Tom DeLonge

DeLonge is well-known for his distinctive nasal singing style, as well as his longstanding interest in UFOlogy.

Life and career

Early life===

1992–1998

Career beginnings

1999–2004

Mainstream fame and success

"Nude Sensation"

For DeLonge, the transition from sleeping on floors to luxury hotels was striking. "We were the antithesis of the rock star," DeLonge later confessed: "We took every opportunity to really laugh at ourselves, and it was pretty transparent that we were in on the joke." ^[1]

Despite the success, problems began to arise. DeLonge began suffering from severe back pain in 2000 and 2001, ^[2] with a prescription for Vicodin developing into a half-decade addiction. ^[3] The band were forced to cancel tour dates after he suffered a herniated disc, ^[4]

DeLonge partnered with his friend David Kennedy, with whom he grew up, to meld their punk and post-hardcore styles. ^[5]

2005–2010

Stadium rock sound

DeLonge had an identity crisis, ^[5]

forming the space rock outfit Angels & Airwaves. Kennedy returned for the same role in this band, ^[5]

His outlandish statements were viewed as erratic by the press. In reality, DeLonge was at his peak of abusing prescription painkillers. At some point, DeLonge quit the drugs abruptly, giving rise to an intense withdrawal period that lasted several weeks. ^[2] DeLonge's addiction, as well as career pivot, were documented in the film Start the Machine (2008).

DeLonge started a software company, Modlife, "which he created to help musicians monetize their media in the post- Napster age." ^[6]

Mid-career

2010–2014

He sold his longtime Rancho Santa Fe home, ^[7] moving into a new residence in Del Mar, overlooking the ocean. ^[8]

During this time, members of Angels & Airwaves began to leave the band one by one, rendering it largely a solo project.

Fans began to observe growing evidence of friction, according to AllMusic, with Rolling Stones Patrick Doyle later observing that "gradually, DeLonge seemed like he was somewhere else. Onstage, he wore his hat pulled down over his eyes and clothing that advertised [Love]." ^[9]

DeLonge disagreed with the contract, and again left the band—this time, expulsed and legally extrapolated—for the second time in a decade.

2015–2021

In the years after his second exit from the band, DeLonge spent time with family, enjoying a stable life without touring commitments: "quality of life comes first," he asserted. ^[9] He also delved deeper into his interest in aliens. Before the breakup, he had started a company called To the Stars (TTS), envisioned as a "transmedia experience" focusing on entertainment. He opened a beachfront retail shop of the same name in Encinitas, ^[10] where he set up office space, ^[9] and independently issued a set of purported Blink demos, dubbed Demos, Odds and Ends. TTS also published several novels throughout the 2010s, co-attributed to DeLonge, including Poet Anderson, Sekret Machines and Strange Times. ^[6] He also co-wrote two children's books, including Who Here Knows Who Took My Clothes?.

He went deeper into exploring UAPs, and purportedly began clandestine communication with government officials, including variously the Department of Defense, the CIA, and NASA. DeLonge became a headline in 2016 when implicated in the Podesta emails, a trove of leaked private emails of former White House chief of staff John Podesta. In the messages, DeLonge sends several emails to Podesta—who was publicly interested in declassifying UFO files—and the messages imply the two were to meet prior to the leaks. ^[11] DeLonge asserted the leaks further brought him credibility among the right channels. ^[5]

With the help of several former government officials, including Luis Elizondo, DeLonge launched a revised company: To the Stars Academy of Arts & Sciences, with focuses in aerospace, science, and entertainment. The company was instrumental in leaking the Pentagon UFO videos, leading to significant media coverage. ^{[12] [13]}

Meanwhile, DeLonge went through changes in his personal life. He and his wife separated in 2017, ^[14] with the marriage ending in divorce two years later. ^{[15] [16]} He sold his Del Mar residence after the split, ^[8] and moved to a mountain cabin in Idyllwild. ^[17]

DeLonge hoped the program would spark more congressional action on the subject.

In his personal life, he remarried, to Rita Marie, with whom he had been involved since 2019. ^[14] He joined a wave of rock stars selling their publishing rights, ^[18] auctioning his copyright share of his entire music career prior to that point to Hipgnosis Songs Fund. ^[19] In 2021, he sold the Idyllwild treehouse after remodeling it, ^[17] and began designing his own new home, where he moved in.

Lifeforms (Angels & Airwaves album)

2022–

Recent events

In recent years, DeLonge has continued his involvement in both music and entertainment at large. He directed his first feature film, released direct to streaming in 2023.

Personal life

DeLonge has identified as a Christian. His upbringing was religious. He has written several songs about his relationship with his faith, including "Lifeline", ^[3]

Legacy

Patrick Doyle of Rolling Stone observed that the general public "online, DeLonge has been called batshit insane, delusional and a possible paranoid schizophrenic," ^[9] with his focus on ___ "one of the wildest paths in rock history," ^[5]

New blink lp

'Cut until later:'

Lead

TITLE was recorded at Opra Studios between ___. The album's title stems from BLANK, and its artwork is BLANK.

