vic vinegar

Run away

blink didn't split up because of AVA. They split up because of the fight for the Tsunami Relief event... probably residue from Mark hurting about BCR 3 years later... which Travis was an accomplice of. But the why's are speculation. Tom took the songs he was working on for blink and made them into AVA songs. Regardless Tom, if memory serves me correct, had already written most of the Love record and had plans for the movie before Travis got in the plane crash. So those projects were in motion. Correct me if I'm wrong. Was he supposed to break his contract with the AVA record label so he could join blink? Oh wait, that's what Mark did on the second +44 record. Anyways, Tom and Mark have no problem breaking contracts they sign. That much is certain. Maybe the blink reunion was a cash-grab on Tom's end... we'll never know if he was genuine or not, I think some days he was totally into blink and other days he was like fuck this. And I personally wouldn't have worn the Love shirt every night, but again, when it's blink onstage singing and jumping around and not AVA, how the fuck can you argue? Would you've cried if Mark was wearing a +44 shirt during that tour? Me thinks not. Tom was just villaianized because he walked away from blink first, got addicted to prescription drugs, changed his voice and talked shit about Carousel being the worst song he ever wrote and how his 6-year old daughter would love his old band. Please confirm you're not another sock account. Or go eat a Scooby snack or something.

I'm torn. I never cared Tom wore his Love shirt. Wasn't he working on those albums before the reunion started? I mean the only thing different is the timing as blink was just getting back together. If Mark and Travis patched things up with Tom, politely asked Matt to step aside and real blink was back, I wouldn't give a shit if Mark wore a Simple Creatures shirt or if Tom wore an AVA shirt or if Travis wore an Aquabats or BCR or +44 shirt. Y'all made too much out of it honestly.

I just think it's catchy. I like the mood it creates. The tempo changes, going slow to fast and back again, which to me is more like Feeling This than other recent songs like BTD and First Time. The lyrics aren't about being 16 again. And I actually really like Skiba's voice too for once.

Darkside

Dude I caught +44 in Detroit the day before Thanksgiving and it's still one of my favorite shows. Probably the only time i'll see Mark or Travis in a smaller venue unless Simple Creatures tours. It was weird though because they played the album all the way through and then done. I swear some local bands I see here in chicago play longer haha. But this is before Mark threw in a blink song into each show and I was cool with it because they just had the 1 album. I still wonder what direction +44 would've gone in with the followup that never happened...

That's a valid point.

Carol Heller was gonna be my partially sarcastic pick. I think blink could've succeeded post-Tom with a female vocalist and I also think +44 would've gained more traction had they replaced Carol with another female after she left the band during the demos (or even if Carol had stayed).

Thank the punk gods for the Mezingers!!! Keeping punk on its last lifeline one album at a time.

Yeah man you might be right.

I don't really care much but I thought blink was selling those shirts at Musink. The joke was only really funny when it was still blink-182 w/Matt Skiba. Once they were legally allowed to be just "blink-182" the joke didn't work. I can tell you from riotfest that most people I heard from or ran into had no idea about Matt replacing Tom.

First before I vote, in detail, what are your current opinions of Tom DeLonge, Matt Skiba and Cali/DLX/Nine?

IRWIHY is about Tom.

Remember when blink sold those shirts that said "Who the Fuck is Matt Skiba?" Always thought that was not very classy of blink, monetizing Tom's departure in such a way. But I'd definitely buy a shirt that says "Matt Skiba Sucks" and honestly blink should deal with any lingering fanbase hostility in this way so they can make more $$$ off the situation.

Mark wanted to see if Tom would listen to it before releasing it. He didn't.