Blink 182: A Recap

So, unless you've been living under a rock for the past few days, you'll know that some serious shit has gone down with Blink 182. In summary, Mark and Travis stated that Tom had left the band, Tom said he didn't know about this and each of the band have been doing various interviews and statements and confusing the whole situation since. We thought we'd put together all the events right from the start...

First of all, a statement was released reportedly from the band's publicist which implied that Tom wouldn't participate in Blink projects 'indefinitley':

"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 non-musical 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."

In response to this, Tom posted a statement on instagram which read:

"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..... #Awkward #BabyBackRibs."

Awkward, indeed. Next, Travis and Mark took to doing an interview with Rolling Stone to set the record straight.

There seems to be a disconnect between your statement saying Tom left the band and Tom saying that he didn't quit. Who's right?

Hoppus: That's all true [laughs]. I'll walk you through the past two years of Blink-182 history: For the past two years, we've been working with a bunch of different labels to try and get a record deal because the three of us collectively decided that we wanted to make a record with a partner. A few months ago, Travis has this festival that he is co-owner of and presenting and he asked Tom and I if we would play and we said, "No problem." At the end of December, we were finalizing our record deal and on Christmas Eve, all three of us signed the deal. We had been talking about where we wanted to record, what producers we want to use, what day we want to start. This is all through e-mail. I don't think either of us have spoken to Tom in person in months, but everything's been moving positively.

We booked January 5th to go into the studio. On December 30th, we get an e-mail from Tom's manager saying that he has no interest in recording and that he wants to do his other, non-musical stuff and that he's out indefinitely. There's a flurry of e-mails going back and forth for clarification about the recording and the show and his manager sends [an e-mail] back saying, "Tom. Is. Out." Direct quote. This is the exact same e-mail we got back in 2004 when Tom went on indefinite hiatus before.

So from your point of view, there was no ambiguity?
Hoppus: Absolutely. Every single thing that we've heard from his camp — from e-mails from his manager to our production team — was, "Tom is out indefinitely. For the foreseeable future, Tom is done."

What was your initial reaction to that e-mail?
Hoppus: To be honest, I wasn't that surprised because his attitude leading up to that had been not excited and not interested. Even though we'd been talking about recording and dates, things kept getting pushed back. Blink was supposed to start recording [a new album] two years ago and then it was, "We need a record deal" because it was relayed to us that Tom didn't want to spend his own money going forward. Even our managers were saying, "We'll put money in to start the process." We respected that Tom's camp was adamant that we needed a label. There were huge e-mails in all capital letters, "WE NEED A LABEL."

Did you record any music for the new album?Hoppus: I have stuff on hard drives at my house. Travis has ideas at his studio. And I'm sure that Tom has music somewhere at his studio. We were ready to go into the studio on January 5th. This is exactly the same sequence of events that happened when Blink broke up 10 years ago. We had things booked in advance and we get an e-mail from Tom's manager saying, "Tom's out indefinitely." But last time, Travis and I took a step back and said OK and we just kept our mouths shut. But all three of us agreed to play this Musink show. So just like last year, when Travis couldn't go to Australia and we got a fill-in drummer to replace Travis, we found a replacement guitarist for Tom on this show.

What was your reaction to Tom's statement that he didn't quit the band?
Barker: I think he's just bummed because Mark and I were finally honest. We always covered up for him before. It was always, "We're going to record an album," then "Tom refuses to get into the studio without a record deal." So everyone does hella amounts of work to get a record deal and now Tom isn't part of Blink-182. It's hard to cover for someone who's disrespectful and ungrateful. You don't even have the balls to call your bandmates and tell them you're not going to record or do anything Blink-related. You have your manager do it. Everyone should know what the story is with him and it's been years with it. 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 he didn't even listen to mixes or masterings from that record. He didn't even care about it. Why Blink even got back together in the first place is questionable. 

Hoppus: His actions speak louder than whatever he feels compelled to write on an Instagram post. We've been trying to record an album for the better part of two years and we had agreed to go in to record and my guess is that Tom was embarrassed because he doesn't want to do Blink. I think that the fans know. Look at each of our social media accounts and look who talks and promotes Blink-182 or is excited about Blink-182. Travis and I were ready to walk into a studio January 5th. That speaks louder than anything.

