Latest news with #Fahrenheit-182
San Francisco Chronicle
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Blink-182's Mark Hoppus elaborates on ‘very strange' rivalry with Green Day
Blink-182 bassist Mark Hoppus admits that his band's rivalry with Green Day was 'very strange.' In 'Fahrenheit-182,' the musician's memoir published in April, he revealed his San Diego pop punk group developed a toxically competitive dynamic with Green Day during their joint 2002 tour. Now, Hoppus is elaborating on that relationship, claiming that the competition was driven by the East Bay punk trio. 'That was very strange because I grew up listening to Green Day,' he reflected during an interview with NME published on Friday, May 16. 'I was a huge fan, then we're touring with them, but it was a weird thing where Green Day were dipping at the time and Blink were ascendent.' At the time, Blink-182 was riding the success of its 1999 breakthrough album, 'Enemy Of The State' and its similarly popular 2001 follow-up, 'Take Off Your Pants.' Meanwhile, Green Day was grappling with a decline in popularity after the 2000 release of its sixth studio album 'Warning,' which they didn't bounce back from until the 2004 release of 'American Idiot.' Hoppus went on to explain how despite being billed as co-headliners, Green Day was essentially opening for Blink-182. 'Headlining over your idols is a little strange… We walked in thinking we were hot s— and Green Day walked in ready to fight — musically of course,' he said. 'Billie was super nice to us. Then, when it came time to get on stage… It's like athletes: we could be on different teams, but when we get on the field we're going to try and kick your ass.' Green Day has not publicly responded to Hoppus' allegations. The 'All the Small Things' hitmaker added that his band, which also included lead vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge and drummer Travis Barker at the time, didn't necessarily join the tour with that competitive state of mind. 'They blew us off the stage the first few nights and we were like, 'Oh s—, we have to up our game'. Then it was this battle back-and-forth about who could put on the better show and who could win people over,' Hoppus said. Hopper described Blink-182's relationship with Green Day as 'rival gangs across town who both despise and respect each other' in his memoir, noting that sometimes they'd end up in 'screaming matches with their manager in the hallways.' Though the bands haven't toured together since, there seems to be no bad blood on Hoppus' end. 'It definitely made us a better band,' he reflected. 'I think I inspired them so much they were like, 'We have to kill Blink-182 with an awesome album called 'American Idiot'.'
Perth Now
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Blink-182 have a common goal, says Mark Hoppus
Blink-182 have found a "common goal". The chart-topping rock band reunited after Mark Hoppus was diagnosed with cancer in 2021, and the group now cherish the time they spend together. Mark, 53, told The Independent: "Everybody really respects and cherishes one another. "We all love Blink and what we built, and we don't want to mess that up anymore. We have a common goal." Mark's health troubles led to him mending his relationship with Tom DeLonge. And the bassist isn't worried that his new memoir, 'Fahrenheit-182', will dredge-up old tensions. He explained: "I didn't want to portray Tom as a d*** or a demon or anything, even though I felt like it at the time. "Looking back, I tried to write everything really even-handed and try to put myself in Tom's shoes to understand better where he was coming from." Mark is relishing the Blink-182 reunion - but he's also philosophical about the band's long-term future. He reflected: "I feel really stable in the band. "I was just texting with Tom before I came downstairs, and Travis [Barker] and I are always sharing memes back and forth. It's really, really great. "You know, if the band dissolved today, if Tom came to me today and said, 'I'm out. I'm done with Blink,' we would shut the whole thing down and it'd be OK. I'd be filled with nothing but gratitude and joy." In April, Mark claimed that Blink-182 had become "much more honest with each other" since his cancer diagnosis. The musician acknowledged that their dynamic has evolved over time, explaining that their communication is now "a lot better" than it used to be. Mark - who is now cancer-free - told Us Weekly: "I think that we're much more honest with each other. The communication is a lot better. We've set up boundaries of what we want to do. "We really sat down and we're like, let's be the f****** Beastie Boys and not do the stuff that people want us to do or expect us to do."
