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What’s your age again? 10 Blink-182 tracks to brush up on before Friday’s show

Chances are, if you turned on the radio or watched a teen comedy at some point between 1996 and 2003, you heard a song by Blink-182. So yeah, some of you might think the time of the punk rock trio is long past and that nothing could really want to make you see the band when it headlines Gexa Energy Pavilion on July 29.

Well, what you probably didn't know is that the band's latest album, California, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 charts, the first Blink album since 2001's Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. You also might not know that the newest incarnation of the band is sans Tom DeLonge, Blink's long-controversial lead with the whiney voice and UFO obsession. Don't get me wrong, Tom was great, but with Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba in his place and a new sound for a band that can't seem to quit, any fan should be more than excited to see what they have to offer live.

So before you head out Friday for a nostalgic trip down memory lane, check out these 10 essential Blink songs to listen to. And before you ask, no, "All the Small Things" and "I Miss You" are not on here. You probably know those ones already.

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"Carousel"

The perfect for any Blink fan, new or old. "Carousel" is a stellar riff that just makes you want to break things. The song, from 1994's Buddha, shows co-lead Mark Hoppus and Tom at the very beginning, weak and raspy vocals and all.

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"Dammit"

Another fantastic look into early Blink, "Dammit" is the last hoorah for former drummer Scott Raynor, who departed the band after 1997's Dude Ranch. Of course, everyone knows Travis Barker stepped in to bring the band to a whole new level. Regardless, this Mark-led track is unbelievably catchy and the perfect interlude to the band's later hits.

"Don't Leave Me"

Enter Barker, with his killer drum hits, elevating the quiet punk of earlier Blink to an all-out crash fest. This song, the second on 1999's Enema of the State, is a golden example of how well Travis and Mark complement each other.

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"What's My Age Again?"

OK, let's be honest, you probably know this one. Remember, this is the music video where Mark, Tom and Travis are running around town completely naked. And if there was a song to represent why these now 40-something can't stop, it's this. Who cares if you're old? Have some fun.

"Online Songs"

A song of technology-past, this bass-driven track walks us through a time when screen names and instant messaging were prevalent. Sure, newer Blink fans might have no idea what that means, but it doesn't mean they can't jam out to this one.

"The Rock Show"

A staple of any Blink show, "The Rock Show" is the embodiment of a summer of roadtripping to see some of your favorite bands, and the song is pretty blunt in saying it. It's just so much fun.

"Stay Together For The Kids"

For those looking for a bit of a serious slowdown, Blink does have a few songs that walk soft and hit hard with the themes they aim to represent. "Stay Together For The Kids" is an anthem for everyone out there who ever had to sit in the middle of a fight. This is one of the band's best, no questions asked.

"Feeling This"

Though Blink never really left the spotlight in the early '00s, the release of this song and its video sparked what really did seem like a comeback for the trio. Again emulating the feeling of summer love and its spontaneity, "Feeling This" is the song you go to a Blink show to hear.

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"Always"

One of the truest showcases of Travis Barker's talent, "Always" was a last-ditch single from 2003's Blink-182 that, while it may have been the band's last release for almost ten years, was a perfect way to say "see you later."

"Sober"

Yeah, yeah, we know. "New music sucks." But, just hear me out, what if it didn't? Though nothing from 2011's Neighborhoods made it onto the last, this track from California needed to be here. With writing credits from not only the members of Blink but Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump, "Sober" is the perfect representation of the band's new image. It showcases Skiba's vocal talent while showing us that maybe, just maybe, the boys are back.

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Blink-182 brings the rock show to Gexa Energy Pavilion on July 29 with A Day to Remember, The All-American Rejects and DJ Spider.