Fomer Blink 182 Member Comments on U2

[Numb1075]

Here are a few comments made by former guitarist/singer from Blink 182, Tom Delonge, in Rolling Stone Magazine pertaining to U2. Tom is beginning a new band called Angels and Airwaves.

RS: What albums were you listening to for inspiration? Anything surprising?

Tom: I ended up listening to a lot of Peter Gabriel, U2, the Police, the Cure -- bands that got to stadium-level size.

I can listen to U2 and list at least thirty songs that make me go, "How the fuck did they do that?" I wanted to learn how music, as mathematics, can touch an amazing amount of people.

RS: So you've been shooting for something "timeless" . . .

Tom: I want to come out with an album that people will refer to twenty years from now as the album of this decade. [There hasn't been] a record like that since Nirvana's [Nevermind] and I don't think there's ever been a band as good as U2.

 

[mikal]

wow. i would have thought he would have refered to them as "Dildos" or something like that.

 

[Numb1075]

I was actually impressed by his comments. Didn't expect the praise....

 

[U2 Beginner]

 

[gareth brown]

i don't see what's so surprising to be honest

 

[Numb1075]

i don't see what's so surprising to be honest

Most people see Blink 182 as a young punk band who generally give the finger to the older more established rock bands and are "too cool" to admit their influence on their own music.

 

[gareth brown]

i know that but still, he's always seemed kind of open about the whole thing. as have a lot of bands like that. Plus, to deny U2's awesome powers would just be foolish

 

[Numb1075]

awesome powers indeed !!

 

[Flying FuManchu]

Nothing surprising about this. Hell, if you listen to some Blink 182 songs, the way he plays/ wrote some guitar bits hearken back to some U2 stuff.

 

[JCOSTER]

nice compliments!

 

[Sting]

Tom Delonge made a new band called Angels and Airwaves. If you listen to the (leaked) track, "The Adventure", the Guitar is 100% Edge. And Tom is trying to get more richness in his voice, ala Bono (although it doesnt even come close... Tom's always been a kinda weak and nasaly singer... that doesnt mean he is bad, but it certainly isn't Bono-worthy! )

Blink 182 aren't ignorant. I am a huge Blink 182 fan(them and Green day made be start playing guitar back in 2000), and they used to be stupid punks who just kept writing about poop and stupid stuff. They did it for a while too... too long. When I was in grade 8(2001), Blink released there "TAke Off Your Pants and Jacket" album, and I was, even at 14, a little dissapointed they were almost 30 and still writing about high school and that kind of stuff. But I still liked it.

I was expecting their next(and final.. although i didn't know it at the time ) album to be the same childish stuff(and being grade 11... i wasn't exaclty mature but I was definately not into the masturbation and poop songs anymore. So I assumed my love of Blink 182 would be stalled, and that i would always like their old songs for what they were, but never be able to connect with them again. But there Untitled Album is damn good. not a single joke song on it and you can hear influences from the bands Tom mentioned.

I still love all of their songs... all of thier old albums. Contrary to popular belief 90% of their songs are about girls or friends... and due to their videos, interviews, and live album, alot of people think they are all about stupid stuff. They were always hopeless romantics... it just took them all a little too long to realize it fully and want to write about something more seriously.

This band also have some cred, having slaved away in a van for 6 years before becoming "big" with Enema of the State released in 1998.

They paid their dues. I am glad Tom is showing the respect. Although I see nothing Mathematical about U2's music... if you start disecting music too much I feel it loses some of the emotion. And U2's music is far from even slightly emotionless.