Travis Barker Says Strained Blink-182 Friendship Was 'Heavy' on His Heart: 'That Heaviness Weighs on You'

The pop-punk band appeared on Zane Lowe's Apple Music 1 show in anticipation of their new album 'One More Time'

Blink-182 is ready to put “All the Small Things” behind them and focus on how thankful they are to be back with their iconic lineup.

The pop-punk band featuring Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker opened up about their journey to reuniting and releasing their upcoming album One More Time on Wednesday’s new episode of Zane Lowe’s show on Apple Music 1. While working together for the first time since 2011 affected each member significantly, Barker, 47, spoke candidly about how their “friendship” was what he missed the most and ultimately what he considered the most important part of the trio.

“It was always heavy on my heart that our friendship wasn't mended,” the drummer shared of when DeLonge, 47, exited the band in 2015. “Heaviness weighs on you when you have something that's important to you in a relationship with somebody and you don't really fix it, it's just kind of lingering.”

Related: Travis Barker Displays Gory Hand Injury After Blink-182 Concert in England

The musician explained that any “aura of toxicity that might’ve been in [his] heart for reasons that weren’t even really valid” no longer matters, now that their relationships are intact.

Because the “First Date” group “mended as individuals,” Barker shared, the band feels stronger than ever and they’ve been able to reflect on what their music means to their fans. “I just think having that weight off my heart and feeling closer to these guys really makes me able to see what this is and value it so much more and be so honestly happy for what it does for people.”

“Having the ability to come together and fix the friendship and come back together as the brothers we are is so important to me because it allows me to be so insanely grateful for this and how it touches other people now,” Barker added. “All I care about now is now I can really stand within this thing and also look outside of it, and look within, and see what it really is and what it's doing for people and what it's done for people.”

Related: Tom DeLonge Calls Upcoming Blink-182 Album the 'Best': 'Rebirth of Everything'

Blink-182 will release their highly anticipated album One More Time — which sees the core lineup of the band together again for the first time since 2011 — on Oct. 20 (via Columbia Records).

According to a press release, the alternative band’s ninth studio album explores “themes of tragedy, triumph, and most importantly, brotherhood.”

Barker also described the record as reflecting on how important their “brotherhood” became to one another after he survived a plane crash and Hoppus, 51, was diagnosed with lymphoma. On Zane Lowe’s Apple Music 1 show, Barker said, “[One More Time is] written about, ‘Why does it take these catastrophes like me being in a plane crash or Mark being sick for our band to get back together?”

The trio confirmed their reunion last year with the release of the lead single “Edging” and by announcing a massive 2023 tour. It marked the first song to drop in years with the original co-lead vocalist and guitarist, who had previously been filled in by Alkaline Trio member Matt Skiba for two albums.

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Related: The Members of Blink-182: Where Are They Now?

The emotional title track dropped in September, featuring lyrics about the challenges the rock group has experienced. Since then, the trio has since released singles “Dance with Me,” “Fell in Love,” “More Than You Know” and "You Don't Know What You've Got."

Hoppus spoke to PEOPLE in August 2022 about becoming cancer free and what it's like collaborating with his bandmates again.

He said, “Everybody’s in a great place now.”

"It was the first time that all three of us were in the same room in like five years," the bassist and co-vocalist shared about working on their new record. "It's actually better than it used to be. There was no agenda. There were no lingering grudges. It felt very back to what it should be: three friends sitting in a room."

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