Blink-182 rewarded the good people of Perth, Australia, last week with something audiences haven't heard before: a song delivered by drummer Travis Barker.
Barker, the heavily tattooed mega-drummer, can do anything behind his set. He's nimble, fast, on-the-beat, and always interesting. And even though he has provided background vocals to a few songs, he's never provided lead vox.
Until the band's first night of two in Perth.
The trio are on their Australian New Zealand Tour 2024 with Rise Against. They're rocking out in sold out arenas and supporting last year's shockingly good album, One More Time - their ninth studio album and first since 2015 with Tom DeLonge.
This new era of Blink has seen the band's popularity overcome expectations.
During their Australian / New Zealand tour kickoff on Feb 8 in Perth they played 27 tracks including two they lived debuted: "Turpentine" and "Fuck Face."
The latter is the one Travis sang and played lead drums.
Yes it is that short, yes it is hard to understand the lyrics, but here they are for you: "Shut up, you talk too much, you talk too much, you talk too much" x3 and then "Shut up, you talk too much, you talk too much, you talk too fucking much."
Did Travis write it? Did Mark? Did Tom? Yes. And Tim Armstrong of Rancid also helped out.
Indeed, it took four grown men to cobble together that 28-second song with those complex lyrics.
The last time "Fuck Face" entered popular culture was way back in 1987 when -legend has it - Bill Ripken, the brother of Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, was handed a bat to pose with on Baseball Card Photo Day. Little did he know but someone had written "Fuck Face" on the knob of the bat.
Apparently the Fleer baseball card company didn't notice either and it was printed and shipped off to be opened by children all around North America. Those kids (and some adults) quickly found themselves rolling on the ground laughing at the greatest prank in baseball card history.
The author of BillRipken.com has a different theory, and a compelling one, that Bill wrote it himself and that's why the lettering is so easy to read: he knew how to hold the bat for the effect.
Either way it sounds like something right up the juvenile alleys of Blink. Even though they have never alluded to this card being the inspiration of the tune.
Blink also played "Anthem Part 3" in its entirety for the first time. The trilogy has now been completed.
Later they live debuted the foul-mouthed "Turpentine," a tune many have felt was their strongest song off One More Time, although the title track is mighty hard to beat.
Blink is going to play a bunch of dates this year. This is just the beginning. Australia and New Zealand get them first, then they head over to Mexico and then they come home to the States.
But first, Oz and NZ. Tickets available on Blink's website.
Feb 13 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena!
Feb 14 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena!
Feb 16 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena!
Feb 17 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena!
Feb 19 – Brisbane, Australia – Entertainment Centre!
Feb 20 – Brisbane, Australia – Entertainment Centre!
Feb 21 – Brisbane, Australia – Entertainment Centre!
Feb 23 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena!
Feb 24 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena!
Feb 26 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena!
Feb 27 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena!
Feb 29 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena!
Mar 02 – Auckland, NZ – Spark Arena!
Mar 04 – Christchurch, NZ – Christchurch Arena!