Metro
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Blink-182's Mark Hoppus thought he 'deserved' cancer diagnosis
Blink-182's Mark Hoppus, along with his bandmates Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker, are known for their sense of humour, but his 2021 cancer diagnosis left him convinced he wouldn't make it. The co-founder and bassist for the group has released his first memoir, Fahrenheit-182, which details his formative years, including his parents' divorce, a lifelong battle with anxiety, and rise to fame in one of punk rock's biggest bands. But Hoppus, 53, was left feeling like he was 'burning from the inside out' from being diagnosed with stage 4 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma after discovering a lump in his neck in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking to Metro, the musician explained that after years of success with blink-182 and supergroup +44, he felt as if he 'deserved' his diagnosis. 'I thought that people would laugh, or would think that I deserved it, because that's how I felt,' he explained. 'I'd been lucky for so long, the band had been so lucky. We started off in a garage and went on to play amphitheatres, had number one records, everything you could hope for in a band had come true. 'This is the bill I pay, I thought. Everything balances out, all the good is getting balanced out by something bad.' Even sharing the news with the world didn't go to plan, after the singer made his treatment public when he accidentally shared a photo of himself on a chemo drip to his public Instagram Stories instead of to his close friends. Dosed up on medication after an infusion at the time, he explained: 'We were driving home and my publicist called and said it had been picked up and radio stations are talking about it. 'I called my friend who runs a radio station in Los Angeles and I wrote a statement while parked on the side of the road and listened as it was read out on air. 'I was like, 'Oh, this is my eulogy. It's happening in real time.'' Hoppus, who is now cancer free, discussed how his diagnosis healed his friendship with bandmate DeLonge. The relationship between the pair went through numerous separations, reconciliations, and significant changes in the height of the band's success. The duo were the two original founders of blink-182 in 1992, but DeLonge left the band in 2005 when the group went on an indefinite hiatus. He went on to form Angels & Airwaves before leaving the band in 2015. His second departure from the band further emphasised the growing divide between him and Hoppus. This time, the band replaced DeLonge with Matt Skiba, a member of the band Alkaline Trio. DeLonge went on to dedicate a large part of his career to becoming heavily involved in UFO research, founding an entertainment company named To the Stars Academy of Arts & Sciences which has aerospace and science divisions dedicated to ufology. After not speaking for several years, their relationship mended when Hoppus shared his cancer diagnosis. He told Metro: 'Writing in this book about the hardest times, like arguments with Tom or Tom quitting the band, I was trying to write fairly because I don't want to demonise him. 'He's not a bad person. Tom is an amazing person. He just gets distracted sometimes and that's what makes him great. He has these big dreams and big plans and he's willing to pivot at a moment's notice. One day he can just say, 'I wanna chase aliens'. That's what makes him great.' More Trending With an upcoming tour and festivals on the horizon, the future of the band is now looking brighter than ever after complicated break-ups which resulted in Hoppus and Barker 'hating DeLonge's guts' at one point. 'There's people that have been there since the 90s, there are people that maybe know All The Small Things and want to come to a show. I'd like to continue creating and just making art and being silly and having fun,' Hoppus told Metro. 'All I want do is play music and make Tom and Travis laugh.' Fahrenheit-182 by Mark Hoppus published by Sphere available in Hardback, eBook and audio £25 out now . If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with cancer, Macmillan can offer support and information. You can contact their helpline on 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week from 8am to 8pm), use their webchat service, or visit their site for more information. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Experienced climber raising funds for cancer-stricken kids dies scaling mountain MORE: TV presenter James Whale, 73, reveals there's 'no cancer treatment he can have anymore' MORE: I was 11 when my parents were told to plan my funeral
Daily Mirror
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Blink-182's Mark Hoppus claims US forces followed his advice to capture Saddam Hussein
The pop-punk star made a wild claim that he helped the US Army to capture Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein - but Blink 182's Mark Hoppus' story actually adds up Blink-182 's Mark Hoppus has claimed he helped the US military to capture Saddam Hussein by coming up with a plan to track him down. The former Iraqi president was caught by coalition forces in 2003 and was convicted of crimes against humanity by the Iraqi High Tribunal, before being sentenced to death by hanging. He was executed in December 2006. But Blink bassist Mark Hoppus claims the brutal regime was toppled after he gave the US Army admiral a few top tips on how to capture the elusive dictator. Writing in his new memoir, Fahrenheit-182, Hoppus, 53, explained how he believes he helped the military to locate Hussein, who had been in hiding. He recalled telling the admiral: "Sir, I have a plan for how to catch Saddam Hussein." He went on to propose his idea of using drones that could broadcast ultrasonic frequencies, which couldn't be heard by humans. Hoppus then said that the frequencies could be used to triangulate the former president's location when he released his