Ever since Blink 182 announced that Tom DeLonge was leaving the band and that Matt Skiba would be playing a few shows with them, people have been wondering just how the hell it was going to work out? I mean despite the fact that Skiba can (probably) play guitar and sing better than Tom DeLonge ever could, the very fact of the matter was that his voice sounds about as opposite to Tom DeLonge’s as you could get, so having him sing Blink 182 songs is probably going to be very, very weird, despite Travis’ assurances that he is ‘killing it’.

However, it’s not as worrying and weird as the first promo shot of the new lineup that Mark Hoppus Instagrammed last night. Check it out – it’s like they’ve dressed Matt Skiba up as Tom DeLonge and hoped that nobody will notice. Also note Travis’ t-shirt making more thinly veiled jibes at Tom DeLonge.

Featured Image VIA

Image VIA

I don’t know how many people reading this site will be familiar with Alkaline Trio because they’re not exactly as huge as Blink 182, but throughout the entire history of that band Matt Skiba has pretty much worn black and been working some kind of brooding goth gimmick. To see him in a backwards baseball cap and a Hurley t-shirt is just so wrong I don’t know what these guys are thinking. Is he going to be telling loads of dick jokes on stage in his gravelly hoarse voice as well?

I’m fine with these guys playing a gig with Matt Skiba – especially if it actually turns out that it’s good, although I have my doubts – but parading him around like he’s Tom DeLonge is downright weird and freaky. Please stop and just let the guy be himself if you’re going to do this.

Their first shows are scheduled for the 20th and 22nd March in California, so it probably isn’t going to be too long until we see footage of this potential train wreck emerge.