Down with the System

by Serj Tankian

The incredible first memoir by System Of A Down frontman Serj TankianWith nearly 40 million record sales, three albums topping the Billboard charts, a Grammy win and a legion of fans, System Of A Down are one of the biggest metal bands on the planet. At their core has always been Serj Tankian, whose journey from the streets of Beirut to rock superstardom is as remarkable and unlikely as you'll get. By dint of luck, circumstance, struggle, and more than a little talent, Serj has had the chance to live an extraordinary life. In Down With the System, he retraces this remarkable and unlikely journey, and explores what it's taught him - about music, about art, about activism, and about himself. From teaming up with Tom Morello to push social justice causes on unsuspecting metalheads, arguing with LAPD officers over the best way to quell his rioting fans, and traveling with Anthony Bourdain through Armenia one meal at a time, Down With the System is an immigrant's tale, an activist's awakening, and rock memoir unlike any other.

Genres: Nonfiction, Music, Memoir, Audiobook, Biography, Politics, History

353 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 14, 2024

Reviews

[Weronika · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved hearing this story from Serj, I’m a casual SOAD fan since Toxicity, I always liked their experimental metal sound and catchy melodies. This audiobook literally starts out with guitar riffs and that was awesome!

Serj has an engaging speaking voice and delivery, this is his story and it shows the effort he put into the book. We learn about his Armenian background and family history during the Armenian Genocide, then emigrating from Lebanon to the US. As an immigrant, I love hearing other immigrant stories and struggles, relating to them on certain levels.

The author touches upon heavy topics right from the start, while brief, it was educational and informative hearing his perspective, like the events leading up to and after 9/11 in regards to his life and the band’s success. Diving deep into his teen and young adult years, his activism and identity, as well as being the head of the family entangled in a legal battle for his father’s business.

This was a great listen and I recommend it to anyone that is a fan of SOAD or likes hearing personal stories of growth and social justice.

Thank you to Hachette Audio and Netgalley for the listening copy.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A SOAD fan, I couldn’t wait to get my “ears” on this audiobook narrated by Serj Tankian, author and band lead.

There’s so many layers to this book. Yes, you’ll learn more about the band’s history, but there’s so much more here.

You’ll hear the story of Tankian’s upbringing in Beirut, learn about his beloved grandfather and his family’s remarkable history, obstacles they overcame as well as learning more about the Armenian genocide and the struggle involving Turkey’s failure of acknowledgement…

It’s a love letter to art and creativity and to life, celebrating the ups and downs and all that’s between.

Of course if you’re a SOAD FAN, you’ll obviously love reading this. But even if you’re not, I still believe you’ll find something of value and interest within this book.

Also, a favorite line in the book was hearing Tankian utter, “trucker crack is apparently a hell of a drug.”
Too funny not to mention, but you must hear the story first!

5 stars! RECOMMEND!

Thanks for reading my review.

[Patricija || book.duo · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5

Nuostabi, nuostabi, nuostabiai Serj Tankian įgarsinta knyga. Apie aktyvizmą ir rūpestingumą, nenusispjaunant į problemas, kad ir kokios per didelės jos atrodytų, apie nuoširdumą prieš save patį ir atsakingumą prieš kitus, bet svarbiausia – prieš save ir savo įsitikinimus. Apie muziką, bet labai žmogiškai, su keliais bajeriais ir su daug, daug atvirumo – net nustebau, kaip atvirai Serj kalba apie nesutarimus grupėje, pinigų dalybas ir kitus reikalus, kurie dažniausiai mandagiai (arba iš reikalo) nutylimi. Ir džiaugiuosi, kad kažkada seniai, kai Serj buvo Lietuvoje, pristatinėdamas savo ekologinę simfoniją Orca, man pavyko net tik jį pamatyti, bet dar ir autografą gauti. Buvo nuostabus koncertas, net jei ir keistoje vietoje, keistu metu ir keistomis aplinkybėmis.

