Filet of Soul : Fishbone will bring its rocking sounds to the Ventura Theatre as part of a tour to lure fans to buy its third album.

Fishbone, yet another “fish” band in this musical Age of Aquariums, will provide the party’s soundtrack, and the slam pit in front of the stage will be transformed into ground zero at the venerable Ventura Theatre this Saturday night.

The band will make its third local appearance at the same venue and is touring in a thinly veiled effort to persuade you to buy a copy of its third album, “The Reality of My Surroundings.” The reality of the situation is that ever since Fishbone’s 1985 debut, “Party At Ground Zero,” the Los Angeles band has left hordes of dazed dancers in its wake from sea to shining sea.

Fishbone, from central Los Angeles, is a Warp 10 ska/funk/rock/what-the-heck riot rock band with members jumping all over the stage as if they were wearing wolverine tennis shoes and python neckties. It looks like a gang fight--they play like it’s war. Fishbone songs, when you can understand them, deal with the daily grim grind of life in the ‘hood. Sometimes, it’s the coolest rockin’ ska you’ve ever heard, other times it’s a car wreck and the survivors are in mortal pain. None of this will matter to the slammers who will be doing the human bumper car thing anyway.

Guitarist Kendall Jones, in a recent phone interview, discussed the life and times of his favorite band.

How’s the album, the tour and all that?

The album is doing really good, but we’re still poor, starving musicians. Right now, we’re doing a West Coast tour, of which the Ventura gig is part. We always do pretty good there. After that, it’s on to Hawaii, Japan and Australia.

Where did you guys get the name for the band?

It was a restaurant we saw that was closed down out in Barstow when we were out there working. It was on the marquee of a restaurant and it said “Fishbone,” and we figured “that’s us.” I won’t tell you what our name used to be.

How did the band get started?

We started in 1978 in junior high school. We just kept jamming and became a band. Over the years, there have been a lot of people in the band, the serious ones are still here.

How would you describe Fishbone music?

Indescribable joy.

How is this album different from the others?

It’s more the fact that we made a denser production this time. We went back into the Fishbone vault of songs that we were doing 10 years ago. It’s what Fishbone was like in the old days. People think we’re a ska band, so we have some ska for them because some people were getting nervous, but we’ll always do ska. Our music is becoming more aggressive and also a bit more complex technically. If you play a lot, that comes out. Now we get to show off our progressive rockness, being the Rush fans that we are.

What’s the best and worst thing about your job?

The worst thing is when it’s over, when you finish a tour. You’re glad to be home for about a week, then you start to miss the excitement of being on the road. Oh, and I don’t like packing, but everything else I like. I used to drive a truck, man, but now, this is the only thing I do.

Your album has the warning sticker on it. Is that a problem?

It hurts, but so what? The day I make my music to conform to Wal-Mart, it’s time to quit.

Who goes to Fishbone shows?

We get all kinds of people--black, white, Asians, metal heads, funkateers, rude boys, death rockers, slam boys--all kinds.

Did your crowd ever not slam?

They always do and we like it when they do so long as they maintain proper pit etiquette. When someone falls, pick them up.

What’s the most misunderstood thing about Fishbone?

Oh, probably that we’re sexist and homophobic.

Fishbone music is very opinionated--can or should music change the world?

I think it can because music can get you to think at some point. There’s always one song that you’ll always remember that will bring back a certain point in your life. Maybe “I Got You Babe” by Sonny and Cher was a song that meant something to some people who grew up in the ‘60s. Right now, I think the music scene is finally getting better; I mean, if there’s room for bands like Color Me Badd. . . . But there shouldn’t be any room for Vanilla Ice.

Could you guys play longer than the Grateful Dead?

Man, I’ll put it to you this way--our dream is to go to Nigeria and play for 12 hours. Hey man, if Fela Anikulapo Kuti can do it, so can we.

What would be your dream gig and your nightmare gig?

Dream gig? Metallica. Nightmare gig? Guns N’ Roses. I like the guys in the band, but that Axl Rose, man, I don’t know about that dude.

So what’s next for the band?

We want to tour, tour, tour. We’ve been writing quite a bit and we almost have enough for our next record. Our new record is good, but the next will blow that one out of the water. And that makes me feel real good.