Recording and production

TITLE was recorded between BLANK and BLANK partly at the band members' respective home studios, and mainly at Barker's studio, Opra. Barker had purchased a new studio space for Opra on the north end of Hollywood in 2020, ^[20] which is where the trio most frequently convened. Unlike more modern projects with DeLonge—including their 2011 LP Neighborhoods, recorded entirely remotely ^[21]—the lineup largely came together in person to record the album. This marked their most extended personal collaboration in nearly two decades. Likewise, other customs of the Skiba era remained: the band began utilizing outside songwriters on their most recent material, and __ songwriters are credited on TITLE, including guitarist Nick Long, known for his work with ___, and ___. Kevin "Thrasher" Gruft, best known for his work with metalcore outfit Escape the Fate, served as main engineer.

DeLonge was excited at what he considered an evolution in the group's tone, posting to social media that it was the "best album" they had yet made. ^[22]

DCFC

Formation and origins (1995–97)

Death Cab for Cutie emerged in the early aughts out of the Pacific Northwest independent music scene, spearheaded by singer-songwriter Ben Gibbard. The group first formed in Bellingham, Washington, a small college town north of Seattle, in 1997. Gibbard was studying at Western Washington University and had been performing for many years in the pop-punk group Pinwheel, but began to write songs he felt were unsuitable for the project. Bassist Nick Harmer, a year older, was booking campus gigs when he first met Gibbard. ^{[23] [24]} Gibbard and Harmer first got their start in a band called Shed, which later became the band Eureka Farm; ^[25] Harmer and future Death Cab drummer Jason McGerr rounded out a later lineup. ^[26] Gibbard met guitarist and producer Chris Walla at a concert, and the two bonded over shared interests. Walla, who was writing songs himself and taking audio engineering classes, offered to help record demos on the weekends, using a Tascam 80-8 reel-to-reel recorder. ^[27] After a year, they decided to develop the project into a full-fledged band. ^[28] Gibbard named the

They compiled a cassette-only demo album, titled You Can Play These Songs with Chords, pressing up 150 copies to sell around the small college town. They partnered with a small label ran by friends called Elsinor Records for the release. ^[29] Shortly after completing the cassette, they assembled a provisional lineup to play a house show, which took place at the Pacer House in Bellingham on November 22, 1997, featuring Gibbard, Walla, Harmer, and drummer Nathan Good, a friend of Walla's. ^{[30] [31]} The band's debut was well-received,

Early years (1998–2000)

The band signed a handshake deal ^[32] with local boutique label Barsuk Records—essentially a "one-man operation" ran by founder Josh Rosenfield, a friend of the band, ^{[33] [34]} and of Elsinor, who remained involved. ^[28] Rosenfield's goal was to establish an artist-friendly approach, with the band initially receiving a 80/20 share of the profits. ^[35] Overseas distribution in this era was handled by several indie imprints across the globe, first Architecture in Australia, ^[36] then Fierce Panda in the U.K. and Toy's Factory in Japan. ^[37]

Airplanes was created at the group's rented bungalow off of Ellis Street in Bellingham. ^{[38] [39]} With Walla's bedroom in the attic, the band inserted a microphone through a hole in the floor to the living room where vocals were tracked on the Tascam. ^[40] It was an embryonic, anonymous time for the trio: given space to experiment and fail, they began to forge an identity though trial and error. ^[41] Gibbard's singing voice is more adenoidal in tone, ^[42] and his songwriting ranges from descriptive but obtuse. ^[43] The album performed well locally, and led to a sold-out show in December 1998 ^[44] at the Crocodile Cafe—an early highlight for the nascent musicians, their first sign that things were on the right track. ^[45] (It was recorded, and later issued on an expanded edition of Airplanes). ^{[42] [46]} Good departed the next month to focus on personal matters.

In mid-1999, ^[47] the group relocated to Seattle to pursue music in earnest. It was a demanding period, ^[27] with the band more spread out physically than before, bound by financial obligations in order to live. ^[48] The lack of a consistent percussionist hindered matters too—an interim replacement, Jayson Tolzdorf-Larson, had failed to work out ^[49]—and there was the real possibility of the band splitting. ^[38] They asked McGerr to step in on drums, but he declined. ^[26] Through the adversity, the band set out to work on their second album: We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes, released in 2000. Like its predecessor, it was recorded in a home environment rather than professional studio spaces, ^[50] with Walla acquiring more professional recording equipment. Gibbard's songwriting began to evolve, possessing a more novelistic approach and frequently utilizing full sentences. ^[51] His self-described "post-collegiate neuroses" informed its downbeat and despondent tone, leading many observers to categorize the band as a part of the burgeoning emo scene. ^[52]

