Mark Hoppus defends Blink-182 UK tour cancellation

Mark Hoppus has defended Blink-182's decision to cancel their UK tour this year, insisting that it was necessary to ensure that their new album was properly completed.

The band released their sixth studio album Neighborhoods in September, with Hoppus saying that axing the UK shows to concentrate on the record was "difficult" and "agonising" .

"It was a big, difficult, agonising decision that cost us a lot of money [and] a lot of good will," the bassist told BBC News. "Because people thought we were frivolously cancelling the tour, which we weren't at all, but it's hard to explain that to people.

"I can understand their annoyance and their frustration, but in the end, having that extra six weeks allowed us to finish the record and we wrote some of the best stuff in that six weeks."

Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker recently blamed too much touring as the reason behind the band's temporary split in 2005.

> Blink-182's Neighborhoods - album review

Watch the music video for Blink-182's single 'Up All Night' below: