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Blink-182: Tales from Beneath Your Mom
They're young. They're sexually active. And they play their own instruments.
In a time when overproduced boy bands and teen sensations are saturating the music market, the boys of blink-182 are a breath of fresh air -- proving that sugarcoated acts aren't the only thing that can get nominated for MTV's "Video of the Year."
Blink-182 Tales from Beneath Your Mom is chock full of the outrageous band's behind-the-scenes antics, juvenile sense of humor, and never-before-published photos. Bandmates Mark Hoppus, Tom Delonge, and Travis Barker join Mark's sister, Anne, in this exciting tell-all book about life on the road and backstage.
From their early days jamming in Tom's garage, to dominating MTV's TRL, to going multiplatinum with their album Enema of the State and being voted "The Sexiest Rock Band" by Teen People, fans can at last get an inside look at the video-streaking, toilet-joke-living, self-styled punk/pop band that has all the kids asking, "What's My Age Again?"
- GenresMusicNonfictionBiography
112 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2001
10 people are currently reading
492 people want to read
About the author
Blink-182
34 books23 followersBlink-182 is an American rock band formed in 1992 in Poway, California. Their current and best-known line-up consists of bassist and vocalist Mark Hoppus, guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. Though their sound has diversified throughout their career, their musical style, described as pop-punk, blends catchy pop melodies with fast-paced punk rock. Their lyrics primarily focus on relationships, adolescent frustration, and maturity—or lack thereof. The group emerged from a suburban, Southern California skate punk scene and first gained notoriety for high-energy live shows and irreverent humour.
The band's debut studio album, Cheshire Cat, was released in 1995. Their second studio album, Dude Ranch, came out in 1997. After years of independent recording and touring, including stints on the Warped Tour, the group signed to MCA Records. Their third and fourth albums—Enema of the State (1999) and Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (2001)—reached their furthest commercial success while their singles, "All the Small Things", "Dammit" and "What's My Age Again?" became hit songs and MTV staples. Later efforts, including an untitled album (2003), Neighborhoods (2011), and an EP Dogs Eating Dogs (2012), marked stylistic shifts. Hoppus is the only member to remain in the band throughout its entire history. DeLonge left the group twice, both times a decade apart, before returning once more. Founding drummer Scott Raynor recorded and toured with the group before being dismissed in 1998, thereafter being replaced by Barker. During DeLonge's hiatus from 2015 to 2022, the band included Alkaline Trio singer and guitarist Matt Skiba, with whom they recorded two albums, California (2016), and Nine (2019), and toured in support of both. Their ninth album, One More Time..., was released on October 20, 2023.
Blink-182's straightforward approach and simple arrangements, which helped initiate pop-punk's second mainstream rise, made them popular among generations of audiences. Worldwide, the group has sold 50 million albums and moved 15.3 million copies in the U.S.
The band's debut studio album, Cheshire Cat, was released in 1995. Their second studio album, Dude Ranch, came out in 1997. After years of independent recording and touring, including stints on the Warped Tour, the group signed to MCA Records. Their third and fourth albums—Enema of the State (1999) and Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (2001)—reached their furthest commercial success while their singles, "All the Small Things", "Dammit" and "What's My Age Again?" became hit songs and MTV staples. Later efforts, including an untitled album (2003), Neighborhoods (2011), and an EP Dogs Eating Dogs (2012), marked stylistic shifts. Hoppus is the only member to remain in the band throughout its entire history. DeLonge left the group twice, both times a decade apart, before returning once more. Founding drummer Scott Raynor recorded and toured with the group before being dismissed in 1998, thereafter being replaced by Barker. During DeLonge's hiatus from 2015 to 2022, the band included Alkaline Trio singer and guitarist Matt Skiba, with whom they recorded two albums, California (2016), and Nine (2019), and toured in support of both. Their ninth album, One More Time..., was released on October 20, 2023.
Blink-182's straightforward approach and simple arrangements, which helped initiate pop-punk's second mainstream rise, made them popular among generations of audiences. Worldwide, the group has sold 50 million albums and moved 15.3 million copies in the U.S.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
April 27, 2013
It isn't really by Mark but his sister, Anne.
