After a long series of performances at various clubs and festivals and several indie recordings throughout the 1990s, Blink-182 first achieved popularity on the Warped Tour and in Australia following the release of their sophomore effort Dude Ranch (1997) and its rock radio hit “Dammit”. To record their third album Enema Of The State, Blink-182 turned to veteran punk rock producer Jerry Finn, who previously worked on Green Day’s breakthrough album, Dookie (1994). Enema was the band’s first album to feature drummer Travis Barker, who replaced original drummer Scott Raynor. Lyrically, the album is inspired by adolescent frustration and relationships.
Guitarist Tom DeLonge and bassist Mark Hoppus primarily culled stories from friends and autobiographical situations to craft summery tracks revolving around breakups, suburban parties and maturity, as well as more offbeat subject matter such as UFO conspiracy theories. The cover artwork for Enema of the State features porn star Janine Lindemulder famously clad in a nurse uniform, and the title is a pun on the term enemy of the state. Enema of the State was an enormous commercial success. The album sold over 15 million copies worldwide, catapulting the band to become one of the biggest rock bands of the turn of the century. “What’s My Age Again?”, “All the Small Things” and “Adam’s Song” became hit singles and MTV staples, generating heavy radio airplay. Enema of the State had an extensive impact on contemporary pop punk, reinventing it for a new generation and spawning countless tributes and acolytes. Pressed on limited edition Clear vinyl.
