With over 15 acclaimed films to his credit, actor Jared Leto knew he had a challenge in creating a legitimate musical group, and the fact that a great many gifted thespians have pumped out some pretty awful albums hasn't slowed him at all. "Any time you have a precedent that's negative like that, you're gonna have an uphill battle," he agrees. "I've never shied away from that." Yet 30 Seconds To Mars' self-titled 2002 debut easily established the group as a fresh, new force, revealing a multi-faceted outfit that thrived on creative exploration and escape.

Three years later, their follow-up, A Beautiful Lie, catapulted the group to even greater success. Where the debut’s line-up featured Jared on all guitar, bass, synth and vocals with brother Shannon on drums, a full collaboration developed with A Beautiful Lie, including guitarist Tomo Milicevic and bassist Matt Wachter. "The last thing we wanted to do was make the same record twice," Leto explains. Hundreds of tour dates and a 1996 MTV Nomination for "Best Video" later, 30 Seconds To Mars are proving their stability and still challenging their position. "We're interested in being as modern as we can," Leto concludes. "We're striving to do something different, to look forward rather than back, to be free from the shadows of our inspiration, and to continue, with our voice to make our mark."