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Interview with Mark, Tom, Travis by MTV (1999)
MTV Radio Network: "Enema of the State" is easily
your most successful release to date, both commercially and critically. Was there anything different in the way you approached
making this record as opposed to the last one?
Mark Hoppus: Well, we spent a lot more time in the studio this time
around, which allowed us to do a lot of different things. We used different ideas for parts of songs and for sounds, and that
made a huge difference in the way the final record turned out.
Tom DeLonge: Since the last record, Mark and I have
learned a few things or two about what we did wrong. And adding Travis to the band has brought a new element to the group
as well, so we came to the table with different views. After six years, we've kinda learned from what we've done right and
tried to distance ourselves from what we did wrong. Have we totally rewritten everything and changed our style and our image?
Not really, no. The music's actually the same thing we've always done, except it's a better version of it.
MTV: How'd
you come to hook up with a new drummer?
Mark: Why don't you explain how, Travis?
Travis Barker: You guys can
tell the story.
Tom: OK, how long have you been in the band? Almost a year now, I guess. Right at the end of touring
behind our last album, "Dude Ranch," it just came time that we needed a new drummer. We kick people out when they get too
old. It's just like Menudo.
Mark: Travis used to be in a band called the Aquabats, and we used to tour with them. Our
old drummer [Scott Raynor] had to go home for some crazy emergency, and Travis filled in for him. He was a friend of ours
anyway, and he knew most of the songs. So when we needed a new drummer, it was very natural for us to call on Travis.
MTV:
Travis, did you contribute to the writing of "Enema?"
Travis: Well, I wrote the album with them, but I don't write
lyrics or anything like that.
Tom: Yeah he was in the mix, 'cause we're all involved with putting the songs together.
We generally look into each other's opinions when the music comes together, because I've learned from the past that if I think
something is super, super rad, chances are it's not.
At least that's what my mom said. I used to walk around the house
naked, saying "I think I look great," and my mom would say, "No, you really don't. Put your clothes back on."
MTV:
The band had a cameo appearance in "American Pie," and now you're gonna appear in an upcoming TV mini-series, "Shake, Rattle
& Roll." Are movies something that you want to do more of?
Tom: I just want to make a UFO movie. That's all I want
to do. I don't care about anything else. I know it'll never happen though, but it's a cool thing to think about.
MTV:
Why do you say that?
Tom: You want to give me a 150 million dollars? That's what I'll need for special effects. Or
200...
Mark: I just want to make a movie called "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Sex."
Tom: That would be a good one. You'll
need a more than 150 million dollars to do that for special effects. Jock cams. But for real, I want to do a UFO movie. For
the longest time I was talking to this guy, Al Reinert, who co-wrote Apollo 13 and is a big science fiction movie writer.
So
we would go out, have a drink and talk and stuff, and he would hear my ideas, and maybe in the future he will actually answer
my phone calls again.
Mark: There's not a lot of time to pursue movies. Movies take a lot of time and work.
Tom:
And we don't like to work, so...
Mark: Difficult combination between lack of time and laziness.
Tom: Generally
apathy.
Mark: General anesthetic.
MTV: Much of the success of "Enema of the State" seems to be due to the strong
fan base you've developed over the last six years while on the road.
Mark: We've been very fortunate. I think our fans
are very devoted and cool and friendly.
Tom: We pull in the finest of people. We've been touring around for years and
years before we had any good solid exposure. But we pull in positive kids in the first place. We express teenage angst, but
just in a different way. We don't promote anger and violence, we promote sex.
MTV: Do you worry that having a platinum
record will cause some of your fans to get turned off to the band?
Mark: Well, we've done the same things that we were
doing in the beginning, and we never wanted our band to stay small. I mean, we want our band to be as big as it can, and I'm
not going to die wondering about some kid who calls us a sellout at a show.
I don't have a problem being on MTV, and I
don't have a problem with being on the radio. I actually like it. So there. And anyone that calls me a sellout is just jealous.
Tom:
Yeah, fuck you guys.
Mark: Hopefully what will happen is that kids will hear one of our songs on the radio or whatever,
buy the record and listen to it. Then kids will come to our show and figure out what the band is about. And like us for more
than just one song.
Tom: We enjoy being a doorway to open kids up to other types of music, too.
Mark: That's
a huge compliment we've gotten. Like kids will say, "Oh I started listening to you guys, but I never really listened to punk-influenced
music before, and then I started listening to Pennywise and NOFX and Bad Religion and all these other bands."
