+44 "When Your Heart Stops Beating" Gatefold LP Interscope (US)

Vinyl is NM, Jacket is NM In Shrink

Out of Print!!

Pressed on Blue and White Swirled Wax!

Track Listing:

A1 Lycanthrope
A2 Baby Come On
A3 When Your Heart Stops Beating
A4 Little Death
A5 155
A6 Lillian
B1 Cliffdiving
B2 Interlude
B3 Weatherman
B4 No, It Isn't
B5 Make You Smile
B6 Chapter 13

+44 (read as Plus 44) was an American band formed in , in 2005. The group consisted of vocalist and bassist and drummer of , lead guitarist of and rhythm guitarist of . Hoppus and Barker created +44 shortly after the 2005 breakup of Blink-182, and the band's name refers to the of the , the country where the duo first discussed the project. Early recordings were largely in nature, and featured vocals by , formerly of the all-girl punk quartet Get the Girl.

The band's sound gradually took on a heavier tone as Hoppus and Barker purchased a studio in which to record. Although hotly anticipated by music press, the band's debut, (2006), undersold commercial expectations and received mixed reviews from professional critics. The group toured worldwide throughout 2006 and 2007, including a summer slot on the alongside . Hoppus later began preparing material for a solo album and put plans for a second +44 album on hold in 2008, and the group entered an extended hiatus with the reunion of in 2009. On the subject of the band's future, Hoppus has commented, "I don't consider it done. We'll never say never with anything."

Formation (2005)

By 2004, Blink-182, consisting of bassist , guitarist , and drummer , had emerged as the biggest act of the era, releasing the seven-times-multiplatinum (1999) and number one album (2001). The band took a brief break in 2002 when DeLonge suffered a in his back, during which time he collected several darker musical ideas he felt unsuitable for Blink-182, compiling them into a record, . The album, recorded with the help of guitarist and longtime friend , was intended as a one-time experimental project but evolved into a full-fledged band with Barker behind the kit. The side project would cause great division between DeLonge and Hoppus, who was not included and felt betrayed. The moody subject matter and music on Box Car Racer edged its way into the Blink sound as well, and the band explored elements on their next effort, an (2003).

The trio embarked on a European tour the following fall, during which DeLonge felt increasingly conflicted both about his creative freedom within the group and the toll touring was taking on his family life. He eventually expressed his desire to take a half-year respite from touring in order to spend more time with family. Hoppus and Barker were dismayed by his decision, which they felt was an overly long break. DeLonge did not blame his bandmates for being disappointed with his requests, but was dismayed that they could not seemingly understand. In addition, DeLonge protested the idea of Barker's reality television series, , which was being produced for a 2005 premiere. DeLonge disliked television cameras everywhere, feeling his personal privacy was invaded. Following the , DeLonge agreed to perform at 's Concert for South Asia, a benefit show to aid victims. Further arguments ensued during rehearsals, rooted in the band member's increasing paranoia and bitterness toward one another. He considered his bandmates priorities "mad, mad different," coming to the conclusion that the trio had simply grew apart as they aged, had families, and reached fame. The breakdown in communication led to heated exchanges, resulting in his exit from the group. Geffen announced on February 22, 2005 that Blink-182 would be going on an "indefinite hiatus", and DeLonge would not speak to Barker or Hoppus—whom he once considered his greatest friend—for several years.

Geffen opted to refer to the breakup as an "indefinite hiatus," and label president Jordan Schur reportedly told Barker that "any press you do, make sure you say everything is cool." Immediately following DeVoe's phone call, Hoppus and Barker began laying down new ideas. Recording in Barker's basement and Hoppus' dining room, by necessity everything was electronic, with the two musicians experimenting with , , and . While away on a trip in April 2005, Hoppus participated in an interview with MTV News in which he revealed the band's existence, saying "Right now, Travis and I are using the time off to start this project called Plus-44 […] It's very exciting, like a breath of fresh air." When the two regrouped, they decided to stop giving interviews about the new project. "It was strange to be talking about music that we were just in the very first steps of writing," recalled Hoppus. "It didn’t feel right to talk about yet." The band's name is a reference to the country code needed when placing a phone call to the , where Hoppus and Barker first discussed making music alone. "When we first started talking about ever doing anything outside of blink was on the last European tour where Tom was telling us that he needed to take a year off from the band. […] We never did anything about it until Tom quit the band, but that's where it first started," said Hoppus. The basement recordings were ambient and quiet by necessity. "We were recording and we didn't want the cops showing up at our house at 2 a.m. because we recording drums," remembered Hoppus.