It was a homespun, DIY affair: in addition to recording, Walla handled T-shirt designs, ^[27] and Harmer's mother offered the band a loan on their first van, a Ford Econoline, enabling them to tour. ^[49] The band slept on strangers' floors and ate mustard sandwiches to survive, ^{[53] [54]} with any money the band made at sparsley-attended ^[55] gigs going towards fueling the van to drive to the next city. Though Gibbard has characterized this period in the group's biography as "interstitial" and lacking assurance of what was to come, ^{[56] [57]} they overall began to feel more established. ^[52]

Success (2001–2004)

At the onset of the aughts, the band's work was met with increasing listenership and industry attention. ^{[58] [59]} Though the band were largely outsiders to the music industry, their work was supported by college radio stations and set the band on a trajectory of success. ^[60] Barsuk, meanwhile, transformed into a company proper, ^[33] shifting its profit margin with the band to a more realistic 60/40 split due to overhead expenses. ^[35] The label purchased a historic triangular recording space in the city, previously known as Reciprocal, allowing Walla to manage the space, which he named the Hall of Justice. ^[61] It served as a recording space for the band for their next several albums, and functioned as a practice space later on. The trio had struggled to find a suitable and "competent" percussionist who would agree to tour, and settled on drummer Michael Schorr, formerly of Uncle Roscoe. ^[27] Schorr made his debut on the band's next release, the follow-up The Forbidden Love EP, which began to take the band to new levels of success. ^[41] The band started to receive national attention, with both The Washington Post and Spin ranking among its its top-ten lists in 2000. ^[62]

The band's next effort, The Photo Album, was their biggest yet: it sold over 50,000 records at that time (unprecedented for a band of their size), and single " A Movie Script Ending", a tip to their Bellingham roots, ^[41] became their first to chart and receive a music video. Despite these accomplishments, the band began suffering from internal tension. The album's creation was rushed: each band member had recently left their day jobs, with the band now their primary source of income for the first time. ^[52] The group had issues with Schorr, and Walla—who enjoyed recording music more than performing it—was feeling exhausted by the entire experience. ^[63] It culminated in a bitter fight at a tour stop in Baltimore in October 2001 where the band all but separated ^[52]—one of several near break-ups that year. ^[64] After commitments were complete, the band took a small hiatus, ^[65] where they dedicated themselves to forging a new path forward as a band. ^[66]

In February 2002, the band partnered with like-minded indie rockers the Dimemberment Plan for the well-received Death and Dismemberment tour. ^[67] It was a high-water mark for the burgeoning group: both bands on the cusp of success, playing mid-sized clubs than before but still connected to their roots, backpacking across the country in a van and staying at motels. The band over the years have frequently remembered the outing with fondness; Harmer and Gibbard ^[66] have both called it perhaps the high-water mark in memory—the moment that taking the leap to being a full-time band paid off. ^[64] That same month, the band released The Stability EP, a brief containing a cover of Bjork's " All Is Full of Love" as well as a twelve-minute early rendition of what became " Stable Song". ^{[68] [41]} Indeed, stability was to come: later that year, Harmer reconnected with McGerr—with whom he had played with in what became Eureka Farm. Now a successful drum instructor, McGerr viewed it the right time to join the trio, who were unsatisfied with Schorr. In October, the band entered their rehearsal space for the first time with McGerr, ^{[25] [69]} who remains behind the kit to this day. His addition brought balance to the lineup, with his calm demeanor settling their dynamics. ^[70]

Walla continued to explore his interest in recording, producing albums by the Thermals and the Decemberists. Meanwhile, Gibbard began a collaboration with electronic music artist Dntel (Jimmy Tamborello).

In the interim between albums, the group had licensed its songs for usage on the popular television drama The O.C., which helped introduce them to a wider audience. ^[71] "A Lack of Color" was used on the show, and the band appeared as itself in an episode of the second season, performing "Title and Registration" and "The Sound of Settling" in the show's fictional music venue. ^[72] This publicity, plus the wide success of Gibbard's other project, the Postal Service, led to considerably higher public interest in the group. ^[73]

The record is a concept album, exploring a theme of long-distance romance—its title referencing the Atlantic Ocean as as a metaphor for geographic and emotional separation. Transatlanticism, with its somber focus and instrumental sparseness, was widely acclaimed

The addition of McGerr brought stability to the group

The next year was spent largely on the road, with the band trading their longtime van for a bus in advance of nonstop touring. ^[74] They toured throughout late 2003 alongside Nada Surf, The Long Winters, and Mates of State, ^[73] co-headlining with Ben Kweller in the first part of 2004. ^[75] Pearl Jam invited the band to open for them on that year's Vote for Change tour, and the band concluded the season with another domestic headlining jaunt. ^[76] The extensive Transatlanticism album cycle and ensuing junket is documented in the film Drive Well, Sleep Carefully by director Justin Mitchell. ^[65] All of these dates took place Stateside; touring overseas was complicated for the band, as their record label contracts were split between nine different companies there. These issues and the band's rising stardom led them to court major-labels in 2004. ^[24]

