some are, well, laughable.

“I remember it was somebody’s birthday there once, and we hired a dancer,” Hoppus laughed. “And I don’t know who hired the dancer – I don’t know how to say this respectfully – but it wasn’t what anybody had in mind. She was the right gender but perhaps the wrong age demographic, a little on the more mature, elderly side.”

So are there any birthday celebrations planned around the upcoming Blink-182 show?

“I don’t know if anybody has a birthday next week,” Hoppus said. “But if there are, I hope that whoever organizes the dancer is on their A game.”