This is my favorite band in the world and an enjoyable read.
I've read it close to 97 times.
This is my favorite band in the world and an enjoyable read.
I've read it close to 97 times.
September 10, 2023
Like all great things, Blink 182 also came to an unfortunate but inevitable end. They're still around, yes, but however much excitement I initially felt for their return, I have to confess I now wish they hadn't reunited. Blink have had their time, and I'll always recall them with fond memories, as they helped me not just through high school, but childhood as well.
I remember I wasn't quite converted when they first made it big in Australian primary schools with the video for 'All the Small Things'. I had never realized what the video was making fun of, and the song was just ... okay, I guess. But everybody was singing it for weeks; even my dad got into it at one point.
But then 'Adam's Song' came out. I didn't even know what suicide was back then, I just got goosebumps whenever I heard that simple little guitar riff at the start. After that, I still only listened to them when I actually came across their songs.
For better or worse - better, I suppose, as I'm not a musician anymore, and the only acts that still seem reliant on record labels are the vapid and over-produced pop artists - music is these days more accessible than ever. But let's just say that just about every single of theirs - 'Man Overboard', 'Rock Show', 'First Date', 'Dammit', 'Feeling This', etc - now feels like it owns a particular time in my life.
My mother got me a 'Triple J' CD for my tenth birthday, and when I came across 'Man Overboard' for the first time, my obsession with it elevated to an almost psychopathic level. I literally shut myself up in my room for about three days, and just repeated the song on my little CD player, again and again and again, enraptured with the imaginary realm the song carried me into.
It wasn't until later in high school that I finally discovered their other songs - their actual albums, not just their commercial hits. And henceforth another three years of listening to nothing but them. Although I never related to their cocky, "let's party and have sex" ethos, my adolescent life was very largely shaped by them.
For that reason, I always got annoyed when people dismissed them as just a shitty band with no musicality whatsoever. To some extent, that second statement was true - just watch them live! - but what these people conveniently forgot was that Blink 182 never gave the slightest damn about being good musicians. Their primary goal, whether consciously or not, was to show kids like me that being talented was not necessarily the only ticket into liking who you are.
In their own right, they were an amazing band, who many people just didn't get (or perhaps were too embarrassed to admit they did). People can hate on them and blame them for the terrible offspring of teenage emo bands that eventually overshadowed them. But I for one have always remembered the vital difference, which is that Blink 182 were HAPPY! Even when they started growing up, and attempted being more experimental, they never fell into the emo shit that so many haters accuse them of doing.
But let's look at the book itself. I just thought, since this will be my only opportunity, I might as well give my opinion of the band. But now to the book ...
If you're a fan like me, then the book is awesome. The person who added this to Goodreads is wrong: it was written by Anne Hoppus (Mark's sister), not Mark Hoppus himself.
She isn't by any means a good writer, but she tells of her experiences the way I imagine they really were, and I would personally prefer to read something by someone like this - someone who stood beside them right from the beginning, someone who argued and cried with them as they crammed eight people and tons of equipment into a failing van and got snowbound in the middle of the Rockies - than some contracted writer who just gets paid to give his formal, outsider interpretation of the band's story.
Primarily, the book functions as a chronological biography of the band's career, beginning way back when Anne and Tom were casual mates in high school, all the way up to the platinum-selling 'Enema of the State' album. It features loads and loads off little back-stories, some hilarious and some actually quite insightful, such as the time Scott Raynor (the original drummer) became really depressed and turned to alcoholism, as well as the more typical anecdotes such as Tom getting arrested for public indecency and being too scared to take a crap for the one long night he spent in prison.
However, there are also many examples in this book of just how smart and business-savvy Tom and Mark were in commercializing their band. Back in the old days, I would have jumped on the bandwagon and screamed "SELLOUTS!!!". But having attended - however briefly and unsuccessfully - a proper music institute after high school, I was made to understand the sad reality that commercialization is, in fact, more important than the quality of the music.
This is a very enjoyable, candid book about one of the coolest bands (in my opinion) of the 1990's and early 2000's. If you're a fan of the band, then I think it's basically impossible that you would not like this book. Go get your hands on it, asshole.
