Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker has claimed that he asked his friends to take his life following a plane crash in 2008 that left him with severe burns.

Barker suffered second and third degree burns in the accident, which occurred on a flight from South Carolina to California. Four other passengers were killed in the crash, including Barker’s assistant Chris Barker, two crew members and a security guard. DJ AM survived the flight but died two years later following an accidental overdose.

Barker, 39, spent four months in a burns unit and had to undergo surgery 27 times. He told ABC News that he offered friends $1m (£647,000) to end his life.


The musician said: “I mean, [medical officials] had to take my phone out of my room because I was making these phone calls. I would call friends of mine and go, ‘You know, I’ll deposit a million dollars into whoever’s bank account. Like, I’m done.'”

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Detailing what he can remember of the tragic incident, Barker said: “The plane’s on fire and my hands are on fire so I unbuckle my seat belt and I jump right into the jet, which holds all the fuel. I basically ignite my whole body in fire.”

“I’m so soaked in jet fuel, there’s nothing I can do to put the fire out. I’m completely nude at this point… I’m running, grabbing my testicles, my genitals, because, I don’t know why, and then we realise, you know, we’re out of the plane and… the plane explodes.”

Barker is currently promoting his memoir Can I Say: Living Large, Cheating Death & Drums, Drums, Drums, which will be published on October 20 by William Morrow Publishers.

Barker has told NME that the band have recorded five new songs with Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio, including one titled ‘Punk Rock Cliché’.