System of a Down

Artist Image: System of a Down
Attribution
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Biography

System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California, formed in 1994. It currently consists of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar), Daron Malakian (guitar, vocals), Shavo Odadjian (bass, background vocals) and John Dolmayan (drums). The band achieved commercial success with the release of five studio albums; from which three debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. System of a Down has been nominated for four Grammy Awards, and won the award in 2006 for Best Hard Rock Performance for the song "B.Y.O.B.". The group went on hiatus in August 2006, but reunited in November 2010, embarking on a worldwide tour in 2011. Serj Tankian, Daron Malakian, and Shavo Odadjian all attended Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School while children, although because of their eight-year age difference they did not meet until 1992 while working on separate projects at the same recording studio. They formed a band named Soil with Tankian on vocals and keyboards, Malakian on vocals and guitar, Dave Hakopyan (who later played in The Apex Theory/Mt. Helium) on bass and Domingo "Dingo" Laranio on drums. The band hired Shavo Odadjian (another Rose and Alex Pilibos alumnus) as manager, although he eventually joined Soil as rhythm guitarist. In 1994, only one live show, and one jam session recording, Hakopyan and Laranio quit the band, feeling that it was not going anywhere.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1994
Number of Albums 11
Record Label American Recordings
Website www.systemofadown.com
Wikipedia System of a Down on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

How many records have Sidelights Armenian American rockers System of a Down sold since their 1998 selftitled debut?

ten million

...Sidelights ArmenianAmerican rockers System of a Down have sold ten million records since their 1998 selftitled debut. With a style best characterized ...
What is System of a Down's genre of music?

arena rock

... door inside what had been a traditionbound, often formulaic genre of arena rock . Yet perhaps even more groundbreaking is the band's outspokenness, pa...
What is the band's outspokenness about?

Armenian history and American foreign policy

... is the band's outspokenness, particularly regarding Armenian history and American foreign policy . System of a Down's music expresses a social and pol...
Where did Daron Malakian's parents emigrate from?

Iraq

...e only one who was born in the United States. His parents emigrated from Iraq where small communities of settlers from nearby Armenia livein 1974, the ...
Where did Malakian grow up?

Hollywood, California

...e was born. Both parents were sculptors, and Malakian grew up in Hollywood, California . He attended a private school in the Los Angeles area for Armen...
Shavo Odadjian came to the U.S. from what country?

Armenia

...em of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian, who came to the United States from Armenia with his family when he was five. Both Serj Tankian, singer and keyboa...
Who was the drummer of System of a Down?

John Dolmayan

...when he was five. Both Serj Tankian, singer and keyboard player, and John Dolmayan , the band's drummer, were born in Lebanon to Armenian families, and...
What country were Tankian and Dolmayan born in?

Lebanon

...nd keyboard player, and John Dolmayan, the band's drummer, were born in Lebanon to Armenian families, and came to California as children as well. Tank...
In what year was Tankian born?

1967

... to California as children as well. Tankian also attended the ArmenianAmerican school, but was born in 1967 , making him the oldest member of the band....
What is Shavo Odadjian's job?

bass

...hn Dolmayan (drums), Daron Malakian (guitar, vocals) and Shavo Odadjian ( bass ). History, style and influences Their diverse instrumentals range from b...
What was the name of the first single from System of a Down?

Sugar and Spiders

...metal. The band enjoyed moderate success with their first singles, Sugar and Spiders , off their debut album System of a Down. However, their big break...
Who wrote about Armenia after the genocide of 1915?

Father Armeni

...he week of the 911 terrorist attacks. The title comes from a poem of Father Armeni , who wrote about Armenia after the genocide of 1915. He asked God w...
What was the name of System of a Down's second album?

Toxicity

... of a Down. However, their big break came from their sophomore effort, Toxicity , which debuted at 1 on the American and Canadian charts, eventually go...
When would System of Down return?

