The fearless punks in Blink-182 flew their freak flags on the streets of L.A. for the video "Whats My Age Again?" in which they do a bit of near-streaking in flesh-colored Speedos. "Watching people's faces in the cars as they drove past us was the best," bassist Mark Hoppus says. "They almost got into accidents. They just saw these ugly blobs running down the street." Porn star Janine made a cameo in the video and appears in the artwork of the band's new album Enema of the State. "I love her movies," he says, "She'll do anything." The boys make a big-screen appearance as a band (duh) in the funniest teen movie in years, American Pie. "We haven't seen it yet," Hoppus says. "The script is super funny and really graphic and gnarly. I'm all, 'Dude, this stuff better make the final cut.'"

3/5 Stars (Good): Angry, good-timey pop punk

Everyone loves a party, so most people love a party band. That's why SoCal's Blink-182 have enjoyed a relatively long life in the ephemeral world of punk rock: They know how to make being pissed off sound as inviting as the pop of a beer-can tab. Bassist-vocalist Mark Hoppus, guitarist-vocalist Tom Delonge and drummer Travis Barker have a swell time on their third album, singing about sexual frustration ("Dumpweed"), alienation (the power-pop-y "All the Small Things") and the sucky, suicidal state of the world (the piano-laced "Adam's Song"). The minimalist rat-a-tat-tat rhythms never falter; the guitar boings up and down like a sonic Superball. It's all harmless but still gnarly enough to foment the kind of anti-everyhing rebellion that spawned rock & roll way back in the day. Sometimes feeling good doesn't demand more than a sense of collective ennui or a "bouquet of clumsy words/A simple melody" ("Going Away To College"). Blink-182 have the formula down, and for that, if nothing else, more power to 'em.--NEVA CHONIN

It's not a pretty sight when punk bands hit pay dirt. Their loyal fans, already surly and disaffected by nature, tend to react as though somebody ruffled their mohawks. Imagine how miffed they're going to be when they read this: Blink 182, a raffish San Diego outfit somewhere to the left of Green Day, will make a top-10 debut on this week's Billboard album chart with "Enema of the State." It's bad enough that we're writing about them in Newsweek.

Fortunately, there's no trace of sellout in "Enema's" torrent of Tommy-gun melodies and gleefully obnoxious lyrics. Sample: "Nobody likes you when you're 23/What the hell is ADD?"

Blink 182--the name supposedly refers to the number of times Al Pacino says "f--k" in "Scareface"--has lost none of its artistic immaturity. The video for "What's My Age Again?" features the trio romping about in their birthday suits, covered only by an armada of tattoos. "There's nothing more awkward or funny-looking than a naked dude," says bassit/singer mark Hoppus, 27. Gigs at skateboarding events earned the boys their street cred. Now they're headlining the Warped Tour. That's bad new for punk purists trying to cope with seeing Blink 182 all over the place. It will be hard to miss them: they're the ones with out any clothes.

Devin Gordon

BLINK 182 TRANSCRIPT FROM UBL--JUNE 1, 1999. TYPED BY EVERGLEAMM. VISIT THE BLINK 182 NEWS PAGE @ https://www.angelfire.com/sd/blinknews

