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 "Vegas
doesn't resonate well with me. I don't enjoy it much," says System of a Down
frontman Serj Tankian in the plush backstage areas of the hard rock
hotel/venue amid the bright lights of the desert town otherwise known as Sin
City. "I have had some good times here," he continues, "but I'm not a big fan of
the extra oxygen that's hot at you in casinos."
its no wonder System of A Down cant wait to get out of here, particularly since
this is the last night of a 2 month tour, with all the anticipation of finally
getting home for some much needed downtime. Later there will be a poolside after
show party that will continue into the early hours in bassist Shavo Odadjian's
large hotel suite, before all but drummer John Dolmayan( who lives in Vegas)
head back to LA.
Before this however, Serj and Daron, have one last interview to do featuring
questions ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous. Daron is in good cheer
with his bong ever present, Serj is more wary - he's never been fond of trivial
questions. But he soon gets into the spirit of it, and by the end he's laughing
and joking, clearly relishing the chance to talk about something other than the
new system album ...
Tell us something about yourselves that would surprise people
Serj: "I don't have a favorite ice cream"
Daron: "I'm quite offstage. I mean I'm not as active and energetic as
I'm onstage. I guess that's one thing that actually does shock people. Most
people just see the guy onstage and think I have the decadent lifestyle, and to
some extent I do, but not in the way people think. I'm more decadent with my art
than going to get lap dances or something"
What are your fellow band member's worst personality traits?
Daron: "We all have something. Shavo's worst is that he's late alot. Serj could
lighten up a little bit: he
takes whats going on in the world really, really seriously and I guess he could
let himself live a little bit
and not have all those burdens on his shoulders. I could chill out and let
things be as opposed to trying to
dictate everything. and John could maybe gamble less."
If you had to erase one system of down song from history, which one would it be?
Serj: "All of them and start over! Its all one song anyway"
Daron: "I could live without that thing we did with puff daddy. The two rap
things we did. Its just not my
favorite stuff that system's done, although I see it for what it is."
Serj: "I'd agree on the 'South park' one, but I wouldn't agree with the Wu-Tang
one, I don't think the
'South park' one resonates the same as other System songs because its not really
a system song."
Have you ever had a fight in the band that came to blows?
Daron: "Yes and it wasn't a matter of punching: we used weapons! it was between
me and John when we
were writing 'Toxicity' something happened that had nothing to do with the
music. it was just something he
said and I was in a bad mood and I swung my guitar at him aiming for his head. I
kind of missed and he
was trying to grab the guitar, but instead his elbow hit my face and cut my
mouth open."
"I realized I was bleeding so I grabbed the microphone stand from the bottom
metal end and jus whacked
it on his head and I gave about 15 on my mouth. We took each other to the
hospital and we were
laughing about it. And we have pictures! It was one of the most memorable days
in the band's history, I
have never really told anyone that story"
If you were to leave the band, which Musician would you choose as your
replacement?
Serj: "Donald Duck"
Daron: "That's a really tough one. it would have to be somebody that can sing,
play guitar and write the
fucking songs and perform them onstage. Are Iggy Pop and Angus Young having a
baby any time soon?"
Would you be willing to go to jail for something you believed in?
Daron: "Sure, it depends how much I believed in it and how passionate I was
about it. My music's the only
thing I'm passionate about to be honest with you and I don't know how that would
end me up in jail, I
guess in some courtiers you cant express yourself so I'd end up being one of
those people that wound up
in jail for what they write."
Serj: "I'd fight for people right to wear jewelry "
What the first thing you'd do if you were president?
Daron: "I'd give everybody free health care. And then I'd legalize weed. In fact
I'd legalize all drugs. I mean,
I smoke weed and I don't really do much else, but I think is bad then they're
going to want to do it more.
Whereas if it was just out there."
If your house was on fire, what one thing would you save?
Serj: "My hard drives. I mean, if my house was on fire and I was there, it would
have to be my dog but if I'm not there my dog wouldn't be there so the next thing would be my hard drives.
I don't care about
clothes or anything, but my hard drives have all my music. The funny thing is
there was a fire happening in
LA a couple of weeks ago when we were out in the mid-west and I actually had to
think about that,
which is why I knew the answer."
Words by Morat, Photos by Paul Harries.
Read the full interview in the latest issue of Kerrang! Magazine.
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