MUSIC : Youth Brigade Marches to Punk Rock Cadence : Young-at-heart veterans will answer the musical call to arms in their Underground performance in Santa Barbara.

The Youth Brigade, with members in their 30s, may not be kids, but they certainly are closer to youth than the Beach Boys are to boyhood.

Youth may indeed by wasted on the young, but this Brigade will be wasting the ears of the young with a punk rock barrage of witty yet indecipherable songs on Wednesday night when they appear as the headline act at the Underground in Santa Barbara. Also on the bill are punk legends 7 Seconds and Youth Brigade label mates Bouncing Souls.

The Better Youth Organization, probably not the answer to every parent’s dream, is an independent label run by the band, which has been releasing punk rock albums since 1982. The latest one, “Happy Hour,” is by the Youth Brigade.

Usually composed of four members, this understrength Brigade features the three Stern brothers, who have thus far refrained from fratricide. Shawn (guitar), Mark (drums) and Adam (bass) formed BYO in 1979, then the Youth Brigade in 1982, thus being part of the blame for the L.A. punk rock explosion. During a band break, Mark and Adam formed the popular be-bop swing outfit, the Royal Crown Revue. In 1991, the band reformed and began touring again.

Singer/songwriter Shawn Stern discussed the band during a recent phone interview.

How can three brothers get along this long without killing each other?

We do fight all the time, but we’re used to it. People that don’t know us don’t understand, but we yell at each other about going to lunch. By the time we get done with a tour, we don’t want to see each other for a month.

What’s the difference between punk rock ’82 and punk rock ‘94?

Some of the old guys are doing quite well such as Jello Biafra at Alternative Tentacles, and Brett Gurewitz at Epitaph. The people that did it because they believed in what they were doing, are still doing it. I think we probably just took the wrong years off. The main difference was that the scene was new then; we sort of created it. I’m glad to see Green Day and Offspring make it, especially Offspring on an independent label. Punk rock is definitely getting bigger, but how similar it’ll be to how it began remains to be seen. Now, it’s big money, big business and big labels.

What got you started in all this?

When I was in high school in 1977, I was reading about the Sex Pistols, then I heard Elvis Costello and the Clash on the radio. Then in 1978, I saw the Dickies, and they totally blew me away. I went home and shaved off my hair.

Has Youth Brigade changed much since your ’82 album?

We’re pretty much doing the same thing we were doing when we started. We all like different kinds of music; you can tell that because two of my brothers were in a swing band. We play good, fast, loud, energetic songs that have something to say.

So you’re up there wailing away, but no one can hear the witty lyrics.

That’s why we put in a lyric sheet. Always. The Clash never did, that’s why you hear people walking around mumbling their songs--because they couldn’t understand the words. I think the education system isn’t doing a very good job with the kids today. A lot of them are street smart, but not book smart. They don’t know what’s going on in the rest of the world. They think America is the beginning and the end of the world. Some of them think Vietnam is one of the states.

What if the mosh pit gets too radical?

There’s a lot of testosterone at work out there, and if they don’t meet a girl, they fight. It’s totally stupid, but telling them it’s totally stupid, is stupid. As long as they don’t shoot each other in the face, we let it go.

What do people always get wrong about punk rock?

That it’s all violent, mindless and stupid and that the lyrics are all nihilistic--just surface things.

What’s up with BYO?

BYO was formed as a reaction to violence at a 1979 Elk’s Lodge gig in downtown L.A. with the Germs and the Go-Go’s. . . . We just wanted to teach people about the positive aspects of our scene. This gradually turned into promoting shows--we ran a place called Godzilla’s--and formed our own label. It was the whole punk rock do-it-yourself attitude.

What’s the best thing about having your own label?

You work for yourself. We get to travel around for three or four months a year, and hire some of your friends. If the surf’s up, we take the day off. On the other hand, you become a workaholic and work late and work nights. Then your girlfriend gets mad at you because you don’t spend enough time with her.

Your first album cost five bucks. Are you still keeping the prices down?

We keep the vinyl at six bucks and the CDs at ten bucks. I’d lower the prices, but I can’t get them to charge less in the stores. The price of CDs is going down--it’s about $1.05 right now to make one--so the mark-up is incredible.

Is the Youth Brigade still youthful?

“Youth” is an attitude, not an age. We’ll always be kids at heart.

Details

* WHAT: Youth Brigade, 7 Seconds, Bouncing Souls.

* WHEN: Wednesday night, 8 p.m.

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

* HOW MUCH: $8.

* CALL: 965-5050.