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SYSTEM OF A DOWN TRIES TO RAISE AWARENESS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WITH ITS WAKE UP THE SOULS TOUR
Orange County Register, CA
April 2 2015
April 2, 2015
BY KELLI SKYE FADROSKI
System of a Down has never shied away from being politically
outspoken. Since the group announced its reunion in late 2010 after
a four-year hiatus, the hard-hitting rock quartet, that initially
formed in Los Angeles in the mid-'90s, has embarked on a handful of
smaller tours, but its upcoming Wake Up the Souls international jaunt
has more of a direct purpose.
The tour, which kicks off with a sold-out show at the Forum in
Inglewood on Monday, is commemorating the 100th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide and calling for justice for the estimated 1 million
to 1.5 million Armenians who died during the massacre and forced
deportation by the Ottoman Empire starting in 1915.
All of the band's members - vocalist Serj Tankian, guitarist Daron
Malakian, bassist Shavo Odadjian and drummer John Dolmayan - are of
Armenian descent. Since the genocide has yet to be acknowledged on a
global level, the band has been instrumental in drawing attention to
these atrocities and the push for that recognition, not only from the
Turkish government, but more recently from the Obama Administration
here in the U.S. as well.
"System has been involved in spreading that awareness since day one,"
Tankian said during a recent phone interview. "We've been told by
our fans and people around the world that they found out about the
genocide because of our actions and comments. We have to continue
to do that because it's very important for the government of Turkey
to recognize that historical past justly. It's about obtaining true
justice from an atrocity like this. It's not enough just to admit a
crime, you have to gain justice from it so that in the future, people
thinking of committing such atrocities, like Hitler did during World
War II, are discouraged by it."
Wake Up the Souls only has the one stop in the U.S., but there was
some strategic planning involved in plotting performances in the U.K.,
Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia and wrapping it
all up with a free show on April 23 at Republic Square in Yerevan,
Armenia, where SOAD will perform for the very first time.
"I, myself, have played Armenia a few times, but I can say that
a lot of people have been waiting for System of a Down to play in
Armenia for many, many years," Tankian said. "We've been asked why
we haven't or when we are going to play in Armenian a million times,
so this is a huge event for ourselves and for the country itself. We
are really happy to be doing it, so it is a big deal."
"We wanted to play in places that would understand the concept of
genocide and war and the toll it takes," Dolmayan, who currently
resides in Las Vegas, added. "It was important for me to try to play
in Turkey where we do have a massive amount of fans, but I don't
remember if they even got back to us. My wife is happy about that. I
really wanted to play there number one for all of our fans and number
two because I think it's important for us to come to terms with the
mutual fear that Turkey and Armenians have. I mean, at the end of
the day, we're all just people."
Both Tankian and Dolmayan mentioned that they were grateful to have
a forum like System of a Down to help spread awareness on important
topics, but also to have the outlet for creative music expression to
share with fans who aren't politically charged and just want to dance
and sing along to the singles off of the bands five albums, such as
"Chop Suey!," "Toxicity," "B.Y.O.B.," "Lonely Day" and "Spiders."
"That's the beautiful thing about art," Dolmayan said. "You can make
a profound statement without making a profound statement and people
can read what they want out of it. There are going to be tons of
people that come to these shows that could care less about the subject
matter, they just want to dance around for two hours and hear 'Sugar.'
That is fine. If we hit just one percent of the people at these shows,
that could create a real groundswell and even if they only talk about
it a few times, that information spreads."
"Everyone approaches music with their own kind of experience," Tankian
added. "I always relate it to food, like pizza, some people like it
for the crust, some just for the cheese. You can't judge how people
will relate to your music or your art, you just have to let them
enjoy it the way they want to. We're thankful for the number of fans
that not only enjoy it, but kind of go deeper, transcend the world
of music itself and go into a world of learning. Not just about the
Armenian Genocide, but anything we discuss. As long as we create an
avenue for thought or discussion, we are happy."
Though the Grammy-winning rock band has been back together and out
on the road sporadically for several years, its last studio releases
came in 2005 when the group dropped "Mezmerize" and "Hypnotize" just
six months apart. Tankian was clear that there aren't any plans at
this point in time for a full new album, but there is an "openness
to getting back together and seeing where we're at and who has got
what and sharing material to see if we can go forward with it."
Again, he assures, "No promises and no plans to announce, but there is
that openness to at least start working in that sense together. It's
a big compliment (to be consistently asked when a new record will
materialize) and we appreciate it, but it's art and it moves at the
pace of the artist and whenever we're ready, everyone will know it.
But until then, it can't be a forced endeavor."
As of now, no other North American tour dates will be added. There is
a one-off show outside Detroit, Michigan, on June 17, just a quick
stop before the band heads into Canada for a few festival shows,
followed by a short trip to Brazil, scheduled for the rest of 2015.
SOAD blew off some of its dust and flexed its performance muscle as
the capping act to night one of KROQ 106.7 FM's annual Almost Acoustic
Christmas at the Forum in December, a gig Dolmayan said he felt was
a bit "lethargic" for the normally high-energy group.
"We were out of shape that night and had only done like three
rehearsals," he said honestly. "It just wasn't System at its full
power, though the audience seemed more enthusiastic and energetic
than we were so that was kinda cool."
He promises the band will be in top condition - or "at least 75
percent," he joked - by the start of this tour.
"We're all rehearsing privately now, or at least that's what we're
telling each other. I know for Serj it takes him about two weeks to
get his voice ready so he's already irritating his wife and phlegming
up all kinds of nastiness around the house. I'm rehearing at home with
CDs or the stuff on my phone, but I play everything faster live. When
we get to L.A. we'll be ready to go, I promise, but you may have to
come to Armenia to get us at our full power."
