Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Travis Barker of Blink 182


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Travis Landon Barker (born November 14, 1975) is an American musician, producer and entrepreneur, most noted as the drummer for the American rock band Blink-182. Barker has also performed as a frequent collaborator with hip-hop artists, and with the alternative rock band +44, the rap rock group The Transplants, and the alternative rock band Box Car Racer. He was a frequent collaborator with the late DJ AM, and together they formed TRV$DJAM.

After the split of his first band, Feeble, Barker began playing for The Aquabats in 1996 as The Baron Von Tito. He recorded one album with them, The Fury of The Aquabats!, in 1997. His career took off when he joined up with Blink-182 in 1998. Barker has since established himself as a versatile drummer, producing and making guest appearances in music projects of numerous music genres including hip hop, alternative rock, pop and country. He has gained significant acceptance within the hip-hop community in particular and often collaborates with artists to compose rock-tinged remixes to their songs. Barker collaborated with artists (including Game, Yelawolf, Tom Morello, Corey Taylor, Slaughterhouse, Raekwon, RZA, Slash, and other musicians) for his solo debut album, Give the Drummer Some, which was released on March 15, 2011.

Aside from drumming, he founded clothing company Famous Stars and Straps in 1999 and LaSalle Records in 2004. Companies such as DC Shoes and Zildjian cymbals have co-designed products in his name. Rolling Stone referred to him as "punk's first superstar drummer."

Travis Barker was born to Randy and Gloria Barker in Fontana, California. His father worked as a mechanic and his mother babysat. When Barker was four, his mother gave him his first kit, which was the only one he would have until he was fifteen. Barker began taking drum lessons at age five with a drummer named Thomas Hogan, who would expose young Barker to many different playing styles. At this time, he also began taking trumpet lessons. In junior high, Barker learned to play the piano and briefly tried singing, joining the madrigals men and women's choir. In addition, Barker had non-musical aspirations; he also was interested in becoming a professional surfer and skateboarder. However, Barker states that "I always migrated back to drums, though. That was the one direction that kind of felt like I was connected to and I could kind of understand. I could express myself better through my drums than I could anything else."

His mother, who had been diagnosed with cancer three months earlier, died the day before he started going to high school.She told him to keep playing music and to follow his dreams. Barker attended Fontana High School, where he played in the jazz ensemble and marching band. He gained a lot of experience performing at regional competitions and festivals. During his senior year, he passed up drum corps tryouts to tour with a rock band. Barker did go back to drum corps for his age out year in 1996, to audition with the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps, but was ultimately cut and did not march. Barker was much-enamoured of a variety of styles including military and jazz rhythms, but was most taken by the driving rhythms of hip-hop and punk rock.

After high school, Barker worked as a trash man in Laguna Beach and played with bands Snot, and later, Feeble, a Fontana-based band where he met Chad Larson. Larson went on to co-found the ska punk group The Aquabats in 1994. After local shows and demo tapes, the band recruited Barker through Larson's connection. Barker, who was "sleeping on [his] friend's couch" and still working as a trash man, only intended to fill-in for a few days but ended up joining the band.

Barker owns and contributes to several businesses in addition to his musical interests. He founded an accessory/apparel company called Famous Stars and Straps in 1999, which sells street/skate style clothing and gear. Barker has said the brand's trademark "F" for the logo was chosen for its resemblance to a car logo but mainly for the fact that it can stand on its own. Barker is also business partners with famous skateboarder Rob Dyrdek and together they are part of the team that own the clothing label named Rogue Status, and in 2009 another label called DTA.

He co-founded LaSalle Records, a record company to which his band, Transplants, are signed.He has dabbled in the restaurant industry, opening a Wahoo's Fish Taco restaurant in Norco, California.

Barker has developed a shoe for DC Shoe Company called the "Alias Remix" and also endorses both Orange County Drum and Percussion (OCDP) as well as Zildjian. He also has his own line of drumming products, sponsored by Zildjian.

Barker's first marriage, to Melissa Kennedy, lasted nine months until he filed for divorce in August 2002. Barker later married actress and First Runner Up Miss USA 1995 Shanna Moakler on October 30, 2004. The couple had a Gothic-style ceremony inspired by the Tim Burton film The Nightmare Before Christmas which was held on the eve of Halloween. Barker and Moakler have two children together, Landon Asher (born October 9, 2003[91]) and Alabama Luella (born December 24, 2005). Atiana Cecilia de la Hoya (born March 29, 1999) is Moakler's daughter with former boyfriend Oscar de la Hoya. The family appeared in a reality television series, Meet the Barkers, which aired on MTV from 2005 to 2006.

On August 8, 2006, Barker filed for divorce from Moakler after nearly two years of marriage. The couple's divorce was made public as each used their MySpace pages to air their feelings on the matter.Despite their pending divorce, reports surfaced in early 2007 that Barker and Moakler were "quietly trying to give it another go" as they were reportedly seen autographing a fan's book, with a heart around their names. In March 2007, Moakler revealed to People magazine that she and Barker (still married) were back together, but denied that she was pregnant. This admission came after the couple were publicly affectionate at a surprise birthday Barker threw for his wife in Miami. People.com later reported that the couple had separated again. No reason was given for the split. Barker and Moakler were seen together at the 2007 Video Music Awards kissing and holding hands. However, as of February 11, 2008, the couple's divorce had been finalized.

Barker and Moakler were together during a DJ set Barker was playing with DJ AM in Las Vegas on January 7, 2009.The couple attempted to rekindle their relationship in early 2009 but announced that they were no longer together on April 1, 2009, amid reports that police had been called to their home after a fight; no charges were filed against either party.

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