The band found themselves on the cusp of professional transition: the band's rising stardom, coupled with the aforementioned distribution issues, led them to field offers from major record labels. The band held allegiance to Barsuk for helping build their careers, and signed a contract for a further three-album deal with the label, so that in the event the majors came calling, Barsuk could also reap the financial benefits. ^[35] The band, with its softer, sometimes piano-led sound, drew comparisons compared to Coldplay, one of the biggest alternative rock groups globally at that time, making them an attractive prospect for A&R representatives. ^[77] In November 2004, the group inked a lucrative, long-term contract with Atlantic Records. ^{[37] [78]} The move suggested a shift in the perception of "indie" bands in the mainstream, and triggered accusations of inauthenticity. ^{[59] [79]} Their burgeoning success, coupled with Gibbard's similarly successful side project the Postal Service, ^[80] led the band to ink a lucrative long-term contract with Atlantic Records in November 2004. ^{[37] [78]}

Mainstream success (2005–2010)

The move to a major worked: Plans propelled the band into the mainstream, making Death Cab for Cutie became one of the biggest names in alternative rock. ^[58] The group were among the first indie acts to break through on a populist level, garnering consistent radio airplay and touring arenas in the aftermath of Plans, which reached the top five of the Billboard 200 and scoring a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Album. "Soul Meets Body" and "Crooked Teeth" became domestic airplay juggernauts, reaching top spots on radio playlists, while "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" cemented its place among listeners as their biggest hit.

Portions of its contents were written at Jack Kerouac's cabin in Big Sur.

After such significant changes in their lives, the process to develop their next album, Narrow Stairs (2008), was more unusual for a myriad of reasons. Death Cab were now more famous than ever before, and the promotional cycle for Plans was taxing on the quartet. ^[81] Gibbard tackled colder, more bleak lyricism, partially informed by his addiction to alcohol, which he overcame during the making of the album. Among the darkness was its lead single, the eight-minute hypnotic ^[48] jam "I Will Possess Your Heart"—the story of a stalker and their disturbing expectations. ^[53] Walla, who again produced the set, described it in a pre-release interview as a "bloody" and "abrasive" record. It was largely tracked live in a messier, more disorganized process, in opposition to the constructive, technical approach to its predecessor. ^[82]

Upon its release, Narrow Stairs became their biggest album yet, scaling the summit of the Billboard 200 for the first time. "Possess" nabbed a nomination for Best Rock Song at the Grammy Awards, with its parent album marking the band's second nom for Best Alternative Music Album.

The next year, the band recorded " Meet Me on the Equinox" for The Twilight Saga: New Moon, which became one of their best-performing singles worldwide. Meanwhile, Gibbard's marriage to actress Zooey Deschanel attracted press scrutiny. He relocated to Los Angeles–a city he once derided on The Photo Album cut "Why You'd Want to Live Here".

Transitional era (2011–2014)

The band's next album, the technological Codes and Keys (2011), represented a focus on softer, more ambient instrumentation. Walla was responsible for half of its musical content, and Gibbard moved to piano as his primary songwriting instrument. He adopted a more minimalistic, economic approach to lyrics, aiming to keep things succinct, ^[83] and began writing more on piano versus guitar, which informed its timbre. Its sunnier disposition took some critics by surprise, given the darker lyrical nature of past efforts, but Codes and Keys garnered generally favorable reviews. " You Are a Tourist", its main single, became the band's sole chart-topper on Billboard's Alternative chart, going gold. The band has since looked back on the era with mixed feelings; Gibbard in retrospect has felt his lyricism lacked honesty due to the life he lived and company he kept in Hollywood.

In the aftermath, Gibbard and Deschanel divorced, and he moved back to his Seattle home. He made a solo album, Former Lives, released through Barsuk in 2012. Death Cab for Cutie continued to tour, mounting a full-scale orchestral tour with the Magik Magik Orchestra, an arrangement captured on the limited live album Live 2012. The following year, the band reconvened to work on their eighth studio effort, but Walla found himself less devoted to it. He first suggested hiring an outside producer, a first for the quartet. The band recruited veteran rock producer Rich Costey. Walla later told the group it would be his last with the band.

His departure came as no surprise to the rest of its members, given his general preference for being behind the board versus performing. Walla's last gig with the group came on September _, 2014, and the band soldiered on. In the wake of Walla's exit, Death Cab recruited two new members to fill out his space: Dave Depper on guitar and Zac Rae on keyboards. The rationale for two new additions stems from the fact that the group had more elements for songs unable to be played for songs when limited to the original four. The duo debuted on the press tour for Kintsugi (2015), the band's next album, named after a Japanese art that embraces breakage.

