I've got all these artists, actors and comedians who would call me up and give me advice. I get to hang out with Billy Bob Thornton at his house. We hang out over there every time we're in L.A., because he doesn't go out. We'll hang and he'll play us some of his tunes. It's pretty awesome.

[When asked if he still watches American Idol: The Search for a Superstar (2002)]: Of course I'm watching it - I have nothing but great memories of my time on that show. I was truly able to be myself on everything, except those Ford commercials. And I would do it all over again if I had to, and it's weird to watch it now, because you forget that you'd gone through all that. And then it hits you, that you were there last year, and it's pretty amazing. But I love this season so far ... like when Simon, Paula and Randy mentioned Chris Daughtry, and that one girl said, 'Versace?' I thought that was hilarious.

It's go, go, go, but I wanted to do this my whole life, so I'm enjoying every minute of it.

[During his tenure on American Idol: The Search for a Superstar (2002)]: You have to have a thick skin, plus, you have to stop reading and stay off the Internet. If people say something rude or off-color, you have to take it with a grain of salt, because they don't know you.

[While being on the road away from his wife and children]: There has to be a lot of trust on both parts. My first couple weeks in L.A., I went out to the clubs. It's a quick 'woo-hoo!' Then it's like, 'pffffft.' I'm trying to put more focus on the stuff that's going to last.

[on his group's second album]: We put a lot of heart, soul and tears into this record, [and] coffee - a lot of caffeine, lot of Red Bull, It's the best work we've done yet, we think, and we hope the fans think so too.

[In 2009]: It's been a long three years, but it's flown by. I was always in bands before, but on American Idol: The Search for a Superstar (2002), it was about getting my voice out there. It was always my goal, though, to get a band together again. It was just a matter of finding the certain people who see the music the same way.

[on being a family man]: It wasn't like, this is cool that I'm a rock guy taking on two kids. It just felt like that was what I was supposed to do.

[Of his band]: People think I pulled a Fantasia Barrino; no, I didn't drop my first name.

[In 2007]: As a kid, I was heavily into martial arts and wanted to be the next Jean-Claude Van Damme. Now, even in videos, I don't want to be the actor with the other girl. I don't think that would be great for my marriage. But I'd like to do a cameo on The Simpsons (1989) or Family Guy (1999).

I used to call [my wife] and just quickly throw in the towel. But I've found that the less I say and the more I actually listen to her, and just be there without actually being there, is the best thing I can do. As a man, I always feel like I need to say something. Sometimes I have to stop myself because all I want to do is call and tell her about how much awesome stuff is going on in my life, and, you know, her day is sucking hard. I could write a book on it, I'm serious.

There's going to be a flood of opportunities right now but I don't think I could really talk about them.

Maybe some people thought I was 'safe' so they didn't really bothered to vote for me at all.