Serj Tankian gets personal about System of a Down

System of a Down’s Serj Tankian grew up hearing stories about his family members who died during the Armenian genocide, many years before he was born. In his new memoir “Down With the System,” he shares his family’s story and looks back on his career through the lens of his Armenian heritage. Serj joins Tom to talk about the origins of his activism, how System of a Down got on the radio, and whether or not you’ll ever hear new music from the band.
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[@maggotball]

The world needs more Serj Tankian's... The man had it all, could have had even more, but he never forgot his roots and never stopped being humble!

[@LinkMaster5555]

More Serjs are desperately needed 😪

[@worldismyashtray]

SOAD ‘fans’ being surprised Serj is so intelligent and well spoken haven’t been listening closely enough.

[@HeavyMetalFan159]

So true. In 'Boom' and 'Deer Dance' and many others, Serj talks about war and how it should be stopped and the awful bombings that happen all over the world. Honestly, we should all be more like him.😌

[@Grumblik]

I wanna know what fans didn't know this. I just wanna talk.

[@jorgemaldonado8662]

Why would anyone think less

[@bmthfan1231]

@@HeavyMetalFan159 nobody has ever said that lol

[@user-yv4vr7mx4o]

No surprise here

[@Nighthawk2211]

Serj is a gentle, intelligent badass. And a great interview as always.

[@skywrd_]

his voice is so soothing

[@TheJellish]

Similarly capable of being the most distressed sounding singer

[@ClutchCityFan]

Serj will always be one of my all time favorite lead singers.

[@denrammm]

take a shot for everytime Serj says “you know” I LOVE HIM SM. the way he gets all nervous when they play back the music.

[@Sophet]

imagine him and Jim "ya know" Root from Slipknot having a conversation, lmao

[@denrammm]

@@Sophet 😂😂😭😭

[@xMaGuSx888]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1220">20:20</a> That is 100% what made me fall in love with SOAD. I was 11 in 2001 when I first heard chop suey, and the outro to that song where they are harmonizing with the piano/harp in the background was unlike anything I ever heard. I still get chills when I listen to that part all these years later. A really amazing mix of talented musicians, that just really complimented each other.

[@TheAjpathecreature]

One of those scary smart musicians.

[@oui2611]

its no surprise really, unless youre 12 years old and first getting into it. otherwise a lot of fans have followed interviews for years to know and understood the messages behind his lyrics

[@ronthorn3]

@@oui2611relax elitist

[@duarteestelita7257]

Tom’s really a fish swimming in his pond.. namely with empathic and knowledgeable ppl like Serj . What a pleasure to listen to. 37mins go by like it’s 10mins… Let’s hope for that in person next meeting of these two ;) Thank you for this Kudos from Portugal

[@Grodstark]

I would do alot just to sit down with Serj, have a cup of coffee or tea and just talk, about anything. I grew up with SOAD and hearing him talk is kind of nostalgic in a way.

[@cyroth]

Ozzfest 2002 was sadly the only time I saw system. I still talk about it and consider it of the most fun shows I've ever been to.

[@kieranhowells7336]

Fantastic interview. Two respectful, thoughtful people having a truly meaningful conversation. Thankful for them both, especially Serj, who has made music that I hold incredibly dear.

[@mdh6977]

Great interview!!! And a host who knows how to shut up after asking his question and listen to the answer while also keeping the conversation going

[@dazwold]

What a great interview. I've never heard Serj in interview before, and what a breath of fresh air. Articulate, intelligent, and well spoken. Great questions as well; I think the level of the questions surprised him in a good way and opened up more because of it

[@ivandevilliers5741]

This needs more views! Brilliantly interviewed and Serj is as eloquent and humble as can be 👏🏻

[@VanessaButtino]

THANK YOU for this interview! My goodness, I’ve been a massive System of a Down fan since high school in the ‘90s ❤

[@DylTyrril]

Thank you, Tom for bringing out such amazing insights in your conversation with this fascinating and inspirational artist. This was such a compelling and engrossing discussion, and an undoubtedly honest and reverential exchange with Serj.

