Jared Leto Talks Thirty Seconds To Mars, Scaling The Empire State Building, And More
Thirty Seconds To Mars is playing Pine Knob on Tuesday as their Season World Tour makes a stop in Michigan. Jared Leto was nice enough to take a few minutes to speak with me about the band, his vast movie career, and much more on Talkin’ Rock with Meltdown.
Jared Leto Announced The Tour In Spectacular Fashion
![Jared Leto on the Empire State Building](https://wrif.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/08/GettyImages-2151752511_1722633566_.jpg?w=1024)
I had to ask him about scaling the Empire State Building in New York City to announce the tour. “That was quite the experience,” I asked him if he thought it was a bad idea. “Definitely. The first night, it was about 4 or 5 a.m., 40 degrees, 40 mph winds, and freezing cold. My hands were so numb I could barely hold on. But it was beautiful. I’ve always been fascinated by the Empire State Building. It was an amazing way to launch the world tour—better than just sending out a tweet.” You could say that!
Listen To The Interview With Jared Below
We also discussed the dichotomy of playing in his band live versus filming a movie. “Performing with Thirty Seconds to Mars is special because I get to do it with my brother. The immediate connection with the audience is unique. Acting is collaborative, and you often wait to see the final product. Both are rewarding in their ways, but live music holds a special place in my heart.”
I asked him about highlights in his music and acting career. “Winning an Academy Award was a huge highlight, especially being able to thank my family. In music, having a song like “The Kill” that still resonates after all these years is a big win. There are also tough moments, but they fuel the journey.”
Jared Leto Talks About Chad Smith Playing ‘The Kill’
Since we’re in Detroit, I had to ask him about Chad Smith playing “The Kill” without hearing it on an internet show. Jared said he brought it up when he saw him at a huge event. “Yes, I saw that! It was awesome. We did a duet on TikTok reacting to it. Chad and I laughed about it when we met at the Super Bowl. It’s cool seeing our music reach new audiences.”
Jared Remembers Chester Bennington And Chris Cornell
![Chester Bennington & Jared Leto](https://wrif.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/08/GettyImages-476669507_1722633879_.jpg?w=1024)
The band did a tribute to Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell at the 2017 MTV Awards show. He spoke to me about the two singers we lost. “Yeah, I did. I toured with both of them. And they were both kind, really, really gifted, kind people. You know, Chester was a friend. And, you know, it’s interesting; those things can be so surprising sometimes. But, you know, I was always struck by Chester and his joy. He always seemed to be, you know, to have a smile quickly on his face. And Chris was very gentle, in my experiences with him, and thoughtful and intelligent, and both of them were just highly intelligent, kind, good people. And you know what? A loss to the world as well.” That’s well said.
Thirty Seconds To Mars will play Pine Knob on Tuesday, August 6th.