▁and ▁eight , ▁he ▁experiment ed ▁with ▁various ▁instruments , ▁foc using ▁primarily ▁on ▁the ▁piano ▁and ▁drums . ▁ ▁W ach ter ▁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 ▁" w anted ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁a ▁band , ▁and ▁the ▁band ▁needed ▁a ▁bass ▁player ." ▁He ▁had ▁no ▁previous ▁experience ▁with ▁the ▁bass , ▁the ▁closest ▁being ▁experiment ing ▁with ▁the ▁guitar . ▁He ▁cred ited ▁former ▁Met all ica ▁bass ist , ▁the ▁late ▁Cl iff ▁Bur ton , ▁as ▁his ▁insp iration ▁for ▁wanting ▁to ▁play ▁the ▁bass ▁guitar . ▁ ▁W ach ter ▁was ▁rum ored ▁to ▁have ▁worked ▁in ▁a ▁sla ugh ter house , ▁but ▁conf essed ▁in ▁an ▁interview ▁that ▁he ▁and ▁his ▁band m ates ▁made ▁up ▁the ▁story ▁to ▁stir ▁up ▁an ▁otherwise ▁d ull ▁interview . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Th irty ▁Second s ▁to ▁Mars ▁( 2 0 0 1 – 2 0 0 7 ) ▁ ▁W ach ter ▁joined ▁J ared ▁Let o , ▁Sh annon ▁Let o , ▁and ▁Sol on ▁B ix ler , ▁round ing ▁out ▁the ▁Th irty ▁Second s ▁to ▁Mars ▁line - up , ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁B ix ler ▁was ▁replaced ▁with ▁Tom o ▁Mil ice vic ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁W ach ter ▁often ▁stands ▁in ▁a ▁" p ige