What's the current status of the new album?

Hoppus: We're concentrating on this Musink Festival. I'm excited about it because Matt is so positive and happy playing shows. When the press release went out today, it felt like a giant weight lifting off my shoulders. Finally, people know what the deal is with our band. Beyond that, we'll see what happens. Last time this happened, Travis and I didn't say anything and we did +44, which wasn't Blink-182 because we weren't playing Blink songs. But 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.

If this is a permanent break for Tom, do you see a future for the name Blink-182 without him?
Hoppus: There are legalities involved with this. As Tom pointed out, he technically didn't quit the band. Then it gets all lawyer-y, which I will leave to the attorneys and managers. I just want to go out and play Blink songs. I want to go out and play the songs that we've been spending the last 20 years of our lives writing. That's what Travis and I want to do. If Tom doesn't want to do that, which obviously he doesn't, that's OK. He doesn't have to be embarrassed or try to claim that he's secretly really working on Blink. People know what's up. C'mon, man.

Was it odd seeing a conflicting view of the statement you released?
Barker: It's just funny to me. I think he's just in shock that he's finally been exposed. The truth is out. I just don't think he knows how to deal with it, so he says, "I didn't quit the band. I'm booking Blink shows as we speak." You're not the booking agent. We all know that's a lie. You don't want to twist any grown man's arm to do anything he doesn't want to do, but step up to the plate and say, "Yeah, I don't want to play with those guys. I've been saying I'd record with the guys for the last two or three years and I'll just do Blink shows when I need money."

If Tom says tomorrow that he wanted back in and the three members should start recording a new album, would he be welcome?[Long pause]
Barker: Mark's the sweeter one, so I'll let him answer [laughs].

Hoppus: Travis and I and the whole Blink-182 organization have bent over backwards for years to accommodate all of the stuff that Tom wanted to try. Tom calls up in October 2013 and says, "I want to do an EP for Christmas release." I live in London and five days later, I'm on an airplane to Los Angeles to record because he wanted to. We've done everything that we could to give Tom what he says he needs. It's been years of pushing back and I have to tell you: It feels humiliating to be in a band where you have to be apologizing for one person all the time. That's how it's felt for a long time.

When Tom finally said, "I'm not going to go into the studio or play this show," it was kind of a gigantic relief because at least he finally said it. But to then say, "I didn't quit the band," it's just not true. It's disingenuous. I just wish Tom does whatever makes him happy and stops holding Blink-182 back from what we all agree that we're going to do: play shows, record music, continue this legacy and have a good time doing it.

Are you confused yet? Tom then put out a tweet (which was later deleted) that read:

"A year ago Mark and I spent a week on the phone with managers debating parting with Travis...Don't pretend there isn't more to this story"

Mark then did another interview, this time with alternative Press where he cleared up a few issues regarding Tom's previous tweet:

We should make it clear that Matt Skiba will be playing with you and Travis for the Musink show only on March 22. Everything after that is a question mark.
Hoppus: After that, we don’t know. We haven’t played a show with Matt yet, so it’s too soon to really say what goes beyond on that. We’re very optimistic and excited about the possibilities of continuing with Matt in some way. He’s a good friend, a great guitarist, a great singer. He has a really positive attitude. I think we’ve been friends for, what, 15 years? We don’t have anything booked beyond that, but we are hopeful and excited.

There was a post of Tom’s on Twitter—since taken down—that said you and he once talked about replacing Travis.
[For the 2013] Australian tour in January, Travis obviously didn’t go on that tour because he didn’t feel comfortable flying, which was a possibility that we had known about from day one. When we agreed to do the tour of Australia Travis said, “I will do everything in my power to get back on an airplane, but if it gets to the day and I’m not ready to go, we need a back-up plan.” As it [came] closer to the time, Travis called me and Tom and said, “I’m not ready yet, I don’t think I’m going to be able to make the flight. We should go with a back-up drummer.” With Travis’ blessing we enlisted Brooks Wackerman and completed the tour.

