Before Travis Barker became the drummer of Blink 182, he dreamed of making a name for himself in skateboarding.
Growing up, skating influenced almost every part of his world.
Skate videos introduced him to punk, thrash metal and hip hop, while the scene also shaped his fashion and taste in music.
Skateboarding even helped Barker improve behind the drum kit.
Older skaters in his neighborhood would make him learn entire albums before letting him skate their ramps, giving him extra motivation to practice.
Eventually, a friend pointed out that Barker had more talent as a drummer than a skater.
That realization helped him focus on music, leading to the career that would make him one of the biggest drummers in rock.
Barker now looks back at skateboarding as one of the biggest influences on the person and musician he became.
