Travis Barker sets the record straight on blink-182 hiatus

by James Montgomery

Drummer confirms band's break; says rumors of infighting are 'just not true.'

In the wake of Tuesday's announcement that blink-182 were taking an "indefinite hiatus," the sound of fans typing on the Internet was deafening, while Blink themselves stayed silent — even as rumors of band infighting spread.
So perhaps to quiet both the rumors and the bloggers, Blink drummer Travis Barker finally said something, calling up Los Angeles radio station KROQ — unbeknownst to the band's management — and attempting to set the record straight on just what happened.
"I think it's healthy to take a break. We did the same thing four years ago. Blink took a break, and Boxcar [Racer] happened and that's the same way with this," Barker told KROQ's Kevin and Bean. "We're taking a break and letting everyone be creative on their time off, and have fun and come back when it's time and when it's ready and right. I believe there's great things in the future."
Barker played coy when quizzed about the future of Blink, answering most questions by mentioning the new album by his side project, Transplants. He was anything but coy, however, when discussing the rumors that he and fellow Blinkers Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus were on less-than-friendly terms.
"I love those dudes; they're my brothers. I wanted to clear up the rumors of us fighting with each other or hating each other. It's just not true," Barker said. "Right now, everyone's life is calling for something else. We want to enjoy ourselves and regroup and write a record when it's the right time."
He also claimed to have no knowledge of the brief statement the band's management released Tuesday morning, which confirmed that the band was on hiatus, but admitted that Blink probably would have taken a long break one way or the other. And though he did regret that the band pulled out of last Friday's Music for Relief: Rebuilding South Asia benefit concert in Anaheim, California, there was no way Blink were going to play.
"We pulled out because there was so much going on in the band at the time. It didn't seem like a healthy time to be playing shows. We needed that hiatus to start right away," Barker explained. "We wish things could've been different. But it came when you needed the best energy in the band ... just like you would in a relationship, and it wasn't there."
So in the meantime, Blink fans will just have to wait for more news. Barker will be busy with the Transplants and this summer's Warped Tour, and he said DeLonge will continue to direct more music videos (he lensed the clip for Taking Back Sunday's "This Photograph Is Proof (I Know You Know)") and Hoppus will concentrate on producing records (like Commit This to Memory, the album he recorded with emo-punks Motion City Soundtrack.) But all three plan on spending the majority of the hiatus with their friends and families.
"We all have children, and I think it's a good time to be home with them. We leave them for five months at a time, so everyone is getting family time," Barker said. "When it's time and we get our fix from our kids and we get enough quality time with our loved ones, then things will be right again and maybe we'll have a rad new Blink record."