Tom DeLonge
| Tom DeLonge | |
|---|---|
 DeLonge in 2009 with Blink-182 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Thomas Matthew DeLonge, Jr. |
| Born | December 13, 1975 |
| Origin | Poway, California, United States |
| Genres | Punk rock, skate punk, pop punk, alternative rock, space rock, neo-progressive rock, hardcore punk, post-hardcore, post punk |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter, record producer |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals, bass |
| Years active | 1992-present |
| Labels | Geffen, Suretone, MCA |
| Associated acts | Blink-182, Angels & Airwaves, Box Car Racer |
| Website | modlife.com |
| Notable instruments | |
| Gibson Tom DeLonge Signature ES-333 Fender Tom DeLonge Stratocaster Gibson Les Paul[1] |
|
Thomas Matthew "Tom" DeLonge, Jr. (born December 13, 1975) is an American rock musician. He is the guitarist and one of the two lead vocalists for the American pop punk band Blink-182 as well as the guitarist and lead vocalist for the alternative band Angels & Airwaves. He was also the guitarist and lead singer for the post-hardcore band Box Car Racer.
Contents |
Biography
Tom DeLonge was raised by his mother, Connie, and his father, Thomas Sr., in Poway, California. He has an older brother, Shon, and a younger sister, Kari. DeLonge got his first guitar as a freshman in high school as a birthday present. DeLonge spent much time trying to learn songs by Descendents.[2] DeLonge was expelled from Poway High School during his junior year (1991) after being caught drinking at a school basketball game. He then attended Rancho Bernardo High School for the remainder of his high school years. When he returned to Poway High School during his senior year, the students voted him Homecoming King, despite the fact that he wasn't even on the ballot.[2] DeLonge graduated high school in 1993.
Becoming a musician was not his first calling. "I was originally going to be a firefighter. I was in the San Diego Cadet Program", says DeLonge.[3] One of DeLonge's first musical endeavors was Big Oily Men, a band of which he was the only constant member.[2]
Music career
Blink-182 (1992-2005; 2009-present)
When he began attending Rancho Bernardo High School in early 1992, he became friends with fellow student Anne Hoppus, also into punk rock. The became friends over the summer of 1992, when DeLonge expressed desire to be in a band to her. Anne introduced her brother Mark Hoppus to DeLonge in August 1992. To impress DeLonge, Hoppus climbed to the top of a streetlight outside of DeLonge's home - however, he broke both ankles on the way down, resulting in being in crutches for the next few weeks. DeLonge recruited old friend Scott Raynor from his days at Poway to become the drummer for the new band, intially named Duck Tape until DeLonge renamed the band as Blink.[2]
Blink released various demos throughout 1993 and caught the attention of local San Diego record label Cargo Music, where they signed and recorded their debut album Cheshire Cat in February 1994. The band quietly gained success in southern California, touring throughout 1995 and 1996 in their own van.[4] The band was threatened with legal action by an Irish pop band of the same name in 1994, and, to avoid a legal dispute, the band appended "182" to the end of their name.[5]
The band moved to Encinitas, California in 1996, where they would record their second album Dude Ranch with producer Mark Trombino. Blink-182 recorded the album under Cargo Records, but signed with MCA in 1998 in order to handle increased distribution. The album was released in 1997 and was relatively commercially successful, selling 1.5 million copies worldwide. The single "Dammit" did well on U.S. modern rock charts, and the band received a small degree of mainstream success.[5]
Hoppus and DeLonge fired Raynor midway through a U.S. tour in 1998 after a drinking problem became far too prevalent.[6] Hoppus and DeLonge asked drummer Travis Barker of Blink-182's support band The Aquabats to fill in for Raynor for the remainder of the tour, and, after being impressed with Barker, asked him to join the band.
