An interview with Mark Hoppus (Blink-182)

Blink-182 needs no introduction. The Southern California pop-punk trio did just about everything a band can do. They sold out arenas, had multiple albums go platinum and even landed at number one on the Billboard Top 100 charts. Last year the band returned from a five year "indefinite hiatus" and are getting ready to record the follow-up to 2003's self-titled album.

On a personal level (and I know that I'm not alone here), Blink-182 served as the gateway to punk rock. Sure, maybe they didn't teach and inspire in the way that Bad Religion and The Clash have, but without Blink-182 there would have been no discovery of Bad Religion or The Clash. Without Blink-182, I would have not discovered punk rock at a young and impressionable age, and most certainly would not have aspired to be a music journalist.

I got the chance to talk to bassist and vocalist Mark Hoppus about Blink and their recording plans, as well as his new television program on Fuse and the upcoming KROQ Epicenter show in September; Blink's only show in California.

Matt Baldwin: Blink’s getting ready to leave for Europe. How has it been playing in Blink since you guys got back together?

Mark Hoppus: It’s been really great. Especially with the tour last summer and now touring again this summer I think that we’re back at the point that we need to be at to get into the studio and record as a band. When we first got back together everyone was very respectful towards one another, a little too much so, in order to go out back on the road and get our chops back together, not only as a band, but as friends and have that kind of shorthand that bands have when they’re together.

MB: Do you think that the break-up and the time apart really strengthened the band?

MH: I think absolutely yes. Being apart for five years not only allowed us a better perspective on the band but as well as ourselves and one another and what our strengths and weaknesses are and what each of us bring to the project and things that we liked about it and things that didn’t work before. I think we’re the strongest that we’ve ever been as a band right now.

MB: Do you think that the side-projects really helped that as well?

MH: The things that we did on the time absolutely allowed us to try different things and experiment. I think it also helped us find out what each of us were great at; it also allowed us to recognize the talents that the other two have. We’ve all talked about this as we got back together that now you realize like, “wow, Tom really brings this great element and Travis brings this amazing element and this is what I bring.” I think the side-projects allowed everyone to recognize that as well.

MB: You mentioned going back to into the recording studio. You’re doing that at the beginning of the year, correct?

MH: No, we’re doing that as soon as we get back from this tour.

MB: Oh okay. Do you guys have songs already written, and what is the sound going to be like for this album? Is it going to be a continuation of the last Blink record (2003’s self-titled) in terms of progression?

MH: I think it will be the next step beyond the last Blink record. We started writing songs together when Blink just got back together a year ago. We’ve been working off and on the whole time and we’re really going to dive into it after this tour. It sounds like it’s going to be the next step beyond the last Blink record. We’ll always have catchy melodies at the core of our band but we definitely want to stretch and try different idea’s as well.

MB: You guys are playing the KROQ Epicenter show. That’s your only show in America this year, correct?

MH: Yes.

MB: What drew you to the event?

MH: Well KROQ has always been a huge supporter of Blink-182. We have friends that work there. We think that they’re the best radio station in Southern California, and it sounded like a lot of fun, and like a good way to wrap up the touring section of Blink and put us right into recording. It just seemed like a natural fit to round out the European Tour and come home and play one show and go right into the studio.

MB: You guys are playing with a lot of bands that you’ve played with before. Obviously Bad Religion and then Jim (Lindberg, formally of Pennywise) with his new band. Are there any bands that you’re really excited to see?

MH: I still don’t know exactly who is on the bill (laughs).

MB: Oh, it’s, from what I’ve read Bad Religion, 30 Seconds to Mars, Rise Against, Jim from Pennywise’s new band. I think Suicidal Tendencies I saw…

MH: Awesome.

MB: …and then a band called A Day to Remember. I don’t remember anyone else.

MH: Oh, okay cool. Yeah, a lot of those bands we’ve toured with and are friends of ours and I’m really excited to see Jim’s new band for sure. I want to see what he’s up to., cause I’ve always had a lot of respect for him as a performer and artist and I want to see what he’s doing on this side of Pennywise as well.

MB: I actually did an interview with him about, maybe a couple days ago actually, and he had a lot of nice things to say about Blink.

MH: Oh nice. The mutual respect definitely goes both way. Pennywise was a huge, not only influence on Blink but a proponent of Blink from day one and we really owe them a lot as far as bringing us up in the world.

MB: What does Blink’s legacy mean to you personally and as a musician?

