I posted this picture because that’s the last time Blink 182
was relevant. ‘Take Off Your Pants and Jacket’ and ‘Blink – 182’ were the last albums
anyone cared about. That’s right 12 years ago. Do you know what else was popular
12 years ago? Finding Nemo, Hilary Duff, and Limp Bizkit. That should tell you
something. At least it does for me. Granted I’m not the biggest Blink fan, but
they did have a time for me. That time was when I was in high school and their
big album was ‘Enema of the State’. Remember the album? Of course you do Janine
Lindenmulder was on the cover. They were huge (er the band I mean). However, that
was then and this is now.
By now you’ve probably heard that Tom Delonge has quit Blink
182 and his former band mates Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker are none too happy
about it. I don’t think I overly care but the media has it everywhere and I can’t
help but get sucked into the Blink vortex. At first I was under the impression
that it was a media whoops. After finding out it wasn't, I didn't think it was
very cool of Tom to stiff his band mates as it appeared and that it must suck
for Travis and Mark to be left hanging. We have now heard what Mark has to say
via Alternative Press and what Tom has to say via his letter to the fans he
posted on Facebook
last night. While I am sure the truth as it always does (see
Motley Crue, the Eagles, and many others) lies somewhere in the middle, this is
what I do know.
Regardless of whether Tom, quit, was fired, or the band
breaks up we know Hoppus and Delonge almost split songwriting credits, it
appears however, that Delonge by a narrow margin edges out Hoppus. Blink was
supposed to go into the studio right away and do a new album. Now, as one of
key songwriters how does one write an album when both sides have made it very apparent
that they don’t get along? They haven’t spoken in months. I can see where this
would be hard on the soul and tough to get motivated especially when you have
so much else going on.
It would appear to me this strikes Tom as someone who would
stop and think about this. While Mark and Travis have a hard time taking their “cash
cow” to slaughter. Even if he is there ready to go to slaughter on his own. It’s
probably best Tom move on and work on one of his many avenues he has a passion
for such as Angels and Airwaves. Side note: how sick is it that Angels and
Airwaves are more relevant than Blink. Maybe this way we can get some substance
out of Tom. I don’t overly care about either band.
One thing remains to be seen. Is there a future for Blink
182? I don’t know. I do know it’s not Tom’s band specifically but If Steve
Earle leaves Steve Earle and the Dukes, you got no fucking Dukes!
Travis has the Transplants and well Mark I don’t know he
seems kind of boring. Maybe he can join the Madden brothers or something. No
one cares about Blink’s jack off songs or how depressed Good Charlotte are.
That music is gone. Long gone.
I am trying to stay neutral however it would appear that I
not. I will say this. Tom should have quit a long time ago if he was unhappy
and the other two, shame on them for not growing a pair and dealing with it at
the last minute when they are forced to.
I hope you read all of this as if it were Jerry Springer’s
final thought. Now can we all go back to important things like the Super Bowl
and the Kardashians?
Cheers