The band released their breakthrough album Enema of the State in June 1999 to commercial success, fueled by successful singles "What's My Age Again", "All the Small Things", and "Adam's Song".[5] After releasing live album The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back!) in November 2000, the band entered the studio and recorded their fourth studio album Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, released in June 2001. The album continued the band's commercial success and popularity.[5]
After performing with Box Car Racer for much of 2002, DeLonge and Barker rejoined the band to record their eponymous fifth studio album, released in November 2003. The album continued the commercial success that previous albums had endured, as well as being critically acclaimed: Blink-182 represented a more "mature" band than seen in the past,[7] with the band infusing experimentalist elements into their usual pop punk sound, inspired by lifestyle changes (the band members all became fathers before the album was released) and side-projects (Box Car Racer and Transplants).[8]
Tensions arose between the band members as DeLonge expressed his desire to cancel the tour and enter a half-year respite from touring in late 2004, and the band officially announced an "indefinite hiatus" in February 2005. DeLonge formed Angels & Airwaves while Hoppus and Barker continued playing music together in +44. In August 2008, the band's frequent producer Jerry Finn died of a cerebral hemorrhage,[9] and Barker barely survived a plane crash, sustaining second and third degree burns on his lower body and torso. Both events would be catalysts for the band reuniting; in 2010, DeLonge reflected, "If that accident hadn't happened, we wouldn't be a band. Plain and simple. That was fate."[10]
The band announced their reunion in February 2009 at the 51st Grammy Awards ceremony.[11] A well-received reunion tour took place in mid-2009, with a European leg performed in summer 2010. Currently, the band is returning from the aforementioned tour and preparing to record their sixth studio album.[12]
Blink-182 is recognized as a key pioneer of contemporary pop punk music, influencing various acts over their career.[5]
Box Car Racer (2002-2003)
Box Car Racer was a side-project from two members of the band Blink-182, featuring guitarist Tom DeLonge and drummer Travis Barker. DeLonge formed Box Car Racer to experiment with and record ideas he felt were not "Blink-friendly", along with Travis Barker. David Kennedy from Hazen Street completed the group and a self-titled album was recorded. Although Tom handled bass duties, the band hired Kennedy's friend Anthony Celestino for the corresponding tour. Guests on the album included Mark Hoppus from Blink-182 on the song "Elevator", and Tim Armstrong from Rancid. Tim Armstrong did vocals with Tom in the song "Cat Like Thief". Box Car Racer disband in 2003 after DeLonge And Barker went back to studio with Mark Hoppus to start recording of their new album Blink-182.[13]
Angels & Airwaves (2005–present)
Tom DeLonge is the lead vocalist and lead guitarist for Angels & Airwaves, often stylized as AVA (Named after his daughter, Ava). Other members in the band include high school friend, former Hazen Street guitarist, and Box Car Racer guitarist David Kennedy; on drums former Rocket from the Crypt and The Offspring drummer Atom Willard; and on bass former 30 Seconds to Mars bassist Matt Wachter. AVA is influenced by a number of bands including U2, Pink Floyd, and The Cure. They released their debut album We Don't Need to Whisper on May 20, 2006. On April 23, 2007, it was announced that Ryan Sinn would not be playing at the free Earth Day concert at the M.I.T. campus due to difficulties within the band. He was later replaced with former 30 Seconds to Mars bassist Matt Wachter. The band's second full-length album entitled I-Empire debuted on the Billboard 200 Chart at No. 9 and sold 66,000 copies in its first week.
On June 21, 2008, DeLonge launched Modlife, a social-networking site and online operating system for musicians, bloggers and businesses. DeLonge's purpose is to "fix" the music industry. The band then released a documentary involving their music, titled Start the Machine.
Love is the third studio album by Angels & Airwaves, which was officially released for free worldwide on February 14, 2010 after being delayed on Christmas 2009. The album was downloaded over 500,000 times in the first 48 hours of its release. A movie, based on the Love ablum, is also being produced by the band. Delonge stated on Modlife that there could be a possible Fall 2010 release date of the film at The Sundance Film Festival. The film will also be called Love.
On July 14, 2010, Tom announced in a private Modlife modcam update that the band would be releasing their fourth upcoming studio album titled Love: Part II, along with the Love film in spring 2011. The album is set for an early March 2011 release.
Musical equipment
Fender Guitars worked with DeLonge to create the Tom DeLonge Stratocaster (signature guitar) which consisted of a solid alder body fitted with a single Seymour Duncan Invader Bridge pickup. It was controlled by a lone volume knob adding to its simple design. At first, the Stratocasters were fitted with an American 2-Point tremolo system and was later replaced by a hardtail bridge. Its neck was made of solid maple with a rosewood fretboard, although there have been some custom Stratocasters that were fitted with maple fretboards. The necks included a large 1970s "CBS" headstock.
