The New Blink-182 Album, Joe Rogan And UFOs
Tom DeLonge, a founding member of Blink 182, parted ways with them in 2015. Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio took his position, and the trio later released "California", the group's seventh studio album, in 2016 and NINE in 2019. DeLonge provided a clear explanation for his decision to leave the group in a statement for his organization To The Stars Academy of Arts & Science in 2019.
The musician said in a video that "the last show I played was in front of 100,000 people and then they wonder why I'm not doing that now, and I'll say that this is the one moment in my life where I'll be able to look back as an old man and say: Oh my god, I was a part of the team that changed the world". The musician ultimately admits: "I abandoned my band and all that I was known for, because now is the point in time when I can change the world for my kids and everyone else's".
DeLonge did appear to leave his Blink 182 existence behind, as has been widely reported, in order to learn more about the reality of UFOs, but there may be more to his leaving than first appears. Things between the trio appeared tense at the moment DeLonge left the band. The surviving Blink members released a statement in January 2015 that said their vocalist made the choice very quickly.
A week before we were scheduled to go in to the studio, we got an email from [Tom's] manager explaining that he didn’t want to participate in any Blink-182 projects indefinitely, but would rather work on his other non-musical endeavours. No hard feelings, but the show must go on for our fans.
However, in an open letter DeLonge claimed he'd "never quit the band".
In a post on his Facebook page, he wrote: "I love Blink and am incredibly grateful for having it in my life. It has given me everything...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. 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."
Fans of Blink-182 were ecstatic to hear that original member Tom DeLonge was rejoining the group. On Tuesday, October 11, the group made announcements about a new song, Edging, a new album, and a world tour that would take them to the UK and other countries in 2023 and 2024.
DeLonge announced his comeback to it back in October. Since then, DeLonge, Travis Barker, and Mark Hoppus have started production on a new album, released the single "Edging," and scheduled a global tour. The group has been revealing tidbits from the record, which has allowed information about the next release to progressively surface. Fans got to hear a small portion of the song "Anthem Pt. 3" on Sunday (Dec. 18).
Blink hasn't set a specific release date for the follow-up to 2019's Nine, but the album tease, which included a live photo of the band playing beneath a huge four-letter pyro effect, came with additional good news. DeLonge said, "The next single that's coming is 🔥" in honor of the album's first hit, "Edging," spending a seventh week at No. 1 on alternative radio.
Singer/bassist Mark Hoppus gave the slow-drip trickle of information about the unnamed album a boost last week by stating that the follow-up to the group's final studio album together, Neighborhoods, will be, well, another fire emoji, followed by a metal salute emoji.
