Who Is Iconic Jared Letos Big Brother, Shannon Leto?

Publish date: 2024-09-15

The most iconic star Jared Leto has a brother named Shannon Leto, who is also a band member of Thirty Seconds to Mars. He is a drummer as well as a lyricist.

Jared Leto’s Brother, Shannon Leto

Shannon Christopher Leto was born on March 9, 1970, in Bossier City, Louisiana to Constance Leto (née Metrejon). He is a well-known songwriter and drummer of the rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars.

His stepfather’s surname is Leto. Shannon grew up with his mother and maternal grandparents, Ruby (Russell) and William Lee Metrejon when his parents got divorced, He was so young at that time.

Shannon Leto’s mother was just 17 years old when she was pregnant with him. She was a young lady. Constance Leto gave birth to Jared Leto 18 months after Shannon was born.

Constance became a member of the hippie movement and motivated her boys to pursue their interests in the arts.

Leto’s interest in percussion began when he and his brother started performing music together at a young age, while his role models were artists working in a variety of genres.

When he was ten years old, he acquired his first drum equipment and became a self-taught artist, eventually establishing his own style.

Shannon Leto took all the inspiration to play from his favorite drummers such as John Bonham and Stewart Copeland. He also cites Keith Moon, Nick Mason, and Lars Ulrich as influences on his own style of play.

Leto has considered his teens as a difficult period in his life, during which he experimented with substances and how he was a dropout of school. He explained how art and music saved them from drug abuse and imprisonment.

He described himself as an “outsider” who despised orthodoxy and regulations and “took any opportunity to break them,” saying, “I was in a mess, I felt I didn’t belong anywhere.” Jared eventually assisted him in his drug recovery.

Thirty Seconds To Mars

Shannon and Jared, both brothers started a band in 1998 in Los Angeles, California. They worked really hard day and night to form the rock group.

Their debut album, 30 Seconds to Mars did not meet the expectation but overall did a fair job. It was released in 2002 to mostly good reviews, however, it was only moderately successful.

The debut album though made it at number 107 on the Billboard 200 and first on the Top Heatseekers in the United States. It required a little time, but its success finally surpassed two million copies sold throughout the world.

When their second album was released, A Beautiful Lie, the band gained international recognition (2005). Their subsequent works, This Is War (2009) and Love, Lust, Faith, and Dreams (2013), were both critically acclaimed and commercially successful.

Throughout his career, Leto has produced a number of side projects, such as projects with Antoine Becks, and sporadic appearances with Street Drum Corps.

Musicians and commentators have praised his innovative contributions to the field. He is known for his intense live performances and powerful drumming technique.

When their fourth was released in 2013, Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams, it was a hit. The band clashed with Virginia Records after rocky terms with the label and they parted ways in 2014.

Initial Stage Of The Band

In the initial years of the band, Shannon used to practice a lot to produce something unique. He worked for six to seven hours a day with his bandmates so they can achieve better outcomes as a rock band.

In February 2006, Leto once told in an interview he gave to Modern Drummer Magazine that

“Rehearsing that much has helped to build up my stamina and make my playing more precise”.

The way he believes in producing organic music is just a great thing. He likes to experiment with new things with different instruments and electronics. He also dislikes playing music on loop or tape.

Leto compares his band Thirty Seconds to Mars to Pink Floyd and says that it also meets with the intensity of The Sex Pistols.

His musical inspirations are some of the bands, which are: The Cure, Metallica’s first two albums, Led Zeppelin, The Who, early The Police, and Steely Dan.

Shannon and his brother Jared starred on a couple of episodes of My So-Called Life before joining 30 Seconds to Mars in 1998 with the inclusion of bassist Matt Wachter and subsequently by guitarist Tomo Milicevic.

Interests – Leto Is A Huge Fan Of Arts & Literature

Shannon Leto is a fantastic guitarist and pianist in addition to being a drummer. He is a huge fan of art and literature. His drive to create art through his profession is unwavering.

Shannon Leto has stated that his desire to always learn as much about the craft of music has driven him to take chances and push himself to be the best.

Just like Jared Leto became a popular actor and model, his brother, Shannon is also a professional photographer as he is good at learning new things. He also enjoys writing, abstract art, progressive rock, and self-interpretation.

Apart from the arts and music, Shannon Leto became obsessed with coffee when he was a child. Because his grandfather always loved to drink coffee and Shannon saw him making coffee in the kitchen.

It sparked a passion in Shannon Leto and he founded Black Fuel Trading Company in 2014, which is a lifestyle company that focuses on ethically produced, direct-trade coffee.

Shannon Leto’s Net Worth May Surprise You

Shannon Leto being a multi-talented person has never failed to amaze us all with his creativity in music and arts. He has earned a good amount of money through his profession as a drummer and musician.

Shannon Leto’s net worth is estimated to be around $10 million dollars as of now. He also owns a coffee company named Black Fuel Trading Company, which started in 2014.