Editing Travis Barker (section)

==Early life and education==
Barker was born in [[Fontana, California]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=INGOLD |first=RUSSELL |date=2015-10-21 |title=Travis Barker, Fontana's superstar drummer, reveals all in new autobiography |url=https://www.fontanaheraldnews.com/entertainment/travis-barker-fontanas-superstar-drummer-reveals-all-in-new-autobiography/article_7660b346-7852-11e5-a08d-575d4a9dbd3c.html |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Fontana Herald News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Press-Enterprise |first=Vanessa Franko {{!}} The |last2=Press-Enterprise |first2=Special To The Press-Enterprise {{!}} |date=2010-09-23 |title=Epicenter: Travis Barker talks about Fontana, new Blink-182 |url=https://www.pressenterprise.com/2010/09/23/epicenter-travis-barker-talks-about-fontana-new-blink-182/ |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Press Enterprise |language=en-US}}</ref> on November 14, 1975,<ref name="Allmusic" /> When Barker was four, his mother gave him his first drum kit, which was the only one he would have until he was 15. Barker began taking drum lessons at age five with a drummer named Michael Mai, who would expose young Barker to many different playing styles. At this time, he also began taking [[trumpet]] lessons. In junior high, Barker learned to play the piano and briefly tried singing, joining the [[Madrigal (music)|madrigals]] men and women's choir.<ref name=mh18>{{cite magazine| last = Everett| first = Jenny| date =Fall 2001| title =Blink-182 Cordially Invites You To Take Them Seriously|magazine=[[MH-18 (magazine)|MH-18]]| page =81| publisher =[[Rodale, Inc.]]}}</ref> In addition, Barker had non-musical aspirations; he also was interested in becoming a professional surfer and [[Skateboarding|skateboarder]]. However, Barker states that "I always migrated back to drums, though. That was the one direction that kind of felt like I was connected to and I could kind of understand. I could express myself better through my drums than I could anything else."<ref name="UltimateGuitar">{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/interviews/interviews/therapy_session_of_travis_barker.html|title=Therapy Session of Travis Barker|work=Ultimate Guitar|last=Rosen|first=Steven|date=October 24, 2006|access-date=December 30, 2010|archive-date=December 16, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216020924/http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/interviews/interviews/therapy_session_of_travis_barker.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Barker has described himself as a [[Stoner (drug user)|stoner]] during his tenure at [[Fontana High School]].<ref name="mh18"/> His mother, who had been diagnosed with [[Sjögren syndrome]] three months earlier, died the day before he started high school.<ref name="Allmusic">{{cite web|url=https://allmusic.com/artist/travis-barker-mn0000746409/biography|title=Travis Barker|last=Yeung|first=Neil Z.|publisher=[[Allmusic.com]]|access-date=December 30, 2010|archive-date=December 11, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101211192439/http://allmusic.com/artist/travis-barker-p357403|url-status=live}}</ref> She told him to keep playing music and to follow his dreams. At Fontana High School, Barker played the drum set in the jazz ensemble and [[snare drum]] in the marching band.<ref name="mh18"/> He gained a lot of experience performing at regional competitions and festivals. Barker employed a variety of styles including military and jazz rhythms, but was attracted to the driving rhythms of hip-hop and punk rock.<ref name="shooman52">Shooman, 2010. p. 52</ref>