Mark Hoppus Reflects on His Childhood
Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 has opened up about the challenging times he faced in his childhood due to his parents’ divorce, stating, “it was terribly growing up.”
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Insights from His Memoir
The bassist discussed his new memoir Fahrenheit-182, which was released earlier this week (April 8), during an interview with Keeper. The book details his battle with cancer, beginning with his lymphoma diagnosis in 2021 and his subsequent chemotherapy treatment. He shared with the publication that “I really thought that I would die.”
Hoppus also mentioned the toll chemotherapy, steroids, and physical pain took on him, saying it “crushed me for months in a row.” However, he noted that the diagnosis helped rekindle friendships he had lost over the years, including his tumultuous relationship with Blink-182 co-founder Tom DeLonge.
In another part of the interview with Keeper, Hoppus reflected on his growth during his parents’ divorce. He stated, “For decades, they did not talk to each other, and it was terrible, growing up.”
“I always felt that I was placed between them, because they did not talk to each other, and I had to argue with both sides, protect my father from my mother, protect my mother from my father, protect my sister from them. I felt that I was in this position – maybe I was not, but I felt that I was.”
He further elaborated that he became a “mediator” throughout this ordeal, describing it as both “great” and “damn terrible” at the same time.
“My personality has become an intermediary, a guy who is trying to make everyone happy and pull everything back together. This is how I enjoy playing the bass guitar – it serves as the connection between drums and guitar, uniting everything.”
“So this role was magnificent, and it was damn terrible. I still feel inclined to address issues when perhaps I should just let nature take its course.”
Hoppus was declared cancer-free later in 2021; DeLonge also reunited with the band to embark on a world tour and released their comeback album in 2023, which NME rated three stars: “They haven’t strayed far from who they always were – three friends wanting to make noise, and I had a riot of a time.”
“While they may not completely revolutionize pop-punk, that was probably never their goal,” he added. “Most fans just want to see the old Blink return, and in 2023, they’re as fun as ever.”
Earlier this week, the band also announced details about their large-scale tour of the United States with Alkaline Trio this fall – to find tickets here.
On the tour, they will perform at major venues across the country, visiting cities from Virginia Beach to Kansas City. The dates kick off on August 28 at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, and run through September before concluding at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California.
Tickets will go on sale on Friday (April 11) at 10:00 local time here. Meanwhile, Citi Card members will have access to a presale starting at 12 PM ET, which will last until Thursday at 1 PM local time. Visit Citi Entertainment for more information.
BLINK-182 2025 USA Tour Dates
AUGUST
28 – Hard Rock Live – Hollywood, Florida
29 – MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre – Tampa, Florida
SEPTEMBER
1 – Credit One Stadium – Charleston, SC
3 – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek – Raleigh, North Carolina
4 – Virginia Credit Union Amphitheater – Virginia
6 – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – Bethel, New York
7 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs, New York
9 – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion – Gilford, NH
11 – Darien Lake Amphitheater – Buffalo, New York
13 – Four Chords Music Festival – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (festival set)
14 – Sea Hear Now – Asbury Park, New Jersey (festival set)
16 – Riverbend Music Center – Cincinnati, Ohio
17 – Ruoff Music Center – Noblesville, IN
21 – Shaky Knees – Atlanta, Georgia (festival set)
22 – Orion Amphitheater – Huntsville, AL
24 – Walmart AMP – Rogers, AR
26 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis, Missouri
27 – T-Mobile Center – Kansas City, Missouri
OCTOBER
2 – Aftershock Festival – Sacramento, California (festival set)
4 – Acrisure Arena – Palm Desert, CA
This year, the group is also set to perform at numerous festivals, including SEE.Hear.Now, Shaky Knees, and When We Were Young.
https://www.nme.com/news/music/blink-182s-mark-hoppus-opens-up-about-difficult-childhood-it-was-awful-growing-up-3853304?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=blink-182s-mark-hoppus-opens-up-about-difficult-childhood-it-was-awful-growing-up