However, during the course of the tour, Travis and the promoter got into a Twitter argument back and forth that was very contentious and was a lot of stress. Tom was upset, I was upset because it was happening while we were on this tour, and the tour was going very well. Everything should’ve been cool. The promoter thought that Travis had never intended to come to Australia and felt that he had been duped. Of course, that wasn’t the case.

After the tour, Tom was very upset about being put in that situation on tour, where people were threatening to sue, the promoter was angry and everything else. But he was really just blowing off steam. We got back from tour and Tom was having these calls where he was talking about “can we replace Travis, can we do whatever,” but it was really just Tom blowing off steam. There were a few days of calls where I listened to Tom, commiserated with Tom and, immediately afterwards, called up my manager and [said], “Tom’s upset right now, he’s talking about trying to replace Travis, but I’m not into it. That’s not going to happen.” And sure enough, Tom, after a month, called back up and was like, “Hey you know what? I was just angry about it. It was a bad situation, and of course I don’t want to kick Travis out of the band.” I don’t think Tom was ever truly serious about it. Even at the time, I felt he was just angry and he just needed to vent.

You’ve made it clear that you’re doing the Musink date for the fans. I can’t understand why Tom wouldn’t want to support that.
I really don’t understand, either. I couldn’t speak for Tom—l hadn’t spoken with Tom in months. It’s the exact same thing that happened 10 years ago, when he went on indefinite hiatus before where we had a show booked and we had things on the other side. We got an email from his manager saying he was out [and] he was not going to be around to do what he said he was going to do. I don’t know why he wouldn’t just go and play one show and be done at that point.

Travis is also a partner in Musink and it seems weird to me that someone wouldn’t want to support the endeavors of a friend he had been in the trenches with for so long and through so much.
It’s weird to me, it’s weird to Travis. I think honestly, from everything we’ve heard from Tom’s manager and from what Tom has done—and is not doing even more so—Tom doesn’t want to be in Blink. It’s obvious. That’s fine. But it’s so confusing to get emails from people saying, “Tom’s out indefinitely, Tom’s not going to do these things, Tom doesn’t want to record, doesn’t want to tour, doesn’t want to do anything,” and then at the same time say, [adopts shocked tone] “I never quit the band. I just said I wasn’t ever going to do anything again.”

Perfect world situation: How would you want everything to be right now? Would you want Tom to get with the program, play for the fans and be part of a new Blink album? Or are you just completely over it?
The thing is we’ve tried to get Tom to engage [in Blink activity], and everything has been a very, very difficult struggle to get anything done with Blink for the last two years. Everything from getting a label deal done to even playing shows, and trying to get Tom into a studio. We’ve been trying that for the past two years. The ideal situation was two years ago when we said we were going to go into a studio and get working and it never happened. I think those days and that wishful thinking are gone.

If you got a call from him two hours from now and he said, “You’re right, let’s go do this,” would you say, “Cool,” or say “Gotta go, my other line’s ringing?” Has he burned any kind of goodwill bridge?
Just for me personally, it would be very hard to believe that would be the case, because we’ve had those exact conversations many, many times. We’ve all had conversations where everyone agreed that “this is what we’re going to do” and “we’re gonna get in the studio on this date, do this tour” or whatever it is and it doesn’t come to pass like it’s supposed to. I don’t know that I‘d believe it.

Travis and I have been ready to go for years to tour, to record this next album. Tom even did an interview with you guys: Most Anticipated Albums Of 2015 [saying] “Yeah, we’re gonna get in the studio. Yeah, we found a new partner for this [record].” All this stuff and then when it comes time to do the work and get in the studio or get on a tour bus or whatever it is, we get an email from his manager saying he’s out indefinitely. I know it’s confusing for people, but only as much as it’s confusing for us, because for Tom to insist that he loves Blink-182 or whatever it is, I think that his actions speak much louder than what he posts online.

And by the way, that’s cool. Travis and I aren’t angry or mad or whatever. When we got the email from Tom’s manager saying that he didn’t want to record, at least he was being honest at that point. We’ve been dragging for so long to try to get into the studio and try to get to work. For him to finally say, “I’m not going to do it,” was almost like, “Okay, now you’ve actually said it. Now let’s move forward: You do whatever you want to do and we’ll continue doing what we love doing. Which is Blink.

