Tom DeLonge began working new material during the blink-182's final tour in 2004 and shortly after they began their hiatus in February 2005. For half a year he worked alone in his home studio before gathering musicians to form the band. Upon fiddling randomly for several weeks with the band's logo, Tom suddenly realized that if he were to invert the middle "A" of the band 's acronym into what appeared to be a "V", he would have the name of his daughter, Ava. As rumors were floating around about the band's "break-up", DeLonge chose to abstain for half a year from any interviews surrounding the issue and his future plans; instead he concentrated on writing and recording in his home-based studio. In September 2005, he finally spoke publicly in Kerrang! magazine, where he unveiled the name of his new band, "Angels & Airwaves". The band included former Hazen Street guitarist and high-school friend David Kennedy, former Rocket from the Crypt drummer Adam Willard and former The Distillers bassist Ryan Sinn.
The band released their first single, "The Adventure" on May 18, 2006 and their debut album, "We Don't Need to Whisper", on May 23, 2006. Recorded and produced at DeLonge's Never Pants Ranch, the album is a mix of huge production values and anthemic songwriting sounding nothing like the pop-punk sound that earned DeLonge huge amounts of credit for his work with Blink-182
The band released new album "I-Empire" On 5th November, 2007 which gained fast popularity, climbing to the number one spot on iTunes almost overnight. The first single from the new album, "Everything's Magic", was leaked onto the internet, and on August 25, 2007 it was the most requested song on California radio station KROQ. Angels & Airwaves began streaming the song on their myspace profile on August 28, 2007. I-Empire debuted on the Billboard 200 chart at No.9 with sales of 66,000 in its first week. On November 16, 2007, Tom announced on Modlife.com that "Breathe" will be the next single/music video off of the I-Empire album. A documentary by the band entitled Start The Machine has also been released.
According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Tom Delonge tradmarked the name "Angels and Airwaves" on June 24, 2005. The name apparently occured to him whilst driving in his car. Realizing this would be frequently abbreviated to "AAA", he decided to move the middle letter upside down for a more unique and personally meaningful "AVA" as his daughter is named Ava. This was amongst the lingering confusion of Blink-182's "indefinite hiatus" which later led to a confirmed split and the beginning of the band.
In an interview with British magazine Kerrang!, DeLonge commented about the band's beginning:
"Just before all the blink-182 stuff happened when we were in Europe, I had a really weird epiphany. My heart was beating about a hundred miles a minute for three weeks straight and it had never happened to me before in my life. I really felt like I'd been touched by something and I felt I was meant to do something massive."
Originally, "Valkyrie Missile" was stated for release via iTunes on December 13, 2005, DeLonge's 30th birthday. However, due to discussions with their record label, Geffen, the band decided to push the release date back to a later date. Instead, the Angels & Airwaves website produced the first ever glimpse at the movie currently in production, a 1-and-a-half minute long trailer featuring portions of the delayed song.
Angels and Airwaves released both a music video and a short film for their first single, "The Adventure"; the band also released a short film for "It Hurts" via the band's official website. Both are short sci-fi films and together form the first part of a proposed ten-part series, following the cast's struggle through an unfamiliar world. On October 3, 2006, the band released the third installment in the series, "The Gift".
"Do It for Me Now" was released in the US as the second single and "It Hurts" was released in the UK as the second single at the same time. The music video for "It Hurts" is in fact the short-film released on April 18th and was available to select on the UK music television channel Kerrang!.
In 2006, the band embarked on their first full-length tour, which was headlined by Taking Back Sunday and supported by Head Automatica and The Subways. Numerous one-stop dates at the Give It A Name 2006 festival were played with the likes of My Chemical Romance, Lostprophets, We Are Scientists, Hundred Reasons, Panic! at the Disco, The Bled, Thrice, Billy Talent, Goldfinger, Underoath, Paramore, The Ataris, Aiden and Atreyu. The band also played on The Late Show with David Letterman on May 15, 2006. The band headlined a tour in the US, supported by The Sounds, which ended with a stop in Mexico City, Mexico. After that tour, the band went to perform in Japan and Australia.
They also performed at two shows at London's Hyde Park and in Manchester supporting the Foo Fighters on their successful In Your Honor tour. Over 100,000 people over both days. Other bands they played with over the two days included The Strokes, Eagles of Death Metal, Motorhead, Queens of the Stone Age, Juliette and the Licks, and Brian May and Roger Meddows-Taylor from Queen.