I remember I wasn't quite converted when they first made it big in Australian primary schools with the video for 'All the Small Things'. I had never realized what the video was making fun of, and the song was just ... okay, I guess. But everybody was singing it for weeks; even my dad got into it at one point.
But then 'Adam's Song' came out. I didn't even know what suicide was back then, I just got goosebumps whenever I heard that simple little guitar riff at the start. After that, I still only listened to them when I actually came across their songs.
For better or worse - better, I suppose, as I'm not a musician anymore, and the only acts that still seem reliant on record labels are the vapid and over-produced pop artists - music is these days more accessible than ever. But let's just say that just about every single of theirs - 'Man Overboard', 'Rock Show', 'First Date', 'Dammit', 'Feeling This', etc - now feels like it owns a particular time in my life.
My mother got me a 'Triple J' CD for my tenth birthday, and when I came across 'Man Overboard' for the first time, my obsession with it elevated to an almost psychopathic level. I literally shut myself up in my room for about three days, and just repeated the song on my little CD player, again and again and again, enraptured with the imaginary realm the song carried me into.
It wasn't until later in high school that I finally discovered their other songs - their actual albums, not just their commercial hits. And henceforth another three years of listening to nothing but them. Although I never related to their cocky, "let's party and have sex" ethos, my adolescent life was very largely shaped by them.
For that reason, I always got annoyed when people dismissed them as just a shitty band with no musicality whatsoever. To some extent, that second statement was true - just watch them live! - but what these people conveniently forgot was that Blink 182 never gave the slightest damn about being good musicians. Their primary goal, whether consciously or not, was to show kids like me that being talented was not necessarily the only ticket into liking who you are.
In their own right, they were an amazing band, who many people just didn't get (or perhaps were too embarrassed to admit they did). People can hate on them and blame them for the terrible offspring of teenage emo bands that eventually overshadowed them. But I for one have always remembered the vital difference, which is that Blink 182 were HAPPY! Even when they started growing up, and attempted being more experimental, they never fell into the emo shit that so many haters accuse them of doing.
But let's look at the book itself. I just thought, since this will be my only opportunity, I might as well give my opinion of the band. But now to the book ...
If you're a fan like me, then the book is awesome. The person who added this to Goodreads is wrong: it was written by Anne Hoppus (Mark's sister), not Mark Hoppus himself.
She isn't by any means a good writer, but she tells of her experiences the way I imagine they really were, and I would personally prefer to read something by someone like this - someone who stood beside them right from the beginning, someone who argued and cried with them as they crammed eight people and tons of equipment into a failing van and got snowbound in the middle of the Rockies - than some contracted writer who just gets paid to give his formal, outsider interpretation of the band's story.
Primarily, the book functions as a chronological biography of the band's career, beginning way back when Anne and Tom were casual mates in high school, all the way up to the platinum-selling 'Enema of the State' album. It features loads and loads off little back-stories, some hilarious and some actually quite insightful, such as the time Scott Raynor (the original drummer) became really depressed and turned to alcoholism, as well as the more typical anecdotes such as Tom getting arrested for public indecency and being too scared to take a crap for the one long night he spent in prison.
However, there are also many examples in this book of just how smart and business-savvy Tom and Mark were in commercializing their band. Back in the old days, I would have jumped on the bandwagon and screamed "SELLOUTS!!!". But having attended - however briefly and unsuccessfully - a proper music institute after high school, I was made to understand the sad reality that commercialization is, in fact, more important than the quality of the music.
This is a very enjoyable, candid book about one of the coolest bands (in my opinion) of the 1990's and early 2000's. If you're a fan of the band, then I think it's basically impossible that you would not like this book. Go get your hands on it, asshole.
July 17, 2019
Good but very short. The book tells the beginning of the band and the success they achieved with dude ranch and enema of the state. This band deserves a great book covering their entire career :)
July 18, 2025
Like a buried relic found at your local library in the 2000s, ‘blink-182: Tales from Beneath Your Mom’ contains all the nostalgia and crude humour from one of pop-punk’s most influential bands.
