music

What's a rock star without chaos and controversy? Pete Wentz, 26, bassist and pinup for Fall Out Boy, has written the lyrics for the hits "Sugar, We're Going Down" and "Dance Dance" that helped earn his pop-punk group a Grammy nomination for best new artist. But then nude photos of rock's new It Boy were splashed all over the Internet last month. As the Chicago-based band headed to St. Paul tonight, its mouthpiece -- an all-state soccer player turned tattooed rock star -- tried to explain himself in an hourlong phone conversation.

Q The first two weeks of March were kinda tough for you with your nude photos on the Internet and that stage dive in New York where no one caught you. How were the first two weeks of April?

A It can only get better. Time makes everything kind of better. You're able to laugh at yourself and get a little distance from who you were.

Q How do you deal with all the chaos and the embarrassment?

A I probably inspire some kind of turbulence in my life on a subconscious level. The best thing is the people I surround myself with, like the band, have been supportive. I don't think I'm the easiest person to be in a band with. My best weapon in defense is having a sense of humor. I just laugh about it. None of this stuff is the end of the world.

Q Any regrets?

A To be honest, I'd rather not have 3 million people see me naked. People would say, "Any press is good press." In retrospect, it's easy to say that. But I freaked out when it happened. It was really bad. If I could rewind it and not have it happen, it would definitely be the decision I would make. But at the same time, there's a lot of things you do that you have to live with.

Q What's the hardest thing about being Pete Wentz?

A Your initial goal is to never have a real job so you can always spend time with your friends and your family and never have any real responsibility. That's why you do a band. [But] you end up with more responsibility and a bigger job than you've ever planned on. You've put yourself in a spot where everyone is going to watch you make missteps and everyone is going to watch you complain about it. At the end of the day, I take myself too seriously sometimes and that can be a really dangerous, narcissistic kind of thing. My life is good and really easy compared to like people in Iraq who get bombs every single day. The thing I have to worry about is whether I have diet or regular soda in our [dressing room].

Q Do you ever reflect back on your suicide attempt last year?

A I try not to, 'cause it makes me feel uncomfortable. But when I do think back on it, one part of me is glad I had this distance from it and another part of me is like "Wow, that was pathetic." I've realized that talk therapy is what works the best for me.

Q Do you still see a therapist regularly?

A I can't on tour, but I do phone therapy about once a week or once every other week. When I'm home, I go every other day or every three days. It seems to be working better. A year ago, if all the stuff that happened in the previous three weeks [had happened], it would have been like a total meltdown.

Q What motivates you?

A I have a drive to be at the top. With Fall Out Boy, I don't want to disappoint the people who believe in us.

Q Is the motivation different from when you were playing soccer?

A If I would say if there was one thing that I was put here on the planet to do, soccer would be the thing. I didn't have to think about it, ever. With this stuff, I have to think more. Not all of it comes easy to me. So it feels like I accomplish more when I do it.

Q Why is Fall Out Boy so popular?