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/people-656460-tankian-genocide.html
Orange County Register, CA
April 2 2015
April 2, 2015
BY KELLI SKYE FADROSKI
System of a Down has never shied away from being politically
outspoken. Since the group announced its reunion in late 2010 after
a four-year hiatus, the hard-hitting rock quartet, that initially
formed in Los Angeles in the mid-'90s, has embarked on a handful of
smaller tours, but its upcoming Wake Up the Souls international jaunt
has more of a direct purpose.
The tour, which kicks off with a sold-out show at the Forum in
Inglewood on Monday, is commemorating the 100th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide and calling for justice for the estimated 1 million
to 1.5 million Armenians who died during the massacre and forced
deportation by the Ottoman Empire starting in 1915.
All of the band's members - vocalist Serj Tankian, guitarist Daron
Malakian, bassist Shavo Odadjian and drummer John Dolmayan - are of
Armenian descent. Since the genocide has yet to be acknowledged on a
global level, the band has been instrumental in drawing attention to
these atrocities and the push for that recognition, not only from the
Turkish government, but more recently from the Obama Administration
here in the U.S. as well.
"System has been involved in spreading that awareness since day one,"
Tankian said during a recent phone interview. "We've been told by
our fans and people around the world that they found out about the
genocide because of our actions and comments. We have to continue
to do that because it's very important for the government of Turkey
to recognize that historical past justly. It's about obtaining true
justice from an atrocity like this. It's not enough just to admit a
crime, you have to gain justice from it so that in the future, people
thinking of committing such atrocities, like Hitler did during World
War II, are discouraged by it."
Wake Up the Souls only has the one stop in the U.S., but there was
some strategic planning involved in plotting performances in the U.K.,
Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia and wrapping it
all up with a free show on April 23 at Republic Square in Yerevan,
Armenia, where SOAD will perform for the very first time.
"I, myself, have played Armenia a few times, but I can say that
a lot of people have been waiting for System of a Down to play in
Armenia for many, many years," Tankian said. "We've been asked why
we haven't or when we are going to play in Armenian a million times,
so this is a huge event for ourselves and for the country itself. We
are really happy to be doing it, so it is a big deal."
"We wanted to play in places that would understand the concept of
genocide and war and the toll it takes," Dolmayan, who currently
resides in Las Vegas, added. "It was important for me to try to play
in Turkey where we do have a massive amount of fans, but I don't
remember if they even got back to us. My wife is happy about that. I
really wanted to play there number one for all of our fans and number
two because I think it's important for us to come to terms with the
mutual fear that Turkey and Armenians have. I mean, at the end of
the day, we're all just people."
Both Tankian and Dolmayan mentioned that they were grateful to have
a forum like System of a Down to help spread awareness on important
topics, but also to have the outlet for creative music expression to
share with fans who aren't politically charged and just want to dance
and sing along to the singles off of the bands five albums, such as
"Chop Suey!," "Toxicity," "B.Y.O.B.," "Lonely Day" and "Spiders."
"That's the beautiful thing about art," Dolmayan said. "You can make
a profound statement without making a profound statement and people
can read what they want out of it. There are going to be tons of
people that come to these shows that could care less about the subject
matter, they just want to dance around for two hours and hear 'Sugar.'
That is fine. If we hit just one percent of the people at these shows,
that could create a real groundswell and even if they only talk about
it a few times, that information spreads."
"Everyone approaches music with their own kind of experience," Tankian
added. "I always relate it to food, like pizza, some people like it
for the crust, some just for the cheese. You can't judge how people
will relate to your music or your art, you just have to let them
enjoy it the way they want to. We're thankful for the number of fans
that not only enjoy it, but kind of go deeper, transcend the world
of music itself and go into a world of learning. Not just about the
Armenian Genocide, but anything we discuss. As long as we create an
avenue for thought or discussion, we are happy."
Though the Grammy-winning rock band has been back together and out
on the road sporadically for several years, its last studio releases
came in 2005 when the group dropped "Mezmerize" and "Hypnotize" just
six months apart. Tankian was clear that there aren't any plans at
this point in time for a full new album, but there is an "openness
to getting back together and seeing where we're at and who has got
what and sharing material to see if we can go forward with it."
Again, he assures, "No promises and no plans to announce, but there is
that openness to at least start working in that sense together. It's
a big compliment (to be consistently asked when a new record will
materialize) and we appreciate it, but it's art and it moves at the
pace of the artist and whenever we're ready, everyone will know it.
But until then, it can't be a forced endeavor."
As of now, no other North American tour dates will be added. There is
a one-off show outside Detroit, Michigan, on June 17, just a quick
stop before the band heads into Canada for a few festival shows,
followed by a short trip to Brazil, scheduled for the rest of 2015.
SOAD blew off some of its dust and flexed its performance muscle as
the capping act to night one of KROQ 106.7 FM's annual Almost Acoustic
Christmas at the Forum in December, a gig Dolmayan said he felt was
a bit "lethargic" for the normally high-energy group.
"We were out of shape that night and had only done like three
rehearsals," he said honestly. "It just wasn't System at its full
power, though the audience seemed more enthusiastic and energetic
than we were so that was kinda cool."
He promises the band will be in top condition - or "at least 75
percent," he joked - by the start of this tour.
"We're all rehearsing privately now, or at least that's what we're
telling each other. I know for Serj it takes him about two weeks to
get his voice ready so he's already irritating his wife and phlegming
up all kinds of nastiness around the house. I'm rehearing at home with
CDs or the stuff on my phone, but I play everything faster live. When
we get to L.A. we'll be ready to go, I promise, but you may have to
come to Armenia to get us at our full power."
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/people-656460-tankian-genocide.html