http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ht5RZpzPqw Fun, zany and accessible enough for rockers and poppers alike, Blink 182 were the quintessential pop punk band. Despite their popularity, they attracted criticism early on in their career for their 'manufactured' sound and general daftness - but arguably, the latter was a key factor in their popularity rather than any obstruction to it. To this day, Blink are still considered one of the most influential bands of their kind. Their career has not been without misfortune. As with many other bands in a similar vein, as time wore on, Blink's appeal wore thin and conflict mounted in the group when bassist and vocalist Tom DeLonge wanted to steer the band in a more punk direction, rather than the pop-driven sound they had become known for. Nevertheless, 2005's self-titled release was certainly a departure from their earlier style, one that drove the band in a new, mature direction, and one that some fans and critics felt was much needed. Others, however, were alienated by this newfound sincerity, and the band themselves were also unsure of their direction. Growing tension among them led to their indefinite hiatus in 2005, where all members pursued other projects. Blink 182 returned in 2011 with their sixth studio album Neighborhoods. Though not as commercially successful as prior albums, it reflected further the group's evolution as artists - even if the appeal that once made the band so irresistible was long gone.
Stephanie is a writer and free spirit who likes to pretend she's a Londoner, though strictly speaking she's from Watford. She likes books, music, elephants, and hairspray.