Travis Barker
A drummer who turbocharged pop-punk with blistering speed and hip-hop swagger, becoming the genre's most recognizable and influential percussionist.
Born 1975 (age 51)·American drummer·Birthday: November 14·Generation X
Biography
Travis Barker didn't just keep time for Blink-182; he injected their music with a ferocious, athletic energy that redefined what pop-punk drumming could sound like. His background in punk and jazz fusion translated into a hyper-fast, technically precise style filled with explosive fills. After Blink's initial hiatus, he co-founded +44 and remained a sought-after collaborator, most notably bridging rock and hip-hop worlds with artists like The Game and Lil Wayne. A 2008 plane crash that killed four people and left him with severe burns became a defining moment of survival; his grueling recovery and return to drumming showcased immense physical and mental fortitude. Today, his influence is everywhere, from his signature drumming to his fashion and tattoos, cementing him as a cultural figure who made the drummer a front-and-center rock star.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Travis was born in 1975, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Travis Was Born
The biggest hits of 1975
#1 Movie
Jaws
Best Picture
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Travis's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1975Born
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1980Started school
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1988Became a teenager
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Could drive
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1993Could vote
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Turned 21
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2005Turned 30
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 40
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 50
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 51 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- As drummer for Blink-182, helped sell tens of millions of albums worldwide, including the multi-platinum 'Enema of the State' and 'Take Off Your Pants and Jacket'.
- Co-founded the rap rock supergroup The Transplants with Tim Armstrong and Skinhead Rob.
- Survived a deadly plane crash in 2008 and relearned to drum after extensive surgeries and skin grafts.
- Won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock Video for Blink-182's 'All the Small Things' in 2000.
Did You Know?
He is a licensed pilot.
He got his first tattoo, a cross, at age 15.
He is a vegan and has invested in vegan businesses.
He frequently performs with his entire body heavily tattooed, including his neck and hands.
“'I play the drums. That's what I do. That's what I love.'”
