Tom DeLonge Pays Tribute to Blink-182 Fill-in Matt Skiba as Band Releases New Single: 'Thank You'

With Blink-182's Tom DeLonge back in the band, the trio's co-founder took a moment to show his appreciation for Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba, who replaced him on Blink's tours and past two albums.

Having rejoined the band after nearly a decade-long hiatus, DeLonge, 46, posted a note to Instagram Thursday that he had sent directly to Skiba, and says he made the choice to post it publicly because "it's important for the world to know that I honor him."

The note begins with DeLonge showing his appreciation for Skiba as he writes, "I wanted to take a minute and say thank you for all that you have done to keep the band alive and thriving in my absence."

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DeLonge recognizes the talent Skiba possesses and says, "I think you are enormously talented (I still love to listen to your band to this day)," referring to Skiba's band Alkaline Trio, which he has been the lead vocalist and guitarist of since its founding in 1996.

Beyond his musical talent, DeLonge acknowledges Skiba's character, saying, "You have always been so kind to me, not only in the press, but also to others. I really noticed."

DeLonge left Blink-182 in 2015 as tensions between him and his two fellow bandmates, Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus, were on the rise. DeLonge's other commitments contrasted with Barker and Hoppus' collective desire to play more gigs and focus on their album, leading the pair to reach out to Alkaline Trio frontman Skiba to fill in.

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Brian Gove/WireImage Matt Skiba, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker in 2016

While Skiba's "fill-in" turned out to be a longer replacement, Hoppus' cancer diagnosis in 2021 made DeLonge realize it was time to come back. "Emotions between the three of us in blink have always been complicated, but Mark's cancer really put things in perspective," DeLonge explains in his letter to Skiba.

He sums up the note with nothing but honesty and appreciation. "But to be honest, the band would not even be here today if it were not for your ability to jump in and save the day. So from my heart to yours, thank you for being a member of our band."

DeLonge previously spoke about how he and Hoppus found their way back to each other in a September 2021 interview with Zane Lowe.

"The way the universe works is strange because I reached out to Mark because I needed him to sign this piece of paper," DeLonge explained. "Only because of that call did I learn he had cancer. And he told me on the phone. I was like, 'Wait, what?"

"We weren't really talking much at all, maybe once every couple of months, a little text here and there. But now, we talk multiple times a day," DeLonge continued. "We've been able to completely repair that friendship and really cut to the depth of who we are as people and what this is all about."

He added, "It's interesting how stupid and how much ego is involved with boys. We're just boys and bands. Women are so much better at this stuff than we are."

The original trio's new single "EDGING" came out Thursday at midnight, and is now available on all streaming services.