Lineup change and continued success (2015–21)

With Depper and Rae on board, Kintsugi represented a new chapter for the band. Singles "The Ghosts of Beverly Drive" and "Black Sun" cemented the band's place in the alt. radio canon, with both singles ...

The band reconvened with Costey for a second time, eager to utilize his presence to balance out

Recent events (2022–present)

Musical style

While some listeners have continued to view the band as emo, the group disliked to be perceived through that lens: they turned down lucrative offers to open for emo bands, and ^[41]

The band's early work was very guitar focused, with a lack of focus on chords and more meandering, weaving guitar lines. Gibbard has likened this "deconstructionist approach to arranging music" as reflective of his slowcore influences. ^[41]

Their styles began to evolve, with Gibbard writing on the piano and computer more frequently.

Gibbard's first point of influence were the Idaho indie rockers Built to Spill. Slowcore acts like Rex and Bedhead inspired his approach to guitar. ^[84]

Travis Barker

TWO PARAGRAPHS PER SECTION

Travis Barker an American musician, singer and songwriter. Barker was born in Fontana, California and grew up with an immediate interest in drums; he began taking lessons at age four. He played with several bands before joining pop punk trio Blink-182 in 1998, with whom he has sold over thirty million albums. Barker became known for his heavily- tattooed look; a columnist at Rolling Stone dubbed him "punk's first superstar drummer". He established himself as a versatile artist, frequently working in hip-hop as well as pop music.

In the 2020s, Barker spearheaded a revival of pop punk in the mainstream, working alongside artists like Machine Gun Kelly.

Aside from his career in music, Barker founded the clothing company Famous Stars & Straps, which peaked in popularity in the mid-2000s.

Early life

Travis Landon Barker was born at ____ on November 14, 1975 in Fontana, California to Gloria Marie Rose McCarty (1947–1989) and Randall Leonard Barker (1942–). His siblings included two older sisters, Tamara and Randalai. Barker grew up lower middle-class; his father built the family home to avoid a house payment. Randall served in the Vietnam War, and afterwards worked as a machinist at a steel mill and other factories. Travis was a troublemaker in his youth, often setting objects on fire and playing practical jokes. As an adolescent, he verged on delinquent, and would sometimes stay out all night with friends. His interests included skateboarding and BMX riding, as well as breakdancing on street corners with friends.

His love of drums began early on; his parents gifted him a tin drum on his first Christmas. By age four, they upgraded him to a full set, and he began taking lessons, with his mother tape-recording the sessions. His first drum hero was Animal, a character on the Muppet Show. He also sang in a madrigal choir for four years, and studied piano. His parents divorced when Barker was in middle school, and shortly thereafter, his mother was diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome. She passed away the day before he began high school. His mother encouraged him to follow his passion and continue playing drums.

Barker processed his grief through drumming, devoting himself to practice with the drum line. He began to form bands, placing ads in a free local newspaper. His musical interests ranged from pop-inflected punk rock and old-school hip-hop music to fast-paced heavy metal, as well as the nascent grunge scene. He made friends and began getting tattoos. Things became difficult at home as his father lost his job and later remarried, but Barker remained at home for two years after his graduation from Fontana High School in 1993.

Career beginnings

Fontana to Feeble (1993–98)

After high school, Barker shuffled through several jobs, including manual labor work obtained through a temp agency, a job as a pizza deliveryman, and a position at Target. He was also employed at music chain Wherehouse, where due to the varied overhead music, he further learned to appreciate different genres. He characterized himself as infatuated with the opposite sex, frequently meeting and sleeping with dozens of women. He would play drums with any band he could, from post-graduate hard rockers Psycho Butterfly, to the hardcore punk outfit Doyt.

His first real career experience came when he joined punk rock group Feeble, based in nearby Laguna Beach. He moved into a studio apartment there with other members of the band and found work as a trashman. The group played gigs at clubs and bars in and around the Inland Empire—sometimes still in their sanitation uniforms. He viewed his bandmates as big brothers, and spent time surfing, practicing, and chasing girls. He established himself in the local scene, making friends like bassist Chad Larson, who later joined ska-punk act the Aquabats. When the band's drummer left, Larson recommended Barker for the position. He remained in Feeble until commitments with his new band forced him to leave. Barker briefly moved back in with his family in Fontana, but rented a room in Riverside from local promoter Bill Fold.

The Aquabats were notable for their comedic persona in which they claim to be crime-fighting superheroes. The group wore masks and matching costumes onstage. Each member had a stage name; they chose the Baron von Tito for Barker, after the Red Baron, the famed World War I German pilot. Barker felt uncomfortable with the name due to his increasing fear of flying.

, which Barker generally loathed. Perhaps more notably, they had recorded a full-length album and were touring nationwide.

During off periods, he worked as a paralegal with Jacobs, and Fold gave him a job at his production company, 98 Posse, where he would listen to demos. "It was educational to listen to all those demos, because I learned what not to do: most of the bands I heard were either trying too hard or just imitating other bands," he remembered.

