Former Blink-182 singer/guitarist Tom DeLonge says the demanding work schedule in Blink-182 ultimately led him to quit the band.
“I remember being lost in the cycle of, every album feels like it’s your last,” the rocker admitted during an appearance on the Tuna on Toast with Stryker podcast. “It’s art. You’re only as good as your newest idea.”
Beginning with 1997’s ‘Dude Ranch’ and going until 2003’s self-titled effort, Blink-182 released a new album every two years. While the band became one of the most popular acts in the world, it struggled to keep up with high expectations. Constantly churning out new material, while also relentlessly touring, finally took its toll on DeLonge.
“With Blink, everyone, you all come from such modest places, so when you’re at a place that’s successful it’s pretty scary,” he explained. “You’re like, ‘We don’t want to fuck this up.’ So you don’t want to ever take a break. You want to keep trying, trying, you’re so scared to lose it. And it does beat you down.”
“I remember when I first quit the band, we had our [self-titled] record out, and my daughter was two years old, but I was gone for all two years of that. And they were starting right back up again. I was like, ‘I can’t do this anymore!’ and I snapped. My family wasn’t able to keep up with that. And I think a lot of people are like that.”
DeLonge also noted that the high pressure within Blink-182 was a product of the era.
“At that time, the only way to be a band was that way. Now, you’ve got all this digital shit,” he explained. “Back then it’s like, people can’t get your songs on Spotify or something. So you have to go play the radio show. And if you don’t, somebody else will.”
