Mark Hoppus

Mark Allan Hoppus was born March 15, 1972 in Ridgecrest, California. Mark is one of the founding members of the Punk-Pop band blink-182 and indie/pop-punk band +44. He plays bass guitar, and sings. At the age of fifteen, Hoppus got his first bass from his father after helping him paint his house. Mark played bass and sang in the band Pier 69, primarily covering songs by The Cure. He also played in a band called The Attic Children in 1988. He later moved to San Diego to continue his studies in college, where he met Tom Delonge (another blink-182 member) through his little sister, Anne Hoppus. Delonge was a friend of Anne's boyfriend, Kerry Key, and constantly complained about wanting to join a band. She finally introduced Hoppus and Delonge in August 1992. Hoppus and DeLonge, with their friend, drummer Scott Raynor, decided to form a band in 1992. They were under the name "Duck Tape" until their third show, when Delonge said he liked another name..."blink", but an Irish techno band was already using that name and threatened them with a court case, so they changed their name to blink-182. In 1997, after the release of their second album Dude Ranch, blink 182 went on tour with the aquabats (whose drummer at the time was Travis Barker). Scott's dismissal from blink-182 came when he did not show up for two weeks of shows because of a drinking problem,which another theory included scott returning to university to continue his studies. Travis performed instead, and when Raynor returned, he felt akward and decided to leave the band completely. Barker learned the entire setlist in about forty-five minutes before a show, and eventually left the Aquabats to become the band's full-time drummer. In 1999, they released their first album with Barker, Enema of the State. They later released three more albums, The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show: The Enema Strikes Back, Take off Your Pants and Jacket, and their un - titled album (usually referred to as blink-182.Travis Barker told a magazine that the album was not self titled but untitled, to represent a newfound maturity in Blink. Many people often mistake the album to be self titled.) Hoppus appeared on MxPx's eighth studio album Panic on "Wrecking Hotel Rooms," providing backing vocals. He is also on the track and in the video "I'd do anything" by Simple Plan from their debut CD "No Pads, No Helmet... Just Balls" Hoppus married his girlfriend, Skye Everly, on December 2, 2000. Their son, Jack Hoppus, was born on August 5, 2002. Mark also co-owns several popular punk clothing companys, Loserkids, Macbeth, and Atticus. The name Atticus is taken from a character from the book 'To Kill a Mocking Bird.' Mark feels he has not had any influence in how the companies are being ran in the past year and is in the process of selling his shares, Mark is a record producer. Producing the second album of Minnesota band Motion City Soundtrack, Commit This to Memory and has also been producing the two piece Idiot Pilot. Not to mention managing the band Fenix Tx. At first the band said that blink-182 has not broken up, but that they are taking a break to "spend time with their families" and focus on other projects. However, the statement contradicts greatly with the first single released by Plus-44, titled "No It Isn't." The single was released on 13 December 2005 - the exact date of Tom's 30th birthday and his projected release of Angels and Airwaves' first material. The starting and closing lines of the song "Please understand/This isn’t just goodbye/This is I can’t stand you" fuel further speculation about the relationship between Hoppus and Delonge, as they haven't spoken to each other since the hiatus a year ago. This was confirmed when Mark was a guest on Loveline, when a fan asked what happened with Tom. Mark Replied "I haven't spoken with Tom in a very long time". Mark also states lots of the songs on the Plus 44 album were very personal, and did invlolve the breakup of Blink 182. Hoppus and Barker have recruited Shane Gallagher and Craig Fairbaugh and have released Plus 44's debut album, "When Your Heart Stops Beating" on November 14th (Travis Barker's Birthday) 2006. They are currently touring. Shane is a personal friend of Travis Barkers from back in the day, He played guitar in a band called the Nervous Return, who were on La Salle Records, and did many tours with blink-182. Craig came in about 3/4 of the way through the record and plays guitar for the band. Carol Heller the one of the origonal founders of the band including Mark and Travis, Carol which then later left the band to start her family, is still on the Plus 44 album featuring a duet with mark called Make you smile. To add to marks long list, he has his own music podcast Hi my name is Mark, which can be found at www.himynameismark.com, Interviews, Music, and a whole lot of nothing. "May the force be with you, But mostly me" Mark Hoppus ... is an absolute legend!!!