Serj Tankian

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Serj Tankian
Born August 21, 1967 (1967-08-21) (age 41)[1] Beirut, Lebanon[1]
Origin Armenian and Lebanese
Genre(s) Hard rock
Alternative metal
Psychedelic rock
Experimental rock
Progressive metal
Funk metal
Art rock
Alternative rock
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter, poet
Instrument(s) Vocals, Keyboards/Piano, Guitar, Bass, Synthesizer, Drum machine, Melodica
Years active 1993 – present
Label(s) Serjical Strike, Reprise, American, Columbia, Axis of Justice
Associated acts System of a Down
Serart
Axis of Justice
Buckethead & Friends
Website www.serjicalstrike.com

www.serjtankian.com

Serj Tankian (born August 21, 1967 in Beirut, Lebanon[1]) is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American singer, songwriter, poet, activist, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist of the alternative metal band System of a Down. In 2002, Serj and Tom Morello co-founded a non-profit political activist organization, Axis of Justice. During his musical career, he has released five albums with System of a Down, one with Arto Tunçboyacıyan (Serart), and also a solo album, Elect the Dead, on October 23, 2007.

Contents

Biography

Early life and career

Tankian was born on August 21, 1967, in Beirut, Lebanon. He and his family immigrated to Los Angeles in 1975[1]. In Beirut, Tankian took flute lessons as a young child. He earned a degree in Marketing and Business from California State University, Northridge[2] and started his own software company before beginning his music career[1].

Soil and System of a Down

Main article: System of a Down

Daron Malakian met Serj Tankian in 1993, while they both shared the same rehearsal studio in different bands. Serj was playing keyboard for a band, and Daron was singing lead vocals for another band. They formed a jam band called Soil (Serj on vocals/keyboards and Daron on guitar [3]; not to be confused with SOiL) with Domingo Laranio (drums) and Dave Hakopyan (bass). Around this time, they also met Shavo Odadjian. Years later, in 1994, after one supposed jam session recording and one live show, Dave and Domingo left, thinking the band wasn't going anywhere. [4]

The band later broke up and Tankian and Malakian formed a new band "System of a Down," based on a poem that Daron wrote entitled "Victims of the Down". Shavo Odadjian thought that the word System appealed to a much broader audience than "Victims," and they wanted their albums to be stored near the band Slayer's. Odadjian was the band's original manager and promoter, but joined as the bassist, and managerial duties were taken over by the Velvet Hammer Music and Management Group and founder David "Beno" Benveniste. Daron then asked his friend Ontronik "Andy" Khachaturian (whom had played in his first band with Daron at age 15 [5]) to join the band as the drummer. [6] Andy was later replaced by their current drummer, John Dolmayan, due to a hand injury.

Other works

During System of a Down's days, he was the vocalist in other bands for certain songs such as Mushroom Cult by Dog Fashion Disco and lent his vocals to the song Mein by Deftones. He produced "Enter the Chicken" by Buckethead, and provided vocals to the Buckethead songs We Are One, Coma, and Waiting Here. With Serjical Strike Records, he endeavours to offer those musicians often ignored by the mainstream a possibility to release their music and be heard. The first release of Tankian's new label was Serart, a project consisting of Tankian himself, and Arto Tunçboyacıyan, an Armenian friend of Tankian's.

He originally began System of a Down to voice his views on politics, but felt that the band was not getting the message across. However, contrary to popular belief he stated in a recent interview that he did not leave the band and they have not split up, but decided to embark upon a solo career to open upon his own personal view on music to get his word out on his opinion of President Bush's choice on going to war with Iraq.

More recently, he sang with Les Rita Mitsouko on the song "Terminal Beauty". Also, he sang with the band Fair to Midland during a live improvisational version of their song "Walls of Jericho", from the album Fables from a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times Is True, which was a massive hit with fans. He often collaborates as well with his close friend, director Diran Noubar on various projects, including the voice-over of Noubar's "Armenia, a Country Under Blockade". Noubar played some guitar on Tankian's Elect the Dead album on the track "Saving Us" and directed the music video for "Baby".

Tankian is also very involved politically. Together with Tom Morello, he founded the organization Axis of Justice. Tankian has a secondary vacation cabin in New Zealand. There has been a misconception that he intends to stay in New Zealand until the Iraq War is over, but as stated in an interview, Tankian has no intention of doing so. He often speaks publicly against violence and injustice in the world.

Tankian is at work on a second album, due in 2009. It is said to be more of a jazz and orchestral based sound. A new song, "Sounds of War", has shown up in recent concert setlists, it has a jazz fusion style, it is unknown if it will be on the second record.

Tankian told The Pulse of Radio last week that the highlights of his last eight months on the road may soon be documented in a DVD featuring videos, live performances and behind-the-scenes footage.

Tankian is currently co-writing a musical with the American playwright Steven Sater. It is based on the Ancient Greek Tragedy Prometheus Bound. He stated that eight songs have been completed and that there will be a record.[7]

In a recent interview with Czech TV, Tankian stated that he quit smoking about four or five months ago because it was time to do so.[8]


The F.C.C.

The F.C.C. (The Flying Cunts of Chaos) is Serj's backing band when he plays live.

Current members
Former memebers

Discography

System of a Down

Main article: System of a Down discography

Serart

Main article: Serart discography

Axis of Justice

Solo

Albums
EPs
DVDs
  • TBA: untitled live DVD[10]

Singles

Year Title Chart positions Album
US
[11]		 US
Mod
[11]		 US
Main
[11]		 UK UK
Rock		 CAN
2007 "The Unthinking Majority" 1 - - - - - - Elect the Dead
"Empty Walls" 97 3 4 78 1 75
"Lie Lie Lie" 2 - - - - - -
2008 "Sky Is Over" - 22 23 - - -
  • 1 Only released as a digital download single
  • 2 Still active on charts.