video messages while in hiding. The musician suggested that if Hussein released a video, the time code could be captured to allow authorities to locate him. He told the admiral: "Sir, what about having drones fly all over the region in carpeting patterns, broadcasting time codes above the level of human hearing but at the level that a video recording would catch it." He went on: "Then, the next time he releases one of his videos, you can listen to it, pull the ultrasonic data, and triangulate the drones you have flying all over." Hoppus remembered the admiral was "genuinely taken aback" by his plan, saying he could pitch it to the Chiefs of Staff. Hoppus wrote: "Four months later, Saddam was located and captured in Iraq. So, you're welcome everyone." It's not the first time the bassist has referenced the bizarre exchange, having spoken to a Twitter follower about it in 2018. When asked to reveal the "least plausible story about himself that's true", Hoppus told his story to his social media followers. He explained that while he was "on an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, I told a Navy Admiral on his way to meet with the Joint Chiefs of Staff my ideas on how to capture Saddam Hussein." Adding credibility to his story, Blink 182 played for US troops on the USS Nimitz in 2003. Meanwhile, band mate Tom Delonge has also been of use to the US military, having teamed up with the Army to collaborate on the study of "exotic" metals. The guitarist's To The Stars Academy was reported to have signed a contract with the military, which committed to donating $750,000 to the organisation's research for a five-year collaboration. The contract states: "Government shall: Perform assessments, testing, and characterization of Collaborator-provided technologies. The Government is interested in a variety of the Collaborator's technologies, such as, but not limited to inertial mass reduction, mechanical/structural meta materials, electromagnetic meta material wave guides, quantum physics, quantum communications, and beamed energy propulsion." Kari DeLonge, TTSA chief content officer and Tom's sister, told Vice: "TTSA has acquired material from various sources and does not comment on the specifics of each sample."
Daily Mail
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Blink-182's Mark Hoppus makes bizarre claim that HE helped capture Saddam Hussein
Blink-182 bassist Mark Hoppus has claimed that he once advised a US Navy admiral on how to capture former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. The punk-rock pioneer, shared the shocking anecdote in his new autobiography, Fahrenheit-182, claiming he may have actually helped the US government capture Hussein back in 2003. Hoppus, 53, recalled an encounter aboard an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf in the early 2000s - when the war in Iraq was heating up - where he allegedly provided his insights to an admiral. 'Sir, I have a plan for how to catch Saddam Hussein,' he recalled saying to the admiral. According to Hoppus, his plan involved the use of drones capable of broadcasting ultrasonic frequencies. The frequencies would then be used to triangulate Hussein's location when he released his video messages from an unknown location. The star bassist suggested that if Hussein released a videotape, that the time code could be captured, which in turn would allow authorities to triangulate the embattled Iraqi president's location. 'Sir, what about having drones fly all over the region in carpeting patterns, broadcasting time codes above the level of human hearing but at the level that a video recording would catch it,' he claims to have pitched. 'Then, the next time he releases one of his videos, you can listen to it, pull the ultrasonic data, and triangulate the drones you have flying all over.' Hoppus went on to say that he remembers the admiral being 'genuinely taken aback' by the idea, and mentioning that he may pitch the idea to the Chiefs of Staff. 'Four months later, Saddam was located and captured in Iraq,' Hoppus wrote, adding, 'So, you're welcome everyone.' While the story may sound unconventional, Hoppus' connection to the military isn't entirely far-fetched. In 2003, Blink-182 performed for US troops aboard the USS Nimitz, a deployment that coincided with the Operation Red Dawn - the mission that led to Hussein's capture in 2003. Despite the lack of official acknowledgement of Hoppus' involvement in the operation, his account adds a curious twist to the annals of military history. Whether his advice played a role in Hussein's capture remains a matter of speculation, but Hoppus' near unbelievable story certainly adds an unexpected chapter in his punk rock legacy. Hussein had been found cowering in a grubby bolt-hole on December 13, 2003. As one U.S. military commander said, he was 'caught like a rat'. Holed up in an underground chamber little bigger than a coffin, he surrendered without a fight when allied troops cornered him in a farm near Tikrit, his birthplace. Bearded, thin and exhausted, he had been on the run for 250 days. On November 5, 2006, he was finally found guilty of crimes against humanity by the Iraqi Special Tribunal. He was then sentenced to be hanged until dead. A month later in Baghdad - at 6am on December 30 – he was led to a platform in a concrete chamber by masked men. Wearing a white shirt and dark overcoat, he refused a hood and shouted 'God is great'. Soldiers taunted him with insults until a judge demanded silence. As he clutched a copy of the Koran, a noose was placed around his neck – waxed to guarantee a clean slide of the knots. The trapdoor was released and a loud crack was heard when his neck broke. Left to swing for several minutes, a doctor was called to listen for a heartbeat. Saddam was dead. Beyond his military encounter, Hoppus continues to share personal experiences in 'Fahrenheit-182,' revealing stories of personal struggles, relationships within the band, and the impact of cancer on his life.
