Travis Barker, the celebrated drummer of Blink-182 has had an eventful life. He's survived a plane
crash and suffered horrible family tragedies. Here is the untold truth of Travis Barker.
It almost seems like Travis Barker was destined to be a musician.
According to his memoir, "Can I Say: Living Large, Cheating Death,
and Drums," he was drawn to music when he was just 4 years old. In it, he wrote,
"My mother and father made sure I got drum lessons and took me to every single one."
While his father dropped him off at the venue,
Barker's mom always hung around to make sure that she recorded the session.
His mom also figured out how to read music and how to hold drumsticks correctly. Barker recalled how
if there was anything he couldn't figure out, he could always turn to his mom for support.
Barker also revealed that he had an accident when he was
a child that badly hurt his middle finger. It left his finger crooked,
and his parents had to decide whether to have it straightened or leave it alone.
They decided not to put Travis through more pain and left his finger crooked.
It was something that turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Barker wrote,
"If it had been set straight, I wouldn't be able
to play drums effectively and I would have been constantly flipping off."
His finger is crooked to this day.
Travis Barker lost his mom to cancer when she was still relatively young.
In an interview with "Vice," he said,
"From the moment after my mom passed away, I really followed the last words she told me.
'Play the drums and don't care about anything else in life but doing the things you love.'"
Losing his mom was a tough experience. Per an Instagram post that Barker posted on Mother's
day in 2014, he was only 13 years old at the time. His heartbreaking caption read,
"... she passed away the day before high school when I was 13. I was devastated,
to say the least, and have thought about her & missed her every day since."
He urged his fans to appreciate their mothers while they were still around them. Barker's post
was accompanied by a photo of a back tattoo that was created as a tribute to his mother.
Around 70% of Travis Barker's body is covered in ink. For him, his tattoos document his
memories and reflect the tales that he has to share with the rest of the world.
He revealed that he embarked on this journey when he was just 15 years old
and he remains passionate about getting inked even today.
"It's all a story to me.
It all tells a story. It's like a moment in time, and I got it for a reason."
He even lets his children work on his tattoos sometimes. He said,
"I have this portion on my thigh where basically anytime I get tattooed,
if they're around and they want to, they can grab the gun and doodle on me.
It's like a sketchbook. Those are the memories that are really priceless."
Barker's father wasn't supportive of his son's ink at first but eventually warmed up to the idea
so much that he got a tattoo himself in his 60s. This was immensely satisfying for Barker,
who is glad to see his father come around to the idea.
As a musician and a drummer, if there's one thing that sets Travis Barker apart,
it is the fact that he's willing to experiment and work with as many artists as he can.
By 2021, he had already worked on at least 25 songs that year
and collaborated with artists like Lil Huddy, Willow Smith, and Bebe Rexha.
The musician doesn't get picky about the kind of artists he works with.
He's made music with Wiz Khalifa, and Lil Wayne,
and drummed for James Arthur, Pink, and Britney Spears, among many others.
Barker told Variety, that when he decides to make music with someone,
he puts in a lot of effort and communicates with them as much as he can, saying,
"Whenever I work with someone, there's a lot of talking, as well as doing, that goes into it.
You have to have a connection like that to warrant that trust."
Travis Barker faced an unexpected setback while performing with
Blink-182 in 2004 when he sustained a leg injury during a tour of Australia.
Barker broke his foot in Melbourne and had to be taken to hospital. The injury was serious
enough for the band to reconsider the rest of its tour in Australia as well as Japan.
Barker sustained the injury when he tripped and fell while walking
to the band's tour bus, but the drummer stayed determined despite the accident.
He decided to play another gig with the band in Adelaide while his right foot remained in a cast.
However, it was too tricky for the drummer to continue performing.
The band ultimately decided to head back home on account of Barker's health.
The band only understood how serious the injury was once Barker saw a doctor in Los Angeles.
Bass player, Mark Hoppus, told the Sydney Morning Herald,
"Not only did he break his foot but he tore his tendons and ligaments.
He got the type of injury that people get in motorcycle accidents."
Believe it or not, the long-time drummer of Blink-182 once starred in a reality TV show
with his ex-wife, Shanna Moakler. The show was called "Meet the Barkers," and
it followed Travis Barker and his family as they went about their everyday lives.
"You guys so got me! You have no idea!"
It went on for two seasons and had 16 episodes. One episode featured Travis Barker's birthday,
which was ridiculously grand. During the episode, he received a new drum set,
a gold Cadillac, and a big party. The car was eventually sold for just $12,500.
Barker and Moakler's daughter, Alabama Barker,
was born while the series was in production, and she featured in the last episode.
One of the most traumatic experiences that Travis Barker had to live through was surviving a public
and nasty breakup with his ex-wife, Shanna Moakler. The couple was experiencing issues
even while filming "Meet the Barkers." Barker discussed his thoughts on the relationship in
his memoir. The musician felt that being on a reality TV show changed his wife. He wrote,
"It was turning into a variety show instead of a reality show — and in my mind, she was
behaving out of character on camera, which was carrying over to her not being genuine with me."
