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The Pursuit Of Tone: Tom Doc


Lauren

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The other thing that pissed me off was whole he was talking about labels and why he's so against them. Yet he was shoving it in Mark and Travis face that that was the only way he'd record was with a record deal. When deep down he just didn't want to admit he didn't want to do Blink anymore. I'd have more respect for him if he openly came out and and said "I just don't want to do Blink-182 anymore" But no he still trues to claim he's in the band.

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I don't think he's trying to marginalize blink's success. But he's definitely trying to say: hey!!!! i'm an adult now and I'm doing super important stuff. hey hey!!!

Like if a production-multimedia-agency (yeah, Tom, that kind of business existed before you founded To The Stars) was more important than a band. Like comparing apples and oranges.

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The doc exceeded my expectations. I dunno I was just happy to hear tom talk about his past and gear. I didn't over analyze all the shit he said. Ya he says dumb contradicting/ignorant stuff sometimes but so does most of the ppl in the world around us. I dunno I think you guys look into stuff too much at times, but hey it's a blink forum so if there is a place to do that its here haha

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Just my thoughts:

It was extremely weird watching that documentary. I loved watching him talk about his old punk days, the music that he looked up to, and how much it all meant to him. I was the same way myself and I think it's very universal. That was great. I get the vibe that his home life was worse than I imagined. Punk, as he said, was his escape from all of that. I liked that he did describe his pain killer addiction. I think that did change him and did influence the music. It felt honest. But when he talks about how stupid blink was, it feels like he's selling it short. Mark is much more realistic about how Blink is looked at. Yes, they were basically a comedy act to some degree, but it also was a hell of a punk band and did break new ground in how they delivered it. For a guy to talk up everything he does (like in the past 12 years) it sounds crazy. To me, it sounds like he can't get over the fact he didn't 100% of it, so he can't give it its due. I still get the vibe he's still trying to be better than Mark. Maybe there is truth to that, but I still find it so fucking bizarre he can't just call him up and be friends. It's like seeing a married couple break up or something over a bad month they had. Why is there this tension and weirdness? If I have to look at it, it might just be how Tom conducts himself now.

When Travis (of all people) described him to be like a little kid, I totally see what he means by that. That immature side is who he is to his core. He can't help himself and I think that does stifle him with his new endeavors. Unfortunately I think that's his biggest asset and his most relatable quality. Fortunately Tom isn't the worst person in the world. Like if he was a straight up dick, it would be insufferable. Anyway, I feel like Tom's personality is still a lot of fun. He's just crazy in good and bad ways.

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Everything he touches is the most artistic amazing boundary pushing thing of all time...except for blink-182, which was just a joke act for children that got lucky.

You're right, it wasn't 100% him, so he can't embrace it. He goes out of his way to marginalize the band imo.

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I think his execution with things is just HORRIBLE.

Tom really could have avoided much of the negative publicity if he had just said "Look Blink isn't my thing anymore, I don't want to do it. Sorry" and then he went off and did his own thing without all the hype and comparisons to Jesus. All that hype shit got him NOWHERE.

He should have figured that out within about 6 months, but nope, not Tom, 10 years later and it is still the same exact shit; it's like he wakes up every day and intentionally tries to sabotage his career.

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4 minutes ago, Ghent said:

Everything he touches is the most artistic amazing boundary pushing thing of all time...except for blink-182, which was just a joke act for children that got lucky.

You're right, it wasn't 100% him, so he can't embrace it. He goes out of his way to marginalize the band imo.

At some point I think Tom got tired of having everything, and so he wanted more.  It wasn't enough that he was a part of a huge band, he needed to become the leader of that band, despite a huge part of the appeal of blink is how refreshing and nice it is to see three guys who all arguably are just as important to the band and had their own unique view and sounds to shape the band.  I question if Tom ever really noticed or recognized that fact.  I seem to recall a post-reunion interview where they were talking about how cool it was that all three of them could be recognized by name even by the more casual fans, as I recall he seemed to liken that to the beatles, while also saying that he's not trying to say they are the beatles.  So I do think he was aware of that dynamic, which makes it all the more odd that he'd ever try to drastically shake up that dynamic and try to make it his band.  Seems like such a dumb thing to try and do to begin with, so why then try to change that dynamic in 2004/2005 when it had been working so well and they had just put out probably their most important album of their lives without a clear leader.

