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Theatre Of Pain |
Posted by cozmachina on Wednesday, January 16, 2008 - 06:42 AM
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its drab architecture and dim exterior lighting, Steakhouse Studio sits in the
center of a nondescript North Hollywood street surrounded by seedy restaurants
and grim houses. In stark contrast to the soulless Valley sprawl around it,
though, tonight the studio’s control room pulsates with kinetic hard rock
blasting out of the speakers and bouncing off the walls, volcanic guitars and
brontosaurus drums perfectly transitioning from fevered verses into fiendishly
catchy choruses.
These are the unfinished songs that may or may not form the heart of the debut
album from Scars On Broadway, the collaborative effort of guitarist-frontman
Daron Malakian and drummer John Dolmayan, both best known for their work in
System Of A Down. At first, Malakian was hesitant to unveil a handful of
in-progress tracks that lack bass and keyboards, but as he now lounges on a
leather couch while enjoying the occasional bong hit, he’s clearly pleased by
Revolver’s ecstatic reaction.
“Even though I’m known for playing the guitar, the guitar is actually not my big
focus – songwriting is,” he says, as Dolmayan nods in silent agreement from
across the control room. “When you’re doing that, you’re thinking of the whole
picture. While I’m playing guitar, what’s going on in my head is drums, bass,
harmonies, vocals, guitar harmonies – it’s all in my head at one time.”
Although the guys stress that the five songs we’re previewing might not make the
final cut – they’re currently choosing from a collection of 21 possible tracks –
the untitled album promises to explore the same thematic and sonic territory as
System while pushing into new terrain as well.
“The way System sounds is my signature,” Malakian says proudly, “and I don’t
want to completely run away from that, because I like it. It’s where I’m
comfortable. But at the same time, we want this to have its own identity, which
I think it will. I’m not writing the same songs now as I did two years ago. And
if you listen to Mezmerize and Hypnotize, they’re different from Toxicity. I
can’t repeat myself.”
Writing mostly on keyboard and drum machine for the first time, Malakian found it
in some ways easier to craft songs for his own voice than to constantly wonder
if he could accommodate System singer Serj Tankian’s range. Though he’s had some
of this material for several years, he prefers letting his songs, as he puts it,
marinate over time to determine which speak to him the loudest.
“Whether it’s Scars On Broadway or System Of A Down, we’ve never been the type
of band who writes in the studio,” he explains. “The reason there’s been a
couple years between albums is that I always take a lot of time at home to write
the songs, to structure the songs. When I bring them in, I pretty much just play
the song, and after the first or second time, everyone’s playing along with me,
because it’s ready. There isn’t too much that needs figuring out, like, ‘What do
we do in this part? What do we do in that part?’ I don’t even bring in a song if
there’s that kind of uncertainty going on.”
Malakian is producing the album himself, and in keeping with his and Dolmayan’s
focus on the music instead of their celebrity, they decline to name the three
musicians they’re working with, stating only that they’re close friends and not
marquee names. Malakian and Dolmayan are self-financing the record and will be
presenting the finished product to labels early next year. As for a release
date, it’s significant that Dolmayan says that he hopes it will come out in the
spring, because that’s the season of renewal. Considering that System’s future
is in question while Tankian tours to support his recent solo record and bassist
Shavo Odadjian concentrates on other projects, does Malakian see Scars as a
fresh start?
“This is my band right now,” he says firmly. “System is not my band right now.
I’ll go back and do that some day. But Scars is not a side project to me. I’d
expect another Scars album before I’d expect another System album.”
Tim Grierson
Revolver Magazine March 2008
Photos by Greg Watermann
www.scarsonbroadway.com
www.myspace.com/scarsonbroadway
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Comments
Aciid_drop
16.01.08, 08:54
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This is soooo awesome,i cant wait!! :D,n why am i always the first? =)
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DegaBaznyciaDega
16.01.08, 08:59
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Hell yah, i fell the burn! great news, but this is little sad : his is my band right now,” he says firmly. “System is not my band right now. I’ll go back and do that some day. But Scars is not a side project to me. I’d expect another Scars album before I’d expect another System album
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S.O.A.D.A.M
16.01.08, 09:49
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I am third!!!! Thanks for posting this.
