(Translated from Spanish)

"I'm Tico Torres. I want to say hello to everyone. Life is great. And thanks for your support."

We find Tico Torres at Starnberg Lake on the outskirts of Munich, Germany. For more than 30 years he's been the heartbeat of Bon Jovi and the battery that supplies the power their albums which have sold more than 150 million copies.

Tico is visiting Germany to present his new collection of the children's clothing brand he founded 17 years ago in New York. His talent for fashion design runs in the family.

"Most of the clothes from Bon Jovi's early days onstage were made by my grandmother, who helped me with my designs. Later, when all my friends became parents, we could not find anything cool that was not in pink or blue...so I decided to do it myself."

When Tico Torres and his third wife, Maria Alejandra, became parents, they wisely prepared for it in a big "fashion." His son Hector is 12 years old now, and he and Tico are soulmates. "My son is a very important consultant -- he tells me what is right and what is not."

Tico, who is also a painter, has always had good friends in the fashion world. One of them was Gianni Versace. Supermodel Eva Herzigova was his second wife in the 90's.

He was born in New York City to Cuban immigrants, and had to promise this mother something when to get her permission to be become a musician. "She said 'Do not get tattoos.' I promised and I've kept my promise. But she said nothing about fashion!"

The rock star enjoys his time in Starnberg. He keeps up the stamina you need for Bon Jovi concerts by cycling. The next album comes in autumn, and shortly thereafter, a new tour where Tico will mark his rhythms with what he collects from nature. "I hear the sound of the rustle of wind that hits a tree which knocks on a wall and a rhythm is born that inspires me and my beats."

When not traveling extensively around the world with Bon Jovi, Tico, at age 62, prefers to stay home with his family in Miami and plays football with his son -- to him, Tico is just a normal father.

He says, "I try to show that we are normal people. What led me to becoming a musician was making music, not being famous."

We're making progress -- this interview DOES mention Maria, though it identifies her as his "third," rather than "current" wife, or just as "his wife"...