'Idol,' karaoke, and Groban's naughty side

Thanks in no small part to Oprah and a head of hair that some fans believe is just begging to have fingers run through it, Josh Groban went from being a rehearsal singer aspiring to tread the boards on Broadway to an international popera sensation in very short order. Since 2001 the Los Angeles native with the rich baritone has sold millions of records and scored crossover hits like "You Raise Me Up" that have become "American Idol" audition staples. On his recently released third album "Awake," Groban, who turned 26 this week, mixes the wind-swept foreign language ballads that the Oprah fans love with some more adventurous pop collaborations featuring recent Grammy nominee Imogen Heap, Dave Matthews, jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, and South African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo . We caught up with the affable singer on the eve of his new tour, which comes to the TD Banknorth Garden tonight, to talk "Idol," karaoke, the mighty O, a recent Blender magazine article in which he revealed his naughty side, and his secret desire to be a prog-metal drummer.

Q Have you seen any of the "American Idol" clips where auditioners mangle your songs?

A No, but I do always get the phone calls from my friends, saying, ' 'Yup, another one bites the dust.' ' [Laughs.] No, it's flattering. The way that I look at it is for a program that epitomizes the pinnacle of pop culture in America, I never would've thought when I was 17-18 years old and aspiring to do musical theater and training with the kind of voice that I have, that kids on that show would be singing my music. And also I'm glad that it shows how difficult the songs are to sing!

Q Have you ever stumbled into a karaoke bar and heard someone do one of your songs well?

A Yes, I have! I've heard lots of people do really well. I'll be in a karaoke bar and someone will go up and sing "You Raise Me Up," and I'll be like, "All right, good on you."

Q Do you think they do it because they know you're there?

A I assume so. I don't think it's number one on the karaoke list of songs to do at this point in time. [Laughs.]

Q It did happen very quickly for you. And now you're heading out on your second arena tour in less than three years. What can people expect from the show?

A We have a lot more visually on this show then we had last time. Last time we had a big staircase and the musicians were sort of tucked into one corner and the orchestra was tucked into another corner. This is a very wide open stage with musicians everywhere, and it's kind of like a big jam session. I think we have 20 orchestra musicians every night combined with my band, which as of now is eight or nine people. So there are a lot of people playing onstage, plus we get a local church, high school , or college choir every night for "You Raise Me Up."

Q You must field a lot of questions from the choirs about Oprah.

A Oh, yeah. I could talk about Oprah all day long. That woman is a godsend. She's been very good to me. She can definitely make it happen. There is no greater gift on this earth for a performer or a writer or a chef or what-have-you to have Oprah say, "I like it, and you should like it, too."

Q Did you get any negative feedback from the recent Blender article?

A That was funny. You learn from things like that, that sarcasm doesn't come across in the written word. My friends thought it was hilarious. I thought it was hilarious because I've never gotten rid of my college potty humor, but sometimes my fans have an image of me that's far above that, but sometimes it comes out, and when you have an interviewer who speaks to you for three hours and rehashes the same dirty questions over and over again you finally answer. But it was all a big joke.

Q So you haven't gotten any tattoos?

A Nope, no tattoos.

Q It must get lonely sometimes as a solo artist. If you could be in any band past or present which one would it be?

A Tool. Just because I think the drumming is some of the most musical, extraordinary, complicated drumming I've ever heard in my life, and if I had that ability I would go to sleep happy every night.