Ernie Ball: The Pursuit of Tone - Tom DeLonge "The Definition of Punk"

Ernie Ball: The Pursuit of Tone, an AT&T Original Series features acclaimed Blink-182 and Angels & Airwaves guitarists and singer-songwriter Tom DeLonge. In this clip Tom recalls how meeting Joe Strummer of The Clash and Liam Gallagher of Oasis inspired him to broaden his music horizons and how the passion of being punk is often correct, the definition is wrong.
Catch the exclusive documentary in its entirety premiering August 19th at 8pm et/pt exclusive on Audience Music (Directv ch.239 and U-Verse ch.1114)
To see more clips and past episodes visits www.ernierball.com/thepursuitoftone
Tom DeLonge plays Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom guitar strings.

[@punkgrl325]

Tom would be the best grandfather. He has killer stories.

[@strawberrykicker2]

Problem is he seems so out of it now that most of the stories would probably be made up. Shame though

[@Amebix182]

"Punks Were Made Before Sounds" its an ideology, a way of thinking. I did my time. I'm 27 and I still go to punk shows. Mainly underground powerviolence, hardcore and grindcore shows in the Southern California scene in and around the Los Angeles area. You're view on what is punk evolves as you get older and will always continue to evolve. Your views on life should alway been an open book even when you die. Never close your book on life.

[@MrLin900]

I fucking love you Tom. Blink 182 is not Blink 182 without you.

[@maggot7727]

True

[@skizzofrenetik1249]

i love this man

[@elizabethseguin193]

me too

[@FayLongthorn]

I fookin love Tom

[@amexicanpirate7959]

ay its u lmao

[@FayLongthorn]

+A Mexican Pirate I don't know who you are sorry but hi lmao

[@FayLongthorn]

+A Mexican Pirate ohh you're boxcar.182 helloo

[@amexicanpirate7959]

billiejoeseyeliner shhhhhhhh

[@yeyonge]

The thing that hoppus and travis never understand

[@punkgrl325]

You're missing the point. It's not about being divisive and claiming so and so doesn't understand this or whatever. It's about doing what you want to do. Mark and Travis want to continue Blink. Tom wants to continue his projects. Both sides want to do their own thing. It's that simple.

[@JabunAudio]

Great answer from Tom! For me, punk's always been about making the best with what you have and expressing yourself as the person you want to be not letting anyone make you be something you're not (or forcing yourself to be that either). I think doing that with an open mind is the best way to go about it, because like Tom said, dissing other people about what they do is pretty much what being punk is about fighting against IMO. Within reason of course!

[@devincanfield]

None of us can relate to these monumental moments in this dudes like. With that being said, who are we to judge him or anyone. He's in this position talking to us for becoming a very underrated individual and songwriter who's outlook on life is almost metaphysically spiritual and that reflects in Whatever he writes . Bravo, true shit

[@bluepearl_22]

He's just being himself doing what he wants which is the most punk thing you can do. It's that simple. Anyone can do it. Don't overthink it lol

[@HouseDaddyHouse]

Shhhh. Tom Delonge is talking...

[@AQArchMageA4S]

Can I just buy this documentary?

[@Jakoby_182]

Hopefully they'll release it for those who won't be able to see it on tv.

[@user-vc5rp7nf8f]

IKR. They should just put this on iTunes already.

[@fernandogarces9273]

Tom's in another level, he evolved.

[@Konverteraren]

He's from Mars.

[@Gaenico]

Liam was so fuckin' cool back then !

[@danielamaya138]

In a way, he's right. Punk means to do what you wanna do and evolve as a person.. Though I disagree with everything that Tom has become, that's a true statement. Johnny Rotten used to say the same thing.

[@liamobie13]

so you agree with evolving as a person but you disagree with tom evolving as a person, leading to who he's become. Okayyyyyyyyyyy

[@liamobie13]

+Daniel Amaya judging by your language, you don't like how he's become more mature, as I don't think he'd use such a pathetic disrespectful insult...

[@HarmonyMusicPromotion]

So why do You have to like who hes become lol??? If someone you dont know even know says "I dont like who youve become daniel" would you change for them?? makes no sense lmao

[@danielamaya138]

Harmony Music I never said I wanted Tom to change for me lol I just dont like him. Does that bother you?