In fact, he asked for a divorce as soon as the TV show ended.
However, things got out of hand and they ended up insulting each other openly.
Barker accused Moakler of being unfaithful and lazy, while she said that he definitely
needed help. The two briefly reconciled in 2008, but soon parted ways again.
Meanwhile, the couple's custody fight got murkier in 2014,
when Moakler asked a judge to reevaluate their joint custody agreement of their two kids.
Barker maintains that Moakler loves her kids, but that she puts her own interests before them.
Travis Barker was involved in a horrific plane crash in September 2008.
The incident, which took place in Columbia, South Carolina, killed four passengers.
Barker and Adam Goldstein, better known as DJ AM, were the only two survivors.
They were hospitalized after the crash with serious burns. He told Joe Rogan,
"When I jumped through the emergency exit when the plane blew up, I was in such a hurry to
exit the plane I jumped right into the jet, which is full of fuel. When I jumped into the
jets ... I started running ... I was ripping off my clothes because that's what my instinct
told me to do ... but little did I know I was still on fire because I was soaked in jet fuel."
It took around 11 weeks in the hospital, several surgeries,
and skin grafts for Barker to physically recover.
His mental health suffered as well. He spent time in therapy to deal with the post-traumatic stress.
Travis Barker suffered heartbreak when his friend, DJ AM, died unexpectedly in 2009
of an accidental overdose. Just weeks before his death, the musician was encouraging others
to avoid substances on a show called "Gone Too Far." He talked openly about his issues, saying,
"I owe it as a human who's sober to say something to [those struggling
with drugs.] So that's my job. That's what I'm there for."
DJ AM suffered from immense pain because of the 2008 plane crash which he survived
alongside Barker. But he eventually ended up turning to drugs to cope with his pain.
Barker was heartbroken by his friend's death. In 2015, he wrote on Instagram,
"Been 6 years, not a day goes by I don't miss my homie, my mentor,
one of my favorite people... Rest in power Adam I love you, till we rock again."
Travis Barker has suffered from chronic pain for years. He has suffered from blood clots,
cellulitis, nerve damage, a staph infection, and more as a result of the crash. And mentally,
it left him devastated and caused significant post-traumatic stress.
He was in therapy for months to come to terms with his survivor's guilt. Barker recalled,
"I couldn't walk down the street. If I saw a plane [in the sky],
I was determined it was going to crash, and I just didn't want to see it."
Time has made a huge difference and helped the musician heal. Barker has
also gotten tattoos as a tribute to those who died in the crash.
Unfortunately, he was also involved in a road accident when a bus hit his car in California.
Barker has suffered over the years but has said that he
remained comfortable with the idea of touring.
Another thing that changed for Travis Barker after the plane crash was that
he decided to become healthier in as many ways as possible. The musician told Vice,
"After the accident, my kids were so important to me. I came so close to
death that I realized there was no way I was going to f--k up a second chance at life."
He also mentioned that the pain medication that he had to take after the plane crash
led to him quitting substances for good. As the drugs became stronger,
the realization that he needed to quit them became apparent. Ultimately, he stopped taking all drugs.
"I haven't had anything for ten years."
"Nothing?"
"Nothing."
According to Men's Journal, Barker also decided to
switch to veganism after the plane crash. He explained,
"Honestly, ever since I found this way of eating I have endless amounts of energy.
I can go all day, and after it all I never find myself getting tired."
Barker also made regular workouts a part of his routine, trying new circuits and boxing.
Travis Barker values his role as a father. He told Vice,
"Man, I would get in a plane crash again. I would battle an
army. For my kids and my family, there's nothing I wouldn't do."
Barker has always wanted to be present in his kids' lives. He says that this
is something he can appreciate because he lost his mom at an early age. He reflected,
"I had a rough childhood, you know what I mean, but it made me
strong ... I want ... certain things for my children. I just want to be in their life."
Also, as far as Barker is concerned, his kids are his source of strength.
They've helped him stay on track over the years, something that
he doesn't hesitate to acknowledge and be grateful for. He commented,
"I mean, I still think: what did I do to deserve these beautiful and amazing kids?"
Travis Barker had been friends with Kourtney Kardashian for years, but in early 2021,
a rumor surfaced that suggested that their relationship had become something more. The two
confirmed that they are dating in February 2021, and the drummer later told Billboard that being
with Kardashian has been a learning experience. He explained that in his previous relationships,
his exes didn't have kids and wondered why he couldn't be around for them a lot more.
Things are different with Kardashian, who has three kids of her own. Barker explained,
"... I'm spending time with a woman who's a great mom, who's a great friend,
and you don't have to worry about any of those things. It just comes natural."
Meanwhile, Barker's ex-wife, Shanna Moakler, isn't pleased with their relationship and has
accused the Kardashians of creating a rift in her family. She told TMZ,
"My family's broken because of this family [the Kardashians] ... and now
my kids and I are alienated from each other because of another sister in the family."
For their part, the newly married Barker and Kardashian seem like a happy couple,
and will hopefully stay that way for years to come.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available.
Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).