to approach different chorus pedals, flangers and delays. Musically, he experimented with heavier guitar riffs on Box Car Racer (2002), while making greater use of pedals and loops. Inspirations DeLonge grew to prominence playing pop punk music. Southern California had a large punk population in the early 1990s, aided by an avid surfing, skating, and snowboarding scene. In contrast to East Coast punk music, the West Coast wave of groups, Blink included, typically introduced more melodic aspects to their music. "New York is gloomy, dark, and cold. It makes different music. The Californian middle-class suburbs have nothing to be that bummed about," said DeLonge. In a 2011 article, he outlined six musical acts that impacted his growth as a musician, among them Stiff Little Fingers, U2, Depeche Mode, New Order, Fugazi, and the Descendents. The last was his main influence when he began playing guitar; early recordings such as Buddha were an attempt to emulate their sound. Following the Descendents, DeLonge once cited Screeching Weasel as the second biggest influence on his songwriting in his early career. DeLonge has shifted from punk rock in recent years, moving toward an effects-laden progressive-inspired sound. He has stated the first album he "ever fell in love with" was The Joshua Tree by U2, after which he delved into punk rock. He would later return to the album in his adult life, calling it his favorite album, describing it as "still relevant and soulful." Influence Panic! at the Disco's Brendon Urie and Ryan Ross both cited DeLonge as one of their major influences. Urie said that DeLonge influenced his singing, remarking that "He has a voice that no-one else has [...] He's one of my bigger influences. He always writes amazing melodies and songs." Ross said: "I wanted to learn how to play [the guitar] like Tom DeLonge." Non-musical endeavors Business DeLonge was unsure if the band's status in the music industry would grow or last, and he expanded into business beginning in 1998. He started a holding group, Really Likable People (RLP), with a US$20,000 investment. Following this, he co-founded Loserkids.com, a website specializing in youth-branded apparel. In 2001, DeLonge and Hoppus, together with childhood friend Dylan Anderson, established the clothing brand, Atticus Clothing. The following year, DeLonge founded Macbeth Footwear, a rock and roll-inspired shoe company. The technology and design firm Modlife was founded by DeLonge in 2007, around the time that