Angels and Airwaves Interview - Uncut and Uncensored

Wish you could have a Woodie? Although college students can't win a Woodie — a MTV-U’s music award — they are the ones behind who does receive one. The Woodie Awards are the only awards voted on by college audiences. Top nominees for this year’s 3rd annual Woodie Awards include the Arctic Monkeys, Imogen Heap, Atmosphere, Gym Class Heroes, Hellogoodbye, Taking Back Sunday, The Academy Is… and The Fray. Also nominated was the band Angels and Airwaves. Drummer Tom DeLonge sat down with The Batt to answer some questions about getting a Woodie:

TOM DELONGE-

How do you feel about Angels and Airwaves being nominated?

TD: Oh, it's amazing! I never really think that any award is ever valid unless we really get nominated. I must say this is one of the most important awards in music. That and the Grammys, but we've never been nominated for a Grammy. (laughs) I think it's exciting and I’m honored. A&A is a new band, so we've had an incredible few months with our album. It's been a roller coaster ride, which is really cool because it’s a validation of something I truly believe in; which is what this band stood for and what's its about. Being nominated for an award helps make me feel pretty good about the decisions I've made in my life to be here.

How does it feel to be a father and be on tour?

TD: It's difficult, but I’m fortunate now, because with A&A to even get to this point in my career, to be comfortable and be with my family more often. It was a lot more difficult with blink-182, when we were first starting in our career. I’m much more fortunate now, where I can pick and choose when and where, how I want to go out so I can be the father that I need to be. Which is a pretty fucked up father! (laughs) There's not too many other fathers like me running around the house naked and my kids telling me to put my clothes on. I love it. It makes me a better person.

How would you measure success?

TD: If A&A can have a similar effect on the listeners as it did on me creating the music, if I can truly use my music to effect change in peoples’ lives and around the world, then I think that would be beyond a meter of success. That would be what I’m dreaming of for this band right now.

Do you think you can make it through the award show without cracking a joke about the WOODIES?

TD: Ha-ha! You know, not now, because you are giving me ideas. I’m wondering what the award looks like. The funny thing is, as everyone knows me as being with A&A, it’s really a complete picture of who I am, where the big jokes do fit in sometimes. I can also be political. I can be optimistic and inspirational as I want to be. I love the idea of inspiring people to do things or think a certain way. I get to be as much as a 16-year-old as I want to be.

When you tell a story from one of your songs, how much of it comes from personal experience?

TD: It really depends on what's happening. 90 percent of the songs that are about relationships or love are real. They were things that were happening to me. It was the only way I could draw lyrically …what's going on. There is so much hope, and I’m so inspired by certain things around me, I have to put them lyrically into a different kind of arrangement. It’s like when you watch a movie and you can relate to the visuals and movement and pace, you start to get a feeling the chills up your arm. You leave the theater feeling something different. And that’s kind of how I attack A&A. So sometimes it’s not necessarily about a story, but it’s about creating an overwhelming feeling between the visuals and music and how it’s presented in a live show — to create an emotional dent in someone. It's hard to describe. I’m in a different point in my art to where songs aren’t just about a made-up story or a story that just really happened with me, it’s kind of a mixture of the two.

Go now and vote for your favorite artist at MTVU.com. The 3rd Annual MTV-U Woodie Awards premiere at 8:00 p.m. Nov. 2.

Freshmen at Large - Stephanie Hodges

When my best friend Carly told me she wanted to get a tattoo, I figured she, like countless other freshmen, was merely going through a slightly rebellious, I’m-finally-on-my-own phase. It was cool talking about it. Just knowing that we could get something permanent without our parents’ permission was thrilling in itself. She wanted an alpha and omega sign on her foot, and I wanted a fish on my ankle. Every time we drove past InkDreams or Poking You Tattoo, we’d laugh to ourselves, imagining ourselves sitting on the worn chairs with some sleeved bald guy making our tattoo dreams a reality. We watched “Miami Ink” one night until almost 2 a.m., trying to determine which spots were more sensitive and what it would actually be like to be “inked.”
All this was sheer fantasy for me. I knew I would be grounded until I turned 40 if I ever went through with it, but Carly, on the other hand, was pretty serious. So serious, in fact, that she started investigating which local tattoo-piercing parlors were the most legit. Before I knew it, we were walking out of the car and into a dark, faux-medieval room, covered in stenciled designs of everything from the “Gig’em” sign to anime fairies.
Carly drew her design, paid her 40 bucks, and in no time at all, was escorted to the back where the same bald, inked-out man from our dreams waited. He told her it would feel like a light cat’s scratch and that it would be more of an annoyance than an actual pain. Not so. The minute the needle poked her foot, Carly grabbed my hand so hard that I can safely say I took part in the suffering. She squeezed my hand until he had finished one line and then she loosened her grip. I used this opportunity to adjust my rings, which seconds before had been digging into my skin. He then proceeded to the lower part of her foot, and the squeezing continued, only 50 times worse. About 10 minutes later, when my fingers were white due to lack of blood flow, Carly’s tattoo was finished. So now she has what we all refer to as the “phat tatt” and I have a new college experience to share with everyone.

