Blink-182 was a large component for pop-punk’s mainstream success with albums such as Enema of the Stateor Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. Do you think the genre is on the rise or decline nowadays?
Travis: Anything that has to do with rock seems to be on the decline. There’s not a lot of rock stations or MTV anymore, you just go on Youtube. I think punk, pop-punk, and rock music is all meshed together and I think good music is good music. I don’t dislike the Descendants any more than I liked them before because they’re not popular now. I love the Descendants, the Vandals, Minor Threat, and GBH. I love all these bands because of their music and I don’t give a fuck if they’re on the incline or decline. But, I think the days of turning on MTV and seeing Blink-182 and Green Day don’t exist anymore. There is something to be said when you see people who are forty, twenty, or even twelve years old at our shows.
As a kid, what was the dream band you wanted to drum for and has that changed today?
Travis: There was a performance that I played with Slash, Flea on bass, and Ozzy Osbourne singing. Those moments feel like I could die afterwards or stop playing music and all my aspirations have been met. I’ve already achieved everything I’ve set out to do so now it’s just fun and I’m taking on each day as it comes.
There’s been a lot of versatile musicians you’ve played with. Are there anyone else you’d like to collaborate with in the future?
Travis: I think Willie Nelson would be someone fun that I’d love to collaborate with. All the other ones have happened though. I worked with Run the Jewels on their album last year and at the same time Zach [de la Rocha, Rage Against the Machine vocalist] was doing a track with them. I think it’d be cool to collaborate with Zach because I’ve always liked everything he stands for and the music he’s made.
Are there any concrete plans for Blink-182 after the festival appearance with Skiba?
Travis: We’ll see. The beginning goal was to do the show because we committed to it. There’s a really great vibe and everyone’s stoked to be playing with each other. We’re definitely enjoying each other and Skiba is killing it. If we did make an album with Skiba, it would be unreal. I don’t know if that’s a possibility yet because I can’t speak for everybody. Right now it feels like the honeymoon stage. Everyone’s really happy and there’s a vibe in the rehearsal room that we haven’t had in a long time.