[@HarmonyMusicPromotion]

Nope. i dont like alot of ppl but i guess i never felt the need to go online and say it :P

[@RisforRockit]

It's nice to see rock musicians get a bit out of their cocoon once they hit an older age. Like Henry Rollins who learned to appreciate Morrissey. Although there's always the danger looming of losing your direction if you're musically open in all directions.

[@Teppichrasen]

That was very inspiring, makes me really want to see the whole product! By the way, the link in the description got an "r" too much (ernieRball).

[@kelanashil]

THOMAS FUCKING DELONGE AND LIAM FUCKING GALLAGHER!

[@KristBeatz]

I can related to this , as a musician myself , once i open to listed to other genders of music , things completely change , creativity goes to another level.

[@vinceandvango]

Right fucking On dude!! I'm so inspired.

[@dadadruma]

Excellent!!

[@elizabethseguin193]

love Tom

[@orlanbro]

i hate but love tom so much.

[@ChrisThornleygainz]

great

[@TheSkatereel]

Contrast this philosophy with the new Blink récord which sounds so cookie cutter pop punk it's gag inducing. Blink needs and should evolve as a band if they want to stick around in the next decade

[@mattlemasters557]

TheSkatereel they started to when Tom came back and I was SO EXCITED because their promise for Neighborhoods was that they were “picking up where they left off.” AND THEY DID IT! They progressively and drastically stepped forward into a new direction, the direction that started with the Self Titled Album. The darker riffs, the exploratory sounds with guitar and stuff that Tom brought back from BoxCar Racer. So the same thing happened with Neighborhoods, the different echo style riffs, the difference in lyrics and having only two songs, in my opinion, that sounded like old-school punk blink and that was “Up All Night” and “Hearts All Gone” but those were the songs that really were a fusion of what they picked up from AvA and +44 and put back into blink. Then Mark just took 2 big steps back with blink to try and recapture that sound from TOYPAJ with this new album, and it’s like trying to recapture lightning in a bottle..it can’t happen twice. Because you notice with the clean riffs how it sort of sounds like Tom’s guitar in TOYPAJ and the generic lyrics about punk-rock-weekends and teenagers. I mean they made fun of Tom for always saying different ages in his lyrics like 18 or 19 or stuff like that for AvA, but California used it way more. Blink needs Tom if they want another album...then end it before they go out on a bad note.

[@novachamber653]

Yea i remember this guy teach me to say ffsf back in my school years

[@bear-qe7ep]

Wow tom is so f'ing cool...

[@thekrakets328]

A case is the 2003 Summer Sonic Festival Tom in this film ? Someone answer me please.. 🙏

[@wtfrift6857]

What if they had been playing a show with Faith No More or even Dr. Dre or something imagine what would have happened.

[@RisforRockit]

Well, in broad over-simplification, Blink were grade/middle school students whereas FNM were university peeps. They wouldn't have had much to say to each other then.

[@allkive]

I remember watching Tom saying the same thing about motorhead's singer, that he thought the band was good but didnt said he liked it.. weird

[@miguelmontes6756]

donde lo puedo ver en español?:v

[@caueeeeeeeeeeeeeeee]

so AVA is strummer's and gallagher's fault

[@kyleVanZan]

AVA are one of the best bands of our generation

[@givemetwentybucks]

I know this comment is years old, but if you still haven't give Love Pt. 1 by AVA a chance. I thought it was some of Toms best musical writing he's ever done.

[@caueeeeeeeeeeeeeeee]

@@givemetwentybucks i like the band, but as he said, he opened his mind to other sounds, but ended up closing his mind to the old punk sound, wich is kinda sad for me. (i'd completly forgotten about this comment)

[@nicholasszabo5954]

I Empire is the best imo.

[@HallowSebastian]

Damn well said

[@DPC1987]

where can i see this in England?

[@kyleVanZan]

me too

[@DaveTaste]

Bradford.

[@jacksonv672]

well said

[@tommycuaca94]

at the time when you exit Blink 182, you're having a very great difficulty to make AVA to beat Blink Lol. It's like a C Ronaldo playing a badminton, Hahaha.... Come on Delonge... Everyone is very enthusiastic about the New California Album now, no one is asking about When AVA will launch their new album?? Hahahah....

[@maggot7727]

Blink 182 without Tom DeLonge = Humble

[@tommycuaca94]

+Cerah Allen Hey mom, There is something in the back room, I hope this is not creature from above. Hahaha.... Now Delonge has so many colony. Lol

[@kMn010]

California got bad reviews, while the last full length release from AVA, "The Dream Walker", was very well received. So I think Tom is doing okay.

