I’m a little slow, what’s Ensign mean?
A long time ago one of the original guitar players of Ensign said he found a definition of the word that means commitment. I however have never found anything that says that’s what the word means. It is basically the lowest rank in the navy and another word for a flag/symbol.

If I was a 5 year old retarded kid, how would you describe the band’s style to me?
I think that Ensign is just a straight forward hardcore/punk bands. We take influences everywhere from the Cro Mags and Killing Time to the Descendents and Avail. We try not to let ourselves sit back on one particular sound or style.

Your new album just got released on Blackout Records, Tell me about it.
“Love The Music, Hate The Kids is a one off project we did with our friend Bill who run Blackout. Over the years, and through all the tours, Ensign has amassed a huge catalog of cover songs. We kicked around the idea for the last year or so about going in and recording them all and putting it out. Bill said he’d like to do the project. We wound up recording 19 songs in about four days and mixing them in a day and half. However in the end we were really pleased with the way it came out. We got the chance to record some of the songs that have really influenced who we are as people and a band.

What is your favorite song to cover?
Right now I have to say it’s either the Replacements “Kids Don’t Follow” or Christ On A Crutch “Off Target.”

What’s Worse: Rosie O Donnell in a G-string or the War in Iraq?
Well both are horrible in their own right. I have to go with the war in Iraq because it represents the American government lying to it’s people and entering into a really unjust war under false pretenses. Rosie in a G-string is just gross.

Which Seinfeld character do you relate to the most?
Either Jerry or Kramer, depending on the day.

What do you think of the straight edge movement these days? I’m noticing a lot of people are losing the X.
I never really concerned myself that much about the straight-edge movement as a whole. I’ve always just looked at myself as someone who is straight edge as a personal choice. I’m not really into the whole straight edge as a gang/group thing. That’s not to say that I don’t think straight edge is a good thing, because I do. Just not when it comes with a violent connotation.

I like to collect a bunch of really bad songs to annoy my friends with (http://new.readjunk.com/Humor/Articles/worstsongsever.html),You got any songs to add to the list?
Let’s see…..anything by 50 cent. Does that count. Most rap in general sucks. I’ve got a list a mile long of songs I hate.

What movie is this quote from: “Now that’s a real shame when folks be throwin’ away a perfectly good white boy like that.”
That’s easy “Better Off Dead!”

Do you like playing video games? If so, what games are you currently playin?
I love video games. I just have no time right now. I hope to get my hands on True Crime one of these days. Plus I still have to play the new Silent Hill game.

How are the groupies in the HC scene?
I really don’t know. If there are such a thing as hardcore groupies that would be really pathetic as most of us in bands are fucking losers!

What’s next for Ensign?
Our main plan right now is to finish the new record and find a home for it and then hit the road.

Got any final comments or anything to plug?
Thanks a lot to anyone who bought the covers record. Our web-site is back up but the URL changed to www.ensignnj.com. Get in touch and say hi! Check out Crime IN Stereo, the Procedure, The Banner, Marathon, and the new HATEBREED! Thanks a lot!