We never really set out to talk about California on the album ['California'], it was something that we noticed that was happening about three-quarters of the way through the recording process. We were looking at which songs we thought would make the record and we realised that there was this theme coming through. I think it's just a product of being in California for as long as I have.

Mark Hoppus

Categorized in : Thinking Song California

Make yourself look really stupid so you don't feel bad doing something a little stupid.

Mark Hoppus

stupid littles looks

You guys are lucky, cuz in Europe, like you can show boobs on TV and like in magazines and what not. We're Americans so the slightest, the slightest glimpse of a nipple will.

Mark Hoppus

glimpse guy europe

From a very early age, my wife and I told our son that there are times and places for everything. I told him, look, when you're in class, you have to be quiet and listen to your teacher, but when you go out to the playground, you can scream and be silly.

Mark Hoppus

silly teacher son

Once I was in the Blink-182, going to Iraq was really touching. It was kind of emo for me, going and meeting soldiers who were, like, 19 and hadn't even met their kids... Or dealing with depression. Just being with those soldiers and traveling with them in helicopters and people with M-16s. It was an eye-opener.

Mark Hoppus

emo kids people

I hate it when people try to act cool. I hope they all get gonorreah and die.

Mark Hoppus

hate trying people

Play music that means something to you. Make it happen for yourself.

Mark Hoppus

play happens mean

The past is only the future with the lights on

Mark Hoppus

blink-182 light past

Never let anyone tell you how to live your life.

Mark Hoppus

motley-crue live-your-life rude

The fact that music can induce Goosebumps draw a tear inspire and connect is one of my favorite parts of being human

Mark Hoppus

tears inspire facts

Life's too short to sit through songs you don't love.

Mark Hoppus

lifes-too-short too-short song

Everything in high school seems like the most important thing that's ever happened in your life. It's not. You'll get out of high school and you never see those people again. All the people who torment and press you won't make a difference in your life in the long haul.

Mark Hoppus

differences long school

A lot of guys like to fantasize about having sex with 2 girls at the same time... I like to fantasize about having sex with the same girl twice, thank you.

Mark Hoppus

guy girl sex

I never thought of punk rock as the absolute act of rebellion for the sake of rebellion. There's a lot of that in there, but for me I think punk rock was always about questioning things and making decisions for yourself, which is a great message to pass on to your kids.

Mark Hoppus

rocks kids thinking

Make yourself do something stupid so when you really do something stupid you won't feel so bad

Mark Hoppus

stupid feels

The strongest human emotion is probably love. I think it's universal. I think that across language and country and time and everything else, probably love.

Mark Hoppus

emotion country thinking

Look at me... look at me... I need the attention, oooh I'm punk rock I got some tattoos, I got some piercings. If I'm gonna get some piercings then I want everyone to see it...I don't need to advertise my punkness. A real punk doesn't need to show off...Its like a Karate man... the Karate man bleed on the inside. A real punk is punk on the inside.

Mark Hoppus

tattoo real men

Why do scuba divers fall backwards off a boat? Because if they fell forwards they'd still be in the boat.

Mark Hoppus

scuba-divers boat fall

I don't think of them as teenage songs. The things that happen to you in high school are the same things that happen your entire life. You can fall in love at 60; you can get rejected at 80.

Mark Hoppus

teenage falling-in-love song

Music is life. Music defines peoples' experience on this planet. Name one time in your life that wasn't punctuated by the music you listened to at the time. When people are down, they listen to music that commiserates that emotion. When people are amped up, they listen to more upbeat, loud songs.

Mark Hoppus

names song people

I feel like anyone can be a kid forever as long as you have that mindset and attitude towards the world.

Mark Hoppus

attitude long kids