Fuck You, Tom DeLonge
Posted on August 31st, 2007 in meaning, songs by bUCKETisDead ||
I grew up listening to cynical pop punk and shit like that, so I was a big Blink 182 fan-boy. But some of their lyrics used to annoy me with their religious connotations - only occasionally, but enough to stop me getting my lip pierced and hair dyed in worship. Going back over some older music the other day and I’ve learned why I was always slightly concerned, and I’m kinda surprised as to how I didn’t notice it when I was a big’ol rebellious 15 year old… former Blink182 guitarist, Tom DeLonge, is completely insane.
For starters, it seems he believes in the existence of aliens and their coinciding government conspiracy theories. The song ‘Aliens Exist’ is probably where I should have noticed this. He also seems to think that the whole ‘anarchy’ thing is cool and awesome while at the same time criticizing the ‘government’ and ‘corporate leaders’ for corrupting them into it. And in his recent band, he seems to have adopted a 9/11 conspiracy. Wow.
Surprisingly enough, he’s a Christian. Imagine my shock when I found out one of my favourite songs off the Take of Your Pants and Jacket album is just a plea to Jesus. His solo album had a song titled ‘Letters to God’.
Luckily, former Blink 182 bassist Mark Hoppus has saved me from condemning the entirety of my teenage years. His new band, (+44), has convincingly shown that there had to be some reason why I liked most Blink 182 songs. Take the lines from the opening song, ‘Lycanthrope’:
And we’ll be beaten down without mercy or meaning
I turn my face to a careless skyline
I’m searching hard for a sign from heaven
But they’ve forgotten me here
And even more when we get to the third song, ‘When Your Heart Stops Beating’:
I’ll be there when your last breath’s taken away
In the dark when there’s no one listening
Ah! The refreshing sound of real world activity, no transcendental bitching or hoping! It’s getting easier to die every day and at least some pop-culture realizes it. Perhaps there is some alchemical purpose or Aristotelean telos floating around this world; but with the plurality of contradictory answers given throughout history, it is quite silly to assume that anyone could find it. How should we begin extracting purpose from a tree? Perhaps the new age movement can answer us. Perhaps if we squeeze a cross hard enough we can extract some. Where have we come since Aristotle but to the realization that (contra Newton) there are only discernible material causes, mechanical causes and indeterminate probability? Newton the alchemist was as mad as the metaphysicians that he was otherwise criticizing for spinning a web out of their own substance with a priorisms and pure reason.
Another point to be made in the song ‘Little Death’:
Please sleep, my darling, sleep
Your cry for inspiration
Never reaches ears on distant stars
And every night our lonely planet
Slides across the universe
And I won’t pretend I understand
Please sleep, my darling, sleep
Your death by information
Won’t disturb the peace on distant stars
And even when you lock the doors
And slide behind the unlit shades
None of us are strangers anymore
Fall asleep with the windows open
Come to me with the worst you’ve said and done
You’ll close your eyes and see me
A little death makes life more meaningful
I stand no chance at all
David Hume would certainly agree. Our lives are only meaningful in that they are finite; otherwise every one of our actions that we make in this life is meaningless in-itself, just waiting around on the front porch to be let in the house. Pretending that large scale natural disasters, our inevitable deaths and the overall futility of civilization is all part of some loving and meaningful design is delusional and relegates any responsibility from ourselves. The fact that I’m not going to be here in a few decades just can’t stop my present meal from being tasty, and the fact that breakfast doesn’t last the day won’t stop me preparing for and planning my dinner. Lucretius said ‘Where death is I am not’, although I can’t remember where.
So congratulations to Mark Hoppus after such an embarrassingly idiotic partnership. To spend over a decade with someone like Tom DeLonge and still come out of it writing clever pop-punk songs is just astounding.
Oh, and this is the first post that I’ve written this year where I haven’t been drunk.
/end monthly rant
November 13th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
Absolutely brilliant.
Actually, Letters to God was a protest song about god…..
December 16th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Wow, Bucket is dead, youre a DOUCHE BAG!!! Go suck a big penis u fag
December 20th, 2007 at 3:17 am
omglol. Sometimes I forget the standard of argumentation on the web. Come back anytime Paul. I suppose I should make some joke about you being a Canadian or something. lol again.
hmm I can’t seem to see it as a protest ‘about’ god, Aaron… it is a letter ‘to’ god after all. A submissive plea instead of the revolt and rejection that should entail such a significant betrayal. Just another example of how theism degrades and pacifies us.
