http://www.blink182reunion.com/

Blink- 182 is reunited, and it feels so good.

Well at least for me, a 19-year-old college student who still mainly listens to the pop-punk genre that usually pertains to screaming, crying high school girls who are too cool for the Jonas Brothers. I remember being one of these girls, but I was ridiculed by my friends for straying towards the alt rock section of Best Buy instead of buying the newest installment of Britney's discography. My first encounter with blink-182 came when I stayed up passed my bedtime on night in grade school watching a documentary about blink on MTV. It gave an inside look into the production of their self-titled album, which was the last before the big break-up. I remember Tom and Mark talking about the process of writing the lyrics for the major single from that album, "Feeling This." They said they each went into separate rooms where one wrote the verses and one wrote the chorus, and ironically, they both ended up writing about sex. My 12-year-old self was fascinated. I guess I'm glad that I took an interest in bands who actually wrote their own music at such a young age. I bought this album, and was made fun of by my grade school cheerleader friends for being "gothic." I perservered through the ridicule, and went on to buy Catalyst from New Found Glory and Hangover You Don't Deserve from Bowling for Soup. Pretty soon, those same friends who had made fun of me were accompanying me to shows at the Electric Factory and letting me burn their SoCo cds. One actually even introduced me to Boxcar Racer. From then on I was hooked, and now I interview punk bands every other week for Punk Nights and the Brewery, and I love every minute of it.

The members of blink released a message to the public that stated they were "picking up where they left off and then some," including recording a new album. So I hope all critics saying the summer 2009 tour is just a gimmick can be silenced when blink-182 gives us a whole new batch of tracks to add to their list of iconic anthems. If and when this new album comes out, I hope there are a few more 12-year-old girls who reach for it in the record store and share the same experiences I have had as a fan of this.

-- Beth Ann