Blink One-Eighty-Feud: Tom DeLonge Is "Disrespectful and Ungrateful"
While Monday's predicted crippling blizzard fell short of our expectations, a separate torrential drama was snowballing out of control in the disappointing storm's wake: Blink-182, poppunk trio known for performing playground humor in adult bodies, have stood steadfast by their decision to oust longtime guitar player Tom DeLonge.
For the unaware, here's a recap: yesterday morning, a statement was released by Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus (drummer and bassist for the band, respectively). The statement said that DeLonge had been replaced by Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba and that DeLonge had left the band indefinitely to pursue his "non-musical endeavors." In response, DeLonge posted an Instagram claiming that he had never quit:
All right.
But Monday evening, the feud donned its gravest cloak yet when Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker were interviewed by Rolling Stone and they frankly denied DeLonge's claims, more or less burying him with real talk:
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.
The two give a backstory of their numerous breakups and reunions and late-career albums, during which Hoppus calls DeLonge "disingenuous" and "embarrassed because he doesn't want to do Blink." The duo remarked that there is "no ambiguity" about DeLonge's leaving the band and they do not intend to invite him back, though his status will be worked out by lawyers:
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.
Twenty years now lost. It's not right.
[Image via Getty]