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Travis Barker Will Miss Blink-182's Australia Tour

Fear of flying means drummer will stay home instead

Travis Barker of Blink-182 in London, United Kingdom.
Photo by Matt Kent/Redferns via Getty Images
February 18, 2013 10:10 AM ET

Travis Barker won't be touring Australia with Blink-182, but he has good reason: the drummer has a fear of flying after his near-fatal plane crash in September 2008. "I'm sorry to announce I won't be joining Blink-182 on this Australian tour. I still haven't gotten over the horrific events that took place the last time I flew when my plane crashed and 4 people were killed, two being my best friends," Barker wrote on wrote on Facebook.

Exclusive Interviews: Inside the Ups and Downs of Blink-182

Barker gave the band his blessing to recruit a tour replacement. "I hope to come to Australia again some day perhaps by ship if need be. Unfortunately, there wasn't a boat that worked with the schedule this time around," he wrote. "Once again I'm sorry to all the fans."

Barker survived the crash, though he received severe injuries. Another survivor, DJ AM, died of an accidental drug overdose in August 2009. According to Billboard, Blink-182 has tapped Tenacious D's Brooks Wackerman to fill in on drums. They'll kick off their Australian tour this Wednesday in Sydney.

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