The only reason we’re not ‘mainstream’ is because we don’t sell enough records.”

Here I imagine Matt Skiba, Alkaline Trio guitarist and frontman, leaning back in a leather-covered chair, clad in a black collared shirt and necktie with his leg resting across his knee. He drums his fingers against each other in a manner not unlike that of Mr. Burns from The Simpsons, contemplating how to respond to a college student’s inquiries about a band that’s gotten more popular than they’d ever imagined.

But, of course, this scenario is all speculative. It’s hard to say what he was doing or how he sounded because the band would only respond via e-mail (after many resilient attempts to contact them by phone). After I stopped feeling like a clingy ex-girlfriend, I got cozy with my laptop for a little one-on-one with Skiba.

The Chicago-based band includes Skiba, Rob Doran on bass/vocals and Glenn Porter on drums/vocals. Currently on their The Occult Roots of Alkaline Trio: Early Songs for Eerie People tour, the trio are scheduled to play three weekday, sold-out shows next week at the Metro, 3730 N. Clark St. Special guests on the tour include bands such as Against Me!, the Lawrence Arms and The Draft.

“I can’t wait,” Skiba says in an e-mail. “I don’t live in Chicago any longer, but it’s still my hometown.”

Spurned after extensive touring for their newer records, the tattooed pop-punks decided to reverse the scripted concert-going experience. The tour’s name, besides making you reach for a dictionary to determine the definition of “occult” (which means “relating to supernatural influences,” in case you were wondering), was inspired by the concept of the tour – playing Alkaline Trio’s older songs. The promise of dusting off their cobwebbed oldies, including the band’s 1998 release Goddamnit, has sent fans into a frenzy.

“They freak out,” Skiba says. “It’s been great.”

But a smooth transition from Good Mourning to Crimson, last year’s release, was thwarted after Skiba fractured his wrist while skateboarding. The injury pushed back recording. And lightning struck twice – after the trio finished up Crimson, the guitarist broke his arm in a pool. Having finally healed, Skiba says he is enthused about being back on the road.

“This tour rules,” he says. “My injuries have made me a way better skateboarder, which provides a more ‘extreme sports/intravenous Mountain Dew/bungee jump out of a helicopter’ kinda vibe.”

But the band won’t be channeling that vibe at this year’s Warped Tour, because as Skiba points out, they “hate playing in the daylight.”

Despite their aversion to sunshine and Vans-wearing 16-year-olds, Alkaline Trio still have an alarmingly large fan base. Having recently returned from overseas, Skiba revealed some details about the band’s performance at Japan’s Independence D Festival in March.

“Japan is unique because the crowd falls completely silent between songs,” he says. “They’re very interested and respectful.”

Skiba skirted around details about the tour, instead revealing that the band is exploring some new ideas for new tunes and planning to help “Free the West Memphis Three,” a campaign advocating the release of three inmates some believe have been wrongly accused of murder (because of their “satanic” liking of heavy metal music, among other things).

“We have weirder experiences in the U.S.,” Skiba says. “Europe and Australia are beautiful places that are much different than what most Americans are accustomed to. Strange experiences occur all over the world. I think getting the real news from overseas media is quite interesting and strange.”

And so the sporadically politically-charged Alkaline Trio has staying power, and with good reason.

“We’ve been doing this a long time and it’s been great for us,” Skiba says. “There are bands that get together, or are put together by an outside entity, and become stars overnight. We are just very lucky, and we feel like we’ve done things the right way for ourselves.”

They’ve gotten it so right that the band has been popping up in shows and soundtracks like an unyielding Wac-A-Mole game. Alkaline Trio’s music has been featured on popular shows like the The O.C. and, most recently, in movies like Underworld: Evolution. They’ve been covered on the television circuit, appearing on almost every late-night show. Skiba even appeared on Fuel TV’s program The Daily Habit, a half-hour talk show featuring interviews with action and sports personalities, as well as other celebrities and musicians.

And if a show like The O.C. approached them again, would Alkaline Trio lend their brooding tunes to the soundtrack again?

“As long as we get to make out with Seth Cohen,” Skiba says.

Medill sophomore Kasia Galazka is a PLAY writer. She can be reached at [email protected].