Mark Hoppus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Hoppus
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Hoppus in 2023
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Mark Allan Hoppus
March 15, 1972 Ridgecrest, California, U.S.
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Skye Everly
(m. 2000) |
| Children | 1 |
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| Years active | 1988–present |
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Mark Allan Hoppus (born March 15, 1972) is an American musician and music producer. He is best known as the singer and bass player for the rock band Blink-182. He helped start the band and is the only member who has been on every album.
Mark got into skateboarding and punk rock music when he was in middle school. His dad gave him a bass guitar when he was 15. In 1992, he moved to San Diego. His sister introduced him to Tom DeLonge, and they started Blink-182 with drummer Scott Raynor. The band made many rock songs and toured a lot. They became very popular and signed with a big record company called MCA.
Later, Travis Barker joined as the new drummer. Blink-182 then made the album Enema of the State (1999). This album made them super famous, selling millions of copies. They released two more albums, Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (2001) and their untitled fifth album (2003). The band broke up in 2005 for a while. Mark continued making music with Travis Barker in a band called +44. Blink-182 got back together in 2009 and still make music and tour around the world.
Besides his music, Mark has also produced records for other bands. He used to own two companies, Atticus and Macbeth Footwear. In 2012, he started his own clothing line called Hi My Name is Mark. Mark also hosted a weekly podcast from 2005 to 2006, which came back in 2015. He had his own TV talk show, Hoppus on Music, from 2010 to 2012 on Fuse. From 2019 to 2020, he was also part of a pop rock duo called Simple Creatures.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Mark Allan Hoppus was born on March 15, 1972, in Ridgecrest, California. He lived near Washington, D.C., before his family moved back to Ridgecrest. His great-grandparents came from Finland. His father worked for the U.S. Department of Defense, designing missiles.
Mark said he was "pretty mellow" until his parents divorced when he was eight. This was a difficult time for him. He spent two years moving between his parents' homes with his sister Anne. Then, he and his father moved to Monterey. His father was often away studying in college. Mark described his childhood as lonely. His father introduced him to music from The Beatles, Elton John, and Billy Joel.
Mark started skateboarding and listening to punk rock in middle school. When he was in high school, he lived in Fairfax, Virginia. He got his first bass guitar as a gift from his father when he was 15. He taught himself to play by listening to bands like the Descendents, The Cure, and Bad Religion. He loved the song "Silly Girl" by the Descendents, saying it "changed [his] life forever." He also loved "Just Like Heaven" by The Cure.
Mark started dressing like Robert Smith, the singer from The Cure. He even wore eyeliner to school. He played in a band called Pier 69, covering songs by The Cure. He also recorded a demo with a group called The Attic Children in 1988. Mark returned to Ridgecrest in 1989 and finished high school there.
After high school in 1990, he formed a band called of All Things with friends. They played songs by other punk bands and wrote their own. They mostly played at parties. In 1992, Mark left Ridgecrest to go to college and work in a music store in San Diego. He studied to become an English teacher at California State University, San Marcos. But he dropped out when Blink-182 started to become popular. His mother always supported his choices.
Music Career
Blink-182's Journey
Starting the Band
In the summer of 1992, Mark moved to San Diego. He told his sister Anne that he wanted to be in a band. Anne introduced him to Tom DeLonge, a new student at her high school. In August 1992, Mark and Tom started playing music in Tom's garage. Tom then asked his old friend Scott Raynor to be the drummer. They named their new band Blink.
Mark and his girlfriend lived in a small apartment and didn't have much money. Mark used his savings to buy a new amp and bass. His girlfriend was upset that he spent money on music. She told him to choose between the band and her. Mark left the band for a short time. But then Tom told him he was going to record a demo tape. Mark broke up with his girlfriend and rejoined the band.
They recorded their first demo, Flyswatter, in Scott's bedroom. It had original songs and punk covers. This helped them get their first shows. They recorded three more demos in 1993 and played at a local music spot called SOMA. A record label called Cargo Music noticed them. Cargo signed the band, and Mark was the only one who signed the contract. Tom was at work, and Scott was too young. Mark lived with his mother in San Diego during this time. The band would make cassette demos there, and his whole family would help fold the covers.
Blink's first album, Cheshire Cat (1995), sold well for an independent band. It became a classic in the skate punk music scene. In 1995, the band went on their first national tour. They bought their own van and toured with other bands. They slowly gained many young fans by playing at clubs and festivals. In 1996, MCA Records signed the band. MCA helped release their next album, Dude Ranch.