As featured performer

Year Title Chart positions Album
US US
Mod		 US
Main		 UK UK
Rock		 CAN
2000 "Starlit Eyes" (Snot feat. Serj Tankian) - - - - - - Strait Up
2005 "We Are One" (Buckethead feat. Serj Tankian) - - - - - - Enter the Chicken
2007 "Mein" (Deftones feat. Serj Tankian) - 38 40 - - - Saturday Night Wrist

Collaborations/soundtrack contributions

Albums

Performing and/or writing

Live performances

Remixes

Awards

  • In 2005, Serj Tankian won the award for Best Alternative Act with System of a Down in the Europe Music Awards
  • In 2006, System of a Down won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance for "B.Y.O.B."
  • In 2006, System of a Down won the "MTV Good Woodie Award" for their song "Question!".
  • In 2006, System of a Down was #14 on the VH1 Top 40 Metal Songs with "Toxicity".
  • In 2007, System of a Down was nominated for a Grammy Award in Best Hard Rock Performance for their song "Lonely Day".

Videography

Year Song Director(s) Album
2007 "The Unthinking Majority" Tawd b. Dorenfeld Elect the Dead
"Empty Walls" Tony Petrossian
"Saving Us" Kevin Estrada
"Feed Us" Sevag Vrej
"Lie Lie Lie" Martha Colburn
"Honking Antelope" Roger Kupelian
"Elect the Dead" Gariné Torossian
"Baby" Isaac "Eye-Sack" Flores
"Sky Is Over" José Rivera
"Beethoven's C***" Adam Egypt Mortimer
"Money" Ara Soudjian
"Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" Greg Watermann
2008 "Sky is Over" (official video) Tony Petrossian and Ara Soudjian
"Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" (lyrics video) Chris Marrs Piliero

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Serj Tankian, MTV
  2. ^ Stereo Subversion - Meaningful Music Exists
  3. ^ Soil 1993-1997 :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site
  4. ^ Soil 1993-1997 :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site
  5. ^ Exclusive Interview With Andy Khachaturian (ex-SOAD) :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site!
  6. ^ Exclusive Interview With Andy Khachaturian (ex-SOAD) :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site
  7. ^ Serj Tankian Co-Writing a Musical, Spinner, Last accessed May 22, 2008.
  8. ^ Serj Tankian Czech TV video, YouTube @ 4:50, Last accessed June 11, 2008.
  9. ^ Serj Tankian Talks Second Solo LP | News @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com
  10. ^ Serj Tankian might release Live DVD :: SOADFans :: The Official UnOfficial System Of a Down Site!
  11. ^ a b c "Serj Tankian: Artist Chart History (singles)". Billboard charts. Retrieved on 2008-07-17.
  12. ^ "Two Hard Rockin' Compilation CDs Set for Release This Fall". NY Rock. Last accessed November 04, 2007.
  13. ^ Serj To Appear On New Praxis Album, by "pwned", SOADFans.com, 8 March, 2007
  14. ^ Serj Tankian: "We Haven't Decided If the Future Contains System or Not" :: SOADFans :: The Official Unofficial System of a Down Site!
  15. ^ "Diddy Joins Ecko in Getting Up". IGN. Last accessed November 09, 2007.

External links

Serj Tankian
Serj Tankian · Mario Pagliarulo · Erwin Khachikian · Troy Zeigler · Dan Monti · Jeff Mallow
Larry "Ler" LaLonde
Notable Guests
Brain · John Dolmayan · Diran Noubar · Ani Maldjian · Cameron Stone · Antonio Pontarelli · Fabrice Favre
Albums
EPs
Singles
Related articles
System of a Down
Daron Malakian • Serj Tankian • Shavo Odadjian • John Dolmayan
Ontronik "Andy" Khachaturian
Albums
EPs
Singles
"Sugar" • "Spiders" • "Johnny" • "Chop Suey!" • "Toxicity" • "Aerials" • "Innervision" • "B.Y.O.B." • "Question!" • "Violent Pornography" • "Hypnotize" • "Lonely Day" • "Kill Rock 'n Roll" • "Vicinity of Obscenity"
Videos
"War?" • "Sugar" • "Spiders" • "Chop Suey!" • "Toxicity" • "Aerials" • "Boom!" • "B.Y.O.B." • "Question!" • "Hypnotize" • "Lonely Day"
Related artists
Related articles
Categories
Serart
Serj Tankian · Arto Tunçboyacıyan
Albums
EPs
Related articles
Axis of Justice
Serj Tankian · Tom Morello (The Nightwatchman)
Notable guests
Flea · Brad Wilk · Pete Yorn · Tim Walker · Maynard James Keenan · Slash  · Jonny Polonsky  · Chris Cornell · Simon Petty · Malcolm Cross · Sid Jordan · Joe Mora · Wayne Kramer · John Dolmayan · Jurassic 5 · Knowledge · Brian O'Connor · Ahmed Ahmed · Travis Barker · Boots Riley
Albums
Related articles


Persondata
NAME Tankian, Serj
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Թանգեան, Սերժ
SHORT DESCRIPTION musician
DATE OF BIRTH August 21, 1967
PLACE OF BIRTH Beirut, Lebanon
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serj_Tankian"

Article keywords: biography serj tankian,

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