How Angels & Airwaves Became The Only Scene Supergroup

On February 22, 2005, Blink-182 announced an indefinite hiatus. The relationship between the three members that made up the iconic pop-punk project—guitarist Tom DeLonge, bassist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker—began to fracture. When personalities come into play, egos become next to impossible to repair. For the trio, it went one step further: they all wanted different things on different platforms. Much like the language that surrounds all reunions, the guys needed to close the book on Blink if they ever wanted to return to it.

Almost immediately, Hoppus and Barker formed a new project, the electronic pop-rock group +44 with buds (and guitarists) Shane Gallagher of The Nervous Return and Craig Fairbaugh of Mercy Killers. To some, it was a supergroup; to most, it was simply a welcome continuation of Mark and Travis songs. With that divide it became apparent that DeLonge was at the heart of Blink's dissolution.