Among the plans for a big future, AVA have announced they are planning on releasing a film involving their music. The World War II-based movie is being created primarily through the use of CGI. This "story" is apparently based upon Tom's life and will give viewers insight into the hiatus of blink-182. Currently, the only known cast member is Michael Ostman.
Tom DeLonge stated in his PR Editorial Review:
"So preachy, I know. And I don't mean for it to be. I wanted it to be the recording of an emotional event in my life. I love the idea of an album doing that, because I knew that if I could get 150,000 people in an arena to have the same feeling at the exact same moment, it would end up feeling like a religious event. I really want the room to be dark, with black light or a candle. People should have headphones on, and they should be really comfortable, maybe sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed. I spent a year and a half working on this record, trying my hardest to give people a moment of escapism. All I ask is 50 minutes of a lowered heart rate."
On 16 July 2007, the Angels & Airwaves website was updated to feature a teaser trailer in the startup. The trailer features the song Star Of Bethlehem playing over concert footage, quotes from critics about "We Don't Need To Whisper", and members of the band riding on motorcycles and riding in a truck.
Surrender
Angels & Airwaves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They brought their friends, and they made their hell
They fake their grin, in a lonely cell
To bitter end, but what do I know?
There are a few in here, that hurt themselves
They kick, and beg, in a dried-up well
They call for help, and you know them well
Are you aware of what I know?
I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
When God falls fast asleep
The kids still dance in city streets
From the White House lawn to the Middle East
And all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
When God falls fast asleep
The kids still move to a steady beat
Even if its bombs landing at their feet
Or all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
There is a place to hide
It's in our minds
It's in the dark
It's well known
That we have a fragile heart
It's deep inside
It has a sound that you can follow
You feel like you hit a wall
But you survived
And it was hard for you to swallow
I've been to that place before
In spite of luck
When you await a new tomorrow
I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
When God falls fast asleep
The kids still dance in city streets
From the White House lawn to the Middle East
And all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
When God falls fast asleep
The kids still move to a steady beat
Even if its bombs landing at their feet
Or all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
When God falls fast asleep
The kids still dance in city streets
From the White House lawn to the Middle East
And all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
When God falls fast asleep
The kids still move to a steady beat
Even if its bombs landing at their feet
Or all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
I feel it now
This time I feel it now
I feel it now
This time I feel it now
Oh oh oh oh oh
Yea ah oh oh oh oh oh
Yea ah oh oh oh oh oh
Yea ah oh oh oh oh oh (this time I feel it now)
The song "Surrender" starts with a description of a crowd that has fooled itself into thinking everything is okay. They have created their own hell and pretend to be happy while they suffer in loneliness. There are also individuals who hurt themselves and beg for help in a bleak situation. Despite the hardships and pain, the singer declares that he will not give up or give in to the despair.
The chorus asserts that even if God falls asleep and darkness seems to take over the world, there are still people who will dance and move to a steady beat. They will not be defeated even if bombs land at their feet. There is a place to hide, within one's mind and heart, that can be followed through darkness and difficulties. The overall message is that there is always hope, and things can get better, even in the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a crowd in here, that fooled themselves
There are a group of people here who have tricked themselves into whatever situation they find themselves in
They brought their friends, and they made their hell
Their friends enabled them to create the negative situation they are currently in
They fake their grin, in a lonely cell
These people pretend to be happy while they are alone and in despair
To bitter end, but what do I know?
They will continue on their current path until it turns out badly, but the singer feels powerless to stop them
There are a few in here, that hurt themselves
There are some individuals who are self-destructive in their behavior
They kick, and beg, in a dried-up well
They are trying to escape a difficult situation, but it seems impossible
They call for help, and you know them well
Those close to them understand that they are struggling and need assistance
Are you aware of what I know?
