When founding guitarist and singer Tom DeLonge left Blink-182 in 2015 to pursue other interests (including becoming one of the world’s foremost UFO experts), the band replaced him with Alkaline Trio’s Matt Skiba. Now that DeLonge is back in Blink, Skiba is getting the boot, much like Josh Klinghoffer when John Frusciante returned to Red Hot Chili Peppers.

DeLonge sent Skiba a private message thanking him for his work in Blink-182 and has now posted it on Instagram because “it’s important for the world to know that I honor him.” In the message, DeLonge cites Mark Hoppus’ cancer battle as a factor in his decision to rejoin the band; it “really put things in perspective.”

The message reads as follows:

Hi Matt-
Tom DeLonge here. I wanted to take a minute and say thank you for all that you have done to keep the band thriving in my absence. I think you are enormously talented (I still love and listen to your band to this day). You have always been so kind to me, not only in the press, but also to others. I really noticed. Emotions between the three of us in blink have always been complicated, but Mark’s cancer really put things in perspective. But to be honest, the band would not even be here today if it were not for your ability to jump in and save the day. So from my heart to yours, thank you for being a member of our band. 🤘

The lead single from Blink’s upcoming album, “Edging,” is out tonight at midnight.