Sophia Michaels
Blink-182 have shared their first new song with Tom DeLonge in a decade, “Edging.”
The song features DeLonge and Mark Hoppus trading off lead vocals like they did on classic tunes like “Carousel” and “Dammit.” “I know there’s a special place in hell,” Hoppus sings. “That my friends and I know well/There’s a perfect place to go/When it’s time to lose control.”
When DeLonge left the group in 2015, he was replaced by Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio. That new lineup recorded 2016’s California and 2019’s Nine and toured heavily, but ticket sales were weak in many markets, and fans continued to hope that the classic lineup would come back together. After months of rumors, the group announced this week that DeLonge was returning for a new album and extensive world tour.
On Thursday, DeLonge posted a letter to Skiba on Instagram. “I wanted to take a minute and say that you for all that you have done to keep the band alive and thriving in my absence,” he wrote. “I think you are enormously talented (I still love to listen to your band to this day). You have always been so kind to me, not only in the press, but also to others. I really noticed…The band would not even be here today if it were not for your ability to jump in and save the day.”
Blink-182 kick off their reunion tour March 11, 2023 in Tijuana, Mexico. They have dates booked through February 26, 2024 in Christchurch, New Zealand. Somewhere along the way, they plan on dropping a new album. Mark Hoppus is also working on a memoir that will address his recent battle with cancer. He initially kept the news of his illness secret, but he accidentally put it on Instagram while undergoing his third chemo session.
“As soon as it got out, there was such an overwhelming outpouring of support and love, not only from the world at large and people on Instagram and Twitter and Discord, but to old friends that I had fallen out with 20 years ago,” he said. “They came back into my life and, at that point, I felt like I turned a corner. I stopped being so afraid and started feeling like, OK, let’s see how we can get through this by sharing my story.”
