Serj Tankian

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Serj Tankian

Background information
Born August 21, 1967
Beirut, Lebanon Flag of Lebanon
Genre(s) Alternative metal
Experimental rock
Occupation(s) Musician
Instrument(s) Vocals
Guitar
Piano
Label(s) Serjical Strike
Associated
acts		 System of a Down
Serart
Website SOAD's official site

Serj Tankian (born August 21, 1967 in Beirut, Lebanon) is the Armenian-American singer of the alternative metal band System of a Down and co-founder of Axis of Justice.

Contents

[edit] Early life and career

At age five, Serj Tankian moved with his parents to Los Angeles, California. After high school, he studied marketing. He took singing lessons for four years and also took guitar lessons as a young child. In 1993, he founded the band Soil (not to be confused with SOiL) with Daron Malakian, which later broke up, and most of the members joined to form a new band, System of a Down. Tankian is not only a member of the band System of a Down, but also has his own record label which is called Serjical Strike Records, a sub-division of Columbia Records. He has also sung 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 Serj's new label was Serart, a project consisting of Tankian himself, and Arto Tunçboyaçiyan, an Armenian friend of Tankian's. More recently, he sung with The Rita Mitsouko on the song "Terminal Beauty". Tankian is also very involved politically. Together with Tom Morello of Audioslave, he founded the organization Axis Of Justice. Tankian often speaks publicly against violence and injustice in the world.

Serj is a vegetarian and likes to read poetry but other than that, few details are known about Tankian's private life. He is especially interested in Shakespeare, T.S. Eliot and Edgar Allan Poe. Serj hates celebrity gossip. He believes it is a waste of time and, due to the spreading of rumors, can destroy close relationships .

Serj has been currently working on his solo album "Elect The Dead", which is said to be released in late Summer or early Fall of 2007.

[edit] Writings

[edit] Understanding Oil

Two days after the attacks on September 11, 2001, Serj posted a highly controversial essay on the band's website. It was promptly taken down by Sony, the band's record label. Sony's opinion was that Tankian had tried to justify the terrorist attacks and that his claims were unfounded. The essay can be found here: "[1]"

[edit] Poetry

Tankian's first poetry book, Cool Gardens, was published by MTV Books and released on October 1st, 2002. It is a collection of seven to eight years of Tankian's reflections on life, and features artwork by fellow Armenian, Sako Shahinian. The book has received much praise in the artistic community. On Rolling Stone's website, Saul Williams posted the following comments about Tankian's book: Serj's words, like his voice, have a distinct aesthetic sensibility connected to an unyielding, visceral roar of passion. His capacity 'to mock a killing bird' while we wonder at the grace, beauty, and colorful range of his wingspan will be the trademark of both of his singing and writing careers. Serj is an amazing artist, full of passion, with a beautiful heart that pumps the essence of his vision and talent. Serj states that he might be releasing a new book of poetry down the line, but if anything, writing wise that is, he says that he will write a novel rather that another book, even though he has volumes and volumes of more poetry that he has been keeping himself in his own personal collection.

[edit] Discography

[edit] System of a Down

[edit] Serart

[edit] Axis of Justice

[edit] Solo

[edit] Soundtrack

[edit] Awards

[edit] Collaborations

[edit] External links

System of a Down
Serj Tankian | Daron Malakian | Shavo Odadjian | John Dolmayan
Andy Khachaturian
Discography
Albums/EPs: Sugar EP | System of a Down | Toxicity | Steal This Album! | Mezmerize | Hypnotize | Lonely Day EP
Demos: Untitled 1995 Demo Tape | Demo Tape 1 | Demo Tape 2 | Demo Tape 3
Singles: "Sugar" | "Spiders" | "War?" | "Prison Song" | "Chop Suey!" | "Toxicity" | "Aerials" | "Innervision" | "Boom!" | "I-E-A-I-A-I-O" | "B.Y.O.B." | "Cigaro" | "Question!" | "Radio/Video" | "Hypnotize" | "Lonely Day" | "Kill Rock 'N Roll"
Related articles
Axis of Justice | Cool Gardens | Vartan Malakian | Screamers | Category:System of a Down songs

Bands: Soil | Serart | Scars on Broadway | ACHOZEN   Labels: Serjical Strike Records | EatUrMusic
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Axis of Justice
Serj Tankian | Tom Morello

Performers: Serj Tankian | Tom Morello | Pete Yorn | Flea | Brad Wilk | Maynard James Keenan | Chris Cornell | Wayne Kramer | John Dolmayan

Album/DVD: Axis Of Justice: Concert Series Volume 1

Label: Serjical Strike Records   Related bands: System of a Down | Audioslave
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