Box Car Racer was an American rock band formed in San Diego, California in 2001. The group consisted of guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge and drummer Travis Barker of Blink-182, alongside guitarist David Kennedy of Hazen Street. Anthony Celestino later joined the ensemble as a bassist. DeLonge created the project to pursue darker ideas he felt unsuited to his work with Blink-182. He invited Barker in order to refrain from paying a studio drummer, and fellow guitarist David Kennedy, whom DeLonge had met in the San Diego music circuit years prior. Box Car Racer was partly inspired and viewed as a tribute to Jawbox, Quicksand, Fugazi and Refused.