Ilan Rubin: "Tom DeLonge called me because he wanted somebody in Angels And Airwaves who can write music"

It seems like Angels & Airwaves was the first time you played other instruments on a record and were involved in the songwriting process. How did that come about?

Tom [DeLonge] and I had a mutual acquaintance. When [drummer] Atom Willard left the band my name was mentioned and we were put in touch. I met him and met the other guys and everyone was a pleasure to hang out with and it was the first time I’d been with a band from San Diego in six or seven years and it just seemed like something pretty fun to do.

I remember a very specific conversation with Tom where I told him, ‘Just because I have my own solo music, I don’t want you to think I’m going to get in there and pick up the guitar and try to write the songs.’ I’m very well versed in being the drummer and just playing the drums. And he said, ‘No, that’s why I’m calling you specifically because I want somebody who can write music and help push me out of what I’ve been doing for a while.’ It was a very specific and calculated choice.

Then when he decided he didn’t want to tour anymore - which nobody really saw coming, but he’s that impulsive, you never know what he’s going to do from one day to the next - the only choice left was to do The Dream Walker. He decided that the band was just going to be him and myself and we got together whenever Blink-182 and Nine Inch Nails were on breaks and we were both in town. It took way too long, but that was me and him writing everything and me playing everything with the exception of lead vocals.