Tom DeLonge has shared his thoughts on Blink-182, the touring lifestyle and UFO research in a new interview.
When asked about the prospect of reuniting with Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker, he said:
“Blink is in my DNA. I talk to Travis quite a bit and we try and figure out how and when it’s going to make sense.”
“It’s not like I (permanently) walked away. They have someone [guitarist / vocalist Matt Skiba] doing my job for me. It’s just that I’m so busy. If I wanted to, I could be back in a period of days.”
He also claimed that “I still own the band,” before apparently clarifying that Mark and Travis “own everything” related to Blink-182.
“I miss the relationship we had, and the growth, and the crazy times,” he continued. “But I don’t miss the grind. Like, every band has a grind, so you have to love it so much that you tolerate the grind.”
“…Being on tour was such a grind. I didn’t love it enough; it was too much disruption for me. And playing the same songs every night and moving your body with your guitar, it felt like you were ‘vogue-ing,’ like you were faking it. ‘Here’s the same song again — 1, 2, 3, 4!’ I felt like a robot.”
“That’s when I said: ‘I need a break.’ But, now, the grind to announce what we will be announcing soon and to do these books and the movie is unreal! And this is by far the biggest thing I’ve ever had in my life. It’s way bigger than (anything) I ever had with the band.”
“It’s exciting and stressful, not only because of the enormity of it, but because of what I know.”
Tom now spends much of his time researching UFOSs, and recently won an award for his work. He’s gearing up to make an unspecified major announcement.
“I think there’s an opportunity to affect the world in a very big way, with what we are getting ready to do,” he’s claimed.
Tom has also been working on a documentary about the subject, as well as a feature film, Strange Times, about “about a posse of skateboarding San Diego teens who investigate the paranormal.”
Blink-182’s current line-up will tour the UK later this year, with Frank Turner And The Sleeping Souls & The Front Bottoms. Those dates are:
JULY
03 – CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena
04 – NOTTINGHAM Motorpoint Arena
05 – LEEDS First Direct Arena
07 – BIRMINGHAM Barclaycard Arena
09 – NEWCASTLE Metro Radio Arena
11 – GLASGOW SSE Hydro
12 – ABERDEEN GE Oil & Gas Arena
14 – MANCHESTER Arena
15 – LIVERPOOL Echo Arena
17 – BOURNEMOUTH Int Centre
19 – LONDON O2
20 – LONDON O2