[@dryker7085]

Absolutely love System! Never been a band like them. When I first heard their stuff it blew me away, and then Toxicity came out. Nothing has excited me more than listening to that album. I had the pleasure of attending their Armenian Genocide awareness concert back when I hardly went to any concerts at all. These days I go to as many concerts as I can, and still regard that one as one of the best shows I've ever been to. One of the all time greats.

[@tracevicente]

Such an amazing interview/chat. Thank you!

[@Diminish3d]

Once again an excellent interview from Tom. It shines through how much you care and value these discussions and it reflects back from the guests in their expressions and words. You're an excellent listener and it was a beautiful touch to bring the interview a full circle and start and finish it with the grandfather :) These are some of my favorite artist interviews you're doing :)

[@danielcosta6238]

Really well conducted interview. Serj shows to a thoughtful & legit dude.

[@Jerushajustintime]

Was just talking about Serj. And his intelligence and wisdom.

[@yamammiwammi]

Tom is an amazing interviewer, this was so cool to listen to. Serj is so cool.

[@cleonjohnmusic]

Absolutely great interview

[@dana52484]

Who else suddenly wants to listen to SOAD now?

[@user-ul4uz6vo9o]

What do you mean suddenly? Been listening to them everyday for 24 years

[@Trevor6714]

In middle school I got turned on to them and it was non stop till about 17-18. But even then still there. Then a complete stop around 21-22 for some reason. Then 27-28 all of a sudden I started again and can’t stop. So many memories in each song, not just mine I’m sure. Great songs and some make you think and question everything, not to sound cliché.

[@KowProdMedia]

Really great interview. Thanks for this.

[@dazey8706]

man this interview was such a joy!! eagerly anticipating powerserj on the horizon

[@hugor778]

Awesome conversation 🙌 Thanks for bring Serj to us 🙏

[@MrVideoHijacker]

What a great interview. Wow

[@shnoogums1]

Wow what a touching interview. So much respect to serj

[@user-tn4ej7xy9x]

Dear Serj, you are so polite and sweet, i love SOAD, i have.been follow you since the begining, i wich all the best, system will always be one of my favorite band❤

[@Aspenfell]

What a fantastic interview! Serj being humble and honest really left me with a sense of inspiration. I definitely have an elevated opinion of the man. I look forward to reading his book. Thank you Tom!

[@eric6345]

I'm impressed with the quality and depth of the interviewer's questions for Serj. Very insightful interview.

[@F1Slunk]

Great interview. Thanks.

[@TheBillybiker1]

What a fantastic interview.

[@mCblue79]

A great interviewer meets an interesting and intelligent subject. Thank you for this 👍

[@tenochtitilian]

What I feel makes Serj rare is that he is a political activist but also a very spiritual person

[@lixerium2529]

I've listened to the audiobook and it's fantastic!! As a kid during the nu metal era, I didn't think much about the message behind System's music. After listening/ reading multiple biographies of iconic musicans, actors etc. I thought that it would be the director's cut of an unreleased episode of Behind the Music: SOAD. The way Serj combines his story and his Grandfather's story is a great way to highlight the type of person that Serj is beyond his music career.

[@anni5555]

Great Interview and great Questions!

[@dpelpal]

I'm buying his book. Always been a passive SOAD fan, never knew his history. Can't wait to read it!

[@ManapartOfficial]

Such deep and smart questions! Tom, you are cool!

[@erikm9490]

He really is right that they were Magic together. His music and Daron’s are good separately, but together they’re truly Magical! We can only hope they can agree to create more someday.

[@TheSkeptic_1]

Serj continues to impress with his calmness, his humility, and I miss the hay day of SOAD so much. I wish Daron and others could shelve their perceived needs long enough to give us at least one more SOAD record.