The group issued their second album, The Fury of The Aquabats!, in 1997. Its single " Super Rad!" saw medium success on MTV and on influential L.A. rock station KROQ-FM. Barker wasn't yet making significant income—the band had to split income eight ways—but felt satisfied that he was playing in a touring band. In 1998, the band were booked on

joined the 1998 Warped Tour

SnoCore, with pop-punk band Blink-182. He became friends with the members of the band, guitarist Tom DeLonge and bassist Mark Hoppus, both of whom formed the group six years prior in San Diego. The trio had been having issues with their drummer, Scott Raynor, who left abruptly midway through a mini-tour in April 1998. Barker familiarized himself with the setlist in 45 minutes and played with both bands for the rest of the trek. Hoppus and DeLonge were both impressed; they promptly fired Raynor and enlisted Barker full-time.

They weren't the only band looking to recruit Barker; he also fielded an offer from the Detroit-based Suicide Machines. Barker rehearsed with the group and seriously considered it, but he ultimately felt more comfortable staying in his native California and passed. His bandmates in the Aquabats were upset with his decision to depart; frontman Jacobs was vocal in his disappointment. Afterwards, Barker moved out of the Riverside house and joined his new band in San Diego.

Mainstream success

Fame, fortune, and Famous (1999–2002) Blink-182's fast-paced, melodic third album, comically titled Enema of the State (1999), became an enormous success worldwide. It moved over fifteen million copies, making the trio one of the biggest international rock acts of the era; single "All the Small Things" became a top-10 radio hit. In addition, it left an extensive impact on the pop punk genre. It was a period of great transition for all three band members; Hoppus later summarized, "We had gone from playing small clubs and sleeping on people's floors to headlining amphitheaters and staying in five-star hotels."

This new rock star lifestyle and wealth was an adjustment for Barker; he told Rolling Stone in 2000, "Four years ago, I couldn't afford to feed myself [...] now I can live in comfort." That year, he purchased property in Corona, California, but quickly moved to a different, gated residence there once fans began stalking him. He was spotted more easily in public and could sometimes attract crowds. He started an art collection, and invested in an assortment of vintage Cadillacs. He started a clothing and accessory line called Famous Stars & Straps—the brand, immensely popular in the 2000s, generated over ___ in revenue. He also began offering drum lessons, and purchased his own rehearsal space.

Blink-182's next album, TOYPAJ (2001), was greeted with immediate success.

He continued his obsession with the opposite sex,

During this time, he met Melissa Kennedy, and the two began dating.

The success, however, allowed Barker—who had long enjoyed recreational drug use—to foster an addiction to prescription medication. As both his brand and band grew more successful in the coming years, his drug use intensified.

Tabloid lifestyle and celebrity (2003–08)

During this time, he sold his Corona property and bought a home northward in the Bel Air Crest community.

He became a restauranteur with interests in Wahoo's Fish Tacos.

The reality show bolstered his celebrity, and sent sales of Famous merchandise soaring: at its peak, in 2007, Famous Stars and Straps was generating nearly $100 million a year in revenue. He fielded buyout offers from multiple parties—Tommy Hilfiger, DC Shoes, Puff Daddy—but resolved to keep it independent.

He continued working with Hoppus, and two purchased a studio in North Hollywood area that they called Opra Music. The investment "changed my life," he wrote, accelerating his collaborative work with others. The duo started a new rock project titled +44; Barker recruited guitarist Shane Gallagher, whom he had played with in Doyt. The band's debut album though, When Your Heart Stops Beating, failed to meet commercial expectations, prompting a split in 2007.

He became more involved in the hip-hop world, and his name became synonymous with rock royalty; he was frequently name-checked in songs. His higher profile led to collaborations with rappers like T.I., Lil Wayne, the Game.

Fatherhood began influencing his outlook and activities; he addiction to drugs weighed on his conscience as he struggled to be a role model for his children. His relationship with Moakler began to sour,

The two would drink nightly to excess; "She didn’t get that when I came home from tour, I wanted to be a family man, not a rock star," he wrote.

His first guest appearance was on rapper Bun-B's song "Late Night Creepin'" in 2005.

The reality show

With Paul Wall and Skinhead Rob, he developed a mixtape titled Expensive Taste (2007); it was Barker's first attempt at making beats, learning how to program and use keyboards. He digitally released drum remixes of hits like Rihanna's "Umbrella" and Soulja Boy's "Crank That" on the growing YouTube platform, reaching millions of views.

His life became tabloid fodder; he was spotted with starlets like Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton.

Moakler found the two a one-story home in a gated community Calabasas; no stairs meant it was safer for their small children. Barker enjoyed the quiet community, which allowed him to get out of the city. But relationship issues arose between he and Moakler, compounded by the reality show and jetset lifestyle. Barker filed for divorce in 2006, but maintained an on-and-off relationship with Moakler for a number of years.

