Formation and early years .281992.E2.80.9394.29 Blink-182

the band formed in suburb of san diego, california, seen here around time of group s formation in 1992.

blink-182 formed in poway, california, suburb outside of san diego, in august 1992. guitarist tom delonge expelled poway high attending basketball game drunk , forced attend local school 1 semester. @ rancho bernardo high school, delonge performed @ battle of bands competition, introduced drummer scott raynor. befriended kerry key, interested in punk music. key s girlfriend, anne hoppus, introduced brother, bassist mark hoppus—who had moved ridgecrest work @ record store , attend college—to delonge on august 1, 1992. 2 clicked instantly , played hours in delonge s garage, exchanging lyrics , co-writing songs—one of became carousel . hoppus, in trying impress delonge, managed fall lamppost in front of delonge s garage , crack ankles, injury put him in crutches 3 weeks.

—tom delonge in 2013, reflecting on band s foundation

the trio began practice in raynor s bedroom, spending hours writing music, attending punk shows , movies, , playing practical jokes. hoppus , delonge alternate singing vocal parts. trio first operated under variety of names, including duck tape , figure 8, until delonge rechristened band blink . hoppus girlfriend angered boyfriend s constant attention band, , demanded make choice between band , her, resulted in hoppus leaving band shortly after formation. shortly thereafter, delonge , raynor borrowed four-track recorder friend , collaborator cam jones , preparing record demo tape, jones on bass. hoppus promptly broke girlfriend , returned band. flyswatter—a combination of original songs , punk covers—was recorded in raynor s bedroom in may 1993. southern california had large punk population in 1990s, aided avid surfing, skating, , snowboarding scene. in contrast east coast punk music, west coast wave of groups, blink included, typically introduced more melodic aspects group s music. new york gloomy, dark , cold. makes different music. californian middle-class suburbs have nothing bummed about, said delonge. san diego @ time hardly hotbed of [musical] activity , band s popularity grew did california punk rock concurrently in mainstream. delonge called clubs in san diego asking spot play, calling local high schools, convincing them blink motivational band strong antidrug message in hopes play @ assembly or lunch.

the band became mainstay @ all-ages venue soma san diego; poster 1994.

the band on stage every weekend, @ elks lodges , ymca centers. band became part of circuit included likes of ten foot pole , unwritten law, , band found way onto bill opening band local acts @ soma, local all-ages venue located on market street band longed headline. big-name acts such nofx , green day played on main floor, while smaller acts relegated basement, area referred dungeon . original location closed doors , relocated before band promoted main stage (which required 100+ crowd attend). soma home away home. punk kids didn’t give fuck football games , proms or whatever came hang out @ soma, claimed hoppus. band s first big show on main floor took place on thursday, band opened face face. hoppus manager @ record store, patrick secor, fronted him money record demo @ local studio doubletime. result buddha (1994), members of band viewed band s first legitimate release. time, group had branched out venues such soul kitchen in el cajon, raynor s family relocated reno, nevada, , briefly replaced musician mike krull. band saved money , began flying raynor out shows, raynor moved in hoppus summer in band record first album , music video , gain more exposure.