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NEWS > ENTERTAINMENT > BLINK 182 DRUMMER BARKER SURVIVES PLANE CRASH, FAILS IN IMMORTALITY ATTEMPT

BLINK 182 DRUMMER BARKER SURVIVES PLANE CRASH, FAILS IN IMMORTALITY ATTEMPT

September 20 2008

Augusta, GA – Former Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker is expected to survive after a horrific plane crash that left him injured and left four dead. Officials are currently investigating the cause of the crash. Hospital personnel confirmed that Barker, as well as disc jockey Adam "DJ AM" Goldstein, were severly injured in the crash but will survive, limiting their chances for immortality.

“Mr. Barker has received significant burn injury to the lower half of his body. Mr Goldstein has also suffered major burns to his face. We expect both to survive,” said a hospital spokesperson. “We understand that four others on the plane were killed in the accident. I believe we have their names but they were not well known. It is too early to tell what type of recovery both men will be able to make. We will keep you updated.”

It is believed that the plane skidded off the runway. NTSB officials are on site collecting evidence.

The crash of course brings to mind other infamous musician plane crashes, such as the ones that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper in 1959, Stevie Ray Vaughn in 1990, and more recently R&B singer Aaliyah in 2001. All of those famous crashes resulted in the deaths of the musicians involved, catapulting them to immortality. Because of their survival, this latest incident seems unlikely to do anything for the status or record sales of the two men.

“Some of those crashes took up and comers and made them legends. Who knows how the Big Bopper would have been regarded had he had a long career,” said Scrape TV Entertainment analyst Tracey Temple. “Aaliyah probably would have ended up with nothing and that crash did amazing things for musical career. Some, Like Stevie Ray Vaughn or John Denver already had a certain degree of success and their deaths probably had little impact long term. It’s always a great thing for a musical artist to die young and if they are especially obscure, the more spectacular the death the better. It just wasn’t meant to be for these two I guess, and then they just fade back into obscurity. The music biz is fickle.”

While outwardly other members of Blink 182 and their former record label Universal Music group have expressed concern and sympathy for the drummer and his family, behind the scenes they are bristling at the idea of survival.

“The reality is Blink is done, and they stopped being a viable economic entity years ago. It’s not like these guys are The Rolling Stones or anything,” said a spokesperson for Universal who preferred to remain anonymous. “Him dying would have been the best thing for us really. Look at Lynyrd Skynrd, Randy Rhoads, Jim Croce, Jim Reeves, Otis Redding, the list just goes on and on. Death is great for business especially in music. The legends of course are Patsy Cline and Buddy Holly, they are the case studies that we all work from. This was really our last shot at milking some money out of the Blink guys and it looks like that isn’t going to happen. Well, guess I shouldn’t say that. He’s still in critical condition, so fingers crossed.”

Mark Hoppus, bassist and singer for Blink 182 expressed sympathy for Barker’s family and said that plans for a greatest hits package was on the shelf for now. No one we spoke to had any interest in the condition of Goldstein.       

Samantha Dryden, Entertainment Correspondent

NEWS > ENTERTAINMENT > BLINK 182 DRUMMER BARKER SURVIVES PLANE CRASH, FAILS IN IMMORTALITY ATTEMPT