By Freddie Zamora

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones began playing over a decade ago, and since then, they have grown enormously in popularity. They have seven albums, and have been in the popular media circuit since their fifth album, “Let’s Face It,” was released which featured their biggest hit, “The Impression That I Get.” They’ve been featured in the movie “Clueless.” They’ve even been headliners in big tours such as The Warped Tour and Lollapalooza. Last summer, they released their seventh album, “A Jackknife to a Swan,” on Side One Dummy Records. The Northeastern News had an opportunity to talk with Roman Fleysher, the band’s saxophone player before the band went on stage for their performance.

The Northeastern News: First off, do you always get asked to play colleges, especially in Boston?

Roman Fleysher: Yeah, we get asked by colleges all the time to play their campus. We play Boston schools a lot; Boston a few times. We’ve played BU and now Northeastern, and we’ve played a bunch of other schools here. There’s so many damn colleges in this town. Whatever campuses are willing to take us, we will. This is our first time playing at Northeastern.

The News: How did you ever get a part with the Bosstones?

Fleysher: I was playing with the Stubborn All-Stars [ska band] in New York. The guys in the band were good friends with Tim [Burton, saxophone player from the Bosstones], and he said that their saxophone player had left, so they needed someone to fill that slot. I was like, ‘Is this a joke?’ and he was for real. So, he tells me to meet him at a bar in Manhattan, and I didn’t think he’d show up. He shows up and he tells me that I’m hired. I was a little confused because he didn’t even hear me play the sax, and he was like, ‘You’ve come highly recommended, so you’re hired.’ Next thing I know, I’m on a plane to Arizona meeting up with them to tour.

The News: It seems as if you guys have the best chemistry on stage. How close are you guys off stage?

Fleysher: Well, yeah, we get along and everything. There are times when we get on each other’s nerves. You know, living with the same guys for most of the year could be a hassle a lot of times. There are times when we need our space. Like, during our breaks when we’re not touring, we’re off doing our own thing, not really keeping in touch with one another.

The News: How long have you been playing saxophone for?

Fleysher: I’ve been playing for 16 years. Everyone has their own hobbies, you know, some kids go out and play sports, but mine was just sitting in my room and playing the sax.

The News: Do you guys have anything to fall back on once you decide to move on from being in a band?

Fleysher: Yeah, I like to fly airplanes. I own one. I get a kick out of that. If anything ever happens when the band calls it quits, then I wouldn’t mind being a pilot. That’s always been a dream of mine.

The News: With being in the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, does that mean that you had to move to Boston to practice with the band all the time?

Fleysher: I’m the only guy in the band who isn’t from the Boston area. I’m actually from Florida, just north of Ft. Lauderdale. I actually prefer that over Boston. It’s too cold up here. I am much more into warmer parts. I also loved living in California while growing up.

The News: Are there any fears of being on the road for too long?

Fleysher: The biggest fear I have on the road are the bus drivers. I don’t trust them at first. If we have a bus driver who’s driving us for the first time, I’m a little skeptical about him. We’ve had friends’ band’s vans who have crashed, and that’s a fear that I have.

The News: Do you often get recognized in Boston for being in the Bosstones?

Fleysher: Not really. Dicky [Barrett, lead singer] gets that all the time. If you’re hanging out in a bar with him, there’s always people coming up to him. I don’t get recognized at all. It’s kind of funny because when I used to live in California, I used to be recognized for being in The Hippos [ska/punk band]. Once I got into the Bosstones, I thought it would be all about sex, drugs and rock and roll, but it’s nothing like that at all. None of us go out and party. We’re all old men.

The News: Which Bosstones album is your favorite?

Fleysher: That would have to be the newest one [“A Jackknife to a Swan”] because it’s so diverse. I was also on the “Pay Attention” album, but I like the other stuff. I really like “Let’s Face It.” I also really like “Last Dead Mouse” [Bosstones song].

The News: What are your thoughts on the decline of ska as a genre?

Fleysher: I think that music, throughout the years, gains popularity, then loses it, then comes back again, redone. It happened with disco; it came back as a form of dance-pop techno. It’s not dead, but it’s dying. I think it’ll come back.