In 2002, whilst touring with Box Car Racer, Tom began collaborating with Gibson to create a new Signature Model. He started off by using a standard Gibson ES-335, with all but the bridge volume knob removed, and the bridge pick-up replaced with a Seymour Duncan Invader bridge pick-up. This guitar was eventually covered with many different stickers including band stickers and clothing line stickers from Atticus Clothing, Macbeth Footwear and Famous Stars and Straps. This guitar can be seen in Boxcar Racer live photos and in the studio videos for the Untitled Album. In one of the videos, a prototype for his signature is seen that included an orange stripe instead of cream with a matching orange headstock and a metal volume knob. In 2003, Gibson released his signature model, the Tom DeLonge Signature ES-333, which has only been available since its release in Brown and Cream, with a Natural neck and headstock. Along with his Gibson signature, Tom also used a Fender Jaguar live, as seen in AOL live sessions with the song "Obvious". The Tom DeLonge Signature starts with Gibson's classic semi-hollow body design and then extends it into punk rock with an overwound 'Dirty Fingers' humbucking pickup. Its thick, distorted tone is the signature sound of DeLonge's band Blink-182.[14] On Angels & Airwaves albums, We Don't Need to Whisper and I-Empire Tom has used his signature Gibson ES-333 for all of his live shows. However, he has a number of touring guitars, which he has had made in a few different color combinations, including matte black with a black racing stripe, natural with a black racing stripe and white with a black racing stripe. Since the Blink-182 reunion, he has been seen using his original brown and cream guitar (which now has a Blink-182 'smiley logo' spray-painted onto the body), his natural and black guitar (which has now been abused with burns, scrapes, and stickers), and a new black and white guitar, which is a custom Baritone version of his standard signature guitar, made for playing the song "Obvious" and other down-stepped songs. Epiphone has since come out with a lower cost version of the Tom DeLonge signature guitar, manufactured overseas, but fitted with the same Dirty Fingers humbucker.
From very early on in Blink's career, Tom had used a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier amp head and a Marshall JCM 900 amp head along with Mesa Boogie and Marshall cabs for live shows. As his career progressed, Tom began using a intricate rack system along with three matching 4x12 and three 2x12 Mesa Boogie cabs. The rack system still made use of the Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier amp head, but it also included a Mesa Boogie 2:90 power amp and Triaxis preamp, Marshall EL34 power amp and JMP-1 preamp and a Voodoo Labs GCX Audio Switcher, all controlled via a Custom Audio Electronics midi footswitch (The rack discontinued the use of the Marshall JCM 900 amp head). The rack system also included a Furman power conditioner and Shure wireless unit.
For Angels and Airwaves, Tom made use of the same rack system minus the Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier but also included a TC Electronic G-Force effects unit as well as two Palmer PGA-04 amp simulators (one for the Triaxis preamp and one for the JMP-1 preamp).
For Blink-182, Tom now uses two Fender '65 Twin Reverb Amps for clean and two VOX AC30H2 Amps for distortion. For Angels and Airwaves, he uses the same amps but only one of each, while second guitarist David Kennedy uses the other two.
Tom has started using a synth and oscillator rig for live shows, during the Angels and Airwaves LOVE Tour. His synth rig, along with his guitar effects rig, is now built into a custom tower rack system, which stands by him on stage. Tom also now uses this same system for Blink-182, and plays/samples most of the synths and effects for their songs live.
Personal life
Tom Delonge and Jennifer Delonge got married in May 2001.He currently lives with his wife Jen, daughter Ava Elizabeth (born July 15, 2002) and son Jonas Rocket (born on August 16, 2006), German Sheperd Grey, and Labrador Retriever Chloe in Rancho Sante Fe, California. He is the owner of Macbeth Footwear, which he founded with Mark Hoppus (who has since sold his share in the company). DeLonge has sold his share in Atticus Clothing, which he founded together with Mark Hoppus and another friend.
