The 5-minute Interview: A J McLean, singer

'Rehab? The best 30 days of my life'

A J McLean, 30, achieved fame as a member of the American boy band Backstreet Boys. He is currently writing and recording on his own and will be playing in London at the Indig02 Arena on 15 May.

If I weren't talking to you right now I'd be ...

Sleeping. I'm a bit of an insomniac. I go to bed at 5am because I get caught up in watching TV or listening to music at night.

A phrase I use too often ...

"Douche bag".

I wish people would take more notice of ...

My eyes. I don't like it when people don't look me dead in the eye. I move my head around trying to catch their eye.

The most surprising thing that happened to me was ...

Once I went to bed in Orlando and I woke up in Atlanta. I have no idea how that happened.

A common misperception of me is ...

That I'm a bad boy. If you really know me I'm the polar opposite of that.

I am not a politician but ...

I'd fire Bush. Then I'd make it mandatory to send everybody to rehab. The way people handle things there is the way we should in the outside world. Communication is so much better when people are vulnerable. It was the best 30 days of my life.

The ideal night out is...

A poker night.

In moments of weakness I ...

Turn to my mother.

You know me as a pop star but in a truer life I'd have been ...

A thespian. I grew up in musical theatre and love to perform on stage.

My philosophy is this ...

Life is what you make it.

Kaya Burgess