Mark Hoppus - Early Life

Early Life

Mark Hoppus was born in Ridgecrest, California, on March 15, 1972, to Kerrie and Tex Hoppus. One of Hoppus' ancestors, Michael Happes, fought in the Revolutionary War, leading Hoppus to describe himself as "a proud Son of the American Revolution." His father works for the Department of Defense, designing missiles. His mother, Connie, reflects on her son as "...always a happy kid. Really smart, sensitive." Hoppus spent much of his early years in the small town of Ridgecrest until his parents divorced when he was in the third grade, which affected him greatly. After shuffling around with sister Anne for two years, Mark left with his father for Monterey. His father was often away earning a postgraduate degree in college. In a 2000 article, Hoppus recalls " was living by myself in the fifth grade."

Hoppus describes himself as "pretty straight" until junior high, when he began skateboarding. Beginning in his freshman year, Hoppus gained solace through music of The Smiths and The Cure. Hoppus lived in Fairfax, Virginia (a suburb of Washington, D.C.) during his early high school years and attended Annandale High School during his sophomore year; at which time he received his first bass and attended his first concert (They Might Be Giants). Hoppus received his first bass guitar as a gift from his father and earned money for a set of amplifiers by helping him paint his garage. Hoppus never took bass lessons, instead he taught himself by playing to bands such as the Descendents, The Cure, and Bad Religion. Hoppus played by himself and sang in the band Pier 69, primarily covering songs by The Cure, and recorded a live demo with a group named The Attic Children in 1988, featuring covers of The Cure songs.

Hoppus returned to Ridgecrest in 1989, completing high school at Burroughs High School. While there, he faced teasing over wearing eyeliner to school. After graduating from Burroughs High School in 1990, he began playing in a band called Of All Things he formed with two friends, covering songs by Descendents. Hoppus left Ridgecrest in summer 1992 to attend college and get a job at a local music store in San Diego. Hoppus continued playing gigs with Of All Things, returning on weekends, Eventually, Hoppus' manager became suspicious of his weekend activities (Hoppus having told him he worked with mentally disabled children in Ridgecrest) and refused any time off on weekends.

Hoppus made a "short lived attempt" at college, studying at California State University, San Marcos with plans to become an English teacher. He recalls he "hated" college and his reasoning behind becoming a teacher involved sights set for educational reform. He dropped out in the early 1990s after "things began to take off with Blink-182" and lived with his mother for many of the early years of the band. Hoppus describes his mother as always supportive in his decisions to drop out of college and tour with Blink-182, however, he describes his father as "more realistic, he said, "Have something to fall back on.""