Deep Roots for the Gin Blossoms : Even with all of its popularity, the Tempe-based band won’t budge from its desert home.

Let’s face it, Tempe, Ariz., is not exactly a thriving rock ‘n’ roll mecca. It seems more like one of those places that a budding rock band leaves, then later reminisces about for its boring but lovable qualities.

But the Gin Blossoms decided to stay put in the desert city, even after emerging late last year as one of the most popular new bands on the college and overground music scene.

The quintet is probably best known for its infectious, guitar-driven pop single “Hey Jealousy,” from the ’92 album “New Miserable Experience.” The song has topped the college charts and received heavy rotation on such diverse radio stations as the alternative-lite KROQ-FM and the mainstream rock station KLOS-FM.

“Why move to L.A. with hundreds of other starving bands? . . . You don’t have to live on the block to say hi to its people,” says the Blossoms’ guitarist Jesse Valenzuela.

In its early days the group did occasionally fly to L.A. and showcase at Hollywood clubs like Raji’s, Club Lingerie and the Coconut Teaszer. Eventually, record labels took notice and A&M; signed the quintet.

It’s the group’s bar band mix of ‘70s, Tom Petty-style FM rock and bouncy, ‘80s Plimsouls hooks, along with an undercurrent of country-rock that’s done the trick. And the band’s no-frills, everyday-life lyrics complement the music as pretzels do beer.

In “Hey Jealousy,” frontman Robin Wilson sings about a visit to an old girlfriend’s house: “Do you think it’d be all right if I could just crash here tonight/You can see I’m in no shape for drivin’/And besides, I’ve got no place to go.”

Such down-to-earth scenarios and the Blossoms’ raw take on post-’60s American pop ‘n’ roll have attracted college fans as well as classic rockers.

“We seem to rock mostly college people or 20- to 30-year-olds,” says the soft-spoken Valenzuela, who is 30. “We’re in that age bracket ourselves so our sound is probably pretty comfortable and familiar to them. It’s probably what they grew up listening to.”

They’ve also won at least one older fan. After they appeared on David Letterman’s show for the second time, the usually cynical host declared: “I love this band. They kinda make you wanna ditch school and go play pinball and drink Slurpees at 7-Eleven.”

Before Valenzuela, Wilson, drummer Phillip Rhodes, bassist Bill Leen and guitarist Scott Johnson were the Gin Blossoms, they played separately in Top 40, country and original bands around town until they “just sorta gravitated toward each other” in 1988.

As the Blossoms, they gigged nonstop around Tempe, then released their first album, the quintessential do-it-yourselfer “Dusted.” The independent project was funded through a manager’s savings, put out on a friend’s label and personally mailed to college radio stations nationwide. Their garage-style efforts created a buzz that led to national tours and, eventually, the A&M; deal.

Even though the Gin Blossoms have been topping the college charts and creeping up Billboard’s Top 200 since the release of “New Miserable Experience” last August, not a lot has changed for this desert bar band, which has been playing practically every night for the past year (they appear tonight at the Anaconda in Santa Barbara, Tuesday at Bogart’s in Long Beach and Friday at the Palace).

Says Valenzuela: “The album’s gone pretty well. We’re happy and surprised. Being so detached out here on the road, it’s hard to understand the numbers, but I know we’re making friends.

“We’ll play small bars then come back and play something bigger and people come up and tell us they saw us three years ago and were waiting for us to come back. That’s a good thing. It’s nice to know these people are around and you kind of cross your fingers they’ll be around the next time too.”