Freshmen at Large - Cristine Mayer

People always warned me that it rains in College Station about 75 percent of the time. It wasn’t until Saturday, though, that I really believed it.
The day started out normally. I arrived home from a Kappa Alpha Theta retreat about midday and studied until it was time to BTHO Louisiana Tech!
My two fellow Theta friends, Jenna and Julie, stopped by my room around 5:30 p.m. to begin our trek to the semi-distant place of glory that is Kyle Field. Upon arriving, we were faced with the usual mass of marooned-out fans. But today there was a different kind of 12th Man looming about: a torrential storm.
We were literally the last people let into the gates before they made all the stragglers take shelter in the MSC. Poor Jenna got left behind in the rush however, and it took some serious convincing for them to let her in for our reunion. The next 20-30 minutes were spent on the third deck standing, waiting and wondering whether the game would go on and whether weather would really prove to be a blockade to the true spirit of Fightin’ Texas Aggie football. But after a bit of time had passed and the sky went nearly black, it was determined that it was time to take shelter. Making it down safely to the first deck, the rain hit all of a sudden. And it hit hard. But where were we to go? Luckily, at that exact moment, we got caught up with the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band. Assuming that the band knows all and would obviously find the best shelter, we quickly followed the procession of tan uniforms and brass into good ‘ole G. Rollie. There we spent the remainder of our venture, taking pictures with random instruments and enjoying the purely comical aspects of the night’s festivities. All in all, we took the two-percenter approach and sought shelter around 7:20 p.m., only to find out later that the game did go on, of course resulting in a Fightin’ Texas Aggie victory over La. Tech despite the inclement weather. I say that deserves a big “Gig ’em” and a “Whoop” from all those that can. But for now “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA” is just what it’s going to have to be.

Freshmen at Large - Stephanie Hodges Pt. 5

After this weekend, my understanding of my true Aggie duty has been slightly altered. I’ve realized that the12th Man is no fair-weather team player who uses gas prices as an excuse to miss the game, but rather a key ingredient to Aggie football success.
Due to an overflow of “to-do’s,” including doctor appointments, hair appointments and family dinners, I went back to my hometown this weekend. After all, there wasn’t a home game, so I thought it would be a good chance to have all the luxuries of home without worrying about missing all the fun Aggieland has to offer on the weekend.
So I drove home, got some shopping done, slept in my own room and got some quality time with the family. Up until around 7:38 on Saturday night, I had all but forgotten about my Aggie duties. Then, it dawned on me.
As my mom and I were eating at Macaroni Grill, I looked at her in the face and sternly informed her of the rapidly approaching game that would be on TV. I really don’t know what had come over me. I was suddenly filled with the ardent desire to watch Jorvorskie Lane and Stephen McGee BTHO Army. There really was no logical explanation.
I hurried home and found my dad on the couch, watching the precious beginning moments of the game. The War Hymn played faintly in the background, only discernible by the random outbursts of “sounds like hell!” I sat enamored in front of the TV. These were my Ags, and I was going to be the 12th Man, even if I was 200 miles away from the Alamodome.
So maybe the cheers from my living room and the severe vocalization of my dislike towards the biased commentator were not heard out on the field, but I’d like to think my support for the team was felt.

Freshmen at Large - Cristine Mayer Pt. 5

So the time had come: my first weekend to leave the great city of College Station.
Now, you may be thinking, “This girl is already leaving? School just started!” But trust me, four weeks can seem like an eternity.
It began in the city of another university, t.u to be exact (hissss), as I set out to see the wonderful musician Sufjan Stevens. Let me just say, walking down a street in Austin after being in College Station for a month is a bit of a scenery change.
Yes, Austin may have some great music, but the down-home feel of good ‘ol CS far surpasses any concert. I found myself walking down the streets wondering why no one was saying “howdy.” I even got a bit confused and wondered where all the Corps guys went (it was weird not seeing those tan uniforms). If anything, being near t.u. made me love the friendliness and family-feel of Texas A&M even more.
The second leg of my weekend away from CS was a stop back home for a night. Everyone always says going home is one of the weirdest experiences you’ll have, but I never believed them. Of course, they were right. It was great to sleep in my own bed and enjoy a nice dinner out with the family, but I soon began to realize that that’s not where my life is right now. My life is in College Station.

