Rob Thomas Explains Why He Turned Down a Job on The Voice

The Voice returns with another round of blind auditions on Monday night.  Last year, Rob Thomas appeared as a mentor for Cee Lo Green's team, but if things had gone a bit differently, he'd be coaching his very own Voice team  in Australia.

Rob confirms that he was asked to become a coach on the Down Under version of the show, but he passed on the opportunity.  One reason was, it was in Australia.  Another reason: he just couldn't see being able to fit it into his music career.

"The Australian one was a non-starter because the idea of me having to move to Australia for a month and a half, two months and just kinda leave a life behind...it just seemed like a bridge too far,"

Plus, as Rob notes, "It's a full-time job and then on top of it, if you're like Adam Levine or you're like Blake Shelton and you're still making records, you're still putting out music, that's two full-time jobs...I think I'm just not that ambitious!"

That's why mentoring was the right thing for Rob.  He says he'd do it again "in a heartbeat," and adds, "I love the way it worked out...I wound up being able to be a part of it without it having to become a huge part of my life."

That's not to say that the Matchbox Twenty frontman wouldn't consider a job as a judge on a reality show in the future, if it was a bit closer to home.  "You never know, one day, with something like a Voice, and in Los Angeles, I could see [my wife and I] just transplanting ourselves out there for a short period of time,"

Rob says "For right now, I have plenty on My plate.  He and Matchbox Twenty are on the road off and on through the end of August, and in December, the band is doing a fan cruise.  He's also got his solo career to keep him busy.