Big Success and New Bands
Mark felt lonely on these tours because he didn't have a girlfriend, but the other band members did. The busy touring schedule caused problems in the band. In 1998, they asked Scott Raynor to leave the band. Travis Barker became the new drummer. The band went into the studio with producer Jerry Finn and recorded Enema of the State. This album made them huge stars. It made them the biggest pop punk band of that time.
Three songs from the album became big hits: "What's My Age Again?", "All the Small Things", and "Adam's Song". These songs were played a lot on the radio. Mark got married in 2000. Then the band recorded their next album, Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (2001). Mark felt happy with their music, but Tom wanted to try new things. Tom started a side project called Box Car Racer to try out different musical ideas.
Mark felt upset because Travis Barker was also in Box Car Racer. This caused problems between Mark and Tom. When the band got back together in 2003 to record their next album, all the members were fathers. Their untitled fifth album had a darker and more "grown-up" sound. It mixed new sounds with their usual pop punk style. The old feelings from the Box Car Racer project came up again in 2004. The band started arguing about their future.
Blink-182 broke up in February 2005. This affected Mark a lot. He said, "I had no idea what to do. After blink broke up I had such a loss of identity and purpose." Mark then started making electronic music demos with Travis Barker in his kitchen. He also started producing music for other bands. In October 2005, Mark and Travis bought a music studio together. They formed a new band called +44 and released the album When Your Heart Stops Beating (2006).
The +44 album didn't sell very well and got mixed reviews. Mark and Travis continued touring and started working on a second +44 album. In August 2008, their friend and producer Jerry Finn passed away. This made Mark very sad. The next month, Travis Barker and his friend DJ AM were in a plane crash. Four people died, but Travis and DJ AM survived. Mark immediately went to see Travis in the hospital. Tom DeLonge also reconnected with them because of this sad event.
When the band met in the studio, their past problems disappeared. Mark wrote, "Life is too short." In February 2009, Blink-182 announced on their website: "To put it simply, We're back. We mean, really back. Friendships reformed."
Reunion and Recent Years
The band reconnected during their reunion tour. But they were still careful with each other while recording their comeback album. The album took a long time to make because they worked in different studios and had busy schedules. Mark had a new TV show, Hoppus on Music, which made him fly to New York every week. Mark also moved to London with his family during the recording process.
Blink-182's comeback album, Neighborhoods (2011), sold well at first. But it didn't meet the record label's hopes. In 2012, Blink-182 left Interscope Records and became an independent band. They released an EP called Dogs Eating Dogs.
In February 2013, the band toured Australia without Travis Barker. Travis didn't go because he was afraid of flying. Brooks Wackerman played drums for him. In September 2013, the band toured the United States. They planned to start writing songs for their seventh album. Mark told Kerrang! magazine that they hoped to have the album out in late spring or early summer of the next year.
Mark also started recording songs with Chris Holmes, an engineer and producer. They planned to release these songs by the end of the year. Mark said they had about seven or eight songs ready. He said the music was "guitar mixed with electronics." Mark and Chris shared the lead vocals. On April 25, 2014, Mark announced the band's name was Nothing and Nobody.
In 2015, Blink-182 played three shows in California. Tom DeLonge had left the band again. Matt Skiba from Alkaline Trio filled in for him. This was the first time Mark performed as Blink-182 without Tom. Mark later hired Matt Skiba full-time. Blink-182 recorded two albums with Matt: California (2016) and Nine (2019). Tom DeLonge returned to the band in 2022.
Mark has also been a DJ at Emo Nite events in Los Angeles. In July 2013, he launched his clothing line, Hi My Name is Mark.
Simple Creatures
On January 24, 2019, Mark announced a new band with Alex Gaskarth from All Time Low. They called their band Simple Creatures. Their first EP, Strange Love, came out on March 29, 2019. Their second EP, Everything Opposite, was released on October 11, 2019. The band has been taking a break since 2020.
Musical Style
Songwriting
Mark usually writes his songs on an acoustic guitar. He taught himself to play. He said, "You learn by doing and getting influences from other artists."
Equipment
Bass Guitars
For early Blink-182 shows, Mark used a Fender Precision Bass. On the albums Cheshire Cat and Dude Ranch, he used a Music Man StingRay bass. When recording Enema of the State, he used his StingRay, a Fender Precision, and a Jazz Bass. In 2021, he said he stopped using the StingRay because it sounded too "clanky."
After using two Fender basses, Mark combined their designs for the Fender Mark Hoppus Signature Jazz Bass. It came out in 2000. In 2006, Fender updated the model to give it a fuller sound.
