Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus: ‘Bass players are just cool. We’re the one that brings it all together’

Mark Hoppus of Blink-182: ‘I think the whole world feels confused by what’s going on in the US right now. Every US citizen, the supporters, dissenters, resisters, are like: what the hell’s going on?’ Photograph: Scarlet Page/The Guardian

You used to keep chickens named after women from Blink-182 songs. Which was your favourite?

There was Wendy, Holly, Josie … I forget the others. We lived in London, but also had a 25-acre farm out in Somerset with a Georgian farmhouse that was built in 1750. A guy from the British Beekeeping Association, who worked at the local church, would come over and help me open up my hives and harvest the honey. It was crazy how much honey we got – up to 150 jars a season. It was the best honey I’ve ever tasted.