He’s puts out the bluster, then he’s backpedaling. Why?
I have no idea. Honestly, I don’t. I think that Tom doesn’t want to do Blink. I don’t think he has fun doing it. I think he has a good time when he’s onstage, but I think that other than that, he just doesn’t enjoy it. That’s just my guess and my observation from the past, whatever, three years?

Why did you pick Skiba?
We started talking about how we were going to be able to do this show. Travis and I sat down and we couldn’t even think of anybody else. There was nobody else that we even considered asking. He was the perfect fit. And Matt is going to do his own thing: He’s not going to try and walk onstage and be Tom. He’s going to be himself as a member of Blink that day, you know?

Will you be playing new tracks?
There won’t be any new tracks. We haven’t finalized the set list yet. I would like to play a bunch of old stuff, some newer stuff and just have fun. It feels like a license to have fun right now. I love Blink: I want to keep playing in Blink, I want to keep playing Blink songs. I love the legacy. I love where we started. I love where we’re going. I feel very relieved somehow. Everything is out in the open and everyone can do what they want to do.

Tom also put out a statement across his various social networks:

"LETTER TO THE FANS

Where to begin?

The truth is always a good place. Let’s go there.

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.

So what have I been doing behind the scenes? Well, I’ve tried to make things work. I’ve tried to help move this band down 50 different paths using my people, or other people, and people we don’t even know. I tried to put forth ideas about how we can grow and challenge ourselves to become a better band. I’m not sitting around waiting for someone else to do the work. I’m not wired that way.

The big reset was when 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. But it was there that I told Mark and Travis that as long as we talked, and things were good between us as real friends, that I would be engaged and work passionately. I'd mirror our personal relationship. Exact words.

Then, the EP was the test. Months later, we’re recording those songs. I was in the studio for two months and they came in for around 11 days. I didn’t mind leading the charge, but we had all agreed to give it 100%. And this time- no baggage.

Despite that, we still somehow managed to self-sabotage.

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. And that blew my mind. I’d been trying so hard but that moment ultimately broke my spirit. I then realized that this band couldn't lose the years of ill will.

It was after that episode that I promised myself I would never be in that position again – to rely on the words we said to each other.

I remember asking one of them on the phone, “did you try your best? Like we all agreed to?” He was silent.

Are they at fault?

Am I? Of course. I'm nuts.

But there’s three of us – we’re all accountable. At the end of the day, we’ve always been dysfunctional, which is why we haven’t talked in months. But we never did. In the 8 years we have been together it has always been that way.

Over the past two and a half years, while a recording partner was being sought for a new Blink record, I launched a media company. I just put out a new Angels & Airwaves record and as some of you know, there’s a lot more coming – comics, books, a film, etc. The books will all come with music. This is a wheel that’s already in motion. So you can imagine my frustration when 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. All of these other projects are being worked, exist in contract form– I can’t just slam the brakes and drop years of development, partnerships and commitments at the snap of a finger.

I told my manager that I will do Blink 182 as long as it was fun and worked with the other commitments in my life, including my family.

But Mark and Travis know all of this.

I wrote this same letter to them a year ago. But it created a massive argument, the biggest one yet actually. I just wanted us to do things we all agreed on. But that was their moment to dig in. From their view I was controlling everything. In reality, I was scared to put myself out there again. To repeat the EP experience.

I also wrote all of this to their managers this past December (who told me my bandmates weren’t angry and agreed with some of my ideas of how to grow the band).

So you can imagine my surprise when a press release went out yesterday—without my knowledge—about the band’s future. This is new to me. It’s not in my nature to fuel negativity about the legacy of the band on something as trashy as the Internet world.

But I guess that’s another example of how I differ from most. I follow the light... I follow passion and I make art. I hang with my son, my daughter and my wife.

At the end of the day, all of this makes me really sad.

Sad for us.

Sad for you- that you’re witnessing this immaturity.

I know them very well, and their current actions are defensive and divisive.

I suppose they’re doing this as a way to protect themselves from being hurt.