[@joshviggiani9844]

I wouldn't worry about it. The longer it takes the better it will be. I kinda feel this is part of the intention for this fallow period. There are definitely parts of their later half of work that I highly respect. But their earlier work is what formed and cemented what that band is in my mind and pretty likely how it will remain. So I'm fine letting the pot boil as long as they need. I am also obviously a Tool fan, after all. ☺️

[@joshviggiani9844]

I wouldn't worry about it. The longer it takes the better it will be. I kinda feel this is part of the intention for this fallow period. There are definitely parts of their later half of work that I highly respect. But their earlier work is what formed and cemented what that band is in my mind and pretty likely how it will remain. So I'm fine letting the pot boil as long as they need. I am also obviously a Tool fan, after all. ☺️

Great interview with such an awesome person. Great interviewer also!

[@JadedMax]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2">0:02</a> Yup. That was exactly what i said. And then they became my favourite band.

[@leomonzo]

I love you Mr Serj. These were great questions

[@sandramouro8977]

I LOVE SERJ ❤❤❤❤

[@PixieCropCircleDuster]

Thanks for having the courage to speak up about genocide Serj. Amazing interview Tom.❤

[@patrickwarren2465]

What a fantastic interview .the mutual respect and We all love Serj don't we

[@Vivih48]

Serj ❤ kisses from Brazil 😘

[@user-ul4uz6vo9o]

Im so glad that this band not only opened my eyes to the armenian genocide but they shaped my formative years. Serj has always been a unique voice, but darren, shavo, and jon with him is the best collaboration in music ive ever had the privilege to see live and be a part of. Rock on and for the love of god please let system come back to FL in the futre. Ive missed you.

[@medicine2202]

Serjs smile is so beautiful

[@kamiros9739]

System of a Down is an extremely rare phenomenon. I doubt something similar could happen in this day and age for lots and lots of reasons. When I heard their songs for the first time, I was 12, chop suey, toxicity. Then when I was about 16, I heard Hypnotize/Mesmerize and I was in awe. It wasn’t about oh that’s Armenian American special stuff, it was "damn that’s incredible music". Everything has changed since then, there are no big truly independent bands, are there? Then again, maybe they’re just a once in a lifetime "coincidence". I listened to Serj's & Tom Morello's radio show when I was that age, even though I was an apolitical German teenager. Both RATM and SOAD told me "wow, the world is interesting", which I had no clue about. Seriously, Serj changed my life for the better by a lot

[@JosephDoumit]

I am from Lebanon living in the UK. Serj is the Awesome!

[@barianpixandvids]

Always smart. Always interesting to listen to. Surprisingly calm and soothing voice for someone who can scream his freakin' head off!!

[@wedonttalkaboutbruno5670]

My favourite band of all time is soad

[@sinesthetix]

Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search For Meaning" comes to mind around <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="270">4:30</a>. The power of joie de vivre is very real.

[@bamfrd]

Interesting guy! I’ve always gravitated to their Toxicity album.

[@jambi1527]

Kickin off the interview like old buds 😊

[@cameronbrown387]

I remember hear System in 1998!! Sugar!!!

[@951Dwdrummer]

I got your first cd in la from my a&r after our show,anyway on the way home on the freeway i though it out the window

[@AdamGomez-wd9en]

AWESOME.

[@TimesThree333]

Anybody else reading The Books of Jacob? I only mention it because Armenia's history comes up in that novel.

[@Trevor6714]

I understand the purge or embodiment of a music into yourself. I’m the same way. I listen to one genre for months sometimes years, then it changes.

[@erasmusherzen]

Tom Power and Q continue to rule - SOAD are a world shaking band

[@melissamccoskery4223]

A beautiful soul

[@tenochtitilian]

The best form of activism is from bands like SOAD, RATM and old Sepultura as it gets to inform and inspire so many people to make change

[@420greatestqueen]

Thank you for talking about Artsakh Nagorno-Karabakh! The Canadian media, including CBC, has been pretty quiet about it

[@TranceSFX]

Canadian media is corrupt cancer, so definitely yeah

[@Pittsburghbad]

Love the john dolmyan reference on the book

[@benderunit44]

Lives man, our lives

[@r3missch1p22]

Always blows my mind when people blame daron singing when thats what inspired them to work together.

