The enemies.

A FEW MONTHS BACK I went to the Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco for a Real Skateboards video premiere--I think it was Seeing Double. Anyway, Tony Trujillo's band Hell on Earth played, and I was hyped. Hell on Earth was great--heavy metal covers and Tony's hair--I mean, how could it suck? I looked around the room at the growing number of belligerent people and decided that I was all partied out. Nothing was going to come between me and eight hours of sleep. Nothing could follow what I had just witnessed; nothing could interest me after seeing Tony rocking out as he was born to do. Nothing, that is, except what took the stage next. Just as my left foot hit the pavement outside, my right car heard something that made me turn my head. "What the ...?" I did a 180 pivot-turn back into the club and took a place up against the wall, listened and watched. Before I knew it I was bobbing my head and tapping my foot to the Enemies, and had been fully transformed into the ultimate fan. "Hey party pooper, I thought you were going home?" my friend walked by and smirked. Mike Pelino, The Enemies' vocie and git, speaks.

How did you get hooked up with Lookout Records?

Pitch Black and us asked a handful of labels to put out our split in 2001, and they were the only ones into it. We didn't have a contract or anything so when we were ready to record Seize the Day we didn't know if they'd be into it, but all we had to do was ask.

Since you're from the East Bay do you get compared to Green Day a lot?

Well, you know, the three-guys-punk-with-pop-flare, on Lookout Records, from Oakland, CA, those similarities ... We get that shit a lot. But what the hell, its just the music we play.

How did you form the band?

In high school the Enemies' original bass player, Rick Jacobus, and I were in a band called Second Hand Spit. When we broke up I joined a band called TFM to do a tour, and that band had Jason on drums. When Rick and I decided to start The Enemies we asked Jason to play drums, which basically broke up TFM--but that band was going nowhere. The Enemies have been together for six years; Rick left about three years ago to start a family. Jason and I were living with Dave from Neurosis at the time so we asked him to play on the split with Pitch Black, and he's been with us since.

Isn't Jason in the UK Subs now?

Jason did a bunch of tours with UK Subs while I was in school, but now he's concentrating all of his energy on us. The Enemies are his band UK Subs was his job.

That's not a bad job. Tough choice, work at McDonald's or tour with the UK Subs? Doubt anyone in their right mind would choose the Big Mac with a side of acne. Speaking of Jason, why do you call him Nipple? Or do we even want to know?

The Nipple thing is just some stupid nickname from high school, something to do with wearing beanies.

My friend who went to high school with you guys thought it was because he has a third nipple. But it's cool, I believe you. What's the most fucked up question that you have been asked?

I've never been asked a fucked up question; they've always been straightforward. On this past tour Dick (Subhumans) was being interviewed for some other magazine and the first thing they ask was "Would you rather drink a cup of piss or puke?" That's a fucked up question. Pretty stupid too.

If you could go on a world tour with two bands, who would they be and why?

Social Unrest, Rat in a Maze era. One of the greatest fucking records of all time Black Flag when Dez was singing, just to be able to see them every single night.

So you'd be with Black Flag until late 1981 and then with Social Unrest in '82, how old would you have been?

In '82 I was four, but I'd be there anyways.

You don't like Henry Rollins?

Henry's okay, but he's no Dez.

Who writes most of the songs?

I write everything; although, Jason, wrote a song on the new one and is working on more. He even wrote a couple songs that appeared on the UK Subs album Universal.

Do you write better when you're happy or sad?

I definitely write better sad or upset; those are the songs I feel most connected to. Like on Seize the Day the songs "East 14th" and "Last Rights," every time I hear them I get thrown right back into the depression I was in when I wrote them.

Do you guys skate?

Rick and I skated from third grade through high school; I kind of lost motivation due to guitar and getting stoned. But man, it was harder then. All we ever had was Benicia, and now everywhere you look there's a park. It's awesome.

Are you the only one with a day job?

I haven't worked in three months and Jason in four. Dave has a job. I don't know if 1 still have a job.

Kelly Osbourne or Christina Aguilera?

Britney! None of them have any talent so I'll go with the one with the Southern accent.

Do you know The Donnas?

Nope. Don't know 'em. Never met 'em. But I'm pretty sure the guitar player bought a guitar that I was saving up money for.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I want to do exactly what I do now, make records and tour. For me, that's everything.

The question wasn't what do you want to do. What do you want to be?

I am what I want to be, just the broke version of it. I don't care about being rich or famous 'cause I've seen what that can do to people and it's ugly. But as long as making records and touring can pay for my rent and my dog's food, I'll be happy.