You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy. And nobody knows that better than Sebastian Bach.

The former Skid Row frontman has toured the world many times over and originally is from Canada, but it is bucolic Central Jersey that he's called home for nearly 20 years.

"I've lived in this home longer than any other structure my whole life," says the 40-year-old father of three about his digs, which sit on 4 1/2 acres in Lincroft. "People are like, "How can this exist so close to New York?' And I'm like, "It's New Jersey, dude!' "

You'd be hard-pressed to find someone more excited about the Garden State than Bach, who goes wild when his Tuesday, Aug. 12, gig in Holmdel — his first ever — is brought up.

"I am so happy to say that for the first time, you will hear "18 and Life' — the New Jersey anthem — sung by the dude who sang it on the record in New Jersey at PNC Bank Arts Center," he says effusively.

Bach is touring in support of his solo album "Angel Down," which features Guns N' Roses lead singer Axl Rose on three songs.

"It's very unbelievable that (Rose) would come back to the rock scene on my solo record," he says. "I love the man."

But Bach's connection to country doesn't begin and end with his Monmouth County home — it extends to music, too: The rocker competes against Sean Young, Jermaine Jackson, Chris Kirkpatrick and Mikalah Gordon for the title of country star on CMT's reality show "Gone Country 2" beginning Friday, Aug. 15. And don't for one minute think that he's out of his element there, either.

"My mom raised me on Willie Nelson," he confesses. But the influence works both ways. Just ask Carrie Underwood: The "American Idol" winner has performed the Skid Row classic "I Remember You" live in concert numerous times.

"If you could've told me in 1988 that in 20 years "I Remember You' would be a country music staple, I would have said you're out of your mind," swears Bach, who adds that it's available on YouTube.

These days, in addition to making music, touring and goin' country, Bach spends his time raising his three children, who range in age from 1 to 20. And as the parent of a musician (his son, Paris, is the drummer of Jersey-based band Severed Hand), Bach says he understands the importance of striking a balance between being a father and a bandmate — a reality he believes is lost on other rockers.

"It's astonishing to me that Eddie Van Halen would put his 16-year-old kid and just make him the bass player of Van Halen," he says. "Talk about not paying your dues. . . You're 16 and there's nowhere to go from there but down, really."

While Bach is proud of his eldest son's accomplishments, it's the simple life that he has a true appreciation for these days.

"(Recently) I went to my 14-year-old's graduation at Brookdale (Community College) with the rest of the parents, and I was just happy I have a normal kid who digs video games and skateboards," he says.

All of the television gigs, reality TV appearances and theater stints he's done over the years aside, Bach says he only has one true love.

"I think that God put me here to sing," he says. "That might sound pretentious or something, but that's really what I feel. And I just try to do that as much as I can."