If you think the lead singer of cosmic rockers 30 Seconds to Mars looks familiar, you're right. He's Jared Leto, the onetime star of My So-Called Life who has
made memorable appearances in some of Hollywood's more left field fare -- like Requiem for a Dream. While most actors secretly want to direct, Leto is a rocker; he considers 30 Seconds to Mars his dream project. The elaborate music on their new album A Beautiful Lie sounds like The Mars Volta if Ziggy Stardust-era David Bowie was in charge, and the package's curious hieroglyphic artwork give an added dimension to their chromium pop. "Every song is like another chapter in a book," Leto explains. No surprise, then, that his five favorite albums display similar ambition.
The Cure -- Disintegration (Elektra, 1989)
It's brutal, and full of despair, but so melodic that I can listen to it in so many different scenarios. There isn't one song I want to skip past. It's a classic soundtrack for the darker side of things. You can listen to it if you're driving, having dinner with friends, f*cking three or four women at the same time. You know how it goes. Picking a favorite song is a tough one. "Plainsong." Then there's "Fascination Street." Actually, I think my favorite is "Prayers For Rain." It's just relentless. There are only like two long verses. I love that Robert Smith is brave enough to basically do whatever the f*ck he wants to. It's unbelievable that a band can have such a defined sound, but make so many different songs happen and not feel like they were repeating themselves.
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II (Atlantic, 1969)
When I was a kid I didn't have a lot of money, so basically we just got records given to us. My brother and I always responded to music that was different. We didn't really respond to a 2/4 beat as much as some other might have. At that time Zeppelin presented a much more imaginative world for me than The Beatles or The Stones. I found in them a rawness, a passion. It was the sound of a very creative group of people at work. I didn't really buy into all the Lord of the Rings stuff, but there was something primal about the music in II, whether it was the drum solo on "Moby Dick" or the atmosphere in "Whole Lotta Love," with the tape delay and the bleeding through you can hear because they recorded it so many times. Little secrets like that really fed my imagination.
U2 -- The Joshua Tree (Island, 1987)
U2 blows me away with the emotional content in every song, and every song on the record is great. When you're making any kind of art, whether it's music or painting or writing, you're always looking for a true voice. It's really a journey to find yourself, and they certainly are every bit themselves in every moment that you hear. They're so inspirational, because they show music can be more than two or three chords. You can dream bigger because they create that potential for there to be more musically. There's a size and scope to the music and the thinking. When they made Joshua Tree it was so profound because here's this Irish band that made a classic that smells like America. Very few bands have managed to come close to what they've accomplished.
Pink Floyd -- The Wall (Capitol, 1979)
I was probably 11 years old when I first heard it. There were friends of mine that were watching the movie and listening to the CD and doing a lot of drugs as well. It was a very important record for me. There was this sense of isolation along with universal emotions of hope and despair -- it was cinematic and atmospheric all at once. The other unique thing about The Wall is that is was produced by Bob Ezrin, who produced our very first record [2002's 30 Seconds to Mars]. He taught me a lot about music. Even after all those years of doing this, he still follows his impulses. There are no rules, there's no formula. That was inspiring to see. I had some very strong opinions on what I wanted and Bob had very strong ones as well; we definitely had our battles. But it made for a very interesting experience and hopefully a better album.
Nine Inch Nails -- The Downward Spiral (Nothing/Interscope, 1994)
I hesitate to say "perfect," but The Downward Spiral is pretty much a perfect album. Why? Because perfect is an easy but bad word to use to describe something that has reached its potential, and Spiral is pure potentiality -- to get Deepak Chopra on you. I heard about this painter that paints the back of his canvases with as much care as he does the front, even though he knows that most people are going to only see the front. 30 Seconds to Mars also use every inch of the canvas. It's almost an obsession and I'm not sure how healthy it is. I'm sure the guys in the band just want me to shut the f*ck up and stop already. But I feel an album is more than making a bunch of singles and songs and throwing them together. Of course, there's a time and place for that as well. Sour Patch Kids are nice sometimes, too!
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