Not that long ago Blink-182 decided to take a pretty serious break. Why that decision?

I put the band together when I was sixteen, and now, you know, I'm thirty years old. I think people just grow up and grow apart. It's like if you start dating someone as a teenager and then you find yourself married later in life and you're going, "Whoa, we're totally different [now]." I think that was part of the reason.

All three of the band members had different goals and different ways of running their personal and business lives. It's hard when you're in a democratic band -- where you do things based on what the whole band wants. I respect and honor it, but it was getting to a point where it was a lot more than I wanted to commit to. I needed to make some changes to be able to function as a father to my kid to the best of my ability.

Did you immediately come up with the concept of Angels and Airwaves?

When I decided not to continue with that part of my life, I still wanted the same things that I wanted when I was in Blink: I still wanted to be in the biggest band in the world, and I still wanted to be the best songwriter that I can. And it took me about three weeks to figure it out. I thought, "I can create anything I want to create . . . And it's going to be the most epic and anthemic and heroic music that I've ever made." And that's where Angels and Airwaves came about.

How did the idea for the album's accompanying movie come about?

At first it was going to be a documentary of what I'm trying to do [with Angels and Airwaves], then the album started getting really, really good. It's exactly where I wish I could have taken my old band. I was looking at some of the footage about a month ago, and I just saw someone who was scared to death but absolutely full of passion and belief that he could pull something off that's never happened in the history of rock & roll.

But the whole movie is this poetic metaphor about how humans can create the worst thing in life -- war -- and the best thing as well, which is love. It's a third CGI, a third documentary and a third love story. So as you're watching the story and the making of the record, it will come to life in a love story between [two actors] and then go into planes arcing through space coming down into a D-day of missiles exploding in a nebula. It's very The Wall . . . but futuristic.

How did Angels and Airwaves form? Obviously, you're coming from a band with a really specific chemistry . . .

That was hard [because] I loved sharing a stage with Mark and Travis. But that's not what I was looking for. I didn't want the best musicians in the world; I didn't want guys that I thought would add some crazy persona to the stage. With Blink, people would go, "What's your message?" and we'd go, "Fuck! We don't have a message!" With Angels and Airwaves, it's absolute message; it's absolute . . . positivity.

I needed something that was organic. The first [rule] was respect for the band members and respect for their families. And the second rule was the ability to grow into a really hard, predestined friendship.

What albums were you listening to for inspiration? Anything surprising?

I ended up listening to a lot of Peter Gabriel, U2, the Police, the Cure -- bands that got to stadium-level size. I wouldn't listen to any independent rock bands, no cool punk-rock bands, no arty Radiohead-type bands. None of it was good enough for me.

I can listen to the Police and always go, "How did they write a song like 'Every Breath You Take'?" I can listen to U2 and list at least thirty songs that make me go, "How the fuck did they do that?" I wanted to learn how music, as mathematics, can touch an amazing amount of people.

So you've been shooting for something "timeless" . . .

I want to come out with an album that people will refer to twenty years from now as the album of this decade. [There hasn't been] a record like that since Nirvana's [Nevermind] and I don't think there

THE ADVENTURE

I want to have the same last dream again
The one where I wake up, and I'm alive
Just as the four walls close me within
My eyes are open up with pure sunlight
I'm the first to know, my dearest friends
Even if your hope has burned with time
Anything thats dead shall be regrown
And your vicious pain, your warning sign, you will be fine

Hey oooh, here I am
And here we go, life's waiting to begin

Any type of love, it will be shown
Like every single tree, reach for the sky
If you're going to fall, I'll let you know
That I will pick you up, like you for I
I felt this thing, I can't replace
Where everyone was working for this goal
where all the children left without a trace
Only to come back as pure as gold to recite this all

Hey oooh, Here I am
And here we go, life's waiting to begin
Tonight, hey ooh, here I am
And here we go, life's waiting to begin
Tonight,hey ooh, here I am
And here we go, life's waiting to begin

I cannot live, I can't breathe, unless you do this with me[x6]

Hello, here I am (do this with me)
And here we go, life's waiting to begin (do this with me)
Hello, here I am (do this with me)
And here we go, life's waiting to begin
Life's waiting to begin

IT HURTS

It hurts... [x17]

Is this what you want
'Cause everybody acts without a clue
Every little kiss and grin you gave
Was just a little bullshit I saw through

The alcohol is scented with your breath
You're always open up to just be used
I'm waiting for excuses that deceive
I'll meet you in the back to see them through

How did I let her inside
We're dripping of sweat, I'm feeling alright
Her lips were the last thing touched tonight
Your best friend is not your girlfriend

It hurts... [x17]

Are you out of your mind
You dug yourself into a liar's hole
You made a little spark to live inside
It's now a fucking fire out of control
When the morning comes you'll act surprised
And when the word gets out it will get old
And every day you'll try to live your life
In every little scam that will unfold

How did I let her inside
We're dripping of sweat, and feeling alright
Her lips were the last thing touched tonight
Your best friend is not your girlfriend

Sheerie; you want it
Sheerie; I want it too
Sheerie; you want it
Sheerie; I want it too

How did I let her inside
We're dripping of sweat, and feeling alright
Her lips were the last thing touched tonight
Your best friend is not your girlfriend


(It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts)
(It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts) Your best friend is not your girlfriend
(It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts)
(It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts) Your best friend is not your girlfriend
(It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts)
(It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts) Your best friend is not your girlfriend
(It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts)
(It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts) Your best friend is not your girlfriend

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