I mean, with
punk there's always a band that is like a doorway, and for us it was a band called the Descendents. Somehow, when we were
growing up, they just touched us in a certain way.
MTV: You wrapped up the Warped Tour a few weeks back. Do you remember
any practical jokes that you played on one another or other bands?
Mark: Well, we don't really play jokes on other
bands. We play jokes on our tour manager. Like, we'll be sitting in a hotel, and we'll call up our tour manager and we'll
go, "Yes, Mr. Smith? This is the front desk. We have an urgent fax for you. Will you please come and get your fax?"
And
while he's walking downstairs, we'll call the front desk and say, "My name is Mark Smith and I'm coming to flirt with you
by asking if you have a fax. So I wanna make out with you."
Tom: That's the only joke we've done, and it's not even
that funny. We always did joke around on previous tours. On this tour I've been pretty reserved, hiding out. Those kinds of
things happen when you have a lot of time on your hands, but we've been pretty busy. These days, if we're not sleeping, we're
trying to get food, or we're watching TV.
Interview with Mel Gibson by Tom (2002)
Blink-182's
Tom DeLonge loses his virginity with Mel Gibson, talking about the actor's role in this summer's "Signs." Will Mel lead the
beginner through the process? Will Tom keep his pants on? Read on...
Tom DeLonge: I saw your movie today. And I have
a list of questions for you. I've never interviewed anybody before in my life. ... You're my first interview.
Mel Gibson:
Hey, let's make it a memorable one.
DeLonge: It will be good. ... This is my first time interviewing somebody and I
know what it's like to be interviewed because I've been interviewed. And you've been doing interviews all day long.
Gibson:
But that's OK, I'm only just warming up.
DeLonge: Are you ready for answers? You have answers for me? Would you like
a drink of alcohol?
Gibson: No.
DeLonge: No, I don't want any either. It's just here in case you wanted some.
Gibson:
You're like an enabler, man.
DeLonge: Hey, I saw your movie today.
Gibson: Good.
DeLonge: So I have
to ask you, 'cause the kids want to know this is Music Television so the kids are watching this what made you want to do this
movie in the first place? And I know no one's asked you this before.
Gibson: No, that's an original. The primary reason
why I embarked on this particular cinematic journey, was if I can use three-syllable words for the kids it was such an intriguing
story. Intrigue. A lot of mystery.
DeLonge: Do you believe in aliens?
Gibson: Illegal aliens.
DeLonge:
Well, they're here, especially in California, but do you believe in the bigger picture of life out in the universe?
Gibson:
Um, yes. Something keeps everything whirring and buzzing around in a kind of mathematical order and stuff doesn't really,
I believe, happen by itself. I think it's assisted and timed and created.
DeLonge: I had all these really great things
I wanted to bring you but I forgot cause it was like 7:30 in the morning and I wasn't really awake yet. Like I didn't even
know that time existed. I usually don't wake up 'til like one. That's cause I'm a musician and I'm really lazy.
Gibson:
Stay up late at night.
DeLonge: Yeah. But I'm a huge UFO fan so I thought they would ask me to come up here and ask
me to ask you about aliens and UFOs.
Gibson: What do you think about UFOs? Do you think they exist?
DeLonge:
Wait, who's doing the interview here?
Gibson: Have you ever seen one?
DeLonge: No, I haven't but I know very
important people. I have this inch and a half briefing document for Congress of 500 top secret witnesses testifying about
the reality for UFOs ... I have the briefing document and I have like 36 hours of testimony that I wanted to bring you. Like
a VHS copy you can watch at home with kids. You have kids, right?
Gibson: I do.
DeLonge: That's what my wife
asked me to ask you.
Gibson: I got kids coming out of every door.
DeLonge: I have my first kid in three weeks.
She's a girl. I'm excited about that. I want to know if you want to babysit, cause I don't even know what to do with my kid.
Gibson:
Well, she'll dictate the pace, believe me.
DeLonge: How sick of interviews are you?
Gibson: Well, after 26 years
of 'em...
DeLonge: OK, is this a good interview?
Gibson: Hey, this is as good as any interview I've had.
DeLonge:Why
are you so handsome?
Gibson: Well, do you really think so?
DeLonge: I think ... well, I called my mom before
I came up here. I was downstairs and my mom was kind of freaking out a little bit. She thinks you're really pretty. Not pretty,
really handsome.
Gibson: How old is your mom?
DeLonge: My mom is really pretty. How old is my mom? I think she's
like 49. But she watches all your movies and stuff.
Gibson: Wow. I like older women.
DeLonge: I think you're
really handsome, too.
Gibson: Why, thank you.