Dear Nothing More

Dear Nothing More,

I used to be a big deal in high school. I was king of the gridiron! I was a Friday night hero! Then I had a little incident. I was caught wearing a dress once, and suddenly I’m stripped of all my fame and glory. Well, I’m a college student now, and I think it’s time for a new beginning. I’ve been thinking of trying out for the football team, but I’m worried about having a repeat incident. Is there a way to balance my love of football with my desire to wear pretty, pretty dresses?

Missing the Game in Moore

Missing the Game in Moore:
We all face situations in which we find ourselves in women’s dresses (literally or figuratively). It’s all about confidence, my friend. Do not fear your “not-so feminine” friends; instead, strut your stuff confidently. Do this and respect will pour in from your peers like blood to the genitals of a Viagra popping elder.

Dear Nothing More,

I love football games. There’s nothing that pumps me up more then screaming like a Mimi in the stands. Unfortunately, the people around me don’t seem to appreciate my school spirit. Every time I open my mouth to let loose an ear splintering, team inspiring hoot or holler, all I hear is angry grumbles and foul words from my stadium-mates. I thought I was attending a football game, not a quiet people convention! What makes me even madder is that my boyfriend doesn’t back me up. Whenever somebody tells me to shut up, he just turns away embarrassed. Shouldn’t he stand up for me? Can’t a woman have a little high-decibel spirit without being looked at like a monster? I just want to show my love for the team.

Loud in Lechner


Loud in Lechner:
The answer to this question is pure and simple. Bring your audible spirit for football to Zapatos Cantina this Thursday, Sept. 14. We embrace our high decibel friends. In fact, if you chose to come, you will meet many spirited students like yourself. Maybe if you get yourself all dressed up, you’ll even find a new guy who also screams eagerly like a 14-year old girl at the sight of the infamous four-man bass solo. Git y’er dancin’ shoes on, Lechner.

New Numa - The Return of Gary Brolsma!

Freshmen at Large - Stephanie Hodges Pt. 4

Being a fairly new Aggie, it is sometimes hard to remember all the traditions that Texas A&M has to offer. There’s Silver Taps, howdys and wildcats, but after only a few short weeks, I think I’ve found my favorite: Midnight Yell.
Come on, what other school actually practices yelling the night before a game? Who actually interrupts their Friday night to go sing the Aggie War Hymn and mug down their date? Actually, the question is more like, “Who wouldn’t?” It’s one of those traditions that seems too ridiculous to actually follow, but too fun to pass up. The whole thing just seems so crazy: Corps guys pushing away, random people making out, lighters flaring up and random stories from the yell leaders that I never quite seem to understand. It’s one of those things that other schools would probably laugh at, because they either don’t understand it or are completely jealous. And who wouldn’t be?
OK, maybe I’m biased on the whole Midnight Yell thing, because I’ve only been twice, and both times, I had amazing seats. The first time, I was right behind the freshman Corps boys, (which may have been bad because this one boy basically massacred his date when the lights turned off, and I’m still a little scared) and the second time, I was on the field. Yes, on the field. Let me just say, for all of those people who say they don’t like Midnight Yell, it’s just because y’all haven’t been on the field. It was pretty much amazing because:
1. I got junior privileges
2. I got to see everyone doing the War Hymn
3. I was with a super hot Corps guy who basically owned everyone else in push-ups
Who wouldn’t want that?