2020

...ring the turn of the century's numetal wave. They would not return until 2020 when they released their first fresh material in 15 years, Protect the L...
In what city did System of a Down get a strong following?

Los Angeles

... California in the mid'90s. They quickly earned a strong following in Los Angeles , largely based on strong word of mouth. A threesong demo began circu...
What label distributed the metal group's debut album?

AmericanColumbia

...the group had signed to American, distributed by Columbia Records. AmericanColumbia released the group's eponymous debut in the summer of 1998, securi...
How long did System of a Down tour behind their self-titled debut?

nearly three years

...After nearly three years of touring behind their selftitled debut, System of a Down was ready to give the mainstream a wakeup call. In fall 2000, the ...
What was the name of the heavy rockers' rehearsal space in North Hollywood in 2000?

The Alley

...e heavy rockers headed homea rehearsal space in North Hollywood called The Alley to work on what would become their masterpiece, Toxicity. System of a ...
In what year did the Heavy Rockers head home to work on their masterpiece, Toxicity?

2000

...System of a Down was ready to give the mainstream a wakeup call. In fall 2000 , the heavy rockers headed homea rehearsal space in North Hollywood calle...
What was System of a Down influenced by?

Slayer

...and was a different beast: They painted their faces, were influenced by Slayer , and proudly sang about their Armenian heritage. The first time famed p...
When did Rick Rubin first see the band perform in front of a sold out crowd?

1997

...in saw the band perform in front of a soldout crowd at the Viper Room in 1997 , he couldnt contain his excitement. They made me laugh, Rubin says, ment...
What did Rubin say the band mix of Armenian folk dancing and?

heavy guitar riffs

...Rubin says, mentioning the bands mix of Armenian folk dancing and heavy guitar riffs . They blew my mind. Take the bands first single, Sugar, which mix...
What is the name of the band's first single?

Sugar

... and heavy guitar riffs. They blew my mind. Take the bands first single, Sugar , which mixes jazzstyle drums and Cookie Monster growls about Kombucha m...
What was the name of the producer who produced System of Downs?

Rick Rubin

... Machine. They have a deep musicality thats really powerful, producer Rick Rubin told Natalie Nichols of the Los Angeles Times. (Before joining forces...
On what channel did the videos of System of A Downs appear?

MTV

...ly on radio stations nationwide, while the groups videos rotated daily on MTV . The music press placed the quartet in the same league as Tool and Rage ...
What was the name of the LA Weekly contributor?

Paul Rogers

...h other, Dolmayan insisted in an interview with LA Weekly contributor Paul Rogers . Since their formation, the group has had a stable lineup and crew, ...
How many Armenians died between 1915 and 1923 under Ottoman Turkish rule?

1.5 to 2 million

...high school in Hollywood. (Under Ottoman Turkish rule an estimated 1.5 to 2 million Armenians died between 1915 and 1923; many of the band members anc...
How many members are in System of A Down?

four

...ernative metal band, formed in 1994 in Los Angeles, California, USA. All four members are of Armenian descent, and are widely known for their views ex...
In what year was the Genocide of Armenians committed?

1915

...ws expressed in many of their songs confronting the Armenian Genocide of 1915 by the Ottoman Empire and the ongoing War on Terror by the US government...
Who was responsible for the Armenian Genocide of 1915?

the Ottoman Empire

... many of their songs confronting the Armenian Genocide of 1915 by the Ottoman Empire and the ongoing War on Terror by the US government. The band cons...
How many albums has System of Down released?

five

... Dolmayan (drums). System of a Down has achieved commercial success with five albums, and many singles such as their breakout hit Chop Suey! Their wor...
What is the name of the breakout hit single from System of A Down?

Chop Suey!

...success with five albums, and many singles such as their breakout hit Chop Suey! Their works have earned them one Grammy Award amongst three nominatio...
Which genres of music have influenced the band?

heavy metal, punk rock and Armenian folk

...gst three nominations. The band has been influenced by heavy metal, punk rock and Armenian folk . System of a Down went on hiatus in 2006, with Serj Ta...
When did System of a Down go on hiatus?

