He's not necessarily the most famous member of Blink-182, and he's also not the richest. But Tom DeLonge might be the most interesting band member of the current three. Though he hasn't always gotten along with Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker (let alone the rest of the former band members), it seems he always goes back to performing in the end.
But during his time off from the band, Tom got into some interesting extracurriculars, including, unfortunately, one that cost him a lot of money.
Tom DeLonge Has A Passion For Aliens
In a section that Wikipedia calls "conspiracy theories and aliens," a few details are revealed about Tom's interest in alien life and the extent to which he's pursued it.
For example, DeLonge has publicly shared conspiracy theories about the existence of extraterrestrials, and he even launched a company to explore space and try to confirm the presence of alien life.
In 2019, the guitarist/vocalist appeared on the History Channel series Unidentified: Inside America's U.F.O. Investigation. The series covered, among other things, "unexplained aerial objects," and some interest was seemingly generated by DeLonge's involvement in the project.
At least, a former military officer, Luis Elizondo, who worked in counter-intelligence, seemed thrilled about Tom diving in. Of course, Tom's millions helped push the mission forward, which might have been part of the appeal.
To The Stars Is Tom DeLonge's Brainchild
In 2015, Tom DeLonge founded a company called To the Stars, which later evolved into a media and entertainment company that changed its name to To the Stars Academy of Arts and Sciences.
A 2018 Vice article detailed the company's trajectory, noting that its intent was to study UFOs and various "mysteries of the universe" through books and entertainment about aliens.
Though the company did publish a book under the To the Stars umbrella, it then shifted gears into not only entertainment projects but also scientific endeavors — hence the "Academy of Arts and Sciences" tag.
Unfortunately, the company didn't get off to a great start in the profit-earning department.
To The Stars Operated In A Deficit After Major Spending
In the aforementioned Vice article, the focus wasn't the accomplishments of To the Stars. Rather, it was detailing the company's lack of funds and its multi-million-dollar deficit.
As of 2018, the company was operating at a $37.4 million deficit. Though there were no details as to whether any of that money was Tom DeLonge's personal funding, it stands to reason that he did contribute to the company's bottom line, at least as an original investor.
However, the company's other sources of income are a bit convoluted, too. Vice suggests that the company hasn't done a great job of raising revenue. Instead of earning money, it sold stock, claiming to have a couple of thousand investors.
Over time, though, the company spent money on projects and didn't continue bringing in cash.
In 2018, the organization had hired former CIA and NASA officials, and many other professionals in the scientific and government fields, so clearly had expenses and projects in the works.
Vice also paraphrased a circular sent out by To the Stars that noted, "The company also said that it has to pay DeLonge and several other companies and entities a minimum of $100,000 each in royalties per year, regardless of whether it has sold anything or not."
So while DeLonge may have lost money up front when he created the company, it is said to be paying him royalties even in a deficit.
What Is Tom DeLonge Doing Now?
Though he invested a lot of energy and, likely, money into his alien hobby, Tom DeLonge did get back with Blink-182 in the end. While he clearly still harbors a fascination with extraterrestrial happenings, he's officially back in the band, heading on a world tour through 2024.
That doesn't mean To the Stars isn't plenty busy, though. In fact, the organization has projects coming out in 2022, and it has a healthy online following. These days, though, the focus (at least, outwardly) seems to be more on the science side of things.
Fans of To the Stars can also buy clothing, a children's book, and other products from the company. Perhaps it's finally out of its hefty deficit and filling the coffers for more research into UFOs and other mysterious happenings in the universe.
