Blink-182 want to "kill it" with their first album without Tom DeLonge.
Travis Barker
The American rock group's drummer Travis Barker is confident the band have entered a "new chapter" without former joint frontman Tom - who was replaced by Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba early last year - and insists no one in the group has accepted "mediocrity" on the record.
Of his new bandmate Matt, Travis commented: "Just having someone like Matt [Skiba] who's in the studio everyday is great. You got to show up, that's the first part ... It's a new chapter and we're not striving for mediocrity, we're looking to kill it. We're gonna make a great album."
Travis insists he and his bandmates - Matt and original bassist Mark Hoppus - have been pushing each other in the studio and they know they have to turn up each day to make something "awesome", something he claims they weren't able to do when Tom was in the band.
He told Upset magazine: "I'm excited ... We have 15-20 songs right now. it's awesome because we're all actually in the studio, where we couldn't get that with the old line-up. It was impossible to get all three of us in the same studio ... I think with a band you can't just phone it in. You gotta be there. For that great chemistry and for everyone to really vibe you gotta all be in the same room."
Travis, 40, says the new album is close to being ready and he believes it will be out by the "summertime" with tour dates to follow.
Asked when fans can expect the new LP, he said: "I think summertime. There's tentatively some plans to play shows during summer. Everything will come together and be revealed in due time. It's gonna be great."
The 'All The Small Things' rockers' last album was 2011's 'Neighborhoods'.
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