Boxcar Racer was a side-band created by Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker of blink-182. While blink took a break in 2002, DeLonge formed Boxcar Racer to experiment with and record ideas he felt did not fit in with blink's sound.
Taking Travis Barker from blink-182 and David Kennedy (currently in the band Hazen Street) they recorded their eponymous and only album Box Car Racer in 2002. On the album Tom did all the bass work, but in live shows Anthony Celestino took over bass duties. Guesting on the album were Mark Hoppus from blink-182, Tim Armstrong from Rancid and Jordan Pundik from New Found Glory.
Tom and Travis claim the band were heavily influenced by Dischord Emo, citing influences such as Rites of Spring, Fugazi and later era post hardcore bands such as Quicksand. An apt description of the band would be, blink-182 with minor chords, heavier guitar, darker lyrics, and fewer catchy pop melodies.
Box Car Racer broke up in 2003 because Mark from blink-182 was feeling alienated. Tom did not want to make his best friend feel this way and disbanded Box Car. Their website was taken off the internet in late March, 2005 and has since been put back online, perhaps related to the demise of blink-182. Tom has stated publicly that Box Car Racer will never reunite.
The band's name comes from the B-29 Bomber which dropped the second atomic bomb (to be used in warfare) on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. The plane's name was "Bockscar". Tom has said in an interview that he has seen the name misspelled as "Boxcar".
Members: Tom DeLonge - Vocals, Guitar (blink-182), (Angels and Airwaves) Travis Barker - Drums (blink-182), (Plus 44), (The Transplants) David Kennedy - Guitar (Over My Dead Body) Anthony Celestino - Bass (Over My Dead Body)
Albums: Boxcar Racer (2002)
Singles: There Is (2002) I Feel So (2003)