Freshmen at Large - Cristine Mayer pt. 4

In my few short weeks at Texas A&M, I’ve already learned a plethora of things. From the Fightin’ Texas Aggie yells to learning that you should never buy a shirt unless it’s at a tent sale, the lessons seem to be endless. But one of the most valuable and most painful lessons I have learned has been this: never underestimate the power of the A&M pavement to make you look ridiculous in front of your classmates. You see, I’ve calculated it and thought about it endlessly, and I’ve realized that I’ve tripped, nearly tripped or face-planted almost every school day this year.
Usually it’s just a casual stub of the toe, an easy recovery. A nonchalant shrug-off and all is well. But alas, on Wednesday, Sept. 6, it was my turn. En route on my usual path to history class, it suddenly occurred to me that we were not meeting in the history building that day, but Evans Library.
Now, let me just say that I am one of “those kids” who is always about 20 minutes early to class and sits front row center. So imagine “that kid” running late. Being frazzled and vividly fearing the unimaginable scenario that I may be late, I seemed to lose concentration on the more important things around me: i.e. walking. And that’s when it happened. All of a sudden I looked down, and there was the pavement having a lovely little conversation with my face. Now, these kinds of falls are hard to recover from. You can either
A) laugh and hope the other people laugh or
B) cry and hope someone comes to help you in your pitiful state.
I chose A. Let’s just say things didn’t go too well. But alas, all is well, and I’ve only got two skinned knees. Moral of the story: let’s just say, I never take my eyes off the pavement.

Iraq War Compilation

Freshmen at Large - Cristine Mayer pt. 3

So this past weekend, I had the opportunity to see my very first Fightin’ Texas Aggie First Down at my first Fightin’ Texas Aggie football game as a Fightin’ Texas Aggie student. Which made me think of my Fightin’ Texas Aggie good friend who made a Fightin’ Texas Aggie good point, that anything good could be made better by adding “Fightin’ Texas Aggie” to it. My favorite thing about being a Fightin’ Texas Aggie is the Fightin’ Texas Aggie traditions. Fightin’ Texas Aggie Midnight Yell is probably my Fightin’ Texas Aggie favorite. The Fightin’ Texas Aggie Yell Leaders make it a great Fightin’ Texas Aggie experience and the Fightin’ Texas Aggie heat isn’t that bad at midnight. Fightin’ Texas Aggie MSC Open House was a great Fightin’ Texas Aggie chance to meet Fightin’ Texas Aggie people and get involved. I was a bit overwhelmed by all the Fightin’ Texas Aggie organizations, but it was still a Fightin’ Texas Aggie good time. After the Fightin’ Texas Aggie football game, I hopped on over to Fightin’ Texas Aggie Chili’s with some Fightin’ Texas Aggie Thetas where I had some Fightin’ Texas Aggie water.
Being a Fightin’ Texas Aggie means you get to experience lots of Fightin’ Texas Aggie fun. Since I’ve been in the Fightin’ Texas Aggie city of College Station I’ve experienced some awesome Fightin’ Texas Aggie restaurants. Fightin’ Texas Aggie Potbelly is quite possibly my favorite addition. Get a good ’ol Fightin’ Texas Aggie sandwich with a Fightin’ Texas Aggie cookie and you’re set. But I must say, nothing quite compares to the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Sbisa cookies. So basically, in a Fightin’ Texas Aggie conclusion, it’s great to be a Fightin’ Texas Aggie, and when you just can’t Fightin’ Texas Aggie “whoop” yet, it’s OK to show your school spirit by adding “Fightin’ Texas Aggie” to any Fightin’ Texas Aggie word.

Freshmen at Large - Stephanie Hodges Pt. 3

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It’s complicated.
I have to read 47 pages, make note cards and answer a two-page discussion sheet for English by tomorrow at 9:35. So why am I still looking at Facebook? Why do I run to my computer whenever I walk into my dorm to check and see if a new wall post, friend request or message is awaiting me? I’ve only been a legitimate college student for eight days, but I am already starting to understand the epidemic of Facebook addiction among students.
During the summer, my Facebook account was pitiful to say the least, due to low numbers of friends and my lack of knowledge about Facebook technicalities. It was checked once a day at most, rarely showed friend requests and the picture was the same for over a month. The worst part was the refusal of my college friends to add me because of my early discovery of my A&M e-mail before I had even graduated from high school.
My entire outlook on Facebook changed though when Fish Camp rolled around. My whole DG added me, people I had randomly met, people I had never met and all my counselors, even Seth, the hot one who I had never even talked to. I guess it was kind of a duty to represent the purple camp by adding everyone, but it made my friend list longer, so guess what? It was OK.
Also at Fish Camp, my counselor filled me in on all of the “do’s and don’ts” of the Facebook world. He said I can’t add people I went to high school with just because I went to high school with them, and I can’t tag pictures of myself. I returned home with a new knowledge of Facebook and made all the necessary adjustments, like untagging myself in each of the 50-something pictures I had put up.
So now that I’m actually collegiate, I can feel completely confident in my Facebook ability. Also, I don’t feel bad about spending time scrolling through updated profiles. Hey, at least it keeps me and countless other college students out of trouble. We could even make a commercial. Facebook: our anti-drug.