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Travis Barker
Travis Barker is quickly becoming one of the
more influential musicians on the Rock scene today. Travis began
studying drums and taking lessons at the age of four. He studied with a
jazz teacher and was exposed to many different styles of music. While in
High School, Travis played in the jazz ensemble and marching band. He
subsequently gained much experience performing at regional competitions
and festivals. His senior year, Travis passed up drum corps tryouts for
touring with a rock band. He gained more experience as a rock drummer in
a few early bands such as Feeble, The Suicide Machines, and The Aquabats.
In 1998, Travis replaced Blink 182's
first drummer and came to the band’s rescue at one show by learning over
twenty songs in just a few hours and performing with them later that
evening. Travis quickly became a much respected and popular member of
the band and solidified his position as the timekeeper with his
professional attitude, rhythmic skills and talent.
Blink-182 won a Teen Choice Award, a
Blockbuster Music Award, and appeared on the MTV Awards 2000 where they
performed "All The Small Things" and won Best Group Video. In Europe,
they received an MTV Europe Award for Best New Act. They have performed
on Saturday Night Live and the Tonight Show (twice), appeared in the hit
movie American Pie and opened the Billboard Music Awards. The band has
also graced the covers of Rolling Stone, Alternative Press (twice) and
Teen People. At this point, Blink-182 is a worldwide phenomenon, with
their recordings reaping multi-platinum status and their concert tours
selling out everywhere. The band's popularity has only increased since
their formation in '93.
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In 1994 they released their first
full-length album, Cheshire Cat, on Grilled Cheese (a division of Cargo
Music). In 1996, they signed a joint-venture record deal with Cargo
Music and MCA Records, with their first MCA release Dude Ranch (1997)
setting the stage for their current success. By the end of 1998, they
had emerged as one of the most popular pop-punk bands of the year.
Worldwide sales of Enema of the State are
now over seven million copies, not to mention the fact that the album
has been on Billboard's Top 200 for over a year. The album's three
singles, "What's My Age Again," "All The Small Things" and "Adam's Song"
have dominated MTV, alternative, rock and Top-40 radio. Travis will be
on tour in support of Blink’s latest release and follow-up to "Enema of
The State", "Take Off Your Pants And Jacket".
Box Car Racer, Barker's collaboration
with Blink bandmate Tom DeLonge, David Kennedy and Anthony Celestino,
filmed their second video recently with director Alexander Kostas
(Filter, Andrew W.K.).
April 7, 2005
Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker of Blink 182 have started a new group
named Plus 44, which features vocals from Carol Heller of Get The Girl.
The band are aiming to have a record
released this year, with Hoppus telling MTV: "It's very exciting, like a
breath of fresh air. It's all very electronic right now. We have a girl
singing… she and I are trading off vocals.”
Barker also commented: "If Blink was the
daytime, Plus 44 is the night time. It's such a departure from Blink,
but it's amazing. I play all the drums, but they're electronic drums,
plus I play piano and keyboard on it. And I've been making beats for
it... I am just going to keep working on stuff. Everything's A-plus."
Blink 182 announced that they were to go
on indefinite hiatus in February, citing a desire to spend more time
with their families, however rumours surfaced that the trio had in fact
fallen out. |