The singer is asking if those around them understand the gravity of the situation
When God falls fast asleep
When there is no one to rely on for help
The kids still dance in city streets
People try to enjoy life even when things are dire
From the White House lawn to the Middle East
Regardless of location or political landscape, people still try to find happiness
And all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
The singer is convinced that this is the moment when change will happen
There is a place to hide
There is a way to avoid dealing with the pain of reality
It's in our minds
The place to hide is mental and subjective
It's in the dark
This place exists within the shadowy depths of one's own psyche
It's well known
Finding this place is a common experience
That we have a fragile heart
People are vulnerable and have emotional limitations
It's deep inside
The solution to inner turmoil is hard to escape or access
It has a sound that you can follow
The path to inner peace or escapism is something you can track and pursue
You feel like you hit a wall
The challenge of finding peace or escaping reality is met with a significant obstacle
But you survived
Despite difficulty, there is hope
And it was hard for you to swallow
Accepting the situation was difficult, but necessary
I've been to that place before
The singer can relate to this experience of inner turmoil
In spite of luck
Regardless of circumstances
When you await a new tomorrow
When you hope for a better future
I, I will not surrender
The singer refuses to give up or give in to despair
When God falls fast asleep
Repeating the idea that there is no external help in sight
The kids still move to a steady beat
People still try to dance through their struggles
Even if its bombs landing at their feet
Even in a situation filled with danger, people still try to enjoy life
Or all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
Further emphasizing that change is coming soon
I feel it now
The singer senses that change is inevitable
This time I feel it now
Reiterating the idea that positive progress is on the horizon
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ADAM WILLARD, TOM DELONGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@vetb882
5. Years later clean and sober and a professional journalist for the sport of professional motocross racing I'm driving to Maryland to cover an international Grand Prix event. Somewhere near Washington DC it started pouring cats and dogs but being a racer I thought this was nothing to me. I worked the speed up and had my Mustang GT driving 87 almost 90 miles an hour in the pouring rain.
Something way up ahead caught my eye and I shook my head and verified.... yes indeed it was A CAR GOING SIDEWAYS ACROSS THE FOUR-LANE HIGHWAY.
From years of racing my brain instantly calculated both of our trajectories and I realized I was going to die in a few seconds.
My ENTIRE LIFE flashed in front of my eye in a matter of a millisecond as the car driving to the side of the highway loomed larger.
I braced for impact... passing the car so close that I could not see it's bumper by the front of my car, it literally must have been an inch we missed each other by. But Jesus didn't need a mild, He can make a miracle with just an INCH. 🙏🏿✝️🙏🏻
That would have been a fatal crash for both of us at those speeds.
I don't scare easily or I never could have raced Motocross for all those years, but the entire rest of the journey to Maryland my hands were shaking like a leaf.🕎✝️
6. 2014 with my Motocross racing behind me the previous 4 years. My wife had been in a car accident the day before and after spending that Saturday with her getting tested in the ER, I decided to go for a short warm up road cycling ride to prepare for a longer ride the next day.
I got into a full sprint and hit 36 mph on the carbon fiber racing bicycle... then the unthinkable happened.
The forks SNAPPED IN TWO, tossing me on my head at 35 mph. I woke up whenn an EMT put his hand on my shoulder and asked if I was hit by a car. I was in severe pain in my head, I tried to look around but couldn't understand why my bicycle was in two different places... my shoulder hurt something fierce and I felt something wet but it wasn't that hot for it to be sweat.
It was my bloody pouring out of the gaping wound above my eyebrow. I'd smashed my head so hard on the pavement I suffered a hairline fracture and traumatic brain injury which to this day still gives me issues with memory, scent, and processing.
The doctor said he's never seen ANYONE come so close to breaking their neck but not breaking it.🕎✝️
It took me 7 years to get the courage to to get back a road cycling again.
7. Three episodes of blood clots, all 3 needed hospitalization with the last one almost ending my life.... 🙏🏿ALMOST🙏🏻.... And that's as close as the evil one will EVER GET to taking me, or YOU, out of this world. We WILL BE HERE UNTIL GOD DECIDES we have done enough.🕎✝️
8. Early 2021, I went for my usual checkup and the doctor came out, grabbed me by the shoulders and with fatherly concern said "You need to get to a urologist YESTERDAY."
I asked why and he said your prostate numbers are through the roof.
Went to his brother who is a urologist and he verified yes there's a potential cancerous tumor in my prostate but he didn't have an anesthesiologist available to biopsy it until 2 to 3 months down the road.
On the advice of my dear friend Steve L. Williams I sought out another urologist and every time I looked around I kept coming back to a Doctor Mitchell Benson, a urologist and oncologist. (when God leads you, FOLLOW)
We did a biopsy and my Gleason scale was a 5 out of 10. A 5 meaning there is definitely cancer noticed, 10 meaning you're pretty well f*"#ed.
5 Weeks later I had my prostate removed and when that tissue was biopsied the Gleason scale on that was 8 1/2 pushing to 9.
So you see what happened, as soon as the evil one realized God was trying to save me he ramped up the speed of the cancer growth. Had I done ANYTHING different than exactly what I did in following the lead that GOD OFFERED through my friend Steve the cancer would have spread all over my body in a very short amount of time. 🕎✝️
Always remember my friend, God's timing is PERFECT. There are days it seems like He's not listening but it's because He's really putting in motion the things that are going to be the answer to your prayers.