Nuo pat pirmųjų skyrių negalėjau nustoti graudintis, Serj pasakojant baisias genocido istorijas. Bet ne tik tai pramušė ant jautrumo – kartais klausydama autobiografijų tiesiog jaučiu, kad jomis visa širdimi tikiu. Kad tikiu tuo žmogumi. Ir Serj‘u aš tikėjau iš visos širdies. Todėl jei jums rūpi aktyvizmas, net jei nesat prisiekę SOAD gerbėjai, jei rūpi žmogiškos ir tikros istorijos – pabandykit. O Serj įgarsinimas, jam vietomis prajunkant ar net padainuojant, buvo ypatingas – turbūt skaitant nebūtų taaaaaaaip paveikę ir patikę.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of System of a Down since probably the late 1990s, early 2000s, and by "fan" I mean I liked their music. I have always gravitated toward alternative and rock, and theirs was different and unique, and I liked it, even if I had LITERALLY ZERO idea what they were actually saying most of the time. I probably bought their CDs, and definitely would have seen them in concert if I could have (but never did, sadly), but that was about the extent of my fandom.

So, when my husband told me about this book, I was kinda... meh on it. I didn't exactly love the last book about a band I like or politicalish book by a singer from another band I like... so it wasn't high on my list. I don't "follow" bands I like (or authors or actors etc) or obsessively look up info about them, because, to be honest, humans gonna human, and sometimes the more I know about people, the less I like them, and the less I can enjoy the things they create, and the less I want to monetarily support them.

COUGH JK ROWLING COUGH.

So I follow the "Never meet your heroes" rule. But I added it to my library hold list anyway because my husband generally knows what I'll like, and went about my life. I forgot all about it.

Then the hold came in. And I will just share with you that the library audiobook version did not have the actual release cover, the one you can all see with Serj holding his head, under brightly colored letters. The cover that came with my library audiobook was a placeholder - gray block, with black text title and author name, and that's it.

And so it didn't click right away that this was the SOAD book Thomas had recommended to me. And based on the title, which, COME ON, is right up my social justice alley, I was like let's do this.

And friends - I wanna meet this hero. He wasn't my hero when I went into this book, to be clear. I knew next to nothing about him, or SOAD, beyond their music, and apparently BARELY that. I am the poser "fan" that all the gatekeepers bitch about. But almost immediately upon starting, I knew that this book and I were going to get along. The start of this book recounts Serj's post-9/11 experience and feelings, being a "middle eastern immigrant" and all that that entailed then (and still), and how he spoke out against the "war on terror" and was horribly treated in return, with all the usual xenophobia, racism, and outright hatred that only the most "patriotic" can muster.

And yet, the WAY he recounted these experiences, the way he spoke about his feelings, his unrelenting desire and work toward peace and justice and human rights and love... it was fucking JOYFUL and beautiful.

Even while listening to the most horrific aspects of the Armenian genocide, and how it impacted his family, and so many other families... the way he spoke about all of it was through this lens of hope that people and humanity can be better, can treat each other better, can love one another, and that justice can prevail.

It was such an honest, uplifting, hopeful, and positive experience to listen to, I found myself never wanting it to end.

Obviously, it wasn't all positive. There are some heavy issues dealt with in this book - personally for Serj, with his bandmates and conflicts amongst them, geo-political issues, generational trauma, professional risks, etc. And yet, his outlook was never self-pitying or angry or bitter. It was honest, self-reflective, introspective, and optimistic.

And I did NOT know that I needed that until I was in it. It is so easy to despair and get bogged down in the exhaustion of negativity, and to hear this man relating some of the most despair-worthy stories of genocide, displacement, living as a refugee in a war-torn area, and do it in a way that is somehow uplifting and hopeful... it was just... exactly what I needed.

I have such a newfound appreciation for SOAD, and Serj specifically.

I cannot recommend this highly enough. I should also say that while Serj does talk about the music and the process of making it, one need not be a fan, or even have heard their music to enjoy this book. It definitely adds to the experience to listen to the music while he talks about it, but the book is worthwhile on its own.

