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Sound Check: Tankian Rocking Outside System

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  • Sound Check: Tankian Rocking Outside System

    SOUND CHECK: TANKIAN ROCKING OUTSIDE SYSTEM
    By Jon Waterhouse; For the Journal-Constitution

    The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
    February 7, 2008 Thursday
    Main Edition

    WHEN HARD ROCK outfit System of a Down began its indefinite hiatus in
    August 2006, frontman Serj Tankian set his sights on a solo project
    he'd reportedly longed for underneath that trademark top hat.

    Tankian is currently hitting concert halls promoting "Elect
    the Dead," a multi-genre influenced rock record that, with the
    exception of a small guest list, features Tankian handling most of
    the instrumentation. But don't expect a one-man-band arrangement when
    Tankian hits the Roxy on Feb. 11. His backup band FCC and opener Fair
    to Midland join the show.

    While waiting in line for the restroom at the show, impress fellow
    fans with the following bits of Tankian trivia.

    Music business: Tankian wasn't always rocking the stage. After
    graduating with a degree in marketing and business from California
    State University, he was once a 9-to-5 entrepreneur and accounting
    software developer.

    Active activist: Don't call him Bono, but Tankian has a political
    mission, too. He and Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello
    formed Axis of Justice, a nonprofit group that, according to its
    Web site, hopes to "build a bridge between fans of music around the
    world and local political organizations to effectively organize around
    issues of peace, human rights, and economic justice."

    What's with the voice? The Lebanese born Armenian-American cites
    hearing his dad croon classic Armenian tunes as a big influence on
    his unconventional singing style.

    He's a poet ... and he knows it: Although he resembles the love child
    of Perry Farrell and Les Claypool, Tankian has something in common
    with the late Jim Morrison of the Doors. In 2002, Tankian released
    his own book of poetry, "Cool Gardens." Contemporary wordsmith Saul
    Williams cites himself as a fan of Tankian's work.

    Serj on film: In addition to turning it up to 11, Tankian dabbles
    in film work including composing music for the 2006 flick "Bug"
    and narrating the 2005 documentary "Armenia: A Country Under Blockade."

    * THE 411: Serj Tankian. $25.50. 8 p.m. Feb. 11. Coca-Cola
    Roxy Theatre, 3110 Roswell Road, Atlanta. 404-249-6400,
    www.ticketmaster.com.
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