February 26th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
I don’t get why you turn all of this into a discussion about whether Tom Delonge is “insane” or not, mentioning his conspiracies, and statements, and then putting them in contrast to mr. Mark Hoppus lyrics from the new band, on the other hand. You seem to think that you’ve grown a lot smarter, the thing is, you’ve not. All Tom delonge ever did in Blink-182 was to write music and lyrics that youngsters could enjoy listening to, and relate to. Nothing more to that. Now, you mention Mark Hoppus in his new bands, and quote some of his song lyrics. I dont see the comparassing. Call me an idiot, or whatever you might call me, but I seem to believe you are somewhat annoyed as to how things ended in Blink, and is annoyed of the straight positivity in Tom DeLonge’s new band. I don’t know, but what I do know, is that there’s very little stuff in this blog to compare mark and tom with.
February 26th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
I’ll try to do better comparrassing next time, thanks for your thoughts. If I had aliens and deities maybe I’d have more positivity and grow a lot smarter.
April 29th, 2008 at 12:43 am
First of all I, like you was a blink 182 fan for the majority of my teenage years. Still I wouldnt wear the “Dickies” shorts and the Converse shoes. That shit just wsnt for me. I do have to say I enjoy reading your blog, though I disagree highly with your thoughts of existentialism. Now more than ever in our music with the coming of Emo punk I find the younger generation talking more about Religion and god, which would be okay if these people would listen to more than what they wanted to hear. I dont understand why this loud minority of people simply bash the others who are practicing their human right to believe. Your disrespect toward relgion or spirituality for that matter should come with some sort of self-doubt. All of the worlds major religions have for the most part withstood the test of time, despite any accusations of conspiracy or corruption. Where you may think that youre right you have to feel pretty alone huddling around with the few others that share your beliefs. atheism is by no means anything new as far as the human race is concerned. as long as there have been believers there have been nonbelievers.
so Tom Delonge may believe in aliens and 9/11 consipiracies. I roll my eyes and skip to the next track. I respect his willingness to express his thoughts on “existentialism” even though I wont agree with everything he says. As long as he doesnt abuse his influence. this younger generation will soak it all in like a sponge anyway, and we can only hope they out-grow that, just like you and I. as a Christian Im sure he realizes that he will be laughed at and mocked because that is part of what it is to be a Christian and if he has deeped rooted knowledge and faith of Gods law and rightousness then he already has the strength to “carry his cross”.
If you havent guessed by now……Im also a Christian, so Ill just say that youre in my prayers and that I hope God in some way shows that he is active in your life. Not believing in him doesnt make him a figment of everyone elses imagination. I hope you search for answers and find them.
“Man Overboard” was my favorite Blink 182 song
May 4th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
listen. blink-182 was an AMAZING band. I started listening to them when I was 6 YEARS OLD! Dammit was the first song I heard from them and that was on a radio on some crappy punk radio station. I’ve Grown up with blink since. And to top it off, Blink-182 broke upon my brothers birthday and 10 days after my birthday on February 18, what a GREAT present? Yes Tom has changed a bit but do you really think that people are going to stop listening to his hard work just because you post a bulletin criticizing him? No. His belief in aliens is his way of thinking. what does it matter to anyone? Mark and Tom have sooo much in common so dont go around saying that mark has stayed the same while tom hasn’t. they both have realized that staying in blink was a dire decision. just because Tom left blink before you wanted him to doesn’t make it right for those who oppose his decision to talk crap about him. I’m a Christian myself and his belief in God is fine, it just some took time for him to strengthen his relationship with the Lord. don’t start crap you can’t finish. Tom Mark and Travis are Great dudes. they just have different perspectives on how they wanna run their life. Get over yourself and GROW UP.
May 5th, 2008 at 7:12 am
I’m astounded that so many people have come across this. Haha. Maybe I should write some more, although time is pretty hard to come by in my honours year.
HopefulRoman, thanks for your kind comments. I hope Tom realises how odd his beliefs are too. Atheism is a skeptical thesis, and a dominant one in the educated population. Perhaps USA being an exception in the western world. I will always be keeping my mind open though. I hope you continue reading about issues in religion. Organised religions have long been corrupted, as with other political institutions.
Macbeth182kid, your myspace says ‘donbehatin’. lol? You seem like an educated young lad. By the way, that’s sarcasm. But you should know that crazy conspiracy beliefs and religious extremism are the biggest sources of injustice around, so it’s in everyone’s best interest to be concerned. Ever concerned yourself as to why those ‘other churches’ have their odd beliefs? Or wondered why there are so many strange sects, subsects, cults and denominations, and yet even more *dead* religions? Do the plurality of spiritual beliefs and biblical interpretations mean anything to you? Do you like cheeseburgers?
