Matt McJunkins

Matt McJunkins
Matt McJunkins
Born	March 19, 1983 (age 43); Palm Springs, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Musician, photographer
Years active	2008–present
Known for	Bassist for A Perfect Circle, Eagles of Death Metal, The Beta Machine

Matt McJunkins (born March 19, 1983) is an American artist and photographer, best known for his role as bassist with the rock ensemble A Perfect Circle. He previously served as the touring bassist for Eagles of Death Metal and co-established The Beta Machine alongside Jeff Friedl. McJunkins' collaborative work extends to artists such as Thirty Seconds to Mars, Ashes Divide, Puscifer, Poppy, and Socadia.

Life and career

Originating from Palm Springs, California, McJunkins took up bass guitar at the age of 13. Following his graduation from high school, he relocated to Los Angeles to advance his music career, enrolling at the Musicians Institute while engaging with multiple rock groups.

In 2008, Billy Howerdel of A Perfect Circle invited McJunkins to join his side project Ashes Divide, which included Jeff Friedl, Andy Gerold, and Adam Monroe. The group extensively toured in support of their debut release Keep Telling Myself It's Alright (2008), opening for bands such as Seether, Stone Temple Pilots, and Filter, in addition to performing at the Projekt Revolution festival. Later, McJunkins shared bass responsibilities with Rani Sharone during tours with Puscifer.

When A Perfect Circle reunited in September 2010, McJunkins became their bassist alongside founding members Billy Howerdel and Maynard James Keenan, as well as Jeff Friedl and James Iha. He then co-founded The Beta Machine with Friedl and joined the touring lineup of Thirty Seconds to Mars in 2011. In early 2020, he became part of singer Poppy’s touring ensemble supporting her album I Disagree.

McJunkins was among those present during the November 2015 terrorist attack at the Bataclan theatre in Paris while performing with Eagles of Death Metal and managed to exit the venue unharmed.