System of a Down: All systems go

Serious rockers, System of a Down, came on the scene in 1998 and have sold more than 10 million records worldwide since. Newsday recently proclaimed their new album, Mezmerize, as "one of the most inventive, unique albums in years." In laymen's terms, they're one of the biggest rock acts around.

They've used their clout to tackle topics such as religion, politics and genocide. The first single, "B.Y.O.B." – off Mezmerize – takes a negative stance against the United States involvement in Iraq, with the chorus, "Why don't presidents fight the war? Why do they always send the poor?" Other tracks, like "Cigaro" have a similar theme.

Singer Serj Tankian spent some time with Orlando CityBeat to talk about President Bush, fame, the new album and – believe it or not – Wham!. You can catch System of a Down with opening act Mars Volta, August 16 at the TD Waterhouse Centre. Tickets range from $32.50 - $37.50 and doors open at 7 p.m.

Orlando CityBeat: How is life treating you?

Serj Tankian: How is life treating me? As well as I'm treating it.

OCB: It was almost four years between releases. Why the long layoff?
ST: It was four years? That's not true.

OCB: Well almost four years…
ST: Nope. We had a record called Steal This Album! (B-Sides) that most people don't recognize because we didn't put out a single. And the only video we did was the Michael Moore video that we put out against the beginning of the Iraq War. Which, I guess, if you don't put something commercial out – even though we sold millions of units of this – if you don't put it on the radio and you don't make an MTV video for it, it doesn't exist.

OCB: Your music is universally acclaimed. You've sold millions of albums. Newsday recently wrote that your new album, Mezmerize, is "one of the most inventive, unique albums in years." When you're getting praise like that, how is it possible to stay grounded?
ST: I just don't really pay attention to what people say and never have … never will. Good or bad. (laughs) When we first started out, people were like, 'Don't scream kid. You're never going to get signed,' or 'Your singing's weird. They should kick you out of the band,' and whatnot. And now it's like, 'Oh, you're famous!' It's the same thing. It's the same people. We do appreciate you (the press) and whatnot, but we don't want to be snobbish about it. We're grateful for what we've achieved and we're grateful for all the beautiful people that have helped us come here, including the journalist and critics. If you start paying attention to it and letting it affect what you do, then it's bad.

OCB: For those that don't know, you were born in Lebanon. Coming to America from another country and succeeding the way you have, do you think kids born here in the States don't have a full appreciation of the opportunities available to them?
ST: That's a good question. I'm not really sure. Different people have different levels of ambition to follow their hearts and their dreams. No matter where they are. It could be a genetic thing. It could be just an upbringing thing. It's very important that everyone does what they're supposed to do in this lifetime – wherever they are. And, definitely, America has probably the most opportunities for commercial success, as well as freedom of pursuing a lot, economic-based and otherwise-based interests, in the world. And some people … they don't appreciate that … like it isn't important to them.

OCB: You're very outspoken and many of the bands' songs have messages, be it politically, religious or what have you. If you could change or enact one law in the United States, what would it be?
ST: I'd try to find a law that controls all laws. Because, in my opinion, man made laws were created to compensate for the lack of understanding of natural laws.

OCB: This last election, there was a huge groundswell of emotion between many 18-34 year olds to get President Bush out of office. And yet, he won by a larger margin than he beat Gore (in 2000). Why do you personally think that is?
ST: That's an interesting question. I just read an editorial in the New York Times on Karl Rove. I think you should check that out. That's my reason for it. (laughs) The way that Kaiser Karl works the political system is – it's okay to lie. And then it's okay to lie further. And when the truth comes out, it's okay to deny it. Because, either way, they're going to follow you. I think it's a new era of American politics. Even before, when faced with the truth most politicians would have to step back and consider it, even if they still kept their position. But the truth is completely out of politics in the Bush era apparently.

OCB: Musically, where do you see yourself in five years?
ST: I don't consider that the future exists. I don't consider that the past exists. It's just an ever-flowing presence as far as I'm concerned. What I'd like to do is continue making the music that comes out of my heart and all of the avenues that I need to.

OCB: You've been compared with the likes of Metallica and Frank Zappa. What band would people be shocked to hear is an inspiration to your music?
ST: There are a lot of bands that I'm personally influenced by and the rest of the band is influenced by. We get up on stage and Daron starts singing a Wham! cover while I'm playing this really, cheesy piano line on the synth. You can't take life too seriously. You can't take anything too seriously, including yourself or your music. I have some real-life areas of influences in music. From world to goth to experimental to rock to punk to hip-hop to foreign. (laughs) You know … any type of music. Anything that I like appeals to me. I don't care if it's country. Whatever it is.

OCB: Give the reader's one good reason to come out and see you perform August 16 at the TD Waterhouse Centre.
ST: Absolutely not. Don't come. (laughs)

Related topic galleries: Executive Branch, Values, Amway Arena, New York Times, Political Systems, Frank Zappa, Iraq War

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