More Pop Punk Drama As Tom DeLonge Responds To Blink-182 Controversy

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Published

January 28, 2015

You guys, there’s just so dang much ~drama~ happening throughout this sorry, sordid saga surrounding sophomoric So-Cal skatepunx Blink-182.

For those who slept through all of yesterday, let’s quickly get you up to speed. Early yesterday morning a press release began circling the internet stating that Tom DeLonge had informed his bandmates Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker via an email sent by Tom’s manager, that he would no longer be participating in Blink-182-related activities effective immediately. The band hastily organised a replacement for a previously booked festival date in Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio fame.

Shortly thereafter, DeLonge took to Instagram to protest that he hadn’t actually quit the band and knew nothing of the planned press releases that got sent out in a long-winded photo caption the essence of which can be boiled down to a single instance of an ASCII dude shrugging.

Then a mere couple of hours later came the release of an in-depth interview with Rolling Stone during which both Hoppus and Barker wheeled the basket outside and aired out what seems to have been years of dirty laundry, with Barker calling DeLonge “disrespectful” and “ungrateful,” even questioning why Blink 182 got back together in the first place. Meanwhile Hoppus stated that DeLonge’s behaviour was “humiliating.”

Never one to take things lying down – apparently – DeLonge has today fired back at his now-former bandmates, penning a lengthy open letter to fans on Facebook, “explaining” his “side” of the “story.” Excerpts from which read thusly.

“I love Blink and am incredibly grateful for having it in my life. It has given me everything. EVERYTHING. I started this band, it was in my garage where I dreamed up the mischief.“

“I tried to put together a band summit in Utah where we’d talk and work things out. It quickly was narrowed down to three hours in someone’s dressing room in a shitty casino. What I hoped would be a positive get-together away from everything turned into an awkward meeting in a smelly convention hall dressing room.”

“Then, the EP was the test. At one point, squabbling and politics forced me to pull the EP down at a time when 60,000 fans were trying to purchase it.”

“I was handed a 60-page Blink contract saying I couldn’t release an Angels album for 9 months and that the Blink album had to be recorded in 6 months, which was impossible for me. Doing so would force me to breach several artist contracts. Authors, Concept Artists, Animators… Many people.
They did eventually drop the Angels provision, but the part about having to finish a Blink album in 6 months remained.”

“From their view I was controlling everything. In reality, I was scared to put myself out there again. To repeat the EP experience.”

“But I guess that’s another example of how I differ from most. I follow the light… I follow passion and I make art. At the end of the day, all of this makes me really sad.”

“I still care deeply for them. Like brothers, and like old friends. But our relationship got poisoned yesterday.”

“Never planned on quitting, just find it hard as hell to commit.”

You can read the whole statement in full via the original post.

No matter whose side you’re on – be it “Team Tom” or “Team Mark & Travis” or “Team Oh My God I Don’t Care” – I guess the old adage still rings true: Nobody likes you when you’re 23 and you still act like you’re in Freshman year.

Or, in this case, when you’re 39.

Probs time to grow up, boys.

Photo: Ethan Miller via Getty Images.