The death of Lajon Witherspoon's brother on Nov. 9 had "a huge mental impact on both of our bands," said Shannon Leto, drummer of 30 Seconds to Mars. Despite this, Witherspoon, lead singer of the band Sevendust, "went out and told the audience what was happening and played the show anyway."
30 Seconds to Mars isn't a new kind of band, but their blend of Nine Inch Nails and Tool, minus the metal, set them apart. In a rock world consisting of rehashed riffs and overdone lyrical styles, 30 Seconds to Mars is an opportunity for the modern rock listener to catch his breath.
Consisting of a pair of brothers, lead vocalist Jared and Shannon Leto, 30 Seconds to Mars is a band with tightly knit origins, resulting in a united ideological front.
"Often times these days, people are force-fed things (through the media) ... and there's no more mystery," said Shannon Leto.
Both Letos seemed to long for the days when listening to an album was the critical point in developing an opinion of the band. Neither seemed impressed by bands with whose faces are plastered across television. In addition, they have less admiration for a band whose intended message or purpose is spelled out in every lyric and interview.
"I had my own interpretation of (Led Zeppelin's) 'Stairway to Heaven,' and if I had gone up to Robert Plant and asked him, 'What did it mean to you,' he could have told me, 'Well I was taking a dump at the time,'" Leto said. "We like to have our stuff left to interpretation ... allow the music to speak for itself."
This attitude illustrates the reasoning behind the mystery surrounding the band. A trip to their website, www.30secondstomars.com, will provide little information on the members themselves. The same goes for watching their videos, such as their odd interpretation of their first single, "Capricorn."
One must dig a bit before discovering interesting aspects about the band. For example, some may recognize the name of the lead singer from films like "Requiem for a Dream," "Panic Room" and the 1994 television show "My So-Called Life" - because Jared Leto was a Hollywood actor for many years before creating 30 Seconds to Mars.
"The only people who really make a big deal out of (Jared Leto's Hollywood stardom) is the press and the media," Shannon Leto said. "To our fans, it's really just a side-note."
The band is trying not to allow Jared Leto's stardom to affect their band - a noble attempt, though probably motivated at least in part by the realization that getting accepted in the world of modern rock music would be difficult if they relied on Jared Leto's good looks. Being twice elected to People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" would hardly help their chances in a subculture that deems someone "uncool" the moment they become "trendy." What could be worse than a movie star using his fame to make it in music?
"It's been done before, but badly," Shannon Leto said.
To add to the mystery surrounding 30 Seconds to Mars, the band has created what they call "glyphs;" a set of four symbols unique to the band.
According to Shannon Leto, "They represent different levels and subdivisions within the band to be revealed in the future."
There is also little available information regarding their stage performance. Dressed in torn and tattered space suits, they assume futuristic personas in the manner of Orgy and Prodigy.
"We aspire to have the energy of the Sex Pistols and the grandiosity of Pink Floyd," said Shannon Leto.
Given that their musical style is drastically different from either of those bands, that would be quite an event to witness.
