+44 is a supergroup featuring Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker (both of Blink-182), as well as members of The Nervous Return and Mercy Killers. The band was formed in 2005 after Blink-182 had broken up and disbanded upon their reunion in 2009. +44 released one full-length album and toured globally in 2006-2007.
+44 Formation
After personal and creative differences led to Blink-182’s breakup, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker began working on new song ideas – initially electronic and experimental in nature. After recording demos with friends, the band recruited Shane Gallagher to play guitar.
“When Your Heart Stops Beating” was recorded by Blink-182 producer Jerry Finn at Opera House Studios in Los Angeles – which Barker and Hoppus purchased for +44. The album was released on November 13, 2006 and sold 66,000 copies in its first week.
+44 Tour
The band spent 2006 and 2007 playing shows in Los Angeles and London before dates in Australia and Europe. In 2007 they shared the stage with Fall Out Boy, The Academy Is…, and Paul Wall on the Honda Civic Tour – where they began playing popular Blink-182 songs into their sets.
+44 Breakup and Possible Reunion
A second album was announced but never released and there is little to indicate that much work was completed.
Travis Barker was one of two survivors of a 2008 plane crash. Barker’s injuries were severe and resulted in third degree burns, 16 surgeries, and a 48 hour blood transfusion. Tom DeLonge visited Barker in the hospital and later at Opera Music studios. These meetings laid the foundation that would become an eventual Blink-182 reunion which persists to this day.
Mark Hoppus announced to Alternative Press in 2009 that +44 was on hiatus and in the years since hasn’t indicated any serious plans of a +44 reunion, though he did mention a desire to play songs from, “When Your Heart Starts Beating” in the future.
“Maybe, I would never say never but I haven’t talked with Craig (Fairbaugh) or Shane (Gallagher) in years and I think that they have moved on in their lives and we’re in a different place, but that album holds such a special place in my life and in my memory and the lyrics and the making of that album was a huge moment of me working through the death of Blink-182 at the time and that holds a really special place in my heart so I would love to play it again at some point.”
Mark Hoppus – Alternative Press Interview (Archived)
