A war of words has begun between band members of Blink-182, the pop punk trio comprised of Tom Delonge (guitar/vocals), Mark Hoppus (bass/vocals) and Travis Barker (drums), as it seems that Delonge has left the others in the dust to pursue his own personal projects.
While no stranger to break-ups or to media scrutiny, the band seemed to have reconciled its differences, putting out a string of new releases after a reunion at the Grammys in 2009.
However, new beef has arisen. Members of Blink-182 have released statements across the Internet about the state of the band, causing fans around the world to scream at their computers and phones in anger and confusion.
A timely resolution to this drama seems unlikely, so here are five Blink-182 songs to help the band and the fans get over this drama and focus on the music.
"Dammit"
Every true fan must have uttered this profanity when hearing the news about their beloved pop-punk band breaking up again. Hoppus yells about angst over jumbled chords and chants the famous line, “I guess this is growing up.” Blink-182 should look to this song as inspiration for “growing up” and learn how to communicate like professionals.
"Dogs Eating Dogs"
This lesser-known track also doubles as the title of the band’s most recent EP release, “Dogs Eating Dogs.” It’s a song filled with fast-paced guitar riffs and impossibly technical drums, just some of the notable characteristics fans have come to know and love. As the title phrase is repeated throughout the chorus of the song, band members should recall what caused them to write about this cruel, dog-eat-dog world. Delonge, Hoppus and Barker are helping contribute to this morbid feeling by playing out the message of the song in real time for all of their fans to see. Classy move, guys.
"I Miss You"
Forget the romantic inspiration behind the song and focus on the intersection of Delonge’s trademark wail and Hoppus’s thick baritone voice. Believe it or not, there was a time when these two men could work well together and write timeless songs. This fan favorite will tug at the heartstrings of any sane human being, which is exactly why the band needs to be jamming this track incessantly. The somber melodies of “I Miss You” were known to bring up depressing memories of an old flame, but now it will serve as a reminder to fans that their favorite band is once again non-existent.
"Heart’s All Gone"
One of the fastest tracks in Blink-182’s discography, “Heart’s All Gone” is a bruising anthem about the misleading nature of first impressions. Released in 2011 from the band’s comeback album, “Neighborhoods,” the song is now just a relic of the past. The lyric, “You seemed so sweet at the start, but the start’s all wrong,” is filled with irony. What a perfect way to describe the dysfunctional family roller coaster that is Blink-182. It’s like the band’s whole career was predicted in its own songs.
"Stay Together For The Kids"
It was first written as a powerful ode to children of divorce. “Rather than fix the problems, they never solve them/ it makes no sense at all,” shows the madness that comes with being an involuntary passenger thrown into this type of unfortunate situation. It feels similar to how a fan of Blink-182 would express their emotions about the band’s current turmoil in a Facebook post or tweet, full of angst and despair. The searing power chords that blare through the ending of this song should knock some sense into the members of Blink-182 and hopefully make them see the error in their ways. Until then, we’ll just have to wait for another onslaught of side projects to hold us over.
Tell the arts editor your favorite Blink-182 anecdotes at jhgolds2@asu.edu or follow @mister_jgold on Twitter.
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