He founded the small imprint LaSalle Records in 2004, and later invested in lifestyle clothing brand DTA Posse, becoming a co-owner and operator. He started the music and tattoo festival Musink in 2008.

Plane crash and mid-career

Learjet crash and aftermath (2008–12)

Accident

Barker had a lifelong fear of flying. In his early adulthood, he had visions he might perish in an airplane crash, and his dislike of traveling had long been knowledge to bandmates and friends. In 2008, he performed at a block party in Columbia, South Carolina with AM; afterwards, they boarded a Learjet 60 to return home. Just after takeoff, a tire blew out on the aircraft, sending it hurtling through an airport fence, across a highway and crashing it into an embankment. The plane exploded, killing four of its six passengers, including both pilots, and Barker's security detail Chris Baker and Che Still. Barker and Goldstein escaped the aircraft, but suffered second and third-degree burns. He was transported to a burn unit in Augusta, Georgia in critical condition.

The event was a harrowing experience for Barker. He spent eleven weeks in hospitals, and underwent sixteen surgeries. At one point, doctors considered amputating his foot for additional skin grafts. In one particularly low point, he offered a friend one million dollars to buy a gun and end his suffering. A year later, an MRI revealed he had fractured his back as well. He suffered from numbness in his left hand, the result of a pinched ulnar nerve, which affected his future drum work. He also dealt with depression and mental trauma; he split with Moakler for the final time in the crash's aftermath. Over time, he found comfort in his children, and adjusted his lifestyle: he began running and swimming each day, went vegan, ^[85] and overcame a painkiller addiction. Barker sued the plane's owners, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., and an airplane maintenance company that month; the case was settled out of court in December 2009 and the terms of the settlement are confidential. ^[86]

Aftermath and recovery;

Within two months, Barker had returned to the studio, but initially struggled finding his groove. He met with Goldstein, who became an important part of his support system. The duo continued to perform, and played their biggest set together at Coachella 2009. The plane crash prompted Blink-182 to reconvene; over one million fans bought tickets to a reunion tour that same year, and their sixth album, Neighborhoods, saw release in 2011. Barker refused to fly—he had a bus built he called the Stormtrooper which he used for domestic touring; when in Europe, he would take the Queen Mary 2 for seven days each way. In addition to his day job with the band, Barker continued collaborating with hip-hop artists; he released a solo album for Interscope in 2011 titled Give the Drummer Some, featuring spots from Lil Wayne and Kid Cudi, and a collaborative EP with Yelawolf, Psycho White (2012).

Midway through the aforementioned tour, Barker received word that Goldstein was found dead in his New York apartment; he had overdosed on several prescription drugs and cocaine. ^[87] The loss made Barker the sole survivor of the Learjet crash. He completed the remainder of the Blink tour, but grieved profusely, remaining mainly on his bus and refusing to attend soundchecks. AM's death profoundly affected Barker; in his memoir, he recounts how he felt after the loss:

Mid-career (2013–2019)

Throughout the 2010s, Barker continued to struggle with the mental trauma of his plane crash, working through feelings of survivor's guilt and PTSD through therapy. He became more serious about his diet and health. Throughout the decade, he suffered from Barrett's esophagus, staph infection and cellulitis. Barker ceased smoking marijuana and went completely sober; he estimated it was the first time he had been fully sober in two decades. In addition to his normal running routine, he added boxing classes and jujitsu. The new regimen gave way to a positive new outlook for Barker: "It feels so good to actually be living life without drugs controlling the experience—and to be able to remember what happened the next day," he wrote in his memoir. The book, Can I Say, was published through William Morrow in 2015 with the help of writer Gavin Edwards.

In the music world, Barker continued his full-time jobs with Blink-182 and Transplants; the latter released their third album, In a Warzone, in 2013. After personality conflicts led to DeLonge's second exit, Blink recruited Alkaline Trio frontman Matt Skiba to replace him. The resulting album, California (2016), was produced by John Feldmann, and became their first number one album in fifteen years. It was supported with a large headlining tour, and marked the trio's first Grammy nomination. Their next effort, Nine (2019), built upon the partnership with Feldmann, but also utilized outside songwriters. Barker continued working with Feldmann, serving as the on-album drummer for his band Goldfinger, and as a a presenter of the annual SoCal festival Back to the Beach. Outside music, he continued his endeavors in the restaurant business with the opening of Crossroads Kitchen, a vegan eatery in L.A.

