311 has stood the test of time by playing for its fans (Press-Enterprise)

Survival is pretty underrated. In the "flavor of the month" mentality that has encompassed the music industry, career longevity seems to mean nothing to radio stations and MTV.

These outlets fail to appreciate the musicians who start small and get big, the acts who start at a grass-roots level and flourish from there.

Eight albums into their career, reggae/rock fusers 311 know a little something about that.

"It's a progression on the sound that we've developed over the years," P-Nut says of 311's upcoming CD, "Don't Tread On Me."

The Omaha, Neb., band's second album was titled "Grassroots," which has become its de facto mantra. The band has made a vow to play at least 200 shows in support of each record, something that has garnered it a loyal legion of followers.

"I can definitely see a point in our career where we just start releasing our music independently," bass player P-Nut said. "It's hard to say that you don't need the record company's support, but we feel our fans will support us no matter what."

Of course, the band -- rounded out by Nick Hexum on vocals and guitar, multi-instrumentalist S.A. Martinez, guitarist Tim Mahoney and drummer Chad Sexton -- has sold 7.5 million records.

Its longevity has seen a progression from the frat party soundtrack it was in the mid-'90s to the jam-heavy act it became on its last tour with the Roots and Medeski, Martin and Wood. However, no path is without roadblocks, and in 2003 the group hit a snag with the snarkily titled "Evolver."

Whether it was mid-career doldrums or just a lack of inspiration, the quintet decided to leave the songwriting chores solely up to Hexum. The result was flat and left the band and its fans largely unsatisfied.

"What happened there is that we wanted to see what it was like to put out a record that was from a singular mind," P-Nut said. "Nick's ... talented, but it wasn't really what any of us were hoping for."

Its recently wrapped set, "Don't Tread On Me," due out Aug. 16, marks a return to the collaborative writing process. The group tapped longtime producer Ron Saint Germaine to helm the project. The outcome, though still heavy on the reggae and rock, has a more cohesive and energetic feel to it.

Martinez, who in the past employed the use of turntables to broaden the rhythm section, eschewed them in favor of thickening up the sound with another guitar. He penned two of the tracks on the 12-song release.

"It's not totally different ... but it's a progression on the sound that we've developed over the years," P-Nut said. "The strange thing about putting out records is you never know how well they are going to be promoted. We're happy with it and I think our fans will be, too."

Either way, they're in the music business for the long haul.