Matt McJunkins

Matt McJunkins
Background information
Birth name	Matt McJunkins
Instruments	Bass guitar
Years active	2005–present
Associated acts	30 Seconds to Mars ASHES dIVIDE A Perfect Circle Puscifer
Website	http://www.mattmcjunkins.com

Matt McJunkins is a studio and touring bass player who currently resides in Los Angeles, California. He plays bass in A Perfect Circle, Puscifer, Ashes Divide and recently 30 Seconds to Mars. He also sings backup vocals in all of these bands and plays some keyboard and guitar for Puscifer.

Early life

McJunkins began playing bass when he was 13-years old. His older brother was a drummer and convinced him to pick up the bass guitar. He went on to play in his high school marching and concert band. After graduating high school, he went on to study at the world renowned Musician's Institute in Los Angeles. This led him to begin taking gigs all over LA for many genres of music.^[1]

Professional career

Ashes Divide

In 2008 he was selected by Billy Howerdel, co-founder of A Perfect Circle to play bass in his band Ashes Divide. He toured steadily with the band for the following year for festivals and headlining bills including Rock On The Range and Projekt Revolution.

Puscifer

After touring and performing with Ashes Divide, he was asked (along with fellow Ashes Divide bandmate, drummer Jeff Friedl) to join Maynard James Keenan's sideproject Puscifer for their first live performances. Since then he has been a part of the touring Puscifer lineup and also contributed as a writer and performer on subsequent recordings with the group. He contributed to Puscifer's upcoming album, Conditions Of My Parole.^[2]

30 Seconds to Mars

In 2011, he joined Jared Leto and his bandmates as the bass player of 30 Seconds to Mars. He participated in their 2011 US and Australian tours.^[3]

A Perfect Circle

In the fall of 2010 he was asked to join A Perfect Circle for their first live performances in 6 years, and has been a touring member of the band since. Replacing previous bassists, Paz Lenchantin and Jeordie White (Twiggy Ramirez), he has been received well by fans and critics and has received feature stories in Bass Player Magazine and Bass Guitar Magazine which praise his playing and composition.^[4]

Playing technique

McJunkins began his career on bass as a predominant finger-style player, but upon joining Ashes Divide, Puscifer, 30 Seconds To Mars and A Perfect Circle, he now primarily plays with a pick. He often uses complex chord shapes in picking and strumming for all of the bands he plays with. He does, for the country music of Puscifer, still use finger style on occasion in their live show.^{[citation needed]}

Gear

McJunkins plays Fender Precision Bass Deluxe Models that are 4-string and contain both the P-bass and J-bass pick ups. He tours with three of these basses, including the original black and white bass that Paz and Jeordie played previously with APC. He plays Mesa Boogie Big Block Titan heads through multiple Ampeg SVT 8x10's. He uses the Fractal Effects Processor for ASHES dIVIDE and APC. He uses Ernie Ball Power Slinky strings and Dunlop Tortex .88 picks.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ [2]
3. ^ [3]
4. ^ [4]

Bass Guitar Magazine Bass Player Magazine The Grixer Music Magazine

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