"I'm not going to bulls--t you," Ben Harper tells me during a phone interview before The Action Sports and Music Awards. "I'd like to say I get more time on the road to skate but I just don't."

Now, this cat grew up skating the Upland Pipeline in Cali's "Inland Empire" just east of L.A. Says it was his first love. You figure with all that time on the road, no doubt he could hit up some major skate destinations, right? If only, he says, it were that simple.

"When I'm on the road, man, it's really work. It's work, it's a job," Harper continued. "People aren't supposed to know that."

The Virgin recording artist explains to me what takes up the bulk of his time when he's not performing is doing all the press, which is part of being the leader of his band, Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals. He's doing promotion for radio, TV or newsprint on a daily basis. My reaction: a heartfelt "Damn!"

"The time I'm left on the road is mainly for writing music," he admitted.

And this is how it's been since 1993, when Harper released his debut, "Welcome to The Cruel World," and began touring. The madness really hasn't stopped since then.

For a skater who's had to leave behind his first love to persue a music career, being a part of the Action Sport and Music Awards on April 7 is especially sweet. Harper and his band are scheduled to perform at TEASMA along with Crazy Town , Black Sabbath, De La Soul and Busta Rhymes.

"I'm just blown away that I've been invited, it's just a really good feeling," he says. "To be voted in ... I feel that it's an honor."

The ESPN Action Sports and Music Awards will bring together action sports athletes and cutting edge musical artists into one forum. Awards will be presented to those who have shaped extreme sports and also to the musical artists which have accompanied these sports.

Harper's invitation comes in the wake of his fifth album, released on March 27, 2001. "Live From Mars," a two-disk set, is the first live album by Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals to be released in the U.S. It showcases all musical crescendos, twists and turns that fans have come to expect at the group's concerts.

One thing that is interesting about "Live From Mars" is that there are no overdubs. In other words, they didn't go into the studio to redo the mistakes. What you hear on the album is Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals straight up with no chaser. The original juice, not from concentrate.

"We just put it out and it's really like a glorified bootleg. I'm really happy with the way it turned out," he said.

Much has changed for Harper in the past few years. First, he's become a dad. He's got a 4-year-old son and a 2-year old daughter. His music has also gone through a transformation from a more mellow, acoustic groove to a high-powered, unique funk machine.

Reflective of these changes is the recent body art he's added. Tats - all symbolic - now cover his entire back and arms.

"It's called Moko. It's a style of body art in the New Zealand Maori tradition. (The tatoos) are a reflection of where you've been, where you are and where you are headed ... where you are bound.

"What they do is they talk to you. You know, the (tatoo) artist will talk to you for two hours, for six hours and get to know you. Their philosophy is that they bring (the art) out from under your skin. That it is already waiting there. They bring it out according to the Mowri tradition."

Harper says he will soon be taking some time off from the road, at least for a little while. But he says he'd like to tour at least another eight years. For now, though, he's getting a kick out of watching his own kids get into skateboarding and BMX during his rare free time.

"My kids love to skate. They love it, man. Sometimes I'll bring out the dog and my son will get on the bike and we'll just roll. I'll skate, he'll be on the bike, we got the dog and we're movin! When I'm at home, it's all good."

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