When Your Heart Stops Beating (2006–07)

The addition of other members to +44 came gradually. In April 2005, Barker invited his friend to provide vocals on a track. Formerly of the all-girl punk quartet Get the Girl, Heller traded and shared vocals with Hoppus on most of the band's early demos. Meanwhile, Hoppus invited friend to play guitar on a few tracks the band began working on, and he was soon drafted as a member. Production on the record moved along swiftly once the duo purchased their own North Hollywood studio, which they dubbed Opera Music. The space — which featured two recording rooms, a lounge and a small outdoor courtyard — was purchased in October 2005 from former Poison guitarist Richie Ketzen. After moving all band gear into the new recording center, the entire direction for the band evolved into a more organic sound. Heller became uneasy with the new direction and, with a desire to start a family, parted ways with the band by the end of the year. Shortly afterward, friend came in to observe and listen and play to songs; by the end of the day, Hoppus and Barker asked him to become the fourth member of the group. The band's debut album, , was produced by Hoppus and Barker, with longtime associate and friend in the role of executive producer.

The release date for When Your Heart Stops Beating was heavily anticipated and publicized by the music press. As early as August 2005, Internet rumors began to circulate that the album would be released in January 2006 although the band's management denied the claims. Thanks to Hoppus and Barker's silence on press interviews, misinformation flooded the Internet in the months prior to the record's release, such as countless impostors posting fake songs online. "It's kind of flattering that some kids would go out there and post songs under our name," Barker added. "I mean, at least it means that people are excited to hear our stuff." "No It Isn't" leaked in December 2005 and caused speculation as it addressed the break-up of Blink-182 head-on. Hoppus did not give any formal interviews before shortly prior to the release of the album, instead spending time updating his blog, producing tracks for , and working on the album in relative secrecy. "During that time, their former bandmate, Tom DeLonge, did the opposite, peppering blogs and magazines with quotes hyping his new band and putting the blame for the Blink situation squarely on their shoulders," reported James Montgomery of MTV News. While it "pained" them to do so, Hoppus and Barker refrained from speaking to media, instead burying themselves in the studio in the recording of the album. "We just bit our tongues and didn't say anything, and now that the record is done, we get the chance to tell the truth about everything," Hoppus said. "We were silent for a year, and we couldn't put into words what we were doing, so we just decided not to say anything and let the music speak for itself," Barker added. "Now it's time for people to hear that music and hear the truth."

When Your Heart Stops Beating was officially released November 13, 2006. In the , the album debuted at number 10 on the , with approximately 66,000 copies sold in its first week. The album received generally mixed reviews from music critics. described as it as "zippier and catchier" than Angels & Airwaves' debut studio album, , but concluded that neither band was as good as Blink-182. As of September 2011, the album has sold over 274,000 copies in the US. +44's first show took place at the in on September 7, 2006 with a second appearance following at the . The band embarked on a promotional tour of the shortly thereafter. Barker was in constant pain but soldiered through the performances, altering his kit set-up to accommodate. "He is now using his left foot as his right arm, style," confirmed Hoppus. A doctor informed Barker he had broken a bone in his arm during the band's video shoot and was instructed to immediately rest and not take part in the band's upcoming live dates, including early 2007 jaunts to and . Barker nevertheless took part, but after an excruciating Amsterdam gig, the band drafted , then of , to fill-in for him.

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