Blink-182 finds bliss
Published 9:00 pm Thursday, June 10, 2004
Travis Barker, drummer for Blink-182, says his band had never been so happy to be in the studio than when it recorded its latest CD, a self-titled release that came out last fall.
Where the band had traditionally spent two months at most writing and recording its previous records, the group spent a year on “Blink-182”
“I think during ‘Take off your Pants,’ it was a time that I don’t think all of us wanted to be in the studio,” Barker said, noting that the group was contractually obligated to deliver that 2001 CD by a deadline. “… And with this record, it was like you have a band that wants to be in the studio, of course we’re going to take a year because we’re having the time of our lives.”
The atmosphere in the studio waasn’t the only change during the making of “Blink-182.” The year in the studio also produced a CD that should markedly change perceptions about Blink-182’s sound.
Formed in 1994 in San Diego, the group made its debut that year with “Cheshire Cat,” followed in 1997 with “Dude Ranch.” That record went gold and hinted at the success that would follow.
The 1999 CD, “Enema of the State” – which included the smash single “What’s My Age Again?” – became a multimillion-selling hit and established Blink-182 as an arena-headlining act. The CD also earned Blink-182 plenty of comparisons to Green Day for the band’s hyper-catchy punk-pop songs that displayed plenty of humor, sarcasm and youthful vigor.
“Take off your Pants and Jacket” stayed very much in that stylistic vein, and the CD also enjoyed multiplatinum success.
But “Blink-182” reshapes the group’s sound so considerably that pop-punk no longer seems to define the band.
Songs have a darker hue and are less frenetic than the band’s earlier music.
Barker, who between the two most recent CDs had recorded and toured with two side bands – Box Car Racer and the Transplants – said it was important for Blink-182 to clear the stylistic slate with the new CD.
“A lot of things happened,” Barker said. “Boxcar happened. The Transplants were working hard. … I went through a divorce. … I moved to L.A.
“And I went on vacation, and on vacation all I could think about was our record, and I came back to Mark (Hoppus) and Tom (DeLonge) and I was like, ‘When we step forward to do this record, all I want to do is pretend it’s our first record. …
“For us to try to make another ‘Enema of the State’ or ‘Take off your Pants and Jacket’ would be, I think, uncalled for. It’s already been done. Two years had gone by and so many changes have happened.”
The new CD is also notable for its more serious lyrical tone. There isn’t a novelty song among the 14 tracks, and the references to bodily functions and sexual escapades that had become a Blink-182 trademark are nowhere to be heard.
The three group members have definitely had life-changing and maturing events in the past few years. Barker went through his divorce, got engaged to and had a son with former Miss USA Shanna Moakler. Hoppus and DeLonge have also married and become first-time fathers.
Barker said these changes had less to do with shaping the more mature lyrical tone of the latest CD than the fact that “for once in our lives we had a whole record of material, of music that we loved.”
Barker said he, Hoppus and DeLonge have hardly lost their senses of humor. Especially in concert, fans won’t have trouble recognizing the band.
“Live, absolutely, we make complete asses of ourselves. That will never change,” Barker said. “We don’t take ourselves that seriously. We have fun live.”
Phantom Planet
Phantom Planet singer Alex Greenwald said the band never stopped to worry that acting might lure drummer Jason Schwarzman away.
Schwarzman had become the band’s best-known member after he gained considerable notice for his role as Max Fischer in the movie “Rushmore.”
“This was like a bunch of older brothers seeing their youngest brother off to college,” Greenwald said. “This is what he had to do. We were going to miss him, but it made him happy.”
Schwarzman’s departure last year was about as well planned as it could have been. Because of plenty of advance notice, Schwarzman was able to play on material he had already worked on for the “Phantom Planet” CD.
Then in stepped Jeff Conrad, previously with Big City Rock and Siren Six.
“He’s been a friend of ours almost as long as Jason has been,” Greenwald said.
Formed in Los Angeles in 1994 by Greenwald, Schwarzman, guitarist Jacques Brautbar, guitarist Darren Robinson and bassist Sam Farrar when all five were still in their teens, Phantom Planet debuted in 1998 with the CD “Phantom Planet is Missing,” which came and went with little notice.
The band rebounded quickly, releasing “The Guest” in 2002. Where “Phantom Planet is Missing” was criticized for having juvenile lovelorn lyrics, “The Guest” found the band showing more maturity lyrically and creating a sunny pop sound that drew a good deal of praise.
The CD got a second wind, and a re-release, when the song, “California,” was chosen as theme song to the Fox series, “The O.C.”
Greenwald said life on tour behind “The Guest” had something to do with the darker tone of the “Phantom Planet” CD.
“We were listening to a lot of Fugazi and the English Beat and a band called Lightning Bolts, Big Black, Deerhoof (and) the Fall,” he said. “And a lot of the things that went on the road were feelings of loneliness and frustration without being able to figure out what was actually wrong or right or jagged.
“As the lives were jagged, so became the music.”
Blink-182
With No Doubt, Phantom Planet: 7 p.m. Wednesday, White River Amphitheatre in Auburn; $49.50, $53.50, 206-628-0888.
Blink-182
With No Doubt, Phantom Planet: 7 p.m. Wednesday, White River Amphitheatre in Auburn; $49.50, $53.50, 206-628-0888.
