Born 15 March 1972 in Ridgecrest, California, Mark is the oldest and most prominent member of the band, with scores of television appearances under his belt, as well as a successful podcast, his own music chat show, and even a smattering of acting roles.
His introduction to bandmate DeLonge came in 1992 via his sister, Anne, who knew him at school and thought they'd hit it off. By this time, Mark had already played in several punk and cover bands between Fairfax, Virginia, where his father lived, and his mother's home town of Ridgecrest – having learned to play bass himself by listening to Bad Religion, Descendents, and The Cure, among other punk rock influences.
Punk Creation
Along with Scott Raynor, their original drummer, Hoppus and Tom DeLonge began making music at a tenacious pace, breaking only, it seemed, to eat, sleep, and skateboard around town – much to the chagrin of Mark's girlfriend, who demanded he quit the band to spend more time with her. After a short lapse of reason in which he accepted her ultimatum, Hoppus was back in DeLonge's garage recording the first of blink's three demo albums onto compact cassette. Not long after that, Hoppus found himself signing a record contract on behalf of the band with Cargo Music (DeLonge being at work and Raynor being too young).
Mark's devotion to blink-182 since their formation and early acclaim has been unwavering. His own musical style, far more than his bandmates', has remained pop-punk and indie rock quintessentially, with his perennial loyalty to customised Fender Jazz Bass bodies being, in a way, symbolic of his position at the heart of the band as it's one pivotal constant.
Understandably then, when in 2002 DeLonge broke away to form his new albeit short-lived post-hardcore effort, Box Car Racer, with the help of drummer Travis Barker, Hoppus was desolated. For him, DeLonge's move was a betrayal representative of the widening rift between them, and ultimately it led to the group's announcement of an "indefinite" hiatus in 2005.
In-between Blink
Over the next four years, Mark produced records for a number of other bands, including New Found Glory and Motion City Soundtrack. He also set up his award-winning podcast, HiMyNameIsMark, featuring music and interviews with emerging talent and underground bands.
Pining for the excitement of live shows, much of Hoppus's energy during this time was devoted to alternative rock supergroup +44. Along with Travis Barker, Craig Fairbaugh (of the Transplants) and Shane Gallagher (of The Nervous Return), Hoppus toured the UK with corporate sponsorship and released an album in 2006. But he dropped everything in 2009 for the reformation of blink-182.
Mark has also dabbled in fashion over the years, co-founding both Macbeth Footwear and the Atticus streetwear company with Tom DeLonge in 2001. More recently, he commissioned Rich Simmons to design t-shirts, hats, and accessories for his own clothing line Hi My Name is Mark, founded in 2012 with a distinctive octopus logo.
Mark Hoppus currently lives in London with his wife, Skye, and son, Jack.