Presented as a glossy scrapbook that documents their rise in the bratty punk scene to achieving breakout success in the mainstream, the book is a neat insight straight from the pen of Anne Hoppus, sibling to Mark Hoppus. Complete with intimate (but not too intimate) photographs and memorabilia accompanying crass interviews with the trio (+ original drummer, Scott Raynor), ‘Tales from Beneath Your Mom’ is a great follow-up (or prior-thought) to Mark Hoppus’ recent memoir ‘Fahrenheit-182’.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Presented as a glossy scrapbook that documents their rise in the bratty punk scene to achieving breakout success in the mainstream, the book is a neat insight straight from the pen of Anne Hoppus, sibling to Mark Hoppus. Complete with intimate (but not too intimate) photographs and memorabilia accompanying crass interviews with the trio (+ original drummer, Scott Raynor), ‘Tales from Beneath Your Mom’ is a great follow-up (or prior-thought) to Mark Hoppus’ recent memoir ‘Fahrenheit-182’.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 24, 2022
Dont take yourself seriously, but take the music seriously, or idk UFOs and whatever
Blink 182 is probably my favorite band, I thought it was a phase, turns out it's not, and this book was a perfect read for me.
The Blink 182 guys are S-tier level goons, a lot of funny anecdotes sprinkled all throughout the book, it's a very humorous biography. However, it is also deeply inspiring, the guys worked through a lot of
hard ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) stuff to get to where they are, but they kept on being idiots and had fun despite the struggles of working as a musician.
And there's some trivia about the band too, like what 182 stands for, that was neat
If you're a Blink 182 fan, this is a 10/10. If you're not a fan, you will at least get a laugh from the pee pee poo poo jokes.
Fellatamos
Blink 182 is probably my favorite band, I thought it was a phase, turns out it's not, and this book was a perfect read for me.
The Blink 182 guys are S-tier level goons, a lot of funny anecdotes sprinkled all throughout the book, it's a very humorous biography. However, it is also deeply inspiring, the guys worked through a lot of
hard ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) stuff to get to where they are, but they kept on being idiots and had fun despite the struggles of working as a musician.
And there's some trivia about the band too, like what 182 stands for, that was neat
If you're a Blink 182 fan, this is a 10/10. If you're not a fan, you will at least get a laugh from the pee pee poo poo jokes.
Fellatamos
August 24, 2025
This is a good peek into the beginnings of blink-182. Obviously, it was written just at the start of the 2000s before TOYPAJ even came out, so *a lot* has changed in the band's history since then. But it's still fun to hear some of the stories of their early days in the 90s.
July 27, 2022
Skemmtilegar sögur af fyrstu árum þessarar uppáhaldshljómsveitar minnar. Ekkert frábærlega skrifuð bók, en nógu vel til að ég hafi skemmt mér vel. Þetta er sannarlega ekki fyrir aðra en aðdáendur.
Want to read
November 1, 2009The best book ever to be made.
July 21, 2024
Very enjoyable reading, for sure a must read for all Blink-182 fans but i can advice to all fans of music and readers interested to have an idea of a musician's life.
The book cover the first part of the band's career, from the beginning to the fame earned with the "Enema..." album. Written in a very light way, so you will devour it very fast. Written by one of the member' sister, it is full of events and funny details, plus there are direct quotes from band members interviews.
I think it is time for a huge book about the whole history of the band.
The book cover the first part of the band's career, from the beginning to the fame earned with the "Enema..." album. Written in a very light way, so you will devour it very fast. Written by one of the member' sister, it is full of events and funny details, plus there are direct quotes from band members interviews.
I think it is time for a huge book about the whole history of the band.
August 29, 2024
I discovered Blink 182 in 5th grade, much to the disappointment of my mother. They’ve been one of my favorite bands ever since. I saved up my Christmas money one year and bought this book at Border’s (throwback) and their stories solidified my desire to move to San Diego. Which I eventually did when I was 21, and had a great decade there. I’m pissed that I lost this book at some point during my move and even more pissed that it’s out of print now. Repurchasing it from some sketchy and overpriced website will be the first thing I do when I become a bajillionaire.
