Punk trio Blink-182 on ‘indefinite hiatus

LOS ANGELES - California pop-punk trio Blink-182, famed for its practical jokes and disdain for clothing, has gone on "indefinite hiatus," with no plans to work together again, its Geffen Records label says.

Singer-guitarist Tom DeLonge, singer-bassist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker want to "spend some time enjoying the fruits of their labors with loved ones" after a decade of working together nonstop, the statement added.

"While there is no set plan for the band to begin working together again, no one knows what tomorrow may bring," it said.

San Diego-based Blink-182, cast in the same mold as Grammy-winning punk combo Green Day, enjoyed major success with such tunes as "What's My Age Again?" and "All the Small Things," winning an MTV Video Music Award for the latter tune.

The group toiled in obscurity for years before hitting the big time with its 1997 major-label debut album "Dude Ranch," which sold 1 million copies. The 1999 follow-up, "Enema of the State," cemented its success, bolstered by the unlikely suicide ballad, "Adam's Song."

But for the most part, Blink-182 was best known for its goofball antics, including running naked through the streets of Hollywood for the "What's My Age Again?" video. It topped the US pop charts in 2001 with the cheekily titled album "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket."

Barker, considered the band's linchpin on stage, kept busy with two other bands, Box Car Racer (along with DeLonge) and the Transplants, as well as a boutique record label.

The Wall Street Journal reported in 2003 that DeLonge bought a US$5 million home in a gated community outside of San Diego because fans were bugging him at his former abode. Hoppus, meanwhile, co-owns a clothing company.

- REUTERS/VNU