Box Car Racer
| Company type | Side project / Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2001 in San Diego, California, United States |
| Founder | Tom DeLonge, Travis Barker |
| Headquarters | San Diego , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Tom DeLonge, Travis Barker, David Kennedy, Anthony Celestino |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
| Parent | MCA Records (label) |
Box Car Racer emerged as an American punk ensemble originating from San Diego, California, in 2001. This side project was initiated by Blink-182 members Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker, with David Kennedy from Hazen Street joining to complete the studio lineup. Later on, bassist Anthony Celestino became part of the group. DeLonge developed this venture to delve into more somber themes that he felt did not align with Blink-182’s typical sound.
The band swiftly recorded their self-titled debut album, Box Car Racer, adopting a hands-on, DIY production style. Released by MCA Records in May 2002, the album reached number 12 on the Billboard 200 chart. Its singles, "I Feel So" and "There Is", made appearances on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, with "I Feel So" climbing to number eight. During the autumn of 2002, they toured across North America, supported by The Used. The existence of Box Car Racer created friction between DeLonge and his Blink-182 bandmate Mark Hoppus, and it had a notable influence on Blink-182’s later experimental self-titled album released in 2003. By mid-2003, DeLonge decided to conclude Box Car Racer, feeling the project had achieved its intended goals; he later referred to his band Angels & Airwaves, which also includes Kennedy, as a continuation of this artistic direction. Between 2018 and 2021, DeLonge and Barker briefly revived Box Car Racer, recording a new track that Barker confirmed in 2023 was reworked into the Blink-182 song "Terrified".
Formation and origins
The inception of Box Car Racer came from Blink-182 guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge during a pause in touring activities. A planned European tour in winter 2001 was postponed following the September 11 attacks, and subsequent early 2002 dates were canceled due to DeLonge’s back problems. The idea for the project originated when DeLonge was playing acoustic guitar amid sessions for Blink-182’s 2001 album Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. Feeling creatively restricted within Blink-182’s framework, he sought an alternative outlet.
DeLonge characterized Box Car Racer as "not intended to be a permanent band," rather as an experimental side endeavor with secondary priority. The project initially cycled through names such as The Kill; the album itself was first called Et tu, Brute?. Eventually, the name Box Car Racer was chosen, inspired by an early band formed by Barker’s high school friends that appealed to DeLonge. Although Barker considered the name somewhat arbitrary, DeLonge connected it conceptually to World War II history and themes of apocalypse.
What began as a concept for an acoustic record reminiscent of "Violent Femmes" transformed into a more aggressive sound once Barker became involved. Guitarist David Kennedy, whom DeLonge encountered within San Diego’s music community, completed the group’s lineup. Kennedy brought experience from hardcore punk through his work with Over My Dead Body; his friendship with DeLonge fueled interest in incorporating hardcore elements.
Despite collaborative efforts, DeLonge retained strong control over the material developed during fall recording sessions; lyrics were sometimes modified during studio work. The recording process was complicated by DeLonge’s ongoing back pain caused by a herniated disc. This personal adversity contributed significantly to the album’s darker atmosphere, mirroring his struggles at that time.
Debut album
Box Car Racer was recorded over a six-week period beginning in December 2001, primarily at Signature Sound studio located in San Diego, California. Adopting a hands-on, DIY methodology, the group deliberately avoided the extensive refinement commonly associated with major label productions. Producer Jerry Finn facilitated the process by sending equipment ahead of time to streamline the recording sessions. Drummer Barker laid down all drum parts in a single day, utilizing two studios in Los Angeles prior to the main recording phase. Executives from MCA Records were present during the sessions and responded favorably to the project. According to journalist Joe Shooman, driven by DeLonge’s artistic vision and Blink-182’s commercial success, the release of Box Car Racer was inevitable. Engineer Sam Boukas confirmed that the label was prepared to back the project financially due to the involvement of Blink-182 members.
The side endeavor generated considerable strain within Blink-182, especially between DeLonge and bassist Mark Hoppus. While Hoppus expressed interest in joining, DeLonge intended to keep the project separate from Blink-182’s activities. DeLonge stated that Barker’s participation was motivated by budgetary considerations rather than creative ones. This exclusion left Hoppus feeling alienated, fostering unresolved tension that persisted for years. Hoppus later reflected on this era as one where Blink-182 seemed effectively disbanded. Nonetheless, he contributed vocals on "Elevator" and shared preliminary ideas for Blink-182’s subsequent album.
Touring
Although DeLonge handled bass duties on the debut album, a dedicated bassist was not announced until their first live appearance featuring Anthony Celestino on April 1, 2002. The band played several shows across California before embarking on the Pop Disaster Tour alongside Blink-182, Green Day, and Jimmy Eat World beginning April 17. During their San Diego live debut, DeLonge refrained from naming songs since many were unfinished (for example, "Letters to God" was introduced as "Maybe I Don't"). MTV News observed that Kennedy and Celestino maintained a low profile so as not to detract from the band’s pop-punk frontmen.
