The first official trailer for the upcoming documentary Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear has arrived, with appearances from his Blink-182 bandmates, the late Taylor Hawkins and several others. Watch it below.
Described as an “unfiltered” 90 minute film, the documentary will become available through Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for US bundle customers this Friday, August 13. It will also stream internationally on Disney+. The release follows its world premiere at New York’s Tribeca Festival earlier this summer.
Directed by Justin Krook and Michael Dwyer, the film takes a closer look at the Blink drummer’s personal life, musical journey and the 2008 plane crash that nearly killed him. It also examines the “raw and redemptive journey” that followed the tragedy.
According to its official description, Louder Than Fear shows Barker “battling pain, grief and the thin line between survival and surrender”. The documentary includes conversations with his loved ones, creative partners and well known figures from across popular culture.
The summary continues: “This is the story of the man behind the tattoos. A tribute to those who keep going when the music almost stops.”
Running for almost three minutes, the newly released preview offers an early glimpse at the deeply personal story. It opens with the consequences of Barker’s experience aboard the plane before he discusses suffering from “the worst flashbacks” about what happened.
The footage also highlights Barker’s talent as a drummer, including comments from former Foo Fighters musician Taylor Hawkins, who died in 2022 at the age of 50. Hawkins said: “He just had this, ‘Oh, you’re gonna get picked up by a band, and you will be a star attraction’ [quality].”
Elsewhere in the trailer, Barker remembers how Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge invited him to become part of Blink-182. Hoppus explained that bringing Barker into the group “felt effortless”, while DeLonge reflected on the band’s “wild ride”.
Barker also discusses how relentless touring contributed to his dependence on painkillers. He admitted: “I was taking so many pills that I had a security guard whose only job was to watch me sleep and make sure I was breathing.”
The preview then turns to the “fire and chaos” of the crash. Barker sustained burns covering 65 per cent of his body, some reaching third degree severity, and remained in hospital for three months while undergoing “27 surgeries”.
Travis Barker of Blink-182 live at Reading 2024. Credit: Andy Ford for NME
He has previously spoken about the severe anxiety and depression that followed, revealing that he once “offered a friend $1milllion to kill him”.
Barker’s assistant Chris ‘Lil Chris’ Baker and his bodyguard Charles ‘Che’ Still lost their lives in the accident, along with the pilot and copilot. Barker and Adam ‘DJ AM’ Goldstein were the only survivors, although Goldstein died from an accidental drug overdose one year later.
Discussing the guilt he carried after surviving, Barker says in the trailer: “Che and Chris were like brothers to me. And then AM passing away a year later… why am I here, when everyone else isn’t?”
Barker continues: “I had to ask myself who I was gonna be after this accident.”
The documentary also features conversations with his wife, Kourtney Kardashian, and his children. In the footage, Barker speaks about his renewed “appreciation for life”.
In 2022, Barker performed at the London tribute concert for Taylor Hawkins before also taking part in the Los Angeles event. One year later, he revealed that he had invited Hawkins to play drums with him shortly before his death.
The Blink musician previously credited the plane crash with helping him stop using prescription medication, calling the experience “my rehab”. He has also managed to move past his fear of flying. In 2021, Barker boarded a plane for the first time in 13 years alongside his now wife, Kourtney Kardashian. Two years ago, he honoured the friends he lost in the tragedy, writing: “Gone but never forgotten.”
Speaking about Louder Than Fear, Barker called it “an unfiltered look at my journey after a life-changing experience” and said it “spotlights the amazing people I have in my life who carried me through it”, according to Rolling Stone. He continued: “I feel incredibly lucky to be able to document it and be able to share it with all of you.”
“This documentary started over 10 years ago and it’s been a wild, wild ride, and I can’t wait to share it with the world.”
Meanwhile, Barker recently confirmed that Blink-182 have started creating another album. It will serve as the follow up to 2023’s ‘One More Time…’, their first album in more than a decade to feature the original trio of Hoppus, DeLonge and Barker.
