Fun, fast and melodic, with a finger for detail and a fistful of happiness - it’s San Diego’s Blink-182.

Mark Hoppus (bass, vocals), Tom Delonge (guitar, vocals) and Scott Raynor (drums) met four years ago at an annual Future Proctologists of America camping trip. Gathered around the campfire, these disturbed kids recognized in one another the same love for songs involving girls, friends, life and chronic diarrhea. On that night, a legend was bom.

After a short-lived turn as “El Cuatro and the Caj’ones,” a mariachl band available for weddings, birthdays and ritual circumcisions, the boys put aside their sombreros and plugged in their amps, hoping to spread their goodwill, positive attitude and fondness for toilet humor throughout the world.

Since those early days four years ago, Blink-182 has had the opportunity to tour extensively throughout the US, Canada, Japan and Australia with bands like (and including) Pennywise and NOFX. Heavily involved in the surf, skate and snowboarding scenes, Blink-182 has been included on Taylor Steele’s surf video tours and on the ‘96 (and again in ‘97) Warped Tour. With the help of Billabong, the boys always try to look their best, despite the difficulties of life on the road and the hassle of trying to find pants that fit their peculiar groin regions.

Over the years, Blink-182 has released a number of 7”s, and in 1994 they released their first full-length album, Cheshire Cat, on Grilled Cheese (a division of Cargo Music). In 1996, they signed a joint-venture record deal with Cargo Music and MCA Records.

When questioned about the direction he would like to see the band take both musically and artistically, Mark, the grandfather of the group at 25 comments, “Well, it’s nothing major. I try to eat right and I work out a couple of times a week, but only on my right side, so I’m basically only building up one butt cheek. And I could kick your ass with it right now!” Scott, the baby at only 18, says nothing, having been raised by a tribe of mimes in the hills of Poway. His parents threw him out of the home when he was only four weeks old after they caught him urinating on himself. Tom, the middle child at 21 is perhaps the proudest of his band, explaining, “We try our hardest in everything we do, and have a lot of fun at it. By the way, did you know that Mark only exercises one butt cheek?”

Brought together so many nights ago by the light of the campfire, these boys have a promising future ahead of them. They have dedicated their young lives to playing fun, positive, energetic music for anyone brave enough to lend them an ear. And now with the release of their newest album, Dude Ranch, they are set to conquer the hearts and souls of America, the world and eventually Uranus.