Recently we had a chance to throw some questions at Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker. Read on to see which reality show star he would like to punch out, what he thinks about file-sharing and how he felt about the Blink-182 show in the middle east.
PRR: You've said that you tried to go into writing this new album with no plans and no preconceptions of what it should be. What do you think old school Blink fans will think when they hear it for the first time?
Travis: I honestly think they’ll see that we’re writing as a band again and we’ll feel like a band again. ‘Take Off Your Pants and Jacket’ was done so fast due to the MCA guy telling us to hurry up and put out a record. I said, ‘fuck we need to write like this is our first record. Just be a band again.’ When you are on a major label or on the road, you get less involved in your band and what music, what photos are involved in it. We took everything back and told every one to fuck off. Blink fans will love it.
PRR: With the different approach of going into a house and just going at the album head on, do you find that you are more proud of this effort than of others in your career?
Travis: To tell you the truth, it wasn’t the house. I would say it came out so well because we recorded it in intervals. We recorded 7 songs in three months, then I went on The Transplants tour and then came back to it after that. It made a difference to come back. The second half is much more aggressive.
PRR: The first tour to support the album is the DollaBill tour associated with MTV. What do you think is going to be the best part of going back into smaller venues?
Travis: I think everything. Everything about a smaller venue is better. We always wind up playing bigger arenas. I‘d rather play a smaller club twelve days in a row. And to top it off there’s 3 great bands. Mark and Tom just bring up the Sparxx. There’s so many bands that are punk rock they all sound the same. I think Kinison will be different then Bubba which is different then Blink. It’s like artwork and going to a museum and seeing and all you see is the same thing. That’s boring. This is going to be great.
PRR: On this tour you're taking out Bubba Sparxxx and Kinison. Exposing your fans to types of music they wouldn't necessarily listen to. What band is out there that no one knows about that you think everyone should give a chance?
Travis: Wow that’s hard. I’ll just talk about how excited I am about the two acts touring with us. I really like Bubba. You can’t discount him just because he’s a white rapper. He’s not talking about bitches or cars. I’m not really into rap. Listen instrumentally, and there are some amazing things going on. I think Timbaland did a great job producing that album.
Kinison five kids from just outside of Illinois. I came across them and they are fucking amazing. I’m not going to say anything about them because it wouldn’t do them justice. I’m just going to let kids come and see them live and enjoy it.
PRR: With this new album, the label is doing the Willy Wonka "golden ticket" thing to discourage downloading and encourage buying. The lucky winner gets a personal concert. How do you feel about the whole internet, mp3, file-sharing and decreasing sales issue?
Travis: I hate that kids want to go on the internet and download and not go to the store and get packaging. So I don’t understand that – not wanting the packaging, the artwork and the lyrics. I think it’s rad they go on the Internet and get the music. I probably would’ve done it. Half and half, it’s cool it’s accessible. What happened that people in general don’t like going to the record store, opening the door, seeing posters, looking at photos of the band. I only go on the net to check my email or do art work. I’ve never downloaded a song. I look forward to every Tuesday when the new records come out to go over to the record store and check them out.
PRR: You all have the side project thing going on. Boxcar Racer, The Transplants, Atticus and everything that entails. How does that affect the group dynamic. Do you find it hard to do your own thing for so long and then come back and be part of a group?
Travis: I think at first it was weird. ‘Enema of the State’ was weird. Blink is my number one priority. Everything comes after that but at the end of the day, I do everything because I love it. It doesn’t matter if it makes one dollar or a million as long as I’m being creative and expressing myself then I’m happy.
PRR: Congratulations on the new baby girl. You all have families, young children. Do you feel the pressure at all to not do the big worldwide tours the press all over the country, so you can be at home?
Travis: Sorry I have a baby boy. I don’t feel pressure. My girlfriend and I will delegate time with our son. He’s four weeks old right now. When you’re gone a day you miss something but playing music keeps me alive. It’s going to be tough. When we start touring constantly next year my girlfriend and our son will come on tour with me.
PRR: You guys have been around for quite a while now, really paid your dues, so to speak. Was all that worth getting to where you are now? Would you change any of it?
Travis: I wouldn’t change absolutely anything. It happens for a reason. I never second guess what we’ve done as a band.
PRR: I like to ask some lighter questions to keep things interesting. What's the most annoying song you find yourself singing along to when it's on the radio?
Travis: I rarely listen to rock radio. I listen to ariel radio so they play the stuff I listen to like Pink Flody anyway. Once and a while I’ll hear something on MTV and it’ll stick in my head, like The All American Rejects. That guy’s falsetto voice just sticks in my head. I’m not a fan but I sing it all the time.
PRR: Ultimate sappy love song for teenagers at proms, wedding receptions, and gettin' it on?
Travis: Anything by Prince.
PRR: Reality television show you'd most like to go on and why.
Travis: You know my old lady watches that stuff. I watched ‘The Family’ and when that was on and that was rad. I would like to go to the Newlyweds with Jessica and Nick and knock out Nick Lachey. He’s such a pig to his lady. As much as I’ve been with lots of girls, you know he just makes me angry. I wouldn’t mind fucking him up. A lot of people try to make out that she’s ditzy. I think it’s cute that she is sincere. And he just rags on her and makes her look stupid. Career-wise too she makes good decisions. She made a better video and wrote a better song. Her delivery is better then his. He’s jealous then her. He’s like a chick that’s why they are so strange together. He painted his abs on one episode.
PRR: If you could play as a member of any band, past or present, for just one show, what band and why?
Travis: I’d love to be in the Police. I love their music. I love Stuart Copeland. He has had one of the biggest influences on me of any musician. My second choice would be Led Zepelin just because that was a great time for rock and a cool time period.
PRR: The lines of music seem to be blurring more and more with every new band. It becomes hard to tell what is what. This is like word association. You know, I say 'salt' and you say the first thing that comes to mind, hopefully 'pepper.' This version is with genres of music and bands. I say 'classical' and you say the first band or person that that comes to mind. Like 'Bach.'
Travis: Rap Nas
R&B R. Kelly
Rock Pink Floyd
Emo awful [as in the adjective, not a band name]
Hardcore Poison The Well
Pop Punk Simple Plan
Punk Black Flag
PRR: Time for a more serious question to close out the interview. You recently played a show in the war-torn Middle East and stated that "We don't really get involved in the whole political side of things, whether or not we should have gone to war. [..] We're going over there because these guys are putting their lives on the line." First of all, how was the experience and what will you take away from the show? Second, can you please delve into the politics for a bit and state your opinion(s) on the current President and his performance to date? Finally, be honest, what do you really think about our presence in the Middle East; was it warranted?
Travis: It was amazing .We went over there. We didn’t get paid. We didn’t go for press for it. We had just a good friend from Rolling Stone come with us. We didn’t stay in hotels. We stayed with the troops. It was cool to go on a plane that was for our soldiers. They didn’t think anyone would come play for them. There were grown men and women crying. It felt weird too. When we went to Kuwait the living conditions where you can’t take showers and it’s over a 100 degrees. You could just tell their sprits are really low. And we talked to people who have been scared mentally. Part of it was rad and part was depressing.
I’ll skip the second question.
I really support our troops no matter what I’m not sure they should still be there. I feel we started problems. Working their ass off under weird conditions.
PRR: Thanks so much. Sorry we couldn't do this over the phone or in person. Good luck with everything.
Travis: Thanks that’s really nice. I appreciate it.
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