Markus Allen Hoppus (born March 15, 1972 in Ridgecrest, California) is an American musician and was one of the founding members of the pop punk band blink-182 and the alternative rock band (+44). He plays bass guitar and sings vocals.
Early life
At the age of 15, Mark got his first bass from his father after helping him paint his house. Mark played bass and sang in the band Pier 69, primarily covering songs by The Cure. He also played in a band called The Attic Children in 1988. He later moved to San Diego, where his sister Anne introduced him to Tom Delonge. Delonge was a friend of Anne's at the time, and constantly complained about wanting to join a band. She finally introduced Hoppus and Tom Delonge in August 1992. When Hoppus first went over to Delonge's house, he was told Delonge would be at the skate park. Hoppus went over and found Delonge skating with his friends. Hoppus wanted to impress Delonge, so he climbed a lamp post, jumped off and cracked both ankles and heels and was on crutches for three weeks.
blink-182
Hoppus and Delonge, with their friend, drummer Scott Raynor, decided to form a band in 1992. They were under the name "Duck Tape" until their third show, when Delonge said he liked another name ... "blink". It was around this time that Hoppus, who was attending college at the time with vague hopes of being a high school English teacher, started working at the local record store. Here he was given financial stability along with the gigs the band needed to get Blink started on its road to success. Hoppus knew the band would be gigging on the weekends so he told his boss at the record store he would need the weekends off. He finally was able to quit his job in 1996 when the band's touring schedule began to take off. Only one thing got in the way. An Irish techno band already had been using the name "Blink" and threatened them with a court case, so they changed their name to blink-182. Rumors have suggested they chose the "182" because that is the number of times Al Pacino says "fuck" in the movie "Scarface" or the amount of times Delonge counted Hoppus blinking in one minute (to name but a few) but the band have stated that the figure was picked randomly. [1]
In 1997, after the release of their second album Dude Ranch, blink-182 went on tour with The Aquabats (whose drummer at the time was Travis Barker). Raynor's dismissal from blink-182 was rumored to come when he did not show up for two weeks of shows because of a personal reason. Barker performed instead. Raynor was given the choice to go in rehab or quit the band. HE spent a weekend deciding and then rang up to say hewould go to rehab but he was told that he was no longer in the band (this is from an interview with Scott Raynor). Barker learned the entire set list in about two hours before a show, and eventually left The Aquabats to become the band's full-time drummer.
In 1999, they released their first album with Barker, Enema of the State. They later released two more studio albums, Take off Your Pants and Jacket and an untitled album before going on an 'indefinite hiatus' on on February 22 2005 (Since revealed by Hoppus as a breakup due to Delonge's quitting the band.)
Musical Appearances
Hoppus provided backing vocals on MxPx's eighth studio album Panic for the song "Wrecking Hotel Rooms." He also provided backing vocals on Simple Plans song "I'd Do Anything" on the album No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls. . Mark also managed the band Fenix*TX for a while after hearing their CD, but in 1999 because of the popularity of blink 182's album Enema Of The State, Hoppus passed managing duties onto blink 182's manager Rick DeVoe. Mark also produced the second album of Minnesota band Motion City Soundtrack, Commit This to Memory and had had vocals on the song "Hangman". Recently Hoppus also provided vocals for electronic rapper Renee Renee's song "Paper Doll". He is currently working with Travis Barker, Shane Gallagher and Craig Fairbaugh on an alternative rock band called (+44); their first album is expected to be released on November 14 2006
Personal life
Hoppus married his girlfriend, Skye Everly, on December 2 2000. Their son, Jack Hoppus, was born on August 5 2002. Mark also has two dogs and resides in San Diego, California with a studio where he records his podcasts and (+44) album in Los Angeles.
Companies
Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge co-own two companies, Atticus and Macbeth Footwear, however in a recent interview for b182.com Mark has stated he is selling his share in both companies; as well as loserkids.com.
Signature Bass
He also has a signature series bass, the Fender Mark Hoppus Bass, a hybrid utilizing the split coil pickups of the P-Bass and the offset body of a Jazz Bass. Earlier in his career he used Ernie Ball Music Man basses. He has also been seen using other Fender basses over the years, in the music video for Dammit he is seen using a Fender P-Bass.
Discography
blink-182
- blink-182 — Flyswatter (1992), vocals and bass guitar on the entire album.
- blink-182 — Buddha (1994), vocals and bass guitar on the entire album.
- blink-182 — Cheshire Cat (1994), vocals and bass guitar on the entire album.
- blink-182 — Dude Ranch (1997), vocals and bass guitar on the entire album.
- blink-182 — Enema of the State (1999), vocals and bass guitar on the entire album.
- blink-182 — The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show: The Enema Strikes Back (2000), vocals and bass guitar on the entire album.
- blink-182 — Take off Your Pants and Jacket (2001), vocals and bass guitar on the entire album.
- blink-182 — Untitled (2003), vocals and bass guitar on the entire album.
- blink-182 — Greatest Hits (2005), vocals and bass guitar on the entire album.
(+44)
Other
- The Ataris — Look Forward to Failure (1998), vocals on "That Special Girl".
- Simple Plan — No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls (2002), vocals on "I'd Do Anything".
- Box Car Racer — Box Car Racer (2002), vocals on "Elevator".
- New Found Glory — Sticks and Stones (2002), bass guitar on "Something I Call Personality".
- MxPx — The Passion of The Christ Songs (2004), vocals on "The Empire".
- MxPx — Panic (2005), backing vocals on "Wrecking Hotel Rooms".
- Motion City Soundtrack — Commit This to Memory (2005), vocals on "Hangman", producer on the entire album.
- Renee Renee — White Heat (2006), bass guitar and vocals on "Paper Doll".
- Something for Rockets — Produced two new songs on the upcoming album (2006).
- The Matches — (2006)
- Mae — Produced their cover of a Nine Inch Nails song for the Punk Goes '90s compilation.
- Less Than Jake — In With the Out Crowd (2006), co-wrote in "The Rest of My Life".