The Descendents were the culprit. That band inspired Blink 182's bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus to pick up a musical instrument.
"They were one of the few bands I got stoked on," Hoppus said during a phone call from his home in San Diego, Calif. "They were cool, and I was able to relate to them."That was back in the mid-'80s when all the other kids were listening to the likes of Journey. To Hoppus, there was something else in the Descendents' music - an edge.
"I was totally blown away," he said.
Blink 182 - Hoppus, guitarist-vocalist Tom Delonge and drummer Scott Raynor - will play Saltair as part of the Sno-Core Tour Feb. 13 and 14. Showtimes are 6:30 p.m. The shows will also feature the Aquabats, Long Beach Dub All-Stars (featuring the surviving members of Sublime) and the headliner, Primus.
Hoppus said Blink 182's philosophy is to take things as they come. When the band's independent debut album came out in 1994, everyone felt like that was su-per-stardom.
"It was great having our own CD in a store," Hoppus said. "But we all know rock bands don't last forever, so we're taking things one thing at a time."
That idea is very attractive, especially if you're on the road more than 45 weeks in a year.
"It's a challenge to keep our heads together when we tour that much," Hoppus said. "But I'm not complaining. It's fun. And touring is the way we make fans. Sure it's easy to get caught up in the small amount of success we've had so far. That's another challenge. We need to enjoy it while it lasts without letting it get to our egos."