May 24th, 2008 at 12:30 am
ya man i hate organized religion too…its boring and there is no life in it. i went to a christian high school and all it did was turn me away from God. you said this was the first time you wrote this when you werent drunk…i know what thats like i used to party every night man. gettin wasted and sleeping with chicks is all i cared about right before i was saved. but im in love with Jesus now. He met me at rock bottom one night. When you have the real thing your soul just longs for more and more and more. its the pleasure we were CREATED to take in. There is God out there that loves and you and wants to reveal Himself to you but there is also a kingdom of darkness that wants to hide Him from you.
June 14th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
As most of you I was a huge Blink 182 fan. Do you remember when they were just called blink? I do. Been a while. Anyway, i just wanted to thank you all for your postings becasue as a born again believer in Jesus Christ who chose to put his past behind him I have sincerely missed some of the bands that have influenced who I am today. I heard a while ago that Mark was now a Christian and more recently that Tom went into an hour long rant about Jesus at a concerrt, but until now have not done any real research about whether their new music is something I want in my life. My oppinion may not be important to you but I am glad that you decided to share yours becasue I now have a better idea about what cd I will be purchasing in about 15 minutes. So Thanks.
June 29th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
I hope you one day realize your closed-minded and arrogant thoughts are false. Of course if you shut out any potential reasoning of God existing, it will seem that way because you’ve already made your mind up. Whoever has these thoughts towards the lord Jesus Christ, I love you and i pray that you one day see the light, although you presently believe it to be non-existent.
October 28th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
heres the deal - music is a means of expression. no matter what you think of it, whether you like it or not, you should respect the person presenting his or her ideas. i know many abuse this opportunity and turn music into a platform for negativity but i dont think that is what tom is doing. he has experienced something and has lived a progressive life that has brought him to this point where he is seeking to inspire hope. i dont know if he is a christian or not but ill say this to all who claim Christianity - if you are going to truly follow christ you better be ready to loose your life for christ is not a commodity as he has been made into…hence the terror of organized religion and the apathy of american christianity.
i also believe that music helps those who participate in song release themselves. the ma thematic principles that surround music theory are fasinating…
i also feel that music is a means by which one can pray/connect with god.
look into it, check it out, dont just get wrapped up in emotions but investigate what is happening inside you when you hear a beautiful/awesome song, or see something beautiful, or huge someone you love….there is more to this life…there is something seeping out of all things and i believe it is god. there is no other explaination. yes, there is a ton of horrible things happening in the world but the total of all the bad that has been, is, and will be will never even come close to the extent of the good contained in just one day. life is beautiful. the whole earth declares the glory of the Lord.
for those of you dont know: God exists, He loves you, and has purpose for your life…Christ, the incarnate God, came and died for you that you might have life, that you might be empowered to live, to live fully and to love fully, being free from fear and released to be who you are.
i have deicated my life to proving this true and God has never let me down…ive studied every aspect and contradiction that exists and still am brought to my knees in the power and presence of God. i cant explain it. i have denied god and sought out answers in science and even science lead me back to god. now i live for Him and have life more full than i ever have had…go figure
October 30th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Haha, this is the funniest thing I’ve ever read. Considering that most of Hoppus’s new music is completely negative as to where Angels and Airwaves sings about stuff with REAL meaning. For instance “Lifeline” is about God, but hm… he’s insane.
And oh my, since when did believing in something make you totally insane?
I’ll make sure to consult with you next time before I believe something, wouldn’t want to be insane now would I?
November 2nd, 2008 at 11:13 am
Actually, most people like being a little stupid. Bread and circuses, kids. Ignorance is bliss. Etc etc. Get an education and prove the academic world wrong, cos there’s a whole world of people who will disagree with you (literally, the majority of people in the world don’t share the same faith as you). There’s a whole tradition of reason that has slowly been eating away at whatever religion meant, til your tradition became but a caricature of what it is now, a shadow of a competing world view, a bastardization of scripture and the cultural staying power of 50 years tops. Welcome to modernity, it’s not going anywhere. But statistically, bread and circuses are disappearing; religious belief has been gradually dwindling in western countries for over a century now.
What’s really funny is that there are actually people out there who think that being Christian makes up for any other moronic beliefs like UFO or ‘evil US government’ conspiracies.