Few celebs hit it from behind like Travis Barker. In blink-182, he banged skins in the background while his prankish partners took center stage. Since the band broke up two years ago, Barker, now 31, has emerged as the biggest star of the three. His popular MTV reality show, Meet the Barkers, kept fans huddled in front of their flat screens to get a glimpse of his home life with then wife, playmate Shanna Moakler. Subsequent divorce drama has landed Barker in the tabloids, but the man with the Mohawk and tats is trying to remain under the media radar. He prefers to focus on artistic endeavors like his Famous Stars and Straps4 clothing line and (+44), his new group with blink band mate Mark Hoppus. We doubt he'll ever be able to disappear behind the drums again.

How has it been promoting the new (+44) album, When Your Heart Stops Beating, with a broken arm?
For this upcoming tour, I've assigned every-thing that I usually play with my right hand to my left hand, and assigned my left foot to do everything that my left hand usually does. So I'm going to do the tour crippled.
Clearly you're committed to (+44). So there's no chance of a blink-182 reunion, right?
I never say never, but Mark and I don't talk to Tom [DeLonge]. And I would never want to be one of those bands that gets on stage and plays to make X-amount of dollars but no one talks to anybody.
Where does Expensive Taste, your band with Paul Wall, stand?
Because of different label situations, some of the tracks will come out on Paul Wall's solo record and the remainder of the tracks will go to [fellow bandmember] Skinhead Rob, who has a group called Warfare that I've been producing.
What do you have particularly expensive taste in?
Artwork kills me. I have one of Warhol's 30 Draculas with the diamond dust on them.
What's the most you've dropped on a piece?
$120,000, I think.
What else are you obsessed with?
I'm still infatuated with ghetto blasters, like crazy, crazy, crazy. I have 18 right now. I'm obsessed with socks.
With socks?!
I think they tell a lot about a person. I grew up on Independent socks. We have a whole line of Famous socks coming out. I'm also obsessed with shoe jewels right now! We're creating all these different types for sneakerheads, like little cassette tapes, little stars.
That's "all the small things," for real. Why do you think the appeal of you and your brand cuts across social and racial lines?
I live in so many different worlds. One minute I'm with my children, the next minute I'm in the studio with rappers and gang members, the next minute I'm at Famous and I'm skateboarding, the next minute I'm recording a rock record. I've always been inspired by everything. I didn't care if everyone in my clique was endorsing it. I think people see that I'm sincere.
You're one of the most famous drummers out there. Have you ever demanded more prominent stage positioning?
Nah. Still to this day, I don't even ask for a drum riser. You have to force me to do drum solos, and then I'll get down real quick.
Do you believe tattooing a woman's name on you dooms the relationship?
Nah, I don't. Mind you, both of mine didn't work out [laughs].
What about doing reality TV with someone? It seems no couple survives that.
It depends if people change on TV. You can't let the whole TV thing get to you or expect a whole bunch out of it.
Was that a problem for you and Shanna?
I think my wife expected something out of it on her end, like she was going to be a megastar after the reality show. I was doing it going, "At least people will finally know how I really get down," [because] in blink I was so quiet.
You both showed young people that parenthood doesn't mean you have to become a boring hermit.
My wife taught me this. I never had children before and I seriously thought that when you have children you have to be a totally different person and be miserable for the rest of your life. It's not like that.
When you separated from Shanna and started dating Paris Hilton, paparazzi really got up your ass. You're not a media whore, so how difficult was that for you?
I got out of a bad relationship where someone was unfaithful and I went to dinner with someone. I went out to a club with someone. That's normal for a dude who just gets divorced. You should have a good time, you should put a smile on your face. I never thought I would be separated from my wife and I'd be with another girl and it'd be all over the tabloids and my wife would be knocking her out. When all that happened, it was a trip, and to this day I think the paparazzi know that I don't want any part of it. But I can't think of better press than a girl beating up another girl over me, so I had to embrace that [laughs].