Firewater's Tod Ashley (better known as Tod A.) is too smart to be a mere rock singer. Armed with a twisted wit and a subversive vision of the future of rock, A. and the rest of Firewater have done their best to extend rock 'n' roll's boundaries by tearing them open at the seams and patching the holes together with bits and pieces of unrelated and alien styles.

Witness the band's debut effort Get Off the Cross (We Need the Wood for the Fire) for proof. A wild ride through the cobbled alleys of Eastern Europe and Israel, Get Off the Cross melded raw rock with Gypsy melodies, Russian balaikas, traditional Jewish klezmer music and a range of other ethnic sounds.

Firewater topped the cult success of its debut this spring with The Ponzi Scheme. While the band retained the exotic qualities that set Get off the Cross apart from the alternative-rock herd, the Ponzi Scheme mapped out new territories, venturing into music lifted from revival meetings, spy themes and even featured some straight-ahead rock numbers. The record sailed to the top of the college charts and garnered the band even more critical applause.

Now embarking on another headlining tour, Firewater will bring its sometimes-violent, always-intoxicating vision of what rock should be to the Union Bar and Grill, 18 W. Union St., at 9 p.m. today.

A., calling from his home in New York City, took time between impersonations of Mafia types and sardonic comments to say he was eager to start the new tour, but in a characteristic spirit, prefaced his assertion with a disclaimer or two.

"It's always a new adventure on the road, playing shows and steering clear of law enforcement, " A. said. "This is the first show of the tour, so we're going to be a little raw and a little excited, but hopefully we'll get things together."

One would think getting things together would be the last thing on A.'s mind, considering all Firewater has done recently. Aside from playing live, the band has been working on new tracks; its single "Green Light" is featured on the soundtrack to Janeane Garafolo's new movie Clay Pigeons, and - oh, wait - there's one more important thing the band has done.

"We signed our souls away to Satan," A. asserted grimly.

The great Satan in question is Universal Records, which recently picked up The Ponzi Scheme, for continued release after its success on the tiny indie Jetset. The new release, which will hit the stores tomorrow, features some changes, including six remixed tracks and new packaging. But a few remixes aren't the only changes Firewater has undergone in recent months.

"We have a new sax player and a new violin player," A. said. "Orry Kaplan - no relation to (guitarist) Oren Kaplan -is the new sax player; he's from Tel Aviv. Heather Aweh is the new violinist. So, yes, there's a GIRL in the band now."

With the inclusion of one its songs on a motion picture soundtrack Firewater has also recently been challenged by possible rock-star status, something it came face-to-face with when playing at the premiere of Clay Pigeons.

"We get there and we're all falling out of the limousine, and we went right into the theater," A. said. "We had to go back out and walk in again - apparently we didn't pose for the papparazzi enough. Later, all the stars got drunk and clambered onstage and we were forced to play with them."

Is A. prepared to deal with being a celebrity? He seems to take it in stride.

"I'm always surprised when what we do is greeted with 'boos' and derision," he said. "I guess if people are bored with the sh** that's happening, and want something different, there's always Firewater."

Until all that happens, A. said, he is excited to return to Athens where the band had a very good time in the spring - but don't look to him for a summary of his expectations for the tour, life or anything else.

"Famous last words I'll leave for my deathbed," he said.

Firewater will take the Union by storm at 9 p.m. Also on the bill are touring openers Speedball Baby and local super-group The Coolranch Davidians. Advance tickets are on sale for $5 at Haffa's, Outer Limits, Schoolkids and the Union.