MUSIC : An Invitation to an Evening With the Mr. Happy of Reggae : Pato Banton’s songs spread the messages of love, optimism and peace with all the fervor of a revival meeting.

Imagine Mister Rogers with a Jamaican beat and all his sweaters in front of the stage instead of hanging neatly in the closet. That describes a show by Reggae’s Mr. Happy, Pato Banton, who will be at the Underground in Santa Barbara on Friday night. He plays this area more often than some local bands, making it seem as if he’s moved to the Golden State by now.

“No, I live in England, but I try to make it to California three times a year,” said Banton during a recent phoner. “California is pretty hip with what’s happening. Reggae is big in coastal areas--somewhere there’s sunshine. I’ve been on the road for about eight months a year for the last seven years. When I go home to Birmingham, I’m a stranger in my own town. Even my family doesn’t know when I’m coming home.”

The current phase of that endless road trip may go beyond the usual, which is already a week after the Twelfth of Never. Banton has a new album, “Collections,” which is a greatest hits compilation. One of the two new tracks, “Baby Come Back” is already a hit. Banton teamed up with Ali and Robin Campbell of UB40 for this remake of the song Eddy Grant recorded with his band the Equals.

“The song I recorded with UB40 seems to be doing very well; and especially if it becomes an international hit, you know how a hit has the tendency to hold back everything new,” he said. “So I may be on the road for a year with that one. I’m working on a new album, ‘Revelations,’ that should be out sometime next year, depending on the single.”

Thanks in part to Banton’s relentless traveling, reggae seems to be gaining in popularity even without the benefit of much airplay or help from MTV. In Southern California, there seem to be as many reggae bands as there are in Jamaica. Locally, reggae can be heard every weekend at one club or other, and some of the most popular local bands such as the Lion I’s, the Upbeat and the Ska Daddyz have definite reggae influences.

“I think reggae is bigger and is definitely growing,” said Banton. “It’s getting more popular because it’s integrated into other types of music and it can be heard in adverts, advertisements to you. I think it’s become more diverse, and it’s much less identified with religion--Rastafarianism--than it used to be.”

Banton’s songs spread the messages of love, optimism and peace with all the fervor of a revival meeting. Two of the songs on “Collections” are “Don’t Sniff Coke” and “All Drugs Out.” Nonetheless, Banton’s fascination with the pernicious weed will probably keep him out of any future DARE commercials.

“My position on drugs has never changed. I’m totally against drugs and the addictive chemicals that mess up people’s lives,” he said. “But I’m for the ganja, both economically and ecologically. It’s oil, fiber, medicine and food. It should be legalized because the poor countries of the world like Jamaica need it economically.”

Banton began his career in his hometown under his given name, Patrick Murray. He was an emcee in his father’s traveling reggae show. He won a local talent contest judged by English Beat front man Ranking Roger and ended up on a cut on “Special Beat Service,” the Beat’s 1982 biggie. Next, Banton appeared on a UB40 album. His debut disc, “Never Give In,” came out in 1987, and Banton has been on the road ever since.

“We survive on the road with lotsa drugs, lotsa drinks and lotsa women--NOT. We try to stay clean and healthy on the road, and try to maintain a good working relationship with the people we’re touring with,” he said. “It’s sort of like a marriage--when there’s any difference of opinions, we try to communicate. Right now there’s 12 of us, and the different personalities must be able to express themselves before we can go forward. We have a demo recording studio in the back of the bus, and Nintendo games in the front. In between, we read--we’re having a good time.”

Having a good time should not be a problem at this gig. Ventura’s Lion I’s, firm believers in fun themselves, will open.

“We want to see the people have a good time. We want them to go back to their rough life feeling elated,” said Banton. “I try to stay happy all the time. When you spend most of your time uplifting other people, it tends to become part of you.”

Details

* WHAT: Pato Banton, Lion I’s.

* WHERE: Underground, 110 Santa Barbara St., Santa Barbara.

* WHEN: Friday night, 9-ish.

* HOW MUCH: $12.

* ETC: 965-5050.