[@djmoonchild01]

First time I heard soda was on mtv with the video for sugar, wtf is that was exactly my reaction😂 fan ever since!!

[@primo1331]

I love system of a down and Serj is a Rock God.

[@brandonsalisbury7182]

Here’s how I see it! Both Serj’s solo stuff & Scars on Broadway have incredible albums! Although I really liked Elect The Dead I wasn’t big on his 2nd record but his 3rd album Harakiri really shows how talented Serj is despite being more classical then Scars! Scars on the other hand shows how much Daron contributed to SOAD so I can’t pick who’s stuff I like better as they are equally great I’m different ways but I’m sure we all agree that when Serj & Daron are together (along with the other two obviously) in SOAD it automatically becomes even greater compared to them on their own imo!

[@user-er8dl8cq2n]

I remember back in the 2000s in high school I was a metalhead. System of a down was the band I chose to shock my non metalhead friends seeing their reactions was priceless!

[@discocat2500]

You rock Serj!

[@worldismyashtray]

Tom doing the head bop in time to Toxicity 🙌

[@SVoltage1]

you gotta love Serj.

[@jazazzaza]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1328">22:08</a> I didn't actually watch the video until recently, it's fantastic, powerful

[@greenmatrix30seven]

Still holds up to this day

[@alexwright5935]

yeah i had no idea until i bought toxicity in highschool and then liked the music so i googled the band and found out all that stuff.

[@IvanPirishanchin]

I don't know why, but I really disliked how this band sounded when I was young. Today however I am a big fan.

[@lancebristow683]

First time I heard SOAD was on an MTV countdown of music in alphabetical order. I saw the hair and goatee and thought B-Real was up to some new side project. [Edit - it was the Sugar video] Been a fan ever since. Got Cool Gardens on my shelf next to some Otep, Saul Williams, and Jim Morrison. I missed their performance @smokeout as I was in the drum and bass area listening to dj rap.😅 Full circle Shavo being a regular on Dr. Greenthumb podcast and playing with Cypress Hill @ the colliseum.

[@spolo]

Bro a legend

[@user-ul4uz6vo9o]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1967">32:47</a> spoken like a true drummer.

[@paulcalabro5238]

Serj is a legend and System is and will always be one of the best bands ever. But at this point I really hope the other members get together and do a side project with a different front man. I'm tired of them not putting out music because of creative differences. The music world is poorer for it.

[@sugmanutz]

love serj and soad

[@austinh7110]

I’ve met a lot of celebrities and he’s definitely one of the nicest. The only one I can think of that beat him is Peter Cech and that’s only because he remembered my name from like 2 years prior haha

[@badpuppet616]

Power Serj 💡

[@benholzer1649]

The only reason he says you know so much is because it’s his second language. He doesn’t say um or like a lot and I think he’s just crazy intelligent and nice yet humble because he was good at everything he did is what it sounds like.

[@Kai-Made]

Watched Serj and Rainn's interview. Was pretty good, this goes somewhat deeper. Still good. Though for SOAD fans...speeding this up to 1.25 or 1.5 works well. Maybe that is just my neuro stuff making comprehension easier at speed.

[@michaelshannon9169]

Always love hearing from morally-preachy artists from their mansions.

[@jrand2148]

How can this video only have 800 some odd likes and 28k views??

[@ryancooper780]

Definitely gonna listen to some soad after this interview.

[@user-ul4uz6vo9o]

Interview shavo

[@dazey8706]

i would read serjs philosphy n justice and spirituality undeniably

[@DatKakashii]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1588">26:28</a> what we all came for At this point our best bet for new SOAD music is a.i. made/covered music sadly

[@chrisphenomenal]

Could this guy be any nicer??? I don't think so...Love you Serj!!!!

[@Dieterbe]

I wonder why they can't turn the creative differences into a driving force rather than a destructive one : e.g. develop their material in 2 ways, the "daron approach" and the "serj approach", e.g. as a double album. Both could get their way, unity would remain, and the fans could appreciate what both bring to the table.

[@IslamicRageBoy]

“My people”

[@LautaroGalanCid]

It's Daron, not Darren.