DeLonge: I don't want to talk about that 'cause kids might think
really weird of my band after that. I'm an artist like you but 'cause I'm a musician, people think weird of us anyways. We
run around naked on TV and stuff. ... Have you ever heard my band before?
Gibson: Yes.
DeLonge: Really?
Gibson:
[bats eyes]
DeLonge: Don't do that.
Gibson: It's like looking at you in a strobe light.
DeLonge: Hey,
you're from Australia, correct?
Gibson: I have lived down there.
DeLonge: Everyone probably asks you that.
Gibson:
Yeah, for a great deal of my life.
DeLonge: Hey, your movie's good, man. I saw it this morning. I know I told you.
I liked it.
Gibson: Three days in a row, man, you really liked it.
DeLonge: No, I saw it this morning, I really
did.
Gibson: Oh, that's the third time I heard it, so I thought you'd seen it three times. It was a misconception of
mine. I can't be on the ball all the time.
DeLonge: You make me nervous. I'm not very smart. I'm in a band.
Gibson:
I got a feeling he's going to come out with the witty repartee any minute. He's trying to lull me into a false sense of security
by saying he's nervous and he's not very smart when in fact he's probably a devotee to quantum physics or something like that.
DeLonge:
No, no. I know a little bit about physics, though. A tiny bit. I read Stephen Hawkings' A Brief History of Time. I've read
that book. I know a little bit about space.
Gibson: Yeah, me too.
DeLonge: But you probably know more than me.
Gibson:
I do, because I have more space between my ears.
DeLonge: Don't say that.
Gibson: It's oxygen.
DeLonge:
So while we're here, why would you be interested in doing an interview for MTV? That's what I'd like to know. With me, anyways.
You probably wouldn't be interested in doing an interview with me.
Gibson: Hey, nobody told me. They just sort of ushered
me in here. I feel like the sort of unwilling victim in the coliseum.
DeLonge: Hey, know what I feel like? I feel like
I'm in one of your movies right now.
Gibson: Cool. We could do a scene.
DeLonge: Can you cry on cue?
Gibson:
Absolutely.
DeLonge: Really? If you could cry right now, that would be rad.
Gibson: You try it.
DeLonge:
I tried it. I have to hear one of my own songs to cry.
Gibson: [splashes water on his face] Oh, they caught me.
DeLonge:
She's giving me the sign to wrap it up. I guess the interview's not going too well.
Gibson: It's going great. Are you
kidding, man, for your first interview?
DeLonge: I don't know, I've never done an interview before. I've seen the show
before and usually you go out and do something and someone mentioned we were having lunch today and then they said it was
dessert. I don't know. I don't eat dessert. But I just want you to know I think you did a great movie and I think the kids
wanted to know the reasons why you wanted to do the movie and how you felt doing it. Your belief in the subject matter that
you were doing, your motivations and all those types of things.
Gibson: Well, I think that perhaps crop circles is
kind of the main device in the film, although it's not really what the film is about, it's about something far greater.
DeLonge:
Yeah, it's about the family, it's about losing faith, all those things.
Gibson: The crop circle thing, my opinion is
that it's probably mostly a hoax. But there are certain sizes of crop circles and geometrical patterns that can only be viewed
from high above that are kind of unexplained. You can't logically make sense of them in a way that you can say, "Some guys
did that last night." I'm willing to concede that there could be something out there creating this strange phenomenon. But
they'd have to prove it to me, I'll tell ya. Just like this cake. Who do you think made this cake? Look at the multi-layers
of it. This one's 2000 years old. As we go up the strata, you'll notice that there are small sea creatures in here. This is
from the Mesozoic era.
DeLonge: I studied some of these signs, too. Hey, it was great meeting you and I have a feeling
that your people want you out of here.
Gibson: Hey, do raspberries remind you of cold sores?
DeLonge: No.
Gibson:
They're kind of hairy and bumpy.
DeLonge: They do for some people I know. In my band they have cold sores that big.
Gibson:
Oh, really?
DeLonge: Yeah, it's from things I can't talk about.
Gibson: Well, you know the difference between
true love and herpes, don't you?
DeLonge: No, actually, I don't.
Gibson: Herpes lasts forever. That's a very
cynical view of the world. That's not true, kids.
DeLonge: It's not.
Gibson: No, true love is to be wished for
and achieved.
DeLonge: So is herpes. I have a hole in my heart and I'm trying to fill it with herpes for now.
Gibson:
Oh herpes, his peas, what's the difference anyhow?
DeLonge: Well, thank you for having dessert with us.
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