[@reyfREDbay]

grow up, kid

[@markfaroudi9711]

While I agree with opening your mind to other music, he is off with this statement. I think this really just a plug to be like wow look what I did when I made angels and airwaves. I appreciate that band, but he then in turn, turned his back on something that was much bigger than angles and airwaves. ( Blink 182 ) If you ask me, you take blink on another album after the untitled, who knows how amazing that would have been. He is off for sure with his thinking about music, but that is why we all have opinions and different tastes.

[@veseystreet]

or you're just assuming it's a plug because you're still bitter about him leaving blink. i've been a blink fan for almost 20 years, but i also understand that people grow and evolve and sometimes that thing you loved doing when you were younger isn't enough anymore. tom's getting older and there's a lot he still wants to do with his life. and i honestly don't think it matters to him which band is 'bigger' because if he were all about money and fame he'd still be in blink. angels and airwaves along with poet anderson, strange times and the sekret machines series is exactly what he wants to be doing right now.

[@bluepearl_22]

What's the point in continuing Blink when your heart's not in it anymore or you want to pursue other passions of yours? At this point you're basically doing it to please others which is exactly the opposite of what he's been describing here.

[@lucasmartinoz59]

#imisstom

[@joshmad]

Punk is great music but most of it is really simple and after a while it all starts to sound the same.

[@rezafaisal1852]

i'm surprised tom bigger fans oasis because oasis has different genre music.

[@CC97FIN]

It's not that different. Oasis started as a punk band, so did Blink. Both are softer (well, less raw) now.

[@gtbuzzinjones]

beady eye had some punk songs..not so much noel..(maybe lock all the doors)

[@evanphillips570]

Listen to bring it on down or most songs of definitely maybe!

[@CC97FIN]

+Evan Phillips Headshrinker, Fade Away, Columbia, Up In The Sky, Cigarettes & Alcohol, My Big Mouth just to name few more :)

[@WuziTV]

*parka . its a parka not a trench coat

[@vidicsferenc182]

Talking about what is punk in a Ford hat.

[@nicholasheal5925]

Who fuckin cares

[@nicholasheal5925]

Also I must say that I sure enjoyed the advertising for cadbry chocolate and microsoft that pays ernie bull money to bring us this content aye. STFU mate!

[@ewanjrobertson94]

lmfao, punk rock is a musical genre, tom talks about it like its the second coming of jesus..

[@andreibaradayenka2016]

It is a musical genre, but that's just on the surface. For many people punk is a lifestyle

[@LetoMaia]

ewan hey, tom not talks about punk rock, he talks about "punk"(the way you see the world) understand that..

[@bluepearl_22]

He's just addressing the people or so called "fans" of his claiming that he's not "punk" anymore lol.

[@blinkMATIC]

punk rock DOES have to do with the music, Tom. I get what he's saying, and he's right in his way. But he's trying to define punk-rock to justify the path he's followed since blink first broke up. And that ain't cool.

[@bluepearl_22]

He doesn't. He's literally just addressing the people or so called "fans" of his claiming he's not "punk anymore". Don't overthink it lol.

[@mikedonot]

he's correct about punk rock, but he has unfortunately discredited himself with UFO research

[@veseystreet]

and you're discrediting yourself by blindly believing every article you've read about why he left blink. tom has been into aliens and ufo's since he was a teenager. just because you don't believe in it doesn't make it bogus.

[@goodtimesroll8]

Seen the news lately

[@johnmcvay4403]

this guy has not once in his life dropped the needle on a punk record. it is totally hilarious that a pop star has corporate system piss confused with punk music

[@bluepearl_22]

Why should he have though

[@pantsnjacket381]

You don't know shit about him.

[@ryandieter]

toms wrong, it has a lot to do with the music.

[@fieryfurnace2818]

Ryan Dieter the music is just a part of it, the music is also a part of what he meant about expressing yourself from my understandings

[@bluepearl_22]

Imo the music is mostly just a tool to express yourself and your lifestyle.

[@puod]

I love Blink and I liked Tom, but come on...5 min speech about how Liam talks what he wants, dont try to be master of philosophy and just be yourself...btw. California is awesome and Matt Skiba saved Blink