Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker has revealed how channelising intense grief over his mother Gloria's death propelled him onto the path of becoming an iconic musician.
Speaking on CNN's podcast 'All There Is with Anderson Cooper', the 50-year-old musician recalled that the day after his mother passed away, he went straight to high school to audition for the marching band's snare line, seeking refuge in music during a traumatic period.
"I remember they were like, 'You gotta get down there,' and luckily I got down there the day she passed," Barker recounted, describing his presence by his mother's bedside during her final moments. "I had a chance for her to say, 'Pursue music, I really want you to pursue music.' I still didn't think those were her last words."
An emotional Barker shared how he immersed himself in his craft immediately after her passing. "Joined jazz band, joined orchestra, just head down, no one to talk to, but play the drums," he said, describing the snare line selection as a major accomplishment at the time.
"It's almost ignorant to think I could just be so blessed to have everything I have now without her and a lot of people that have passed," Barker reflected.
Gloria Barker passed away on September 3, 1990, following a battle with the autoimmune condition Sjögren's syndrome.