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3 minutes ago, Olidamus said:

I think his execution with things is just HORRIBLE.

Tom really could have avoided much of the negative publicity if he had just said "Look Blink isn't my thing anymore, I don't want to do it. Sorry" and then he went off and did his own thing without all the hype and comparisons to Jesus. All that hype shit got him NOWHERE.

He should have figured that out within about 6 months, but nope, not Tom, 10 years later and it is still the same exact shit; it's like he wakes up every day and intentionally tries to sabotage his career.

Yeah..until he cuts the blink cord for good, no one is going to take his projects serious anymore. It's too big of a distraction and makes his work outside of blink feel insignificant.

 

Just now, _Kyle_ said:

I love how he was just walking into his office with an official NASA folder in his arm. Clearly he's working on IMPORTANT STUFF.

 

He has literally been talking about collaborating with NASA since the I-Empire days and what has come of it? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING lol. clearly some secretary there must really chat it up with him or something.

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He went to their headquarters I think this summer, but just how they staged it was funny to me. I can honestly believe he does things with them, whether they amount to much, but he fangirls about it is so funny to me.

 

Did Tom love The Martin? I don't recall him speaking about it.

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I think he pesters a secretary there and then makes a social media post about it. If he "did things" with NASA they would undoubtedly be for sale. he actually teased a tour collaboration with NASA on modlife back in the day.

also remember that Tom has "met with" Disneyland, Cirque du Soleil, NASA, Skunkworks, Rat Pack, etc etc etc.....nothing

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5 hours ago, nicknem92 said:

He seems to have been really hurt by the fact that his identity equaled dick jokes and teenage songs. He's always trying to compensate "I read books, I make art". 

None of us know, but it might be hard to be associated with only one thing. One narrow definition of your existence. Like Mark Hamill is Luke or Daniel Radcliff is Harry Potter.

Tom was the naked guy from blink. Maybe that's the problem, who knows.

Is very hard, my identity for a period of time was like Tom. Nobody took me seriously and is was so hard to deal with that, I can't imagine how difficult it would be, being famous or something like that.

At one point people ask me to be funny and I was tired, to the point that there are people who still think that now I'm embittered, when the reality is I get tired to be always entertaining people.

Now I prefer to ignore people who think I'm a kind of clown, it is one of the things that I can related me with Tom.

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It sounds like the crazy painkiller Tom kinda started with box car and went through untitled. I think they really fucked with him. Not to mention if he really was in as much pain as he says he was for a a long period of time, i can only imagine what that does to you mentally. Not trying to make excuses for him though. Like most people here, i just wish he would straight up say he didnt wanna do blink and that he really screwed everyone around. Its a shame he cant realize how much that would do for him in the fans eyes

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Honestly, I think the guy is just like that and the painkillers stuff is BS. Sure, he was addicted, but that's not the reason why blink broke up or anything. 

 

There's just a whole picture to look at, not singe reasons:

- boxcar racer and Mark pissed off
- he hates that his band is not taken seriously
- he wants to be the leader
- he wants to be better than mark
- Mark is probably another type of asshole
- painkillers
- a lot of yes men
- tired of blink after spending 10 years in it. Success doesn't mean that you enjoy what you do
- he wants to explore more
- they don't want him to
- he can't communicate (that really sounds like a big issue for him)


Many very successful people think that they had something to do with the success, they think they can make it happen again. That's ego. Usually it doesn't work. 

Mike Tyson has this sentence:

Quote

If you’re not humble in this world, then the world will throw humbleness upon you.


I recommend the book "Ego is the enemy" for those interested in this.

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17 minutes ago, knapton said:

It sounds like the crazy painkiller Tom kinda started with box car and went through untitled. I think they really fucked with him. Not to mention if he really was in as much pain as he says he was for a a long period of time, i can only imagine what that does to you mentally. Not trying to make excuses for him though. Like most people here, i just wish he would straight up say he didnt wanna do blink and that he really screwed everyone around. Its a shame he cant realize how much that would do for him in the fans eyes

Yeah, but the pain killer stuff went on until AVA too. So I think it was part of the issue, but not the whole story.

I don't think he handled fame well. I think what started as a small little punk band just exploded and he was going at warp speed trying to take it all in, that, and then the back stuff, I think he broke down mentally late 2004 early 2005. Obviously something crazy happened for him to have a drastic change in personality basically overnight; and I still don't think we have the full story on that.

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