Like we all do.

And even as I watch them act so different to what I know of them to be, 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.
-
Tom"

So basically, it seems that Mark and Travis got fed up with Tom delaying the album and various other reasons and decided to continue without him. What do you think about Blink without Tom? Let us know...

  

Pop Punk Playlist Circa 2003 (Part One)

Pop Punk doesn't have a long history in some sense. Most people would argue that the roots of the music we love today can be found with bands like the Ramones and the Buzzcocks back in the 70s and 80s. But listening to bands that have become popular with the revival of modern pop punk, it seems hard to imagine that their roots were founded over 40 years ago. Pop punk has gone through many stages; it's erupted in popularity many times and in many different forms since The Ramones were around.

However, many modern pop punk bands cite the late 90s/ early 2000s as inspiration for their own projects. You only need to listen to I Call Fives, Stuck in 03, to know which bands they were influenced by. It makes sense that the bands that we love today were inspired by the early 2000s; afterall most of them were teenagers at this point like so many of us. 

To celebrate the importance of pop punk in the early 2000s, we thought we'd share with you our favourite albums from then. Since we did a summer playlist full of newer pop punk we thought it would only be fair to include some albums that laid the foundations for what was to come.Check out the Spotify playlist at the bottom of the post to listen to all of the albums...

1.Brand New - Your Favorite Weapon 
Remember when Brand New was a bit pop punk? Your Favorite Weapon was released in 2001 and is significantly different to all of Brand New's follow up albums. Plus, here's a bit of pop punk trivia for you (don't tell us you don't learn anything from here) - The song seventy time seven comes from a verse in the bible (Matthew 18:22) where Jesus tells Peter he must forgive his brother seventy times seven times. The song was written about a disagreement between Jesse Lacy and childhood friend John Nolan, lead guitarist from Taking Back Sunday. Taking Back Sunday then released 'There's no I in Team' which is their side to the story. Interesting. 

2.Home Grown - Kings of Pop
I know what you're thinking. What the hell is that cover about it? Quite frankly, it is absolutely terrifying. But fear not my friends, Kings of Pop is one of the most awesome albums from the early 2000s. Filled with heartfelt lyrics and punchy choruses, Kings of Pop is the ultimate pop punk album. It was also released on Drive Thru Records which gives any album serious credentials. Drive Thru records was set up by siblings Stefanie and Richard Reines and their label was responsible for the popular upsurge of pop punk/emo bands in the early 2000s. It was home to New Found Glory, Something Corporate, The Starting Line, Fenix*TX and of course Homegrown. Unfortunatley, Home Grown split in 2005 when lead vocalist, Adam Lohrbach, left to create New Years Day. However, that doesn't mean we can enjoy Kings of Pop any less. 

3.The Starting Line - Say It Like You Mean It
We bet Kenny Vasoli cringes every time he sees the video for the Best of Me: bleach blonde hair, long fringe and a man trying to serenade a girl with a stereo outside her window. Alongside The Best of Me, this debut album from the Starting Line is filled with teenage indifference, girl trouble and the joys of being in a band. 





4.Allister - Last Stop Surburbia
Allister released Last Stop Surburbia, their third album, in 2002 and were one of the first bands to sign to Drive Thru Records. Last Stop Surburbia is an essential for any pop punk collection and includes Somewhere on Fullerton which someone named in the youtube comments for the song as the platonic ideal of pop punk. Nice. Here's another pop punk trivia fact for you: Allister made a cameo appearence in the chick flick Sleepover, an awful movie about a girl trying to outdo the popular clique while at a sleepover. Allister play at her prom and things get a bit cringey. However, Allister made the film 100% better and I'm sure it was worth it to work with Steve Carell dressed as an angry police officer. 

5.New Found Glory - Nothing Gold Can Stay
Remember when we were talking about Stuck in 03 by I Call Fives? This is one of the albums in that song and is the debut album from New Found Glory. New Found Glory haven't changed much as a band and we're definitely not complaining about it. The pop punk formula that they barely stray  wrap into every album works every time and has influenced many a band throughout the years. All Time Low named themselves after lyrics in Head on Collision and The Story So Far are named after a song of the same name from Sticks and Stones. Another pop punk trivia fact is that New Found Glory originally had an 'a' in front of their name (like on the cover of NGCS to the right) but had to drop it because fans found it difficult to find the album in record stores. 

