BLINK-182 // Tracks Skiba Does Better Than DeLonge

Jul 01, 2016 / WORDS Jonty Simmons / PHOTOS Willie Toledo / He was DeLonge in the tooth

One new member, eight tracks and two plane tickets bought to escape the death threats we’re probably going to get.

Skiba’s killing the Blink-182 live game right now (or so we assume). So we at Hysty have hit the band’s back catalogue to throw together some of the tracks we reckon he’s going to hit out of the park. What even is a DeLonge anyway?

I Miss You
It’s the track that arguably made ‘Tom Delonge Lyrics’ into a phenomenon. I Miss You’s signature drawwwwllll about the spydurrs and indecision to callll yeeuuuwww could use a fresh update a decade after the joke’s run its course. Tom’s been slacking on stage in recent years on this one, so we reckon Skiba’s ability to actually pronounce words properly is the winning formula here.

Feeling This
This will be a tough one to match, but we’ve got all the confidence Skiba can handle one of the band’s most popular tracks. Letting the newest member take on the break in the middle of the song could see him mix it up a tad. If their recent setlists are anything to go by, leading the crowd in a sing-along right off the bat will surely convert the naysayers.

Peggy Sue
Now this one is an easy home run. The former Alkaline Trio co-vocalist is more than used to sped up tempos; it’s arguable that’s his bread and butter. Therefore Tom’s purposely off-key singing couldn’t be much of a challenge for Skiba, and it’s not like he’s going to run out of breath after singing years of punk tracks. Short and sweet, it’s a chance to show off his chops as quick as possible.

Dick Lips
Dick Lips is one of the first songs that Tom ever wrote, so maybe this might hit a bit close to home. But hey, we’re the list writers and dammit do we want to see Skiba take on a track that should get more recognition. A rare maturity for their earlier material, changing up Dick Lips with their more mature co-vocalist would see a wealth of YouTube views on shaky iPhone camera footage.

Dumpweed

It’s not just the opening guitar riff that’s iconic about this song. Tom Delonge’s pained singing resonated with every heartbroken teen in 1999, so Skiba’s got the market on all the kids who were still in diapers when the song came out. Who knows, maybe he’ll become the next sex symbol for the millennial generation?

Josie

Although Mark Hoppus takes most of the vocal duties on Josie, it’s the added “I know that everything” that kicks the song onto another level of catchy. It’s not the most difficult vocal pattern for the co-vocalist to imitate, so we’re backing this one hard as a potential new Skiba favourite.

First Date

We’re on the same track as I Miss You here, with Delonge’s signature “can’t wayyyyt/first dayyyyt” seared into the minds of 30 somethings the world over. Rather than take the serious route the band have gone down recently, First Date is Skiba’s moment to let loose and get his digs in. If you can’t mock and make fun of a former member in Blink-182, then where has the world gone wrong?

Down

This one’s a bit slower compared to the other tracks we’ve picked. It’s a chance for Skiba to finally show off why he was picked over an innumerable amount of other candidates. More ballad-y than bro-punk, Skiba’s got the voice to power through these verses like nobody’s business.

—

WATCH: the lyric video for No Future