MUSIC: THE RAVE-UPS : Class Act : The group got its break in Molly Ringwald’s ‘Pretty in Pink’ but has risen on its own merits.

Country roots rockers, The Rave-Ups used to be known as Molly Ringwald’s favorite band, especially after the actress got them a gig in the film, “Pretty In Pink.” The Rave-Ups have a lot more fans now, plus a contract with a major label, Epic. The band’s third album, “Chance,” is doing fine and a video of the new single “She Says (Come Around)” is about to be released.

The Rave-Ups, a rock ‘n’ roll alternative to “Doogie Howser” reruns and the couch, will be at The Carnaval Club in Santa Barbara next Wednesday. It will be the band’s third appearance in Santa Barbara. They played The Ventura Theatre once a couple of years ago.

The brain behind The Rave-Ups is singer/songwriter Jimmer Podrasky, now from the San Fernando Valley, but by way of Pittsburgh seven years ago. Back then, Podrasky was an English major at Carnegie-Mellon University with rock ‘n’ roll dreams.

“I always listened to music,” Podrasky said in a recent interview. “I listened to everything--old blues, country and Western, rock ‘n’ roll. I liked The Band, Dylan and The Stones. It took me a while to start playing; I was 22 when I started playing guitar.”

Anyway, like everyone else from anywhere else, Podrasky ended up in Southern California in the early ‘80s.

Podrasky teamed with drummer Tim Jimenez, then added bass player Tom Blatnik of Whittier and also guitarist Terry Wilson, formerly of The Ozark Mountain Daredevils. The band has been together six years.

In 1985 there were lots of great roots rock bands in Los Angeles, The Blasters, Top Jimmy & The Rhythm Pigs, The Long Ryders, Lone Justice, Rank & File.

All four members of The Rave-Ups at that time worked for A&M; Records in Hollywood--in the mail room and on the loading dock. Overlooked by A&M;, the band signed with a small independent label, Fun Stuff.

The band’s debut album, “Town + Country,” was one of the best albums of the ‘80s and sold about 40,000 copies. The single “Class Tramp” alone sold 3,000 copies. And an unending number of sweat-inducing gigs made for even more Rave-Ups’ fans, including Ringwald, who occasionally joined the band onstage.

“The first album sort of got us noticed,” Podrasky said. “It got us considerable critical acclaim and we ended up signing with Epic, who are very, very good to us. Fun Stuff Records doesn’t exist anymore. I think they released one other album by another band, but I’m not sure. Epic may or may not reissue our first record; maybe you can find it used somewhere.”

The Rave-Ups have been touring incessantly in support of the new record.

“The new one is doing OK. We toured the country in April, May and June and now we’re going to do some shows in Southern California in July. We might hit the road again in the fall,” Podrasky said.

“I really like The Replacements a lot, but there’s this great band that played with us a lot down South called The Chickasaw Mud Puppies. They went back home to Georgia and won’t be playing with us out here--too bad. We’re real popular in the South, even more than in Los Angeles, I guess we play the kind of music they like down there.”

It’ll be worth the drive to Santa Barbara just to hear them play “Class Tramp,” not to mention “Positively Lost Me,” “Radio,” “By The Way,” “Newman’s Crossing” and lots more.

* WHERE AND WHEN: When and Where: The Rave-ups will perform with Triple Finger on Wednesday at 9 p.m. at the Carnaval Club, 634 State St., Santa Barbara. For more information, call 962-9991.