You’ve made it clear that you’re doing the Musink date for the fans. I can’t understand why Tom wouldn’t want to support that.
I really don’t understand, either. I couldn’t speak for Tom–l hadn’t spoken with Tom in months. It’s the exact same thing that happened 10 years ago, when he went on indefinite hiatus before where we had a show booked and we had things on the other side. We got an email from his manager saying he was out [and] he was not going to be around to do what he said he was going to do. I don’t know why he wouldn’t just go and play one show and be done at that point.

Travis is also a partner in Musink and it seems weird to me that someone wouldn’t want to support the endeavors of a friend he had been in the trenches with for so long and through so much.
It’s weird to me, it’s weird to Travis. I think honestly, from everything we’ve heard from Tom’s manager and from what Tom has done–and is not doing even more so–Tom doesn’t want to be in Blink. It’s obvious. That’s fine. But it’s so confusing to get emails from people saying, “Tom’s out indefinitely, Tom’s not going to do these things, Tom doesn’t want to record, doesn’t want to tour, doesn’t want to do anything,” and then at the same time say, [adopts shocked tone] “I never quit the band. I just said I wasn’t ever going to do anything again.”

Perfect world situation: How would you want everything to be right now? Would you want Tom to get with the program, play for the fans and be part of a new Blink album? Or are you just completely over it?
The thing is we’ve tried to get Tom to engage [in Blink activity], and everything has been a very, very difficult struggle to get anything done with Blink for the last two years. Everything from getting a label deal done to even playing shows, and trying to get Tom into a studio. We’ve been trying that for the past two years. The ideal situation was two years ago when we said we were going to go into a studio and get working and it never happened. I think those days and that wishful thinking are gone.

If you got a call from him two hours from now and he said, “You’re right, let’s go do this,” would you say, “Cool,” or say “Gotta go, my other line’s ringing?” Has he burned any kind of goodwill bridge?
Just for me personally, it would be very hard to believe that would be the case, because we’ve had those exact conversations many, many times. We’ve all had conversations where everyone agreed that “this is what we’re going to do” and “we’re gonna get in the studio on this date, do this tour” or whatever it is and it doesn’t come to pass like it’s supposed to. I don’t know that I‘d believe it.

Travis and I have been ready to go for years to tour, to record this next album. Tom even did an interview with you guys: Most Anticipated Albums Of 2015 [saying] “Yeah, we’re gonna get in the studio. Yeah, we found a new partner for this [record].” All this stuff and then when it comes time to do the work and get in the studio or get on a tour bus or whatever it is, we get an email from his manager saying he’s out indefinitely. I know it’s confusing for people, but only as much as it’s confusing for us, because for Tom to insist that he loves Blink-182 or whatever it is, I think that his actions speak much louder than what he posts online.

And by the way, that’s cool. Travis and I aren’t angry or mad or whatever. When we got the email from Tom’s manager saying that he didn’t want to record, at least he was being honest at that point. We’ve been dragging for so long to try to get into the studio and try to get to work. For him to finally say, “I’m not going to do it,” was almost like, “Okay, now you’ve actually said it. Now let’s move forward: You do whatever you want to do and we’ll continue doing what we love doing. Which is Blink.

He’s puts out the bluster, then he’s backpedaling. Why?
I have no idea. Honestly, I don’t. I think that Tom doesn’t want to do Blink. I don’t think he has fun doing it. I think he has a good time when he’s onstage, but I think that other than that, he just doesn’t enjoy it. That’s just my guess and my observation from the past, whatever, three years?

Why did you pick Skiba?
We started talking about how we were going to be able to do this show. Travis and I sat down and we couldn’t even think of anybody else. There was nobody else that we even considered asking. He was the perfect fit. And Matt is going to do his own thing: He’s not going to try and walk onstage and be Tom. He’s going to be himself as a member of Blink that day, you know?

Will you be playing new tracks?
There won’t be any new tracks. We haven’t finalized the set list yet. I would like to play a bunch of old stuff, some newer stuff and just have fun. It feels like a license to have fun right now. I love Blink: I want to keep playing in Blink, I want to keep playing Blink songs. I love the legacy. I love where we started. I love where we’re going. I feel very relieved somehow. Everything is out in the open and everyone can do what they want to do.