Based purely on looks, one might have thought a Guns ‘n’ Roses tribute band was sound-checking at People’s Bar & Grill Tuesday afternoon. But the forearm tattoos, dreadlocks, camouflage pants and stocking caps can be misleading. The band is actually Dishwalla, makers of some of the most sentimental alt-rock you may never have heard.

Dishwalla is most famous for the hits from its 1996 album, “Pet Your Friends,” but the group has actually been through quite a bit since that time.

“We put out a second record, which most people never heard,” says vocalist J.R. Richards.

Richards attributes the lack of promotion for that album, entitled “And you think you know what life’s about” to proceedings that eventually changed the entire record industry as we knew it.

“The day we released our second record, A&M [the band’s label at the time] had a big article in the L.A. Times that they had been bought by Universal,” he says. “They were dropping half the roster and we weren’t sure if we were going to get dropped or kept.”

Dishwalla was fortunate enough to have made the cut, once the dust cleared.

“We found out we were one of the bands they were going to keep,” Richards says. “We thought `Hey, Interscope’s a great label.’ But at that point there were so many bands. Everything that was cut from A&M and everything that was cut from Geffen went on this one label.”

Citing dissatisfaction with the way things were going, the band eventually were released from their deal with Universal and moved to Immergent, an indie label from Chicago.

“We were a little shy of going with a big corporate label again,” Richards says. He also says that their current situation has good and bad elements.

“There’s definitely a very positive side and, unfortunately, a negative side,” he says. “They come from the philosophy of an artist-development angle where you don’t have to have a hit record right off the bat. They’ll spend time and money and records with you to try and develop you and make it in to something lasting.”

But Richards says that there are other things that large labels have over the independents.

“At the same time they don’t have the huge other artists that you can use to leverage to get you on the radio and MTV or Jay Leno,” he says.

Richards says despite that fact, he and the group are happy on Immergent. “I prefer to be on the independent label because the vibe is much better. It’s more of a creative environment – way less corporate, and I’m definitely over that,” he says.

There have been a few other groups put in Dishwalla’s situation in recent years. Bands including The Verve Pipe, Superdrag and Better Than Ezra have had radio hits on majors and then lost their deals, but resigned with much smaller labels.

“I think it’s great that they haven’t been discouraged,” Richards says. “I think that’s important.

“I know for me, I had to go to a place where I had to decide if I wanted to continue to do this enough to deal with all of that – the marketing bullshit, politics and all that crap,” he says. “You know, music’s something I’ll always do. All the other guys in the band, I think, went through the same thing.”

Richards attributes the power their current situation gives them as making it easier to carry on. “Doing it on your own and actually having a little more control too actually makes it more fun,” he says. “Thank God for the Internet in some ways too. You have an opportunity to have some exposure and build on that. You don’t have to sell millions. You can sell enough to continue to survive.”

As for the past difficulties, Richards only wishes he had been a little more industry-savvy.

“Hindsight’s always very clear,” he says. “But . I wish I knew more about the business when I was younger. We signed when I was pretty much a punk kid. I didn’t know anything about anything. I was willing to trust everybody to cover their end of it.”

The Dishwalla long-term plan hasn’t changed despite any business difficulties, Richards says.

“It’s still just trying to make great records and continue to tour and support ourselves,” he says. “We don’t have to be huge or anything like that – if it happens, great. But a whole other set of problems usually comes in with that crap. We just want to put food on the table and be able to play.”

It was clear Tuesday night that Dishwalla has grown since the days they were “counting blue cars.” The songs from their latest release, “Opaline,” showcase a more mature group – both personally and artistically.

While the crowd seemed timid at first, they were soon dancing in front of the stage, jumping up and down, and raising their bottles for the sing-along of, yes, “that song.” Richards explains that Dishwalla will always remain true to its past.

“Me personally, I think you’ve got to back what you do,” he says. “At least half the people there on that night are hoping to hear that song. That’s how they were exposed to you. I think it’s pretty arrogant in a way, to decide that you’re not going to play it for them because you don’t think it’s cool anymore.”

While bands like Nada Surf have been known to refuse to play the one song the entire crowd is familiar with, Richards says he has a real problem with that kind of attitude.

“It’s that whole indie thing that I think is just bullshit,” he says. “There’s something about that song that is special and if I were that kid in the audience I would want to respect them and play that song for that reason.”

As for the future, Richards says he doesn’t envision quitting anytime soon.

“I was in my first band when I was nine,” he says. “I’ve been doing this forever. It’d be weird to stop now.”