You should definitely read it. Or listen to it. Yes, you. :)

[Mai H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Armenian Heritage Month #1

things I knew before reading this book:

🎸 System of a Down is an Armenian American band
🎸 I heard some of their more popular songs on the radio back in the day
🎸 they're a bit political

things I didn't know until recently:

🎸 the Armenian Genocide wasn't recognized by the US until 2019, and many countries still refuse to acknowledge it
🎸 Turkey's role in the Armenian Genocide, their importance to NATO, and why other countries refuse to "fight" them on this stance
🎸 the geopolitical nuances of what was termed the Middle East, and what I'm now actively trying to call SWANA

funny things:

🎸 Serj acknowledging the band is only the second-most famous Armenian Americans, obviously after the Kardashians

less funny things:

🎸 fighting with Daron
🎸 being friendly with questionable Armenian leaders (but as I know next to nothing about this area of the world, I will sit this talk out)

immigrant things:

🎸 moving to the US in pursuit of the American Dream
🎸 entrepreneurial spirit
🎸 growing up in Little Armenia
🎸 "outgrowing" their immigrant enclave and buying a large house with a pool in the Valley
🎸 bonding with other Armenian Americans
🎸 identity - if you have never lived in Armenia, and your parents have never lived in Armenia, how Armenian are you really

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books

[Tara Cignarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Down with the System (A Memoir of Sorts) by Serj Tankian
Overall Grade: A-
Personal Stories: B+
Writing: A-
Best Aspect: This is very different than recent memoirs I listened and it contains a lot of deep and thought provoking passages.
Worst Aspect: A bit long in parts and it made me zone out a little.
Recommend: Yes.

[Nadya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Books for this ARC!

I enjoyed this book and learned more about Armenian Genocide through author's family history. This book would be great for any readers that are unfamiliar with this atrocity. This is much less of a story of lead singer of a rock band, and much more that of an activist. So, if the expectation is to just read about System of a down, this book might not scratch the itch enough.

One nitpick: I’ve read other memoirs and autobiographies before, most of which were quite remarkable and unusual compared to your average person's life. But it never felt like those authors reveled in their specialness. This book had a bit of “not like other girls” vibe in the first third.

[Jessica Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

A truly interesting view into the musical era that I, personally ,grew up in, along with tons of information about Armenia that is barely known by the average American (myself very much included). I learned a lot, and learned that there is so much more to learn in the increasingly complex and overlapping histories within the Middle Eastern / Soviet regions. (Admitting to my own ignorance, I had not even considered Armenia as part of this cross-national conflict and certainly knew nothing about the genocide, let alone the measures taken to cover up the genocide, or it's aftermaths.)

That said, there is very valuable information within the pages of this memoir (of sorts). But alas. So much more of the book is spent as a soapbox of personal innocence. Granted, I am sure it is responding to longstanding criticisms/ interpersonal dynamics that I am entirely unaware of, so for those in the "know", these proclamations and justifications may hold more merit. But for a reader who is interested in the material within the book yet is not personally invested in the finger-pointing drama that invariably unfolds between dueling creative visions, well, it gets old really quick.

The insight and depth of information that Serj has real-life / lived-life access to is incredibly valuable, not to mention downright fascinating. I just wish that those parts of his writing were placed center stage, and the quickly tiresome yet ever-present "it-wasn't-my-fault"ness stuff was saved for the audience of people who would actually care want that kind of stuff.

[Cody · Rating 5 out of 5]

I still remember the very first time I heard System Of A Down. It was in a tent in my back yard when I was 10 years old. A friend of mine brought Toxicity over for a sleepover. This was the very first time I was introduced to what was considered metal at the time. I’m pretty sure we went through 3 packs of D batteries that night before I asked my dad to run an extension cord across the yard so we could keep the CD player from dying. Ultimately, that album would send me down a path filled with angst, concerts, weird hair, tight purple jeans, skateboarding, and all the rest of the things that would make up my teenage years. I would not have the friends I have today if I would not have discovered this type of music. A lot of experiences in my teens came from concerts and going on trips with my friends who were in metal bands. I discovered who I was through these experiences. I made a family out of these friends…I met my soon-to-be wife through these friends. When I say I appreciate Serj, Daron, Shavo, and John…I couldn’t be more genuine. The guys are legends and I owe so much to them in a very strange way. This book rules and if every artist had the heart and soul of Serj Tankien, the world would be a better place.

[Derrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was definitely not what I was expecting. While I think it's great the author is so into activism, I was much more interested in reading about the band. He's obviously quite intelligent and well spoken. He's an amazing singer, songwriter, composer, and artist! System of a Down is my all time favorite band. I enjoyed reading about how the band got its start and the early days of writing songs, recording, and touring. I learned a lot while reading this. It was a little sad to read about the creative differences within the band as well as some of the other reasons why they don't make new music together anymore. Overall I'm glad I read this and still hold out hope that maybe someday, the band can create and release new music.

[Hannah Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This memoir was one of the best I've ever read. I've always been a System of a Down fan which led me to originally want to read this book. As I read I realized that it was a mix of memoir, history lesson, a call to activism, and fun facts about the band and Serj's musical career.

Amazing book, couldn't put it down, and definitely worth the read!

[Sam Smit · Rating 2 out of 5]

You lose a lot of points when the major theme is how you’re an activist for human rights but then whine about how you didn’t get to do the soundtrack for The Passion of the Christ. Nothing says human rights activist like wanting to work with Mel Gibsonn

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook narrated by Serj Tankian himself. Thanks to Libro.fm for a copy!

[Dona's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished Reading

Pre-Read notes

I loved System of a Down (the author's band) in the 2000s, so I grabbed this. It's not a musical memoir though so much as the author reflecting on various aspects of his identity and history.

Final Review

He and my mother had sacrificed for me so that I wouldn’t have to sacrifice for them. p96

Review summary and recommendations

I was really surprised to discover that this book was not so much about Serj's time and role in the band, but about his family and Armenian background, his personal politics, and more. He addresses an essay he published that caused him quite a bit of controversy. It's an interesting read, but probably not what most readers are seeking when picking up a book by Serj Tankian.

Still recommend this one to fans of Tankian, celebrity political activism, and reading about diverse culture.

Making a gorgeous noise or a vibrant painting or an energetic protest aren’t only a means toward something else—truth, beauty, justice—they are an end in and of themselves. In fact, these are the things we stay alive for. p341

Reading Notes

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. If you’ve ever wondered why so many musicians end up with drug problems, it must have something to do with navigating the distance between that glorious natural high onstage and the other twenty-three hours of monotonous drudgery that make up each day. p138 An interesting insight into band life.

Rating: 📃📃📃 /5 political op-eds
Recommend? yep
Finished: Jan 18 '25
Format: digital arc, NetGalley; Libby
Read this book if you like:
🗣 Serj Tankian, System of a Down
📓 memoir
🪧 celebrity political activism
🇦🇲 Armenian heritage and culture

Thank you to the author Serj Tankian, publishers Hachette Books, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of DOWN WITH THE SYSTEM. I found an accessible digital copy on Libby. All views are mine.
---------------

[Jodie Cotgreave · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved System of a Down since my teens, hearing their self titled album blew my mind and I was a fan ever since. They're still on my Spotify rotation consistently! I knew I fair bit about the Armenian Genocide through just listening to and researching their songs.
This fabulous journey written by Serj made me realise that what I knew was just scratching the surface. The History, Politics and Activism within Down with the System has really opened my eyes to the life of all members of the band.
Serj walks us through his family history, struggles and triumphs, while also unearthing his spiritual journey and determination to get his voice and his peoples story heard.
We also learn about the early days of the band, the changing relationships between the people involved and the outcomes of those evolving relationships on the sound of the music.
At times very emotional, self reflecting, and humble. I genuinely enjoyed every page of this and its left me feeling very moved and close to tears.
For a SOAD fan I would absolutely recommend reading this.

[Elle (literary.ya)]

I always struggle with giving memoirs a rating.