Keep trusting God🔥 and Jesus💖✝️ and the Heavenly Hosts😇😇.
And remember, many are called, FEW are Chosen.
Never doubt that YOU are among the Chosen ones and that you were Chosen to spread the Gospel, the GOOD NEWS to ALL MEN that God is ALIVE and He LOVES us so much He BECAME one of us to sacrifice Himself for our sakes.💖🔥💖🔥💖🔥
@jefflundquist5771
Really love the chorus in Surrender:
"When God falls fast asleep
The kids still dance in city streets
From the White House lawn to the middle east
And all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
When God falls fast asleep
The kids still move to a steady beat
Even if its bombs landing at their feet
Or all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now."
@themorons999
Angels and Airwaves - Surrender Lyrics
[Verse 1]
There is a crowd in here, that fooled themselves
They brought their friends, and they made their hell
They fake their grin, in a lonely cell
To the bitter end
But what do I know?
There are a few in here, that hurt themselves;
They kick, and bend in a dried-up well
They call for help, and you know them well
Are you aware?
But what do I know?
[Pre-Chorus]
I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
[Chorus]
When God falls fast asleep
The kids still dance in city streets
From the white house lawn to the middle east
And all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
When God falls fast asleep
The kids still move to a steady beat
Even if it's bombs landing at their feet
Or all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
[Verse 2]
There is a place to hide
It's in our minds
It's in the dark
It's well known that we have a fragile heart
It's deep inside
It has a sound that you can follow
You feel like you hit a wall
But you survive
And it was hard for you to swallow
I've been to that place before
In spite of luck
When you awake, a new tomorrow
[Pre-Chorus]
I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
[Chorus] x3
When God falls fast asleep
The kids still dance in city streets
From the White House lawn to the middle east
And all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
When God falls fast asleep
The kids still move to a steady beat
Even if its bombs landing at their feet
Or all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
[Outro]
I feel it now
This time I feel it now
I feel it now
This time I feel it now
Oh oh oh oh oh
Yea ah oh oh oh oh oh
Yea ah oh oh oh oh oh
Yea ah oh oh oh oh oh (This time I feel it now)
@coyote_loco
There is a crowd in here, that fooled themselves;
they brought their friends, and they made their hell.
They fake their grin, it'll only sell.
I took it all in, but what do I know?
There are a few in here, that hurt themselves;
they kick, and beg, they have a dried-up will.
They call for help, and you know them well.
Are you aware of what I know?
I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
When God falls fast asleep
The kids still dance in city streets
From the white house lawn to the middle east
And all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
When God falls fast asleep
The kids still move to a steady beat
Even if its bombs landing at their feet
Or all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
There is a place to hide
Its in our minds
Its in the dark
Its well known
That we have a fragile heart
Its deep inside
It has a sound that you can follow
You feel like you hit a wall
But you survived
And it was hard for you to swallow
Ive been to that place before
In spite of luck
When you await a new tomorrow
I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
No I, I will not surrender
When God falls fast asleep
The kids still dance in city streets
From the white house lawn to the Middle East
And all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
When God falls fast asleep
The kids still move to a steady beat
Even if its bombs landing at their feet
Or all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
When God falls fast asleep
The kids still dance in city streets
From the white house lawn to the Middle East
And all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
When God falls fast asleep
The kids still move to a steady beat
Even if its bombs landing at their feet
Or all around I'm just saying that this time I feel it now
I feel it now
This time I feel it now
I feel it now
This time I feel it now
Oh oh oh oh oh
Yea ah oh oh oh oh oh
Yea ah oh oh oh oh oh
Yea ah oh oh oh oh oh
(This time I feel it now)
@_Vaal_Hazak_
If you're still listening to this masterpiece in 2024, you are a legend
@JessicaCarey-bn8gp
anyone who gets this is part of my soul; fam. and Tom is our commander in chief. he gets us
@FrankieD8283
2024
@Andrew-cq7uz
I am 2024 AVA blink-182 forever
@fredfarkle6347
@@Andrew-cq7uz it's a really catchy song. Not sure what it mean. being young and sticking up for what you believe? love blink is what brought me here.
@Andrew-cq7uz
@fredfarkle6347 thank you for the response I always felt like. Ðon't give up on life but everyone can intrepid the way the want love to everyone here
@darwinstubbie860
I'm 66 and I love Tom's music.
@nefersguy
Me too.
@lonerider182
Waw amazeng
@yuriykitsul7456
💯🆙💯🆙💯