Blink-182's Mark Hoppus has responded to angry messages from UK fans after his band announced a new US for this summer - despite previously cancelling their summer UK tour.
The band's summer tour had been scheduled to kick off in July and take in UK festivals - but was put back until 2012. They said they didn't want to play the shows without new material ready.
The band announced the US tour, which will also feature Rancid and Manchester Orchestra, last night (May 23) and confirmed it will run from August 8 to October 15. Watch a video of the band announcing the shows by clicking below.
Writing on his Facebook page, Facebook.com/mark-hoppus, the bassist wrote: "I understand your confusion and frustration at hearing the US tour announcement tonight. Here's what's up. This tour was booked alongside the UK/European dates, a long time ago."
He continued: "We did not book the US tour after deciding to postpone the UK/European dates. The plan was to finish the album, tour the UK/Europe, and then come back for the US tour. We ran late on when we thought we'd finish the album, and unfortunately the time we needed made the first leg impossible."
Hoppus also gave details of the release date for the band's new album, saying it would be out by the time the tour ends in October. "Some of the best work on the album is being done these past few weeks," he wrote. "Now there's a hard deadline for the album to be turned in, and it will be released during our US tour."
He added: "I get and share your anger at the postponement of the first leg of the tour. As we've said before, it wasn't a decision lightly made. But don't think for a second that we decided to tour the US instead of the UK."