Serj Tankian has been one of my favorite musicians for most of my life, and getting to dive into not only SOADs history but HIS history was truly magnificent.

I throughly enjoyed every aspect. I loved getting to know bits and pieces and I also loved being able to feel the humor come off the page.

Would absolutely recommend this read. I learned a lot.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

System of a Down were a part of my formative years in early high school, and I have great memories of listening to their music. The book was also informative in helping me better understand the Armenian Genocide and its history in general.

That being said, this guy is insufferable. The entire book has a "holier than thou" feeling, and I feel sorry for his band mates who he clearly looks down upon as being less talented than himself.

[Simon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty good for a hypocrite who agrees that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere but has shit politics about Palestine

[Rajiv Sanwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

They say don't meet your heroes, but I think I would love to meet Serj. Beautiful mind. Really enjoyed this one

[Keen Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Drug money is used to rig elections and train brutal corporate-sponsored dictators around the world.”

A line that still makes me smile, and as fans will know a lyric lifted from “Prison Song” a song which still holds up remarkably well more than two decades on. There cannot be too many metal autobiographies out there which open up talking about 9-11 followed by a chapter on the Armenian genocide, which killed around 1.5 million people. It’s even more sad and pathetic when you see all the cynical politics of cowardice and denial that still surrounds the horrendous injustice, and America’s continued complicity and hypocrisy as it refused to officially recognise it until 2019, fearing that Turkey would no longer allow it to use it store troops and weapons on its soil. And yet look how holocaust denial is treated by the same country?...Even after it began to acknowledge it, it had nothing to do with doing the right thing, it was merely a spiteful political retaliation against Turkey after it had bought weapons from Russia instead of America. Apparently the US became one of only 34 nations to officially recognise the genocide. Interestingly the likes of UK, Australia and NZ still don’t.

Initially this has the maddening flaw in the persistent omission of dates, which can make for highly frustrating and confusing reading, but thankfully this stops when we get to the System of A Down years. Tankian certainly comes across as an interesting enough guy, and has made some great tunes with his old band back in the day, but there was something missing in this, it was interesting enough, but it just felt a bit flat and quite repetitive in many areas too, and although worth the read I wouldn’t call this a particularly thrilling or essential read. And this is one of those books which reminds you of the hyper-litigious proclivities of Americans as well as silly, childish behaviour of various corporate monsters like Clear Channel banning 165 songs to make Americans feel less bad about the fact they were invading yet another country to kill and steal from.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a SOAD fan since my teenage years, but this was not your typical rockstar memoir. Born in Lebanon, Serj is an Armenian that moved to LA with his family when he was 7. His entire life has been marked by his heritage and the bloody history his people went through at the hands of the Turkish.

There are a bunch of memories regarding his band, but mostly he focuses on his activism. This book is perfect if you want an introduction to the Armenian genocide. It’s not a fun book by any means, you’ll be forced to face terrible truths and make parallels to what is happening right now in Palestine. History has a tendency to repeat itself after all.

I have a lot of inspiring quotes highlighted from this book and I definitely came out enriched from the entire experience. That being said, I understand that this is a memoir, so everything is from the author’s perspective. But man, Serj comes off as the pretentious guy that overexplains everything at all times, thinks too highly of himself, and believes that he’s always right, so it felt like he was lecturing me and all the people in his life. He’s obviously intelligent and well-spoken (well-written to be more exact), but basically, he’s the guy you would avoid at a party and would hate to be left alone with at a table.

I still rate this memoir very highly because of the themes and heaps of information I have received, but right now my opinion of System of a Down is that of a bunch of squabbling children with high egos. Well, to be fair, what big rock band isn’t all that?

Anyway, read it.

[Samantha McConaughy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It takes a lot for me to five star a book. If I could ten star it, I would. Serj is not only a brilliant musician and artist, he is a political warrior and a beautiful writer. I have loved SOAD for over 20 years. Their music has fed my soul. I've seen them six times, and Serj alone, twice. And each time, they brought something worthy of brilliance. This book also touches on the Armenian Genocide and the history of its people. I didn't know much, and to read and live it through a person like Serj, made me feel like I completely understood it. Pick this book up NOW. If you love memoirs (of sorts), then this will be a book you'll love, recommend and hold onto.

[ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing in this is much, much more technically proficient than most memoirs I've read, but it ultimately feels too polished and also pretty boring. It's at its best when it's talking about his family's history because that's obviously pain that has informed his entire life and that he has spent a lot of time reckoning with, but most of the music stuff and even a lot of the activism is pretty toothless as far as storytelling goes.

I was a mid-to-fervent System of a Down fan as a teenager and though I did not need them to teach me about the Armenian Genocide (I, too, am from southern California) they did in many ways help radicalize me about the carceral system and American imperialism, so it was incredibly disappointing to read so many well-articulated words about genocide--Armenian and beyond--and the dangers of failing to recognize it and to not once see Palestinians or even Gaza mentioned. I don't know that Tankian is a Zionist and I prefer to believe the best in people when I can, but the anecdote about the Israeli and Lebanese flag bearers at Reading doesn't give me a lot of hope.

That doesn't necessarily detract or contribute to the success of the book--it is, as I said, largely quite boring though judging by the reviews the audiobook is better--but it is heinously disappointing anyway.

[Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting! I have seen Serj interviewed and knew he would have a bit more to say than the typical rock autobiography but I feel like I really learned this man’s whole identity, and learned a lot about the genocide in Armenia that has touched his life just as much as anyone else in the Armenian diaspora

Serj spends most of the story on his Armenian roots, growing up in Beirut, then LA, and the events that formed his politics and his ethos along the way. There actually isn’t a whole lot on System of a Down (But what is there is VERY interesting and I will get to that later in this review).

Throughout his whole life, Serj has learned to live in peace not through passivity, but through compassionate confrontation. He calls out the US frequently for its focus on war-profiteering over anything else, including the health and well-being of its citizens, or the climate. He has also learned to be true to his artistic self, whether he makes art through his extremely famous alt rock band, or through his own albums, film scores, poetry, essay-writing, painting, and various multimedia exhibits. He talks at length about how he found his own spirituality, and activist work he has done especially for the recognition of the genocide, and work to build Armenia into a real working democracy. Throughout the whole thing, Serj tries to center the people he works with, and is reluctant to take credit for a lot. It really felt like he has a level-head about what his role is as an activist, and I commend him tremendously for using his voice to speak truth to power (Meeting with political leaders around the world), while also stepping back when it is appropriate. Could these descriptions be self-serving? Of course they could be, but his voice rings through this book (especially since he did not need a ghostwriter) and he comes across as gracious and humble to me. Loved reading about his righteous anger and his work as an activist. And this dude also quoted my favorite authors like William Soroyan so you know I’m gonna like his book.

SYSTEM OF A DOWN

Okay this is just gonna be a stream of thoughts and opinions, but if you don’t listen to SOAD, feel free to ignore lol:

System of a Down originally had a guy named Dave who they kicked out of the band because they found a better bassist (Shavo Odadjian). That made things rough for them and Dave, because Dave was a close friend. But eventually they patched things up and Dave made another band and even toured with an early version of System of a Down. That’s when SOAD noticed that Dave had a good drummer (John Dolmayan), and so they decided to poach him and fire their other drummer lmao. Serj admits this was totally cold-blooded but SOAD wanted the best players and they got them. I love inter-band drama like this.

Coleman is proven right:

Fans of SOAD I think generally agree that Toxicity is their best album, or at the very least, the album that allowed them to break through. Chop Suey!, Toxicity, and Aerials are all iconic singles on their own, but the rest of the album is just as pulse-pounding, just as head banging, just as good. Probably one of, if not THE best album in the Nu-metal/alt-metal genre from that era. That was in 2001, and in 2002 SOAD came up with their next LP: Steal this Album! and I always felt that it was a significant step down from the heights of Toxicity. And I can remember thinking, while trying to listen to that album, “This sounds like a worse version of Toxicty.” Well it turns out I was RIGHT.