In 2015, Mark started using Fender Jaguar Basses. These had the same setup as his 2006 signature model. He still sometimes used his original signature Jazz Basses. Since Tom DeLonge returned to the band, he has used both his Jazz Basses and Jaguar Basses.
In 2022, Mark worked with Fender to release a signature Jaguar Bass. It is sold only on his website, Hi My Name Is Mark. It comes in hot pink and Daphne Blue colors.
Mark uses Ernie Ball Super Slinky Bass strings on his instruments.
Amps
For live shows, Mark used three Ampeg SVT Classic bass heads and two Ampeg 8x10 SVT bass cabinets. Before that, he used two Ampeg SVT-4 Pro heads. After the Neighborhoods album, Mark used New Vintage amplifiers and cabinets. In 2016, he started using Kemper Profiler amps in concerts.
Other Projects
Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge used to own two companies: Atticus and Macbeth Footwear. Mark has since sold his part in both companies.
Mark has appeared in several movies and TV shows, often with Blink-182. He was in the movie American Pie (1999) as a garage band member. He also sang in the TV movie Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story (1999). The band appeared on the TV show Two Guys and a Girl in 1999. They also had an animated appearance on The Simpsons in 2003. The band was on MADtv in 2002. Mark was a guest actor on the show Haunted in 2002. In 2011, he was in the documentary film The Other F Word. Mark was also a guest on the comedy show Never Mind the Buzzcocks in 2012.
He wrote columns for Risen Magazine in 2005. Mark was also part of a documentary about modern punk music called One Nine Nine Four.
In 2010, he joined the Independent Music Awards as a judge. This helped independent musicians.
Mark Hoppus helped with relief efforts in Japan after the big earthquake and tsunami in 2011. He announced that Blink-182 would auction off items to help the American Red Cross. He auctioned off original lyrics, a signed cymbal, and other band items. He raised over $4,000 for charity.
HiMyNameIsMark (2005, 2012–present)
"HiMyNameIsMark" is a podcast Mark started after Blink-182 took a break. He released shows every few weeks. They featured songs by new bands, interviews, and stories from his life. His friends Chris Holmes and James Ingram often joined him. Mark also had a side project called "Hopp on Popp," where he reviewed his favorite new artists. The podcast returned in late 2014.
In 2012, "HiMyNameIsMark" became a clothing company. It sells clothes and accessories with an octopus logo.
Hoppus on Music (2010–2012)
On June 22, 2010, Fuse announced that Mark would host his own TV show called A Different Spin with Mark Hoppus. Mark said he was excited to talk about music. On August 5, he announced that comedian Amy Schumer would be his co-host.
The show talked about music news and had fun discussions. It also featured performances by famous and new bands. The show started on September 16, 2010. Its second season began in March 2011, and the show was renamed Hoppus on Music.
After School Radio (since 2020)
On August 18, 2020, Mark's newest podcast, After School Radio, started on Apple Music. Mark hosts it weekly. He talks about artists, music, and the culture of alternative music.
On August 3, 2021, an episode called "The Mark and Tom Show" reunited Mark with his former bandmate Tom Delonge.
Personal Life
Mark met Skye Everly in August 1999 at a rehearsal for the "All the Small Things" music video. They got married on December 2, 2000. Skye first said no when Tom DeLonge asked her if she wanted to date Mark. Their son, Jack, was born in 2002.
Mark is 6 feet 2 inches tall. In 2004, he said he voted for the Libertarian Party. He said it means to respect others and let them do their own thing. In 2000, Rolling Stone magazine noted that he "pray[s] every night."
In 2011, Mark and his family moved to Mayfair, London, England. This was while Blink-182 was finishing their album Neighborhoods. They stayed in London until 2014. Then they moved back to the US and settled in Beverly Hills, California. In London, he enjoyed jogging in the city's parks. He also became a fan of the Premier League football club Chelsea F.C.. Mark also supports the NFL team Los Angeles Rams.
Mark was a vegan for many years. But he started eating meat again in 2021 after his doctor suggested it.
Health Update
On June 23, 2021, Mark shared that he was getting treatment for cancer. On July 11, he said he had stage 4 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. On September 29 of the same year, Mark announced that he was cancer-free. He will continue to get checked every six months to make sure the cancer does not return.
Discography
With Blink-182
With +44
Studio album:
- When Your Heart Stops Beating (2006)
With Simple Creatures
EPs:
- Strange Love (2019)
- Everything Opposite (2019)
See also
In Spanish: Mark Hoppus para niños