MCA Records released Box Car Racer on May 21, 2002, with the album entering the Billboard 200 chart at number 12. Later that year, they completed a series of 22 headlining shows across North America supported by The Used. On tour, they debuted a new track and performed a cover of Barry Manilow's "Mandy." Barker intended to remix several songs for an EP that would include these new additions. Their final concert took place in Detroit on December 17, 2002; DeLonge expressed openness to revisiting Box Car Racer intermittently in the future.
Breakup and aftermath
In mid-2003, DeLonge decided to put the project on hold, believing it had fulfilled its purpose. He explained, "There are a lot of emotions between Mark and I and that's why there's never going to be another Box Car Racer album." The musical style of Box Car Racer influenced the more experimental direction taken on the following Blink-182 release. Assistant engineer Sam Boukas remarked that this side project allowed greater creative freedom for Blink-182’s next record.
Hoppus described this period as challenging: "It sucked. I took it very personally... When Tom and Travis started Box Car Racer I felt like the odd man out, the forgotten bassist." Despite numerous attempts at resolution, lingering tensions contributed significantly to Blink-182's eventual breakup in February 2005.
During a 2005 interview with MTV, DeLonge reflected on Box Car Racer’s dual impact: "It was both the greatest and worst thing for Blink. It was the reason we made that last record, which I thought was a masterpiece, but it also caused a great division in the band. Mark thought it was lame Travis and I did that, but it was benign—I only asked Travis because I didn't want to pay for a studio drummer. It wasn't meant to be a real band."
Unreleased material from Box Car Racer evolved into DeLonge’s next project, Angels & Airwaves, which debuted with We Don't Need to Whisper (2006). At their inaugural live performance, Angels & Airwaves covered Box Car Racer’s "There Is" and have included other songs from that catalog in subsequent shows. A follow-up track titled "Letters to God, Part II" appears on Angels & Airwaves' 2010 album Love.
Revivals
In early 2017, a tweet from DeLonge mentioning a positive discussion with Barker ignited rumors about a possible Box Car Racer reunion. These rumors gained momentum when DeLonge engaged fans on May 8, 2017, by asking who they would like to see featured on a potential new album. Despite this, no official confirmation was made. From 2018 through 2021, DeLonge and Barker quietly collaborated on a new song for Box Car Racer. Toward the end of 2020, Barker pointed out that the year 2021 marked the band's 20th anniversary, which prompted a playful response from DeLonge.
On April 30, 2021, during an episode of Allison Hagendorf's podcast "Rock This," DeLonge revealed they had recorded an unreleased Box Car Racer track over the preceding years but had not yet determined whether to release it.
In February 2023, Barker tweeted that the song would "never" be made public, only to clarify a month later that it would instead be included on the forthcoming Blink-182 album. In a conversation with Zane Lowe, both Barker and DeLonge confirmed that the track had transformed into "Terrified" on One More Time.... During their One More Time Tour in 2024, Blink-182 performed a segment of "There Is."
Musical style and influences
Box Car Racer drew inspiration from bands that Tom DeLonge has cited as significant influences, such as Jawbox, Quicksand, Fugazi, and Refused. Rather than reflecting Blink-182’s more mainstream punk sound, this project pays homage to these post-hardcore origins.
While critics frequently labeled Box Car Racer as pop punk, some also described their music using genres such as hardcore, emo, punk rock, or power pop.
Band members
- Tom DeLonge – vocals, guitar (2001–2003), bass (2001–2002)
- Travis Barker – drums (2001–2003)
- David Kennedy – guitar (2001–2003)
- Anthony Celestino – bass (2002–2003)
Studio albums
| Year | Title | US | AUS | CAN | GER | IRL | UK | Certifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Box Car Racer
|
12 | 30 | 7 | 89 | 49 | 27 |
|
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Alt. |
UK | ||||
| 2002 | "I Feel So" | —Template:Ref label | 8 | 41 | Box Car Racer | |
| "There Is" | — | 32 | — | |||
| "—" indicates the single did not chart. | ||||||
Notes
- A. The track "I Feel So" appeared on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart rather than the primary US Billboard Hot 100.
DVD
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Box Car Racer | MCA Records |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "I Feel So" | Nathan Cox, Tom DeLonge |
| "There Is" | Alexander Kosta |
External links
- Box Car Racer Instagram – A dedicated archival profile featuring rare images, promotional materials, and behind-the-scenes content from the 2002 Box Car Racer period, offering access to materials not found in official releases.