SOAD recorded something like 40 songs for the Toxicity sessions, and trimmed it down to the best 14 for the actual album. But later, some of those other songs they wrote and did demos for were leaked online. So System of a Down was like “Hey, why not release these ourselves on another album and make some money off our own music?” That’s how Steal this Album came to be with its tongue-in-cheek title and album cover. Serj is ecstatic about this album in his book because a lot of the songs were his, and Daron (the guitarist and de facto band leader) cut all of them out for his own songs on Toxicity. There is a lot of resentment towards Daron in this book and I am HERE FOR IT. Sorry, Serj, Daron was right to cut all your songs lol.

I also felt that when their next two albums Mezmerize and Hypnotize came out, it seemed like Serj took a big step back from the spotlight. Like Daron sings lead on half the songs, and Serj is often relegated to a background singer, which I thought was weird at the time and it made me like the album a bit less because Serj’s voice is THE System of a Down sound. Like his voice is so unique and works so well with the band, how can he be second fiddle? Well I found out why in this memoir.

Basically Daron ran the band how he wanted, he wrote all the songs and was in charge of recording, and Serj was just expected to add lyrics and sing exactly how Daron wanted him to sing. This angered Serj throughout their whole career, and made him feel like he was being artistically stunted, it didn’t feel like he could have any creative input in his own band. So on Mezmerize and Hypnotize when Daron was starting to write lyrics and singing parts for himself, Serj just let him have them. He didn’t really care about the music they were making as much as he used to, and was looking to exit the band around that time anyway. It’s so interesting learning about the behind-the-scenes stuff that causes albums to sound how they sound.

Unfortunately Daron and Serj have continued to butt heads off and on for the past 20 years, and that’s why we will likely never get another System of a Down record. And honestly, that may be for the best. Serj sounds like he has moved on, and despite the good message and good cause, their latest singles dropped in 2020 were… not great lol. Their time has come and gone, but at least I’ll always be able to scream “WAKE UP. GRAB A BRUSH AND PUT A LITTLE MAKEUP!” I love Serj and I love SOAD, and if you have any interest in the band or their singer, this is worth a read.

Oh but there is one scene I need to post here verbatim because it’s amazing. Okay so System of a Down is very much like Rage Against the Machine in that clearly they are not playing radio-friendly rock, they are alternative metal with a political message. Their first album cover is a color-inverted version of THE HAND (I really suggest you look at it, it is a cool piece of political art), which was a propaganda poster that communist John Heartfield created for the German Communist Party back in 1928. It was propaganda opposing Hitler and fascists movements at large, and to Serj, it felt like a visual thesis of the band: Using art as a political weapon.

So with that context, enjoy this scene from System of a Down’s early recording days:

Rick [Rubin] was with us in a studio in Hollywood one day - I can’t remember if we were recording or just rehearsing - when Gene Simmons stopped by. Daron and Shavo were huge KISS fans, so Rick graciously introduced us all to Gene. We had the cover art for our album there and eagerly showed it to Gene.

“What you need to do,” he said, nodding a little, “is to make a t-shirt for women that you can sell with two of these hands, one on each of their tits.”

I knew Gene was born in Israel and that his mother survived the Holocaust, so I told him about John Heartfield and his artistic campaign against the Nazis. Gene listened closely.

“Yeah, that’s all well and good, but I’m telling you, the merch would be amazing,” he said, motioning his hands as if he was cupping a woman’s breasts. “You’ll make a fortune.”

Check it out!

[yelenska · Rating 5 out of 5]

This memoir was fantastic. It doesn't fall into the easy solution of talking only about how the band was formed, what drugs they took, and the problems within the band. This book has some of that, of course, how could it not, but Serj's book is quite different because a good chuck of this book talks about the Armenian genocide. He explains what his family went through in that region of the world, the displacements and trauma his family went through, and what he also had to go through as a child before immigrating to the U.S. For someone who does not know a thing about this awful historical event, this book gives you a good idea of what happened. And Serj's writing is good for a memoir, I will give him that. Really.