He was politically active during the 2004 and 2008 presidential races. In 2004, he supported and campaigned for the Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, and in 2008 he voiced his support for Barack Obama. He also created a vegan footwear line through his company Macbeth Footwear.[15][16] Tom is a firm believer in UFOs and aliens.
Non-musical endeavors
Tom directed the music video for Taking Back Sunday's song "This Photograph Is Proof (I Know You Know)" in 2004.[17] Tom made a cameo appearance as the Burger Jungle drive thru clerk in the movie Idle Hands. Blink-182 is featured in the music documentaries: Riding in Vans with Boys, The Urethra Chronicles, The Urethra Chronicles II: Harder Faster Faster Harder, and upcoming film The Blinkumentary. Tom also made a cameo appearance in the blockbuster film American Pie with his fellow bandmates in Blink-182, acting in a scene while one of their songs, "Mutt", played in the background. Tom made a cameo appearance in The Simpsons with fellow bandmates, while "All The Small Things" played in the background.
Tom has created his own website called Modlife; the site allows bands and their fans to meet up and interact with each other. The artists can also choose whether to have paid subscriptions for certain items. In 2001, DeLonge started Atticus Clothing and Macbeth Footwear with fellow Blink-182 band member Mark Hoppus. However, after Hoppus sold his shares in both companies after the hiatus of Blink-182, Tom sold his shares in Atticus Clothing and is currently the sole owner of Macbeth Footwear.
Discography
|
|
References
- ↑ Tom DeLonge using a Gibson Les Paul
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Hoppus, Anne; Blink-182 (October 2001). Blink-182: Tales from Beneath Your Mom. MTV Books / Pocket Books. ISBN 0-7434-2207-4.
- ↑ "Business Magazine Articles - Your Business Magazine". bizSanDiego. 2008-01-07. http://www.bizsandiego.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=490&Itemid=2. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
- ↑ Hall, Joshua (2001). "Totally Naked: An Interview with blink-182's Mark Hoppus & Friends". http://www.klipsch.com/na-en/news/features/totally-naked-an-interview-with-blink-182-s-mark-hoppus-friends-details/. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Montgomery, James. "How Did Blink-182 Become So Influential?". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1604639/20090209/blink_182.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-02-09.
- ↑ Weiner, Jonah (2004-11-23). "The Greatest Songs Ever! All the Small Things – Blender". Blender. http://www.blender.com/guide/67763/greatest-songs-ever-all-small-things.html. Retrieved 2010-06-02.
- ↑ "All-Music review of Blink-182". allmusic.com. http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:32jteal64xu7~T1.
- ↑ Wiederhorn, Jon (2003-08-11). "Blink-182 Tone Down Pranks, Get Down to Real ‘Action’ on Next LP". MTV (MTV.com). http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1476576/20030811/blink_182.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
- ↑ Mark Hoppus (August 21, 2008). "The World Became a Lot Less Musical Today". http://www.pickrset.com/markhoppus/?m=200808. Retrieved 2009-09-05.
- ↑ Arroyave, Luis (2010-04-26). "Tom DeLonge glad he's back with Blink". Chicago Tribune. http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-live-0426-luis-20100426,0,1265805.story.
- ↑ Gil Kaufman (February 8, 2009). "Blink-182 Confirm Reunion On Grammy Stage". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1604564/20090208/blink_182.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-02-09.
- ↑ Montgomery, James (2010-06-23). "'New Blink-182 Music Is On The Way,' Mark Hoppus Promises". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1642163/20100623/blink_182.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-06-24.
- ↑ Abbey Goodman (May 21, 2002). "In Stores Now And Coming Soon: New Albums By Marc Anthony, Tommy Lee, Box Car Racer, The Breeders & More". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1454097/20020520/box_car_racer.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-02-15.
- ↑ Tom DeLonge Signature
- ↑ "Angels & Airwaves' Tom DeLonge // Out There // peta2". Peta2.com. http://www.peta2.com/Outthere/o_tom_delonge.asp. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
- ↑ "International Vegetarian Union - Tom Delonge". Ivu.org. http://www.ivu.org/people/music/delonge.html. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
- ↑ Blink-182's Tom DeLonge Directs Video - News Story | Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV News
External links
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book:Punk rock in California
Category:Blink-182
Portal:Punk rock
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||