Tom DeLonge aims beyond this world with his post-blink-182 books and movie

• Published in: TCA Regional News
• Main Author: Varga, George
• Format: Newsletter
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago Tribune Content Agency LLC 04.03.2017
• Subjects: Bands; Consciousness; Documentary films; Motion pictures; Musical performances; Mythology; Punk rock music; Researchers; Singers; Skateboarding; Verbal communication

March 04--Tom DeLonge traveled the world multiple times as the co-founder of the Poway-bred blink-182, the hugely popular pop-punk band that celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.More importantly, it's also the name of the company he launched to produce his books, films and related franchises based on various mysteries involving science, the universe, UFOs and more.Co-written with noted author and occult historian Peter Levenda, "Gods" is the first in DeLonge's three-volume, non-fiction, investigative series on UFOs and related subjects.An ambitious book, "Gods" draws from extensive interviews with scientists, aerospace engineers, military officials and intelligence officers. "When you look at the UFO phenomenon, it encompasses religion, physics, government secrecy, archaeology, cosmology and many other things," said DeLonge, who in February received the OpenMinds.tv 2017 UFO Researcher of the Year Award at the 2017 International UFO Congress in Arizona.For those who know DeLonge best for his work with the proudly juvenile blink -- whose top-selling albums include 1999's "Enema of the State" and 2001's "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket" -- his transformation into a best-selling author on paranormal-related subjects seems, well, crazy.After Alkaline Trio guitarist-singer Matt Skiba assumed DeLonge's role in blink, the band hit the road to tour.In one breath, DeLonge made a passing reference to last fall's WikiLeaks disclosure of UFO-related emails between him and now-former Hillary Clinton campaign manager John Podesta.