For a band that took its name from the police code for indecent exposure back in 1990, you wouldn't necessarily have expected 311 to mature with so much mellowness.

That isn't to say that singer Nick Hexum, drummer Chad Sexton, guitarist Tim Mahoney, bassist P-Nut (legally Aaron Wills) and DJ SA Martinez are now strolling around the stage in flip-flops, strumming acoustic guitars.

The band's frantic amalgamation of ska, pop, punk and rap - which ruled modern rock radio in the mid-'90s in the form of hits "Down" and "All Mixed Up" - is still intact, especially during their vigorous live sets.

But, over the years, the band from Omaha, Neb., has explored environmentalism (frontman Hexum started the nonprofit Liberal Hexum) and politics (Hexum and brother Zack toured in 2004 in support of Democratic candidate John Kerry).

In 2000, 311 even started its own holiday - 311 Day, held every March 11 in New Orleans.

And Hexum is heavily into yoga and meditation - so much so that five years ago, he bought his own island off the Florida coast, which he named Melody Key, as a guaranteed escape from his usual base of Los Angeles. He also was quietly engaged to head Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger, but the pair split in 2006.

Even though 311's record sales have slipped the past few years - its 2005 "Greatest Hits '93-'03" is its only release to go gold (500,000 units shipped) since 2002 - the band still draws about 5,000 fans per live show, according to concert industry trade Pollstar.

311's third "Unity" tour kicked off late last month with Snoop Dogg co-headlining, and the group is also working on its next album with producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi) for a spring release.

Hexum checked in last week from a tour stop in Kansas to discuss this current "Unity" outing, his brief association with Mechanicsville native Jason Mraz and the joys of island ownership.

So what is the philosophy behind the "Unity" tour?

It's the coolest word and it's always been associated with us. Prior to 311, me and Chad [Sexton] and Tim [Mahoney] were in a band called Unity, and our second album was called that . . . It's been a continuous concept with us as far as unifying our fans and bringing people together from all walks of life. Music really can be a uniting force.

Last year, Jewish rapper Matisyahu shared the bill. This year, Snoop Dogg. Explain.

I wish there was some really fun story about how we were kicking it with [Snoop], but it was just through agents and managers and when it was brought to our attention as a possibility, we were like, 'Hell, yes!' That would be a dream.

So we kept not getting our hopes up too much. We've never had a support act who is this big, and after the first show, we were high-fiving like, 'Is this really happening?'

What does Snoop Dogg bring to the tour?

It's kind of a one-and-one-makes-three situation. He's bringing a lot more hop-hop, and our modern rock people like hip-hop because it's also one of our ingredients. We wind up stealing each other's fans, which is cool.

You're ending the tour in Hawaii with Jason Mraz opening. You produced his version of "I Melt With You" on the "50 First Dates" soundtrack. What's the extent of your relationship?

That [song] was all done while I was on tour, so I never had a chance to meet him. I made the track on my bus studio, he did the vocal and it was all sent back and forth over the Internet. I've just talked to him on the phone once, but Hawaii should be cool.

What are you hoping to get from Bob Rock as a producer on the new album?

He's really big into pre-production. He calls himself a pop guy, and he simplifies the music . . . There's also a little bit of a return of the rap-rock, which I didn't expect.

But we had a renaissance of hard beats and the confidence that rap requires. It's all about attitude, and we're just having so much fun right now.

There's also some new territory - a power pop song influenced by Supertramp or 10cc - and some reggae and one New Orleans funk song.

So you really own an island. How often do you get down there?

It's a dream come true . . . but I'm not able to get down there as much as I'd like. Thanksgiving was the last time and we had a great family reunion. It's for sale now, actually, because I want to travel light now. More stuff is more headaches.