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Vuki
16.01.08, 13:24
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Thank you for posting the article. It was hard to read it on myspace because of a small print. Thank you again !!!
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vitaminfromthesky
16.01.08, 13:27
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well, im glad he said that he will get back to System some day, it was so surely. System is on question because of Serj's tour there was said. so damn, i hope Serj wont need to make something else after tour. Scars is not your group man!! get back System! Scars is nothing... nothing!! just making SOADfans sad.
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vitaminfromthesky
16.01.08, 13:38
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man, i want them all back to work not like on Mez/Hyp but like on Toxicity. when they did everything nearly by themselves. when you could read John Dolmayan not only where is written 'drums'.
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Commodore
16.01.08, 15:05
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Hahahaha I find this strangely funny I agree with you vitamin....
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Commodore
16.01.08, 15:06
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and wow they book look awful a sign of the times.
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Disa
16.01.08, 15:50
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Cant wait!Cant wait!Cant wait!Cant wait!Cant wait! /but what else can we do?/ Thanks for this!
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susy
16.01.08, 16:24
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im exited because Daron is writting, playing the guitar, and singing on this album and im also wondering who are the other guys on this new band, but im sad because i love system of a down. i love how the four of them-serj, daron, shavo, john- work togher and im used to see them toghter too. i dont know how im gonna feel when i see daron and john working with some stangers
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loly
16.01.08, 16:35
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“The way System sounds is my signature", “The reason there’s been a couple years between albums is that I always take a lot of time at home to write the songs, to structure the songs." it looks like of he was everything in system!!anyways,hope scars will be better than 'she's my heroin'. Thanx for the news.
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ZAk
16.01.08, 17:16
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Im really looking forward Daron's works for me tey will be much more interesting than the current others side projects, and I think System is over as we knew it
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tiffanyevett
16.01.08, 17:29
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sweet, man they both look good in the pics, thatis a awsome interveiw, lol, i can't wait either, wow this spring it might be out, man i'm going to try to save some money 4 that album when that one comes out, lol
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tania_nia
16.01.08, 17:38
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They look great in the pics I dig Daron's 70s rock guy makeover. He totally looks like the dude from Seals and Crofts (don't know 'em look 'em up) though which is cool. I will support any of their efforts however I will always long for System of a Down. "She's Like Heroin" isn't bad however if it's like "Old School Hollywood" then I will surely die...if not me then some poor poor soul! Major snaps and rock horns for the person who posted this news!!
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2tall4you
16.01.08, 18:40
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better that SOAD would back... anyway, I'm excited about SOB, want to hear how they sound.
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Dream0ver
16.01.08, 19:26
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tnx for this coz.!
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ez2dj
16.01.08, 19:47
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jesus daron is so focused on scars and more years to wait until system to come back....
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sako_mtl
16.01.08, 20:49
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MAAAAAAAAANNNNN!!!!! ALL YOU FUCKIN KIDS MAKE ME WANNA FUCKIN PUKE!!!!! seriously fuck!!!! you guy's! nagging about the fact that they arent together hoping for them to get back together soon after they finish touring for those solo albums... like.. why do you guy's think that way..??? if they aren't together right now, it's for a reason u know?? wouldn't it make them dishonest if they would hurry up with their "side projects" for which are NOT EVE SIDE PROJECTS, so to hurry that up and get system started again? these 4 guys are are way to honest to themselves to do such a thing, like we all know, music is art, and you DON'T plan art, let them do as they please, seriously, and for ur own good people open ur fuckin minds and realize that SYSTEM OF A DOWN WILL NEVER DIE IF U OWN THEIR MUSIC, just enjoy what all members have to offer as of now and give them the chance to do what they do best. now quit whining over this hiatus, who gives a fuck, more music from our favorite artists coming our way. whoever complains about system not being together making music right now are just assholes towards them. FUCK YOU ALRIGHT?
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