Recent events

Pop-punk renaissance (2020–present)

After fifteen years, he sold the building for his studio, Opra, after growing uncomfortable with the neighborhood it was in. ^[88]

In recent years, Barker has continued to work in hip-hop and pop, recording with artists like Pharrell, Halsey, YUNGBLUD, and Lil Nas X. He forged a friendship with rapper-turned-rocker Machine Gun Kelly, and served as the executive producer for Kelly's 2020 album Tickets to My Downfall. The LP went platinum and was widely interpreted as a reboot for both the rapper and pop punk as a whole. During this time, Barker founded a new record label, DTA Records, which signed a worldwide joint venture with Elektra Music Group. Rolling Stone proclaimed him "Gen-Z's Pop-Punk Whisperer,"

Barker has been widely called one of the more influential figures in modern music,

Barker's romance with Kardashian—her family already the subject of intense tabloid scrutiny—placed him at the center of attention again. Their public displays of affection were parodied on Saturday Night Live,

He has continued his endeavors outside music with the launch of Barker Wellness.

Musical style, songwriting, and equipment

Personal life

Barker was raised Catholic. He struggled with religion after his plane crash, but came to a place where. He believes in prayer as a method of communication with loved ones he has lost, including his mother. In his book, he writes "I was brought up to have faith. I’d be ignorant to think that I just happen to be on this planet by accident."

Selected discography

Albums

Solo album

Blink-182

Transplants

Singles

"Super Rad!" — 1997 single by the Aquabats; Barker's first single "All the Small Things" "Diamonds and Guns" — Debut single with Transplants; represents a shift to hip-hop "I Miss You" "Late Night Creepin'" "Crank That Soulja Boy (Travis Barker Remix)" "Let's Go" — Lead single from Barker's 2011 solo LP "I Think I'm Okay" – 2019 joint single with Machine Gun Kelly that presaged Kelly's 2020 album Tickets to My Downfall "estella//" "transparent soul"

Joyce Manor

Early history

Joyce Manor originated out of Torrance, California, part of the longstanding punk rock scene in the state. Guitarists Barry Johnson and Chase Knobbe first met and bonded in late 2008, and decided to form a band on a trip to Disneyland. The band's name came from an apartment building Johnson would walk by. The duo adopted an acoustic, folk-punk sound, and began playing concerts; their first gig was opening for Andrew Jackson Jihad. Their sound evolved upon adding bassist Matt Ebert and drummer Kurt Walcher in 2009, and they began releasing demos. ^[89]

The band signed with 6131 Records, who gave the foursome a small budget to tackle their first full-length. ^[90]

The band's debut, self-titled album saw release in January 2011. Though pop-punk had largely faded from the commercial spotlight, the band's popularity rose through word-of-mouth from fans online, particularly on Tumblr.

Joyce Manor landed

Johnson was uncomfortable with the attention, and channeled his angst into the band's next offering, 2012's Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired, a seventeen-minute thrash that explores its folk-punk roots and included a cover of the Buggles. Johnson later admitted he felt a pull to distinguish themselves from their contemporaries, to attract more respect; "We didn’t want to be a Warped Tour band," he later confessed. ^[91] The group partnered with venerated imprint Asian Man Records for the release;

The reaction from their fanbase was swift and divided; ^[92]

The band inked a deal with fabled punk label Epitaph for Never Hungover Again, a release that united listenership and invited new fans. ^[92]

Cody was viewed as more accessible than previous efforts, and many outlets poised the quartet for a breakthrough. ^[92]

The band dismissed Walcher; all felt he did not connect with the band's songwriting. In his place, Johnson recruited Jeff Enzor, ^[93]

The band considered a hiatus before teaming with drummer Pat Ward, with whom they toured in the late 2010s. Million Dollars To Kill Me, produced by Converge’s Kurt Ballou, ^[91]

Recent events

In 2019, Ware left the band for law school, ^[94] and Johnson confided in the other members that he felt the band was due for a break. ^[91] The next year, the coronavirus pandemic took hold, prompting the band to adopt a reflective view.

Songs From Northern Torrance (2020), a rarities compilation

For its tenth anniversary, the band issued a new iteration of their debut album, remixed by original engineer Alex Estrada, undoing editorial decisions made during the recording process the band came to regret. They added Neil Berthier on keyboards for live performances that year. ^[90]

Following Ward's exit, the band resigned themselves to simply being a three-piece, and enlisted Tony Thaxton for a guest role on 40 oz..

The process allowed Johnson to reevaluate older, unfinished demos that helped birth the band's latest album, the Sublime-referencing 40 Oz. to Fresno (2022). The seventeen-minute long effort showcases a range of songs, both new and old, and includes an OMD cover. The band reunited with Schnapf mid-pandemic to record the album, and brought in drummer Tony Thaxton (of Motion City Soundtrack). The band will support the album with a domestic tour alongside Citizen, and overseas dates with the Menzingers in 2022.

Musical style

The band's lyrics have thematically tackled "broken homes, drunken nights, faltering relationships," ^[89]

The band is known for its particularly brisk song lengths. Johnson attribues this to his tendency to self-edit, removing elements until he feels the song is at its best, whatever the length. ^[94]

The band spearheaded a revival of emo music alongside acts like Title Fight and Tigers Jaw, ^[90]