Matt Skiba talks Alkaline Trio's early years, heartbreak and joining Blink-182
Matt Skiba has shared some insight about the role of heatbreak in his art.
Plus, the musician talks early years of Alkaline Trio and how joining Blink-182 changed his life.
Read more: Alkaline Trio reflect on the 10 biggest moments of their career
“I’m lucky to have found my calling in life. It’s definitely a blessing,” Skiba tells Kerrang! in a recent interview.
Explaining how he would rather lose the girl and still have songs, the musician explains that, even though he’s not religious “music is for me what I’m guessing God is to a religious person.”
“I’ve heard the word ‘divorce” all throughout my life and as I was growing up, but until it happens to you, until you go through it, that word looks, sounds and means something completely different,” he continues. “Breakups are a motherfucker. People kill themselves over them and there’s a reason why it can be really painful, but the good news is we have songs to write about that!”
Skiba also shares that every track he writes is personal and real in some form. “The songs are all based on the truth—or on something that really happened—but I’m turning them into a more interesting metaphor,” he says.
The vocalist/guitarist also talked about how it took him “10 seconds” to decide to join Blink-182, as well as how it affects his life and Alkaline Trio.
“I think the one thing that Blink does that Alkaline Trio didn’t is… my parents have always been very supportive, but now that I play in Blink, all of my parents’ friends are so jazzed that it makes my folks excited,” Skiba explains. “From the outside looking in, it is a huge new step—it’s definitely a point in my life that will always stand out.”
However, joining a new band hasn’t affected his relationship with Alkaline Trio’s bandmates Dan Andriano and Derek Grant, even if it has put the band on hold.
“Derek and Danny are my brothers. That’s my family right there. Doing Blink has put Trio on pause for now, but nothing more,” he shares. “It didn’t pause our friendship—Danny would come out to blink shows and I would go to his solo shows. It’s weird to have that put on pause, but we’ve been so transparent with each other.”
Alkaline Trio’s comeback
Alkaline Trio recently announced their ninth studio album, Is This Thing Cursed? out Aug. 31. The band dropped two singles “Blackbird” and a “Is This Thing Cursed?”.
They are also on a massive U.S. summer tour, their first run since 2013. You can check out the full list of cities and dates below.
Alkaline Trio tour dates
08/14 – Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live! *
08/16 – Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom *
08/17 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel *
08/18 – Boston, MA @ House Of Blues *
08/19 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory *
08/21 – Norfolk, VA @ The NorVA *
08/22 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle *
08/24 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works *
08/25 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade, Heaven *
08/26 – Orlando, FL @ House Of Blues *
October 2018:
10/04 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory *
10/05 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern *
10/06 – San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theatre *
10/08 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom *
10/09 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo *
10/11 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex *
10/12 – Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium *
10/14 – Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl *
10/15 – San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues *
10/16 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre *
10/18 – Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst *
* with together PANGEA
Blink-182 tour dates
Blink-182 recently announced a small headlining tour with State Champs, Seaway and American Authors later this year.
The tour will kick off on Sept. 12 in Moorehead, Minnesota and it wraps up on Sept. 25 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Check out the full list of dates below!
Dates:
09/12 – Moorhead, MN @ Bluestem Meadow
09/14 – Chicago, IL @ Riot Fest *
09/15 – Columbus, OH @ Express Live!
09/17 – Grand Rapids, MI @ 20 Monroe Live
09/18 – Windsor, ON @ The Colosseum At Caesars Windsor !
09/20 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena *
09/21 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Hard Rock
09/22 – Bethlehem, PA @ Sands Bethlehem Event Center
09/24 – Cedar Rapids, IA @ US Cellular Center
09/25 – Council Bluffs, IA @ Harrah’s Council Bluffs – Stir Cove %