MH: Our legacy (laughs). Our legacy is something that I don’t really think of actively, but comes up from time to time and absolutely means the world to me. Things like when I got on the phone with you and what you said at the beginning of our conversation and how Blink’s music helped you in your life and helped define who you are. When you hear things like that from people, it’s probably the most gratifying experience in the whole world. And it’s not something that we ever strove to do, we were just always doing our thing and keeping our heads down and being true to ourselves, but to know that has impacted all kinds of people from around the world is very humbling and extremely gratifying.

MB: I’ll step away from Blink for a little bit here. Obviously, Tom is continuing with Angels and Airwaves. When Blink’s not going on, what do you have going on.

MH: My main thing with Blink is not touring right now. I started a TV show on Fuse called “A Different Spin with Mark Hoppus,” that begins airing in September and that’s what I’m going to be working on for the rest of this year as Blink is recording. I have to fly back to New York about every other week for a few days and be in the studio out here shooting the show, and then fly back to LA and record the record. So the rest of this year is going to be crazy, maybe, for me but it’s going to be exciting. And other than that I don’t know if I’ll be doing any producing this year just because I don’t think I’m going to have any time.

MB: I have a question about producing, but before; what’s going to be the premise of your show?

MH: The show is basically everything music. Fuse has been really super awesome from the beginning. They hit me up and said “we want to do an hour long music show once a week.” and I said “alright, what’s the format?” and they said “whatever you want it to be.” so I said “cool, alright. How is this going to work? What kind of bands are going to be on there? What’s your vision of it?” and they said “whatever you want it to be, that’s what we want to do.” The people who are involved in the show are super professional and really cool and it’s basically whatever we want to do we’re going to do. We’re going to have live, in-studio performances from bands. We’re going to have interviews with artists. We’re going to go to bands while they’re in studio and while they’re on tour. We have correspondents and it’s going to be really smart and really funny. But I’m not a professional at this, so I think it’s going to have this element that the wheels might get shot off at any second.

MB: Well, that makes it fun, right?

MH: And that's what make's it fun. It’s like, and Matt I don’t know if you ever listened to any “Hi, My Name is Mark” pod cast, but if you ever caught any of those it will be like that but with actual professionals involved.

MB: I also read that there was a solo project in the works. Is that still going?

MH: No. not at all.

MB: No. Okay

MH: No, Nope. No solo aspirations. I mean, there was a time a few years ago when I had a bunch of songs laying around Plus-44 was inactive and I wanted to do something with those songs and was kind of working on some stuff. But as soon as Blink got back together I had no interest in doing something on my own and I would much rather bring songs that I had started working on to Travis and Tom and have them put their hands on them and see what becomes of those ideas.

MB: You mentioned that there probably won’t be any producing this year. What do you look for in a band, though, when you’re choosing to produce an album.

MH: I really just listen to the demos they have. If a band has previous work, obviously that’s important. Mostly talking to the band and seeing where they want to go and hearing even just rough demos. Ideas are really what interest me in producing a band; if I can bring something productive to the project. I think that there are some bands that I’ve offered that I was like “look, there’s not a whole lot I can bring to that band.” And I have to love the band in the first place. I don’t want to spend a month and a half in a studio with music I don’t like and fortunately I don’t have to (laughs). For me, really, I have to love the band believe in them and think their songs are interesting and great.

MB: Okay. Since this is the Anaheim punk blog at examiner.com I have to ask, where are your favorite venues to play in Orange County, either when you were starting out or now?

MH: I don’t know if I have a favorite. It’s always fun to play in Southern California, and it’s fun for different reasons. We played SOMA back in the day in San Diego, and we play what was Irvine Meadows and is now Verizon Wireless Amphitheater and both are amazing and fun. They feel like home.

MB: What about your favorite hangouts in Orange County?

MH: Hangouts in Orange County. Do I have any hangouts in Orange County? I like the beaches in Orange County the best. I think Orange County has great beaches. Everything from Dana Point to Newport to Laguna; all over the place.

MB: Most people say Disneyland, and that’s the only answer I get so that’s cool to hear something a little bit different.

MH: Well Disneyland, obviously. I think of Disneyland as it’s own world though. I don’t think of that as Orange County. I think of it as it’s own country (laughs).

MB: Most definitely. So anything else you want to add, Mark?

MH: I just want everyone out there to know that I’m super-awesome and a great guy and really cool to talk to and that I appreciate all the support.

For more information on Blink-182, check out http://www.blink182.com. For more information on Mark Hoppus, visit his "Hi My Name is Mark" blog. Blink-182 takes the stage alongside Rise Against, 30 Seconds to Mars, Bad Religion and more at KROQ's "Epicenter Twenty Ten" Festival in Fontana on September 26th. For more information on "A Different Spin With Mark Hoppus," visit Fuse's official website for the show. Thank you again to Mark Hoppus for the interview.