Mark Hoppus Reflects on Humorous Encounter with Robert Smith in New Memoir
Mark Hoppus, the bassist and vocalist of the pop-punk band Blink-182, unveils an unexpected yet amusing moment with Robert Smith, the iconic frontman of The Cure, in his recently released memoir Fahrenheit-182.
A Memorable Night at Wembley Arena
The intriguing story unfolds after a show at Wembley Arena in 2004, where Blink-182 invited Smith on stage to collaborate on their song “All of This.” Following the performance, an afterparty led to an unexpected interaction between Hoppus and his musical idol.
An Unexpected Advance
During the afterparty, Hoppus recounts, “Robert tries to kiss me,” adding that the moment was witnessed only by members of Blink-182’s road crew. Reflecting on the incident, he said, “He was my hero. I grew up listening to this guy’s music and it changed my life forever.” In a light-hearted self-reflection, he remarked, “I should have done that. Why not? It’s a much better story than he tried to kiss me and it was awkward. It would’ve been rad to be like, ‘Yeah, made out with my hero.’”
Addressing the Story in His Memoir
In discussing his memoir, Hoppus acknowledged that he did not inform Smith prior to including this story in the book. “I should have called him or given some kind of warning or something,” he admitted. “But I don’t know — how do you have that conversation? ‘Hey, remember when you tried to make out with me?’ Because we’ve never addressed it.”
Revisiting the Encounter
Despite the unusual incident, Hoppus expressed that their interactions since have remained cordial and free of awkwardness. “I wasn’t bummed in the slightest. I was more, like, flabbergasted that nobody else saw it,” he noted, reinforcing the light-heartedness of the encounter.
Insight into Hoppus’ Memoir
Fahrenheit-182, which was released on April 8, explores Hoppus’ career, health struggles with cancer, and his complicated relationships, including his friendship with bandmate Tom DeLonge, who rejoined Blink-182 in 2022 after a hiatus. The band recently released their album One More Time, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in October 2023, marking their first full-length project featuring the original lineup since 2011.
Upcoming Tour Plans
As part of their reunion, Blink-182 is set to embark on a tour alongside fellow punk band Alkaline Trio. Matt Skiba, who stepped in for DeLonge during his absence, recorded two albums with Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker during that time. Tickets for the tour are expected to go on sale on April 11 at 10 a.m. local time, with a Citi pre-sale starting earlier on April 10.