6.Blink 182 - Take Off Your Pants and Jacket
Honestly, we could have put any Blink 182 album in here as pretty much every person has listened to some Blink album when they were younger. Take off Your Pants and Jacket was released in 2001 and includes songs like First Date, Rock Show and Stay Together For the Kids. The album also saw the first time that Tom, Mark and Travis would work separately on some occasions due to opposition and contention within the band. The album has sold over 14 million copies worldwide and went double platinum in the first three weeks of its release. The album title is also a pun on masturbation, we'll let you figure that one out.  

7.Fenix Tx - Self Titled
Originally Fenix Tx were named River Fenix and so was their self titled debut. However the estate of River Pheonix, the late actor, filed a cease and desist order against the band which meant that they had to change their name to Fenix Tx. In the video for the track All My Fault, Mark Hoppus makes a guest appearence. At the time, Hoppus' sister was dating guitarist, Damon DeLaPaz. Due to this, Hoppus gave them an opening support slot on a Blink 182 tour and he also became their manager. However, he later dropped this role because of his commitments within Blink 182 but the band were eventually managed by Blink's manager. All My Fault was played in the TV movie Jailbait and the band also made a cameo appearance. 

The Ataris - So Long Astoria
So Long, Astoria is the fourth album from the Ataris and contains the songs 'In This Diary' and 'Boys of Summer', originally by Don Henley. Who know that you could some old geezer's 80s dance song and turn into an awesome pop punk anthem? The Ataris even changed the Cadillac's Deadhead sticker to a Black Flag one; how very fitting. You also have to check out the video for In This Diary, Kris Roe sports bleached blonde hair with a long fringe, very much like Kenny Vasoli in The Best of Me; Kenny would be proud. 

SugarCult - Start Static
Start Static was released in 2001 and was Sugar Cult's third album which includes some songs that had previously been released on their second album Wrap Me Up In Plastic. The album includes Bouncing Off the Walls which features Chris Shiflett (who used to play with No Use For a Name) the lead guitarist from the Foo Fighters playing the guitar solo. Bouncing Off the Walls also featured in the soundtrack for the film National Lampoon's Van Wilder which means the video features Ryan Reynolds and Tara Reid.



Saves The Day - Stay What You Are

Stay What You Are is the follow up album to Through Being Cool which we could have also put on here as both are equally as good. While Through Being Cool is more like a typical angsty pop punk record, Stay What You Are infused emo into the genre and would pave the way for the upsurge in emo's popularity and became influential in both the emo and pop punk community. After the release of Through Being Cool, the band were in a van accident which became the inspiration for the new record and deals with love, death suicide and self discovery. Also, check out the video for At Your Funeral which was inspired by the movie Requiem for a Dream.







If you have any pop punk albums you still love and think should be in part two, email us at pop.punk.uk@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you...

Reading and Leeds Announce More Bands

Reading and Leeds have announced more bands this evening. Jimmy Eat World will be playing along with A Day to Remember, Paramore, Basement and Neck Deep. Take a look at who else will be playing below:

Christmas Eve Playlist

Merry Christmas Eve everybody!

1. New Found Glory Ex Mis


2. The Wonder Years - Christmas at 22


3. Blink 182 - I Won't Be Home for Christmas


4. MxPx - Christmas Night of the Living Dead


5. Man Overboard - Decemberism

Reading and Leeds Announcment

The reading and Leeds first announcements have happened and you'll never guess who's playing. Okay as you can probably tell from the picture it's Blink 182 and we're excited as fuck. 

Mark Hoppus had this to say:
"I’m stoked to play Reading & Leeds 2014. It’s our fourth time playing the festivals, and we’re very honoured. The new year will see us in the studio preparing new music, getting ready to rock the fine people of the UK. Prepare for the fury."

Also announced: 
Jake Bugg
Disclosure
Of Mice and Men
Wilkinson
I Am Legion
Metronomy

This will be one of their only UK dates so make sure to get tickets. See you there.

