Mark Hoppus Shares Interesting Encounter with Robert Smith
Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 revealed that Robert Smith from The Cure once attempted to “deal” with him.
In his memoir Fahrenheit-182, published on Tuesday (April 8), Hoppus recounted the incident that apparently transpired after Smith collaborated with The Pope Punk Trio at the Wembley Arena concert in 2004, performing their joint track “All This.”
Hoppus later shared details of the encounter with Us Weekly, stating that he hadn’t informed Smith of his inclusion in the book but assured that they remained “completely cool.”
“I didn’t feel the need to call him or give any warning, but I was unsure how to approach the conversation. Like, ‘Hey, remember when you tried to kiss me?’ because we’ve never talked about it,” Hoppus remarked to Us Weekly.
“Since then, I’ve seen him a few times, and it was totally fine—neither of us brought it up.” He reminisced about the night of the event at a party where “everyone was drinking” and “having a good time.” Smith “seemed bold and enjoyed himself,” according to Hoppus.
“My wife and I were like, ‘Alright, we’ll see you later,’ and then Robert tries to kiss me,” he said, noting that apart from some members of the Blink-182 road crew, no one else witnessed the moment.
“He was my hero. I grew up listening to his music, and it changed my life. Then he tries to kiss me at a party, and I thought, ‘Why not? This is a much better story than, ‘He tried to kiss me, and it was embarrassing.’”
Hoppus expressed that he “wasn’t upset at all” over the incident, saying, “I was just surprised that no one else saw it.” NME reached out to Smith’s representatives for comments.
Hoppus’s Journey Through Cancer
In Fahrenheit-182, Hoppus provides a detailed account of his battle with cancer, starting from his lymphoma diagnosis in 2021 through his chemotherapy treatment. He shared that he “really thought he would die.”
The toll of chemotherapy, steroids, and physical pain left him feeling exhausted for months, yet he noted that the diagnosis rekindled friendships he had lost over the years, including his turbulent relationship with co-founder Tom DeLonge. The book also delves into his strained relationship with his parents.
Hoppus was declared cancer-free later in 2021; he and DeLonge reunited to embark on a world tour and release a comeback album in 2023, which NME rated three stars, stating: “They are not far from who they have always been—three friends wanting to make noise, and they are having a riot of a time.”
“While they don’t quite revolutionize pop-punk, that was probably never the goal,” he added. “Most likely, fans just want the old Blink-182 back, and in 2023 they are as fun as ever.”
Earlier this week, the band announced the details for their extensive U.S. tour with Alkaline Trio this fall—find tickets here.
This tour will take them to major venues across the country, traveling from Virginia Beach to Kansas City. The dates are set to begin on August 28 at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, and conclude on October 4 at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California.
Tickets will go on sale on Friday (April 11) at 10:00 A.M. local time here. Additionally, Citi card members have access to pre-sales starting at 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time, running until Thursday at 1:00 P.M. local time. Visit Citi Entertainment for more information.
Tour Dates for Blink-182’s 2023 USA Tour
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 – Walnut Creek, North Carolina
4 – Virginia Credit Amphitheater – Virginia Beach, Virginia
6 – Vechal Woods Arts Center – 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 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 Amphitheater – 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 band is also set to perform at numerous festivals, including SEE.hear.now, Shaky Knees, and When We Were Young.
Last month, Smith was announced as a curator for the 2026 Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) concert series.
https://www.nme.com/news/music/blink-182s-mark-hoppus-recalls-moment-the-cures-robert-smith-tried-to-make-out-with-him-3853410?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=blink-182s-mark-hoppus-recalls-moment-the-cures-robert-smith-tried-to-make-out-with-him
