Producer Otis Barthoulameu (known to many simply as “O”) was one of the first people to really believe in the trio and produced their debut album Cheshire Cat. On Friday (February 17), Mark Hoppus penned an emotional message revealing that O had passed away.
“Very saddened to hear of the passing of our dear friend O. O was the first person to believe in blink when we were just some skate rats playing in front of ten people in the basement of a club in San Diego,” he wrote. “He helped get us signed to our first record deal. He was a friend and mentor. And not just for us. For so many musicians, athletes, and photographers in the Southern California underground scene. He documented skateboard culture, played in countless bands, and was just…always there. A legend.”
“I was writing about him last night and woke up to learn he’s gone. A huge loss,” Hoppus continued. “Here he is at the board during our recording of Cheshire Cat, which coincidentally came out 28 years ago today. Thank you, O. You changed all our lives.”

Nickelback Announce 2027 ‘Everything Under the Sun’ Tour
Award-nominated rock legends Nickelback have announced the 2027 “Everything Under The Sun” tour, a massive global arena run celebrating the band’s highly anticipated eleventh studio

Stand Announce 2027 Break The Cycle Tour with Seether, Hoobastank and Hinder
Staind have announced another round of “Break the Cycle 25th Anniversary Tour” for 2027. The trek will feature Seether, Hoobastank and Hinder, as did the

Skratch N Sniff Recaps October 10 Weekend With Heavy Rock Remixes, Alternative Anthems, and Bedouin Soundclash
Skratch N Sniff returned for the weekend of October 10, 2026, with another pair of genre-bending shows packed with exclusive remixes, alternative favorites, hard rock

Def Leppard Team Up With Goo Goo Dolls The Struts for North American Tour
Global icons and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Def Leppard have announced the most anticipated tour of 2027, with 4-time GRAMMY-nominated band Goo Goo Dolls and

Bedouin Soundclash & Collie Buddz Bring the Groove With “Bang-A-Lang (J-Vibe Version),” This Week’s Pier Song of the Week on Skratch N Sniff
Canadian reggae-rock veterans Bedouin Soundclash are bringing fresh energy to their collaboration with Collie Buddz on “Bang-A-Lang (J-Vibe Version),” a reimagined take on their recent

Bad Press Unleashes Explosive New Single “Got Me In Your Sights” [Video Premiere]
Rising alternative rock band, Bad Press, is set to release their latest single, “Got Me In Your Sights,” this Friday, October 9. The official music