Album Releases 2013

Today we compiled a list of new albums due to come out this year. (please let us know if we missed any, we're sure there's more than 8!!!)

1.First of all, Save Your Breath revealed on Facebook that they were in the studio recording their second album. This followed a status that read '2013...another record on the horizon. Not bad as we almost disappeared in 2012'. After the release of their incredible debut 'Vices', the boys lost a guitarist and a drummer leaving them to find replacements. Recentely they released an EP 'Recover' via City of Gold Records. 

2.Blackpool's Me vs Hero are also planning to release their album 'I'm completely fine' which is due in winter. The band released a live studio performance of 'Heisenberg' from the album on youtube.

3.New York's State Champs are releasing their debut full length record on Pure Noise Records due in the summer. The band released their EP 'Overslept' last year.

4.Stickup Kid have posted videos of them at Jingletown Recording which you can find on youtube. The album is due 'springish 2013'.   

5.Set Your Goals are heading to the studio this month to record with New Found Glory's Chad Gilbert who they recorded two itunes singles with last February. The band released a statement telling fans about the new release after their drummer Mikey left. The album is set for release this Summer.

6.Blink 182 are due to release their first album since their split from Interscope records who they had been with since 1997. The band are hitting the recording studio in February to record the follow up to neighborhoods.

 

7.A Loss for Words revealed by twitter that they would be releasing a new album in 2013

8.The Wonder Years also revealed by twitter that they'll be in the studio this month recording an album, that is due to be out late spring/early summer.

Dogs Eating Dogs - Blink 182 REVIEW

'Dogs Eating Dogs' is the kind of EP we'd come to expect from the 'mature' Blink 182. It takes its influence from all the members various side projects; from Angels and Airwaves to +44, whilst still retaining the 'Blink 182 sound'.

The EP's first track starts with a synth-ey instrumental intro before plunging the listener into a fast paced verse by DeLonge, his vocals sounding like his best in some time. This is pushed forward by Travis Barker's crisp hi hat beat and a rumbling Hoppus bassline. The song then soars into a chorus of DeLonge singing "This is the worst damn day of my life". It's catchy, loud and most importantly, heavy. The EP then moves onto the title track, which is another banger. This is the only track on the EP led by Hoppus vocally, and he too impresses. These two songs show and urgency which hasn't been heard since 'Dude Ranch'.

Just when you think that maybe Blink 182 have matured gracefully after their 2011 mid-life crisis album 'Neighbourhoods'you get brought back to reality by the EP's third track 'Disaster', which doesn't exactly excite. The song, minus the please-get-into-it intro,is around two minutes long but feels much longer. Especially with its goofy chorus "What do you fear, my love?/Your soul, it will float like a dove". This embarrassing part of the EP is second only to fourth song 'Boxing Day' which see's Blink attempting to venture into folk territory. It's laughable. It's actually awkward to listen to, with a four chord acoustic guitar progression, unfitting drums and lyrics such as "I'm empty like the day after christmas", you'd expect this in an Xmas no.1 not a Blink 182 song.

The EP finishes with the song 'Pretty Little Girl' which starts pleasantly enough with a DeLonge sung verse which, after the last two songs makes the listener either excited or concerned. The song then goes into another forgettable chorus which atleast features those loveable DeLonge-Hoppus harmonies, before yet another synth driven section. Just when you start wishing the EP would finish gracefully, guest rapper Yelawolf pops up awkwardly with a 35-second rap which does not seem to serve any purpose whatsoever, aside from to confirm that Blink 182 haven't quite figured out the meaning of a 'mature' sound. This EP coupled with 'Neighbourhoods' leaves me with the impression that Blink seem to think 'mature' means 'synth', the synths however are completely unnecessary and out of place most of the time.

All in all, considering the EP was written and recorded in two months, the first two tracks impress hugely. The opening track is head and shoulders above any tracks realesed since their self-titled album in 2003 and should give Blink 182 fans hope that maybe there is still some life left in Blink 182 yet. However, the last three tracks really need to be deleted from Blink 182 history as they do nothing for their legacy.

5/10

James Atherton