Although blink-182‘s comeback announcement was packed with innuendo about delayed gratification, the band didn’t waste any time with sharing new music. Mere days after the group announced that Tom DeLonge was joining Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker in the lineup, blink-182 shared “Edging,” a song full of the band’s signature brand of defiant immaturity mixed with SoCal punk rock. As usual, Tom and Mark split the vocals on the track, which you can listen to above.
This year marks thirty years since blink-182 formed in San Diego. The original lineup featured Scott Raynor on drums (you can see him in the videos for “Dammit” and “Josie”) before he was fired in 1998. Travis Barker, who was playing drums for Blink’s then-tour-mates The Aquabatsstepped in first as a temporary replacement, before joining the band full-time ahead of the band’s mainstream breakthrough, 1999’s Enema of the State. Tom would leave the band in 2005, per NPRresulting in the formation of Angels And Airwaveswhile Travis and Mark would form +44. The trio reunited in 2008, and stayed together until 2015, when Tom left again. Both splits were cited over creative differences.
In the years since the second exit, Tom became involved in investigating extraterrestrial life. Matt Skibaa co-founder of the punk band Alkaline Trio, stepped in and was a full-fledged member of the band until Tom’s return. Following the news of the Mark, Tom, and Travis show reuniting, Skiba exited the band.
“I sent this to Matt personally, but it’s important for the world to know that I honor him,” Tom captioned an Oct. 13 IG posts. The message he sent Skiba read: “Hi Matt. Tom DeLonge here. I wanted to take a minute and say thank you for all that you have done to keep the band thriving in my absence. I think you are enormously talented (I still love and listen to your band to this day). You have always been so kind to me, not only in the press, but also to others. I really noticed.”
“Emotions between the three of us in blink have always been complicated, but Mark’s cancer really put things in perspective,” added DeLonge. “But to be honest, the band wouldn’t even be here today if it wasn’t for your ability to jump in and save the day. So from my heart to yours, thank you for being a member of our band.”
Along with the reunion, the band announced a 2023/24 World Tour. The tour kicks off in March 2023 in Mexico, before making its way to the States in May. South America, Europe, and Australia dates are included. Click here for more details.
