Former Blink-182 guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge is speaking out about why he decided to take a break from the group last year.

    The main reason: to investigate UFOs. In an interview with Mic.com, DeLonge says he’s in the process of writing several tomes* about “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena.” (It should be noted that he’s already penned one space-themed children’s book called “The Lonely Astronaut on Christmas Eve.”)

    DeLonge plans on launching a multimedia project called Sekret Machines which will include more books, music and documentaries related to the subject. He feels that this undertaking is incompatible* with a role in Blink-182.

    “I can’t tour nine months out of the year with enough time to do the enormity of what I’m setting out to do,” he says in the interview.

    He also reveals that he believes alien “hardware” has made contact in several countries, would like to travel to Phobos (a moon of Mars) and that he feels that space, technology and other life forms are “national security issues.”

    DeLonge has had a longtime fascination* with the intergalactic* world. He’s written songs on the topic (like the track “Aliens Exist” on the band’s 1999 hit album “Enema of the State”). Not to mention, his 9-year-old son is named Jonas Rocket.

    Blink-182, in the meantime, has replaced DeLonge with Alkaline Trio guitarist Matt Skiba. They are releasing a new album called “California on July 1st,” which they’ll be touring extensively this summer and fall.

    (SD-Agencies)