2006

...y metal, punk rock and Armenian folk. System of a Down went on hiatus in 2006 , with Serj Tankian pursuing a solo career and Daron Malakian and John Do...
What group did Daron Malakian and John Dolmayan form?

Scars on Broadway

...ursuing a solo career and Daron Malakian and John Dolmayan forming Scars on Broadway . Shavo joined together with RZA from the WuTang clan to form HipH...
In what year was System of Down formed?

1994

... an ArmenianAmerican heavy metal band formed in Glendale, California, in 1994 . It currently consists of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards); Daron M...
Who is the lead vocalist of the band?

Serj Tankian

...nd formed in Glendale, California, in 1994. It currently consists of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards); Daron Malakian (guitar, vocals); Shavo Oda...
How many of System of a Down's five studio albums debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200?

three

...band achieved commercial success with the release of five studio albums, three of which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200. The band went o...
What year did the band reunite?

2010

...on the US Billboard 200. The band went on hiatus in 2006 and reunited in 2010 . All members of System of a Down are of Armenian descent, being born to ...
All members of the band are of Armenian descent, being born to what?

Armenian immigrants

...embers of System of a Down are of Armenian descent, being born to Armenian immigrants or being immigrants themselves. 1 History 1.1 Soil (19921994) 1....
What year was Soil released?

19921994

...rmenian immigrants or being immigrants themselves. 1 History 1.1 Soil ( 19921994 ) 1.2 Demo tapes and signing (19941997) 1.3 Selftitled album (19982000)...
Shavo Odadjian joined Soil on what?

second guitar

...x Pilibos alumnus) as manager, although he eventually joined Soil on second guitar . In 1994, after only one live show at the Roxy and one jam session ...
How many live shows did Hakopyan and Laranio perform at the Roxy in 1994?

one

... although he eventually joined Soil on second guitar. In 1994, after only one live show at the Roxy and one jam session recording, Hakopyan and Larani...
Who wrote the poem Victims Of A Down?

Daron Malakiana

...an together. This name was taken from the poem Victims Of A Down by Daron Malakiana . These include both rock, punk, thrash metal, death metal, and Arm...
What club did SOAD perform in 1997?

Viper Room

...on. SOAD career gained momentum when in 1997 at a concert in the club Viper Room in Hollywood, the band caught the attention of famed producer Rick Ru...
What label did Rick Rubin sign SOAD on?

AmericanColumbia Records

... producer Rick Rubin. Soon the band was signed by Rubins label AmericanColumbia Records . This was well received by audiences and critics. After the su...
What does Shavo Odadjian play?

bass guitar

...an, drums; Daron Malakian, guitar, background vocals; Shavo Odadjian, bass guitar ; Serj Tankian, vocals, keyboards, samples. Addresses: Record company...
Who plays bass guitar?

Shavo Odadjian

...de John Dolmayan, drums; Daron Malakian, guitar, background vocals; Shavo Odadjian , bass guitar; Serj Tankian, vocals, keyboards, samples. Addresses: ...
What is the name of the record company?

Columbia Records

...Serj Tankian, vocals, keyboards, samples. Addresses: Record company Columbia Records , 550 Madison Ave., New York City, NY 10022, phone: (212) 8335212, ...
How often did the group's videos rotate on MTV?

daily

...regularly on radio stations nationwide, while the group's videos rotated daily on MTV. The music press placed the quartet in the same league as Tool a...
What two bands did the music press place the quartet in the same league as?

Tool and Rage Against the Machine

.... The music press placed the quartet in the same league as Tool and Rage Against the Machine . They have a deep musicality that's really powerful, prod...
Who is the guitarist and chief songwriter of System of a Downcomprised?

Daron Malakian

... Times. System of a Downcomprised of guitarist and chief songwriter Daron Malakian , bassist Shavo Odadjian, keyboardist Serj Tankian, and drummer John...