We also get some insights into how this emblematic music group was formed, how difficult it was at the beginning of their musical career, how their political views as American-Armenians shaped the identity of the group (and sometimes felt like a heavy weight for some of the members, even if they felt personally connected to the subject and wanted to invest themselves in it), his perspective on band dynamics, etc.

I guess nothing surprised me about the band dynamics - Serj explains his struggles within the band and tells us about his personality. Of course, I can imagine everyone has a different perspective, but what he said about himself and Daron is quite easy to spot among fans who have been following them for a long time. What surprised me though was his involvement in Armenian politics. It seems like he got thrown into it a bit against his will, but who really knows.

I enjoyed how passionate he is about his activism, and I also liked how he talked about personal, and spiritual growth (but sometimes he sounds a bit new-agey about it). Not my thing but we all follow different paths in life, to each their own. He does sound like a really good guy though.

I don't know what else to tell you except that I saw System of a Down at a festival in 2017 or 2018 and, even though they weren't as good as back in the day, it was one of the most amazing concert experiences I've had. And I've gone to quite a few.

This reminds me: another thing I really loved in this book is getting some anecdotes on how certain songs and/or lyrics came to be!!

[Karolina Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

”History does repeat itself and ‘never again’ is always ‘yet again’.”

I was always very casual bout SOAD, and this memoir took me by a surprise. Tarkian paints a very profound picture of his family and homeland’s story. He navigates very difficult topics and feelings of otherness, injustice, and generational trauma with respect and a lot of skill. It made me appreciate him a lot as an artist and even more so as a human being.

World would have been a better place with more people like Serj.

[°⋆.°Frédérique Boucher°❀•° . · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★☆
(J'ai vraiment aimé)

Serj Tankian est une personne incroyablement fascinante! J'ai adoré en savoir plus sur son approche spirituelle et créative, en plus de son activisme.

J'ai beaucoup aimé en apprendre sur le processus artistique et les dessous de SOAD. Très plaisant pour moi qui écoute leurs albums sans arrêt ces temps-ci!:-')

Tout ça en version audio pour profiter de la belle voix de Serj pendant 10h. ♡

Je le recommande vraiment, fan de SOAD ou pas!

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve listen to SOAD from the beginning and love their music. I didn’t know much about the band or Serj’s background. Not only was this a memoir about the band and Serj’s life; it was an amazing backstory and history of the Armenian people. I’ve read many memoirs, bur this was one far reached my expectations. If you are a fan of the band or just enjoy a good memoir, then I cannot recommend this book enough. It was captivating, entertaining, and at times sad.
I cannot thank NetGalley enough for the chance to read this before it comes out ❤️

[Ceyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up, System was one of the best bands that I listened to, and though the lyrics to their best songs are ingrained into my mind, I never really thought about what the lyris actually meant.

Serj's initimate telling sheds some light on what their lyrics really meant.

Despite Serj barely admitting it out loud, System was never his top priority, and Daron making it his and controlling the band shouldn't have been a problem for Serj.

As for what really went down in System, before I make a judgment, I would have to wait for Daron Malakian's side of the story.

The book was probably 40% about System and 60% about Serj's fight for Armenians.

My support for the band and Serj's solo endeavour has been rekindled.

4 out of 5 stars

[Horror Haus Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When done right, music and activism can work together incredibly effectively.
Music has a unique ability to deliver hard truths, heal divisions and rally people to a cause.”

The minute I saw that Serj narrates it himself for the audiobook, I immediately went and purchased it on Audible (despite owning a physical copy as well) and it was so worth it.

He gave life to the book and it hit different hearing it truly come from himself like that.

I love Serj for a lot of reasons. His voice, his music, but mainly his passion for activism. I feel like in order to really understand SOAD you have to understand where Serj is coming from and he did an amazing job telling his story and his families history and how he implemented his strong views into his music.

“It’s in those moments when no one wants to hear the truth that it’s so important to tell it.”