December 22, 2021
An excellent book for anyone wanting to get a peek behind the scenes of the greatest pop-punk band who continue to endure to this day. In the late 90’s and early 2000’s, the world witnessed the explosion in popularity of blink-182. Formed in 1995, you get stories and photos from their inception forward. Blink-182 was inescapable at the time. SNL, MTV, the radio, teenagers walls.
The book is both hilarious and informative. Highly recommended if you were a fan of the band or not.
The book is both hilarious and informative. Highly recommended if you were a fan of the band or not.
September 8, 2025
I loved this, I’ve wanted to read this for a while but couldn’t find it to buy on EBay but I found it on Internet Archive! I like how it’s in the perspective of Anne coz of course she’s grown up beside Blink-192, being Mark’s sister and friends with Tom, the way the pages were laid out on internet archive made it a wee bit hard to rad but I don’t care that much tbh.
September 13, 2025
I loved this, l've wanted to read this for a while but couldn't find it to buy on EBay but I found it on Internet Archive! I like how it's in the perspective of Anne coz of course she's grown up beside Blink-192, being Mark's sister and friends with Tom, the way the pages were laid out on internet archive made it a wee bit hard to rad but I don't care that much tbh.
August 3, 2019
Great band, great book
Read
May 8, 2023going to a blink concert for the first time in a decade and had to refresh my memory. love these dudes
June 17, 2023
Quick and light-hearted, this is definitely worth a gander if you're a Blink fan.
September 9, 2023
12 year old me loved this shit.
March 26, 2024
Hilarious must read for any Blink-182 fan
April 14, 2024
I love them sm 😭😭
August 8, 2024
Great book of the early history of Blink182. Anne has some great insights into their history, as she should, being Mark's sister and all. A fantastic collectors item for all Blink fans.
August 10, 2024
Perfect. No notes.
June 23, 2016
A very exciting and short insight into the beginning of blink-182 up until 2001. The beginnings of the band and their rise to success are detailed and quotes directly from Tom, Mark, and Travis are included. Written primarily by Anne Hoppus, Mark's sister, the tone isn't very much of a serious documentary-type book. Many great snapshots of blink-182 are also included in this book. The most accurate of books that is recommended to blink-182 fans since it's fun and also because the trusted source was of course Anne Hoppus. Interesting facts are to be learned, but remember, again, this is all right before they released Take Off Your Pants and Jacket in 2001, and Travis is new to the band. It's all really great to see the origin of the band and it's growth from a garage band to having sold-out arena shows. And the only real message and goal was to have fun with friends while performing and let the "kids" in the audience join in on the fun.
April 27, 2015
Completely hilarious. Anne takes you into the wacky, juvenile world that Blink-182 seems to thrive in. You get all the inside information that you have always wanted. For example, this band would have not have been were it not been for Tom's affinity for prank phone calls. The book is exactly what you expect it to be. Reading it now, however, is extremely nostalgic as it brings me back to the seemingly innocent early 2000s. Nonetheless you will be laughing out loud reading this and asking yourself "Whats my age again?"
June 27, 2008
You know the epic band that totally defined pop-punk? Yeah, it's blink-182. Everything you ever wanted/needed to know about the band (plus more). Roman Candle wars, music video do-overs, and just random hi-jinks. Seeing as how Blink is one of my all-time fave bands, this is one of my all-time fave books! READ IT NOW!
March 4, 2015
Since I'm a fan of blink-182, it's obvious I have to give this 5/5 stars. The book is comical and gives insight to one of the world's most immature and hilarious bands. Well, they are funny people at least, and some of their songs are, too. But they are serious about making great music. A must read for fans of blink!
February 16, 2008
Great book about a great band. Written by none other than Mark's sister so you know it's going to be accurate. If you're at all interested in this band or the three specific people, I definitely recommend it!
December 12, 2008
In a time when overproduced boy bands and teen sensations are saturating the music market, the boys of blink-182 are a breath of fresh air -- proving that sugarcoated acts aren't the only thing that can get nominated for MTV's "Video of the Year."
July 30, 2008
Ha ha. I remember reading this years and years ago when I all about Blink-182.
December 2, 2014
Pretty much the best book that came out about Blink. I'm not as much a fan as I used to be (at all) but it was pretty amazing at the time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews