Serj Tankian

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 92.19.35.113 (talk) at 09:52, 22 June 2008 (→‎External links). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Serj Tankian

Serj Tankian (Armenian: Սերժ Թանգեան) (born August 21, 1967 in Beirut, Lebanon[1]) is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American singer, songwriter, poet, activist, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist of the alternative metal band System of a Down. In 2002, Serj and Tom Morello co-founded a non-profit political activist organization, Axis of Justice. During his entertainment career, he has released five albums with System of a Down, one with Arto Tunçboyacıyan (Serart), and also recently a solo album, Elect the Dead, on October 23, 2007.

Biography

Early life and career

Tankian was born on August 21, 1967, in Beirut, Lebanon. He and his family immigrated to Los Angeles in 1975[1]. In Beirut, Tankian took flute lessons as a young child. He earned a degree in Marketing and Business from Stanford University[2] and started his own software company before beginning his music career[1]. In 1993, he founded his first rock band, Soil (not to be confused with SOiL) with Daron Malakian, Domingo Laranio, Dave Hakopyan, and later, Shavo Odadjian. Two years later, in 1995, after one supposed jam session recording and one live show, Dave and Domingo left. Shavo (who went on to become the bass player) brought in drummer Andy Khachaturian. The four of them then named themselves System of a Down.

During System's days, he sang in other bands for certain songs such as Mushroom Cult by Dog Fashion Disco and lent his vocals to the song Mein by Deftones. He produced "Enter the Chicken" by Buckethead, and provided vocals to the Buckethead songs We Are One, Coma, and Waiting Here. With Serjical Strike Records, he endeavours to offer those musicians often ignored by the mainstream a possibility to release their music and be heard. The first release of Tankian's new label was Serart, a project consisting of Tankian himself, and Arto Tunçboyacıyan, an Armenian friend of Tankian's.

More recently, he sang with Les Rita Mitsouko on the song "Terminal Beauty". Also, he sang with the band Fair to Midland during a live improvisational version of their song "Walls of Jericho", from the album Fables from a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times Is True, which was a massive hit with fans. He often collaborates as well with his close friend, director Diran Noubar on various projects, including the voice-over of Noubar's "Armenia, a Country Under Blockade". Noubar played some guitar on Tankian's Elect the Dead album on the track "Saving Us" and directed the music video for "Baby".

Tankian is also very involved politically. Together with Tom Morello, he founded the organization Axis of Justice. Tankian has a secondary vacation cabin in New Zealand. There has been a misconception that he intends to stay in New Zealand until the Iraq War is over, but as stated in an interview, Tankian has no intention of doing so. Tankian often speaks publicly against violence and injustice in the world.

Tankian is at work on a second album, due in 2009. It is said to be more of a jazz and orchestral based sound. A new song, "Sounds of War", has shown up in recent concert setlists, it has a jazz fusion style, it is unknown if it will be on the second record.

Tankian is currently co-writing a musical with the American playwright Steven Sater. It is based on the Ancient Greek Tragedy Prometheus Bound. He stated that eight songs have been completed and that there will be a record.[3]

In a recent interview with Czech TV, Tankian stated that he quit smoking about four or five months ago because it was time to do so.[4]

The F.C.C.

The Flying Cunts of Chaos-

  • Serj Tankian - lead vocals, keyboard, piano, rhythm guitar (2007-present)
  • Dan Monti - lead guitar, backing vocals (2007-present)
  • Larry "Ler" LaLonde - rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2007-present)
  • Mario Pagliarulo - bass, backing vocals (2007-present)
  • Troy Zeigler - drums, backing vocals (2007-present)
  • Erwin Khachikian - piano, keyboard, backing vocals (2007-present)

Discography

System of a Down

Main article: System of a Down discography

Serart

Axis of Justice

Solo

Singles

Year Title Chart positions Album
US
Hot 100 		US
Mod. Rock 		US
Main. Rock 		UK UK
Rock Track 		CAN
Hot 100
2007 "The Unthinking Majority" 2 - - - - - - Elect the Dead
"Empty Walls" 97 3 4 78 1 75
"Lie Lie Lie" 2 - - - - - -
2008 "Sky Is Over" 1 [6] - 22 23 - - -
  • 1 Still active on charts.
  • 2 Only released as a digital download single

Collaborations/soundtrack contributions

Albums

Performing and/or writing

Live performances

Remixes

Awards

  • In 2005, Serj Tankian won the award for Best Alternative Act with System of a Down in the Europe Music Awards
  • In 2006, System of a Down won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance for "B.Y.O.B."
  • In 2006, System of a Down won the "MTV Good Woodie Award" for their song "Question!".
  • In 2006, System of a Down was #14 on the VH1 Top 40 Metal Songs with "Toxicity".
  • In 2007, System of a Down was nominated for a Grammy Award in Best Hard Rock Performance for their song "Lonely Day".

Videography

Song name Album Director
"The Unthinking Majority" Elect the Dead (2007) Tawd b. Dorenfeld
"Empty Walls" Elect the Dead (2007) Tony Petrossian
"Saving Us" Elect the Dead (2007) Kevin Estrada
"Feed Us" Elect the Dead (2007) Sevag Vrej
"Lie Lie Lie" Elect the Dead (2007) Martha Colburn
"Honking Antelope" Elect the Dead (2007) Roger Kupelian
"Elect the Dead" Elect the Dead (2007) Gariné Torossian
"Baby" Elect the Dead (2007) Isaac "Eye-Sack" Flores
"Sky Is Over" (independent video) Elect the Dead (2007) José Rivera
"Beethoven's Cunt" Elect the Dead (2007) Adam Egypt Mortimer
"Money" Elect the Dead (2007) Ara Soudjian
"Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" Elect the Dead (2007) Greg Watermann
"Sky is Over" (official video) Elect the Dead (2007) Tony Petrossian and Ara Soudjian

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Serj Tankian, MTV
  2. ^ Stereo Subversion - Meaningful Music Exists
  3. ^ Serj Tankian Co-Writing a Musical, Spinner, Last accessed May 22, 2008.
  4. ^ Serj Tankian Czech TV video, YouTube @ 4:50, Last accessed June 11, 2008.
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ SERJ TANKIAN Paints Grim Picture With 'Sky Is Over'
  7. ^ "Two Hard Rockin' Compilation CDs Set for Release This Fall". NY Rock. Last accessed November 04, 2007.
  8. ^ Serj To Appear On New Praxis Album, by "pwned", SOADFans.com, 8 March, 2007
  9. ^ "Diddy Joins Ecko in Getting Up". IGN. Last accessed November 09, 2007.

External links

Template:Serart Template:Axis of Justice


Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Serj_Tankian&oldid=220944252"