Q: In the new video you run past John Henson. What made you decide to do that? Are you big Talk Soup fans?
B: Yes, we are big Talk soup fans. He was really super cool.
Q: Hi guys! Congrats on the new album! Tom, I heard that you are engaged? Is this true? Thanks!
B: Tom is not engaged.
Q: How different do you think "Enema of the State" is to your other records?
B: I think "Enema of the State" is a lot better than our other records.
Q: What's up with the dialogue at the end of "Cheshire Cat"? The jive stuff after "Depends." Where did it come from?
B: It came from the movie Airplane.
Q: Why did you write the song "Dammit"? Was it from a personal experience?
B: Yes, a personal experience.
Q: Mark did you really almost have sex with Allissa Milano?
B: I wish it was true, but it's not.
Q: How did you come up with the name Blink 182?
B: Tom made it up. Just made it up. No magic.
Q: What kind of guitars do you guys prefer?
B: We use Fender guitars. They're custom made to our specifications.
Q: I just saw you guys play at the WBCN River Rave in MA. When are you going on the "Enema of the State" tour?
B: In the fall.
Q: Mark, I love you so much! Will you marry me?
B: Yes, I will marry you.
Q: What inspired you guys to write "Adam's Song"?
B: "Adam's Song" was inspired by a magazine article that I read a bout a kid who killed himself.
Q: I know you guys are big on bathroom humor. Was that title of your song "Wrecked Him" supposed to sound like rectum?
B: Yes. Do you think it was a coincidence that your parents named you shithead?
Q: Do you prefer touring or recording?
B: I prefer recording because at least then I'm near home.
Q: What is your favorite band?
B: Jimmy Eat World. Tom's favorite band is Far. Travis' favorite band is a singer, Neil Diamond.
Q: Will there be anymore albums?
B: Yes, there will. By the way Travis masturbates when he watches the Teletubbies.
Q: How did you guys end up meeting?
B: We all met through friends. I met Travis when he came begging to play for us after he left the Aquabats.
Q: Was Mark a member of the New Kids on the Block?
B: I was the original New Kids on the Block until other people moved in.
Q: Are you guys really butt naked in your new video "What's My Age Again"?
B: Yes, for most of the video, I am really naked.
Q: Where did you get the inspiration for your songs?
B: From things that happened to us or to our friends.
Q: Any masturbation tips from you Mark
B: Do it a lot, and do it in public.
Q: I thought I saw Tom in a porn video, is that really him?
B: Tom is in a porn video called "Guys Guys Everywhere," he's also in the "Bathhouse" 1 through 6 series.
Q: Did any of you guys get a hard-on during the photo shoot with Janine?
B: Travis did, but that was because he was looking at me. No, none of us did.
Q: Do you guys still do the butt bra thing?
B: No, that's not funny anymore. Actually it wasn't funny in the first place, but it took me a while to figure that out.
Q: Where did you get the song title "Zulu"?
B: Tom made it up.
Q: Are you playing the KROQ weenie roast?
B: Yes, we are playing the weenie roast.
Q: Do you guys ever get sick of girlies askin' you out?
B: I haven't gotten sick because it hasn't happened yet.
Q: Can you guys tell me I'm cool, I have no self esteem
B: No. I can't tell you that your lack of self esteem is well deserved.
Q: Where did you get the title "Dick Lips"?
B: I made it up in the studio. I though it was funny sounding.
Q: What is the craziest thing a fan has done to see you?
B: One guy waited outside of a hotel we were going to stay at for 11 hours.
Q: So do you remember Bakersfield?
B: Yes, I remember.
Q: How long did it take u to make the new album?
B: It took 2 and a half months
Q: Hey did you guys opt out of warped.
B: We are doing Warped.
Q: I heard something about being in a movie, what is up with that?
B: We're in a move called "American Pie".
Q: Do you still see Scott?
B: No.
Q: What was it like to play in front of 75,000 people at the HFStival ?
B: It was scary to play in front of that many people.
Q: What do you guys like to do in your spare time?
B: In our spare time we run www.loserkids.com, it comes out in a few weeks. I also manage a band called Fenix TX.
Q: Have you guys heard of The Get Up Kids?
B: Yes, we're playing in Kansas City tonight.
Q: Mark I met you at the Donny and Marie show I just wanted to say thanks, you are
rad! I want to have your children!
B: That's cool
Q: Can I have Tom's younger sister?
B: Yes.
Q: Hey Mark, where was Tom at the autograph signing at the WBCN River Rave?
B: He was there for a while, he just had to leave to say goodbye to his girlfriend.
Q: What about Ben Dover, he still gay?
B: Yes. God bless him.
Q: Mark, did tom get his alien form the HFStival? Did he like it?
B: Tom got it and he liked it a lot. He likes aliens and he likes being probed.
Q: Do you guys suck that bad at surfing?
B: Yes, we really do.
B: Thanks guys. We have to go to an interview.