Tom DeLonge’s Shenanigans May Have Finally Paid Off

Former Blink 182 guitarist Tom DeLonge has been a frequently mentioned subject in entertainment media after he announced that he left the band for good. Tom has since appeared in the news every week for something different, and it all began with a letter.

In February, Tom DeLonge wrote a letter to his former bandmates of Blink 182. In the letter, Tom expresses his frustrations toward the relationships within the band and says that he never actually desired to leave. After Tom decided that he could not “commit” to Blink 182 anymore, he apparently refused to call it quits with music altogether. Tom DeLonge was working quietly on his own music. But before Tom could release his new work, he had to be sure that there were still people interested in him.

First, Tom swung an alien invasion story, in which he claims to have had an encounter with aliens during a camping trip in Nevada. He shared his story in an interview with Paper Magazine.

“My whole body felt like it had static electricity, and I open my eyes and the [campfire] is still going, and there’s a conversation going on outside the tent. It sounded like there were about 20 people there, talking. And instantly my mind goes, ‘OK, they’re at our campsite, they’re not here to hurt us, they’re talking about shit, but I can’t make out what they’re saying. But they’re working on something.’ Then I close my eyes and wake up, and the fire is out, and I have about three hours of lost time.”

In the same interview, Tom DeLonge all speaks about governmental conspiracy theories. It was only the beginning of the tactics Tom would use to remain in the public eye.

Next, Tom was interviewed discussing his severed relationship with his former Blink 182 bandmates. He expressed on Twitter that he wanted Mark Hoppus “to be happy” despite any issues they had in the past.

I will never dislike @markhoppus – too many years as my closest friend. I want him to be happy-

— Tom DeLonge (@tomdelonge) March 10, 2015

Tom DeLonge did all this to promote his new music, which he recently released. His new single, “New World,” has been described by Billboard critics as “really good.” Clearly, concocting sci-fi stories and reaffirming respect for an old friend has worked out for Tom DeLonge.

[Image via Getty Images]