Matt Wachter
| Matt Wachter | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Matthew Walter Wachter |
| Also known as | Matt, Dr. Wachter, The Architect, Matticus Prime, Mattastrophe |
| Born |
January 5, 1976 Pottsville, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Genres | Alternative rock, punk rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Bass, keyboards, synthesizers, guitar |
| Years active | 2001–2014 |
| Labels | Virgin, Immortal, Geffen |
| Associated acts | Thirty Seconds to Mars, Angels & Airwaves |
| Notable instruments | |
| G&L Bass L-2000 Series, Fender Jazz Bass (various) | |
Matthew Walter "Matt" Wachter (born January 5, 1976) is a currently inactive American musician best known for his work with alternative rock bands Thirty Seconds to Mars and Angels & Airwaves.
Wachter was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. As a child, he spent most of his time with his family in New Jersey and Boston. An active child, he participated in baseball and soccer, taking up swimming as well, he also went to United States Space Camp, along with Space Academy. His interest in music bloomed when he was around five years old, and between the ages of five and eight, he experimented with various instruments, focusing primarily on the piano and drums.
Wachter reached the peak of his musical interest around high school and spent most of his time playing in bands. He picked up the bass, he stated, because he "wanted to play in a band, and the band needed a bass player." He had no previous experience with the bass, the closest being experimenting with the guitar. He credited former Metallica bassist, the late Cliff Burton, as his inspiration for wanting to play the bass guitar.
Wachter was rumored to have worked in a slaughter house, but confessed in an interview that he and his bandmates made up the story to stir up an otherwise dull interview.
Wachter joined Jared Leto, Shannon Leto, and Solon Bixler, rounding out the Thirty Seconds to Mars line-up, in 2001. Bixler was replaced with Tomo Milicevic in 2003.
Wachter often stands in a "pigeon-toed" stance (both feet turned in toward each other) when he plays his bass, and stares down at his feet. He says doing this allows him to focus on what he's playing and keeps him from being distracted by fans.
In the early days of Thirty Seconds to Mars, Wachter complained of consistent headaches after performing, but no pain while he was on stage. After a visit to the hospital and a CT scan, it was discovered that he developed a concussion from frequent head-banging on stage. This prompted his mother to suggest he "wiggle his hips like Elvis", as mentioned in the fan yearbook. The head-banging has since stopped.
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