AP Magazine got this limited article in their May Issue entitled:
"System of a down keep their eyes wide open" For 2 years, Daron Malakian & Serj Tankian, the guitarist and singer for proto-metal unit System of a Down, pursued a plethora of indiidual activities, including everything from side projects(serart) to producing other bands to oversseing their respective record-label imprints (malakian's Eat Ur Music and Tankian's Serjical Strike) and working toward political change (Axis of Justice).
By the time the pain reconvened with drummer John Dolmayan and bassist Shavo Odadjian, the found themselves with not one, but 2 albums: Mesmerize, which is set for release May 17, and Hypnotize, due later this year.
Thankfully, the musical landscape has changed drastically since nu-metal glut that helped break (yet never truly defined) System in the late '90s.
And powerful new tracks like "Cigaro" and "B.Y.O.B. ( Bring Your Own Bomb)" will no doubt ensure the quartet's continued relevance. In "Cigaro," I hear thrash metal, Bad Brains and even your onetime tourmates the Dillanger Escape Plan, Yet it all contines to sound like System. -I remember hearing a story about Rick Rubin taking you to a record store and telling each of you to get your favorite CD ?
Serj Tankian: When we started rehearsing, we got together with Rick and went down to Amoeba in Hollywood and started buying each other CDs.
-And Daron probably handed you Darkthrone ?
Tankian: (Laughs) He did, actually! we did that just to turn esch other on to some of the things we had been listening to while we were away from each other, and it helped.
-Daron, these records seem much more personal for you, probably because you're singing a lot more?
Daron Malakian: I've been very involved in all of our records-writing a lot more of material, producing-but, yeah, you could say that.
I think that the fact that I wrote more lyrics made it more personal. I've had a weird couple of years.
I can relate to the families that have kids in Iraq because my family lives in Iraq. I don't hate America, but I hate stupidity, close-mindedness and making decisions without being aware of what the issues are. or calling people "good guys" and "bad guys."
For a lot of other people, we're bad guys. It's such a juvenile way to deal with world events.
-With rock bands being so apolitical and apathetic or even pro-establishment at the moment, it seems like System get called a "political band" by default. You've always had songs like "Question," with that trippy, esoteric, Rumi-poem vine. Do you ever feel like the "politicalband" tag unfairly overshadows the other elements?
Tankian: When we first came out, the press were calling us "Armenian Rock" but we weren't playing Armenian music. I think the press has gotten over those humps. one thing that's interesting is that prior to the Iraq war, threw was a lot more apathy in music. When we made the "Boom!" video with Michael Moore before the war, that's when it wasn't cool. But once the war began, and when Bush's re-election campaign started, it seemed like everyband was on the "Fuck Bush" bandwagon. To me, just being against the re-election of Bush wasn't political.
Some did it for fashion. some did it because they felt it; they spoke out, and I commend them for it. But with System, it neither started with Bush, nor will it end with Bush.
I think a lot of bands will go back to being somewhat politically apathetic, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, because Bush won, and they don't feel like they can do anything or say anything. But you never know. I hope for the best. It definitely did politicize a lot of music that I was very, very surprised about. I always knew Bad Religion were political, but I never thought Green Day would be!
-System have outlasted at least two fabricated "movements," namely nu-metal and the "Return Of Rock." What's your advice to younger bands to survive these things?
Tankian: You've got to write music from your heart and say things from your heart without being afraid of yourself. Our first record was so off-the-wall that most major radio stations would never play it. [but then] the kids started calling them asking for it. I can see why other people would take the commercial route-I don't judge it, I don't denouce it- but that's why there is crappy music out there.
Published in AP Magazine May 2005 issue
Credits luisa of soadomized.com<FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>
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It was 1995. Bill Clinton was president of the United States, O.J. Simpson was acquitted in the trial of the century and four Armenian guys in Los Angeles decided to get together to form System Of A Down, a band that has since become one of music’s most anomalous and experimental ensembles.
Kerrang
Magazine got a very interesting Interview with System of a Down with some great
photos with it ..the interview titled :
