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Pete Wentz addresses Fall Out Boy breakup rumors in our interview (© © Kabik /Retna Ltd./Corbis)

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Your life is pretty much an open book, at least on Twitter. Do you worry about overexposure - do you think that you should have more mystique like rock stars did back in the day?

"No. Because I think I have as much mystique as a lot of rock stars did back in the day. Ultimately, you have control over how much of your life people really see. People might think you're an open book, but you're just opening the door a little bit and letting people see a little bit of you.

"But at the same time, with paparazzi and camera phones and the world becoming more globalized, I worry about oversaturation and overexposure. I worry about being in too many places, and there being too much of me out in the world. I'd get sick of me, so I try not to let that happen."

Let's shift gears and talk about the bass. Now, you have your own signature Fender Precision Bass - what were your specifications for it?

"I wanted a fast neck. I wanted to have those [Seymour Duncan] Quarter Pound pickups in them. For my personal basses, I wanted the volume and tone knobs to be the same knob. I have the volume and tone knobs turned up all the time; you can't turn them off. I was having problems playing live and all of a sudden I'd turn the volume in half.

"Also, I wanted something that was light and affordable, for someone who just wanted to try out the bass and was just getting into it. Or if their parents were buying their first one. I wanted something that was affordable and made sense."

"As far as practicing, for a long time I was like, 'This is as you're gonna get.' But after Infinity On High, I realized that you can get better at whatever you do."

OK, we have some reader questions. The first one comes from The Gibster who asks, How would you say your bass playing has evolved from the band's early days? And do you have a practice schedule?

"Well, in the early days, I just wanted to play hard and fast and get off stage, and that was my take on it. But as we got into it, I wanted a metallic and overdriven tone on the records. I play a lot of fills on the records but I don't play a lot of them live. Even being part of the rhythm section I would play with the guitars a lot.

"But on Folie A Deux, due to the song structures, I was playing with the rhythm section more, I was playing with Andy, and it changed my playing. I fingerpicked the verse of America's Sweethearts and I picked the chorus.

"As far as practicing, for a long time I was like, 'This is as you're gonna get.' It's not like I'm on anyone's Top 10 list. But after Infinity On High, I realized that you can get better at whatever you do. What I needed to work on was my right hand. I play with a metronome when we're not on tour, about every other day. And I play with a metronome to warm up."

Jack Krim asks, Hey Pete, I hear that Joe Trohman wants to play more metal-type songs and that he has a metal side project. Is this something you encourage, and might Fall Out Boy incorporate more metal-type songs in their repertoire?

"See, I don't know when Fall Out Boy's going to do anything again. Man, whenever you say something for sure, you always set it in stone. I don't think Fall Out Boy's gonna get any heavier than it's ever been before.

"I do encourage Joe to take his metal side out and go do something with it. I think he's working on something, but I'm not sure. He told me he was, but I don't know how much they're working on it. But I totally encourage that. He's got good chops for it."