In one of the most unexpected behind-the-scenes stories in rock history, Mark Hoppus—yes, the bassist and vocalist of Blink-182—once played a tiny role in the capture of Saddam Hussein. And no, it wasn’t through some punk-rock espionage movie plot, but through a quirky fan connection.
During a recent episode of his podcast “After School Radio,” Hoppus revealed that he used to exchange emails with a U.S. military intelligence officer back in the early 2000s. At the time, Blink-182 was massive and, as it turns out, a favorite band among many soldiers stationed overseas. The officer told Hoppus he was a big fan and would even blast Blink’s music from tanks while on missions. But here’s where it gets wild…
The officer casually dropped the bombshell: he had just been involved in capturing Saddam Hussein.
Hoppus was floored—and so were fans when he shared the story this week. He didn’t reveal the officer’s name for obvious reasons, but it definitely left everyone speechless. As Mark put it, “You never know who’s listening to your music or what role it might play in their life.”
While it’s not like Hoppus was out there in camo and boots, the idea that Blink-182’s music echoed through military speakers during one of the most infamous manhunts in modern history is, well… totally surreal.
Just another reminder that music travels farther and deeper than we ever imagine.
