Serj TankianFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia• Learn more about citing Wikipedia •Jump to: navigation, searchSerj Tankian
Background information Born August 21, 1967 (1967-08-21) (age 40)[1] Beirut, Lebanon[1] Origin Armenian and Lebanese Genre(s) Hard rockAlternative rockAlternative metalArt rockExperimental rockProgressive metalFunk metalFolk rock Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter, poet Instrument(s) Vocals, Keyboards/Piano, Guitar, Bass, Synthesizer, Drum machine, Melodica Years active 1993 – present Label(s) Serjical Strike, Reprise, American, Columbia, Axis of Justice Associated acts System of a DownSerartAxis of JusticeBuckethead & Friends Website www.serjicalstrike.com www.serjtankian.com Members Serj TankianDan MontiLarry "Ler" LaLondeMario PagliaruloTroy ZeiglerErwin Khachikian 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.
Contents [hide]1 Biography 1.1 Early life and career 2 The F.C.C. 3 Discography 3.1 System of a Down 3.2 Serart 3.3 Axis of Justice 3.4 Solo 4 Singles 5 Collaborations/soundtrack contributions 5.1 Albums 5.2 Live performances 5.3 Remixes 6 Awards 7 Videography 8 References 9 External links
[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life and careerTankian was born on August 21, 1967, in Beirut, Lebanon. He and his family immigrated to Los Angeles in 1975[1]. While his time in Beirut, Tankian took flute lessons as a young child. He earned a degree in Marketing and Business from California State University, Northridge[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]
[edit] The F.C.C.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)
[edit] Discography
[edit] System of a DownMain article: System of a Down discography1998: System of a Down 2001: Toxicity 2002: Steal This Album! 2005: Mezmerize 2005: Hypnotize
[edit] Serart2003: Serart
[edit] Axis of Justice2004: Concert Series Volume 1
[edit] Solo2007: Elect the Dead 2009: second studio album[4]
[edit] SinglesYear Title Chart positions Album USHot 100 USMod. Rock USMain. Rock UK UKRock Track CANHot 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 [5] - 22 23 - - -
1 Still active on charts. 2 Only released as a digital download single
[edit] Collaborations/soundtrack contributions
[edit] AlbumsPerforming and/or writing 1999: Limp Bizkit featuring Serj Tankian - "Don't Go Off Wondering" (Demo) - Demo for Significant Other 2000/2006: Hed PE featuring Serj Tankian and Morgan Lander - "Feel Good" - Broke and The Best of Hed Planet Earth 2000: Tony Iommi featuring Serj Tankian - "Patterns" - Iommi 2000: Snot featuring Serj Tankian - "Starlit Eyes" - Strait Up[6] 2001: Dog Fashion Disco featuring Serj Tankian - "Mushroom Cult" - Anarchists of Good Taste 2003: Serj Tankian - "Bird of Paradise" - Bird Up!: The Charlie Parker Remix Project 2004: Saul Williams - "Talk to Strangers" - Saul Williams 2003: Kittens for Christian featuring Serj Tankian - "Had a Plan" - Privilege of Your Company 2005: Buckethead featuring Serj Tankian - "We Are One" - Enter the Chicken and Masters of Horror Soundtrack 2005: Buckethead featuring Azam Ali and Serj Tankian - "Coma" - Enter the Chicken 2005: Buckethead featuring Shana Halligan and Serj Tankian - "Waiting Hare" - Enter the Chicken 2006: Deftones featuring Serj Tankian - "Mein" - Saturday Night Wrist 2007: Les Rita Mitsouko featuring Serj Tankian - "Terminal Beauty" - Variéty 2007: Serj Tankian - "Bug Theme" - Bug Soundtrack 2007: Serj Tankian and Petra Jolly - "Innermission" - Bug Soundtrack 2007: Serj Tankian - "The Essenece of Tequila" - Stranglehold 2007: Serj Tankian - "Chicakong" - Stranglehold. 2007: Wyclef Jean featuring Serj Tankian and Sizzla - "Riot (Trouble Again)" - Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant 2008: Praxis featuring Serj Tankian - "Sulfur and Cheese" - Profanation (Preparation for a Coming Darkness).[7] 2008: Serj Tankian - "Beethoven's Cunt" - Rock Band.
[edit] Live performances1999: Fear Factory featuring Serj Tankian - "Cars" 2000: Incubus featuring Serj Tankian - Live Improvisation 2000: Metallica featuring Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian - "Mastertarium" ("Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" part) 2003: Metallica featuring Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian - "Creeping Death" - Reading Festival 2003 2006: Buckethead featuring Shana Halligan and Serj Tankian - "Waiting Hare" 2007: Tool featuring Serj Tankian - "Sober" (improvisational version) - Big Day Out 2007 (Auckland only) 2007: Fair to Midland featuring Serj Tankian - "Walls of Jericho" (improvisational version) - Coachella 2007 2007: Foo Fighters featuring Serj Tankian - "Holiday in Cambodia" - 2007 MTV Video Music Awards 2008: The Nightwatchman (acoustic) featuring Serj Tankian - "Lazarus on Down" - Big Day Out 2008 (Auckland only)
[edit] Remixes2005: M.I.A. - "Galang" (Serj Tankian Remix) - Galang '05 2006: Dredg - "Ode to the Sun" (Serj Tankian Remix) (Unreleased) 2006: The Notorious B.I.G. - "Who Shot Ya?" (Serj Tankian Remix) - Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure[8]
[edit] AwardsIn 2005, He won the award for Best Alternative Act with System in the Europe Music Awards In 2006, System of a Down won their first Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance for "B.Y.O.B." In 2006, they won the "MTV Good Woodie Award" for their song "Question!". In 2006, they were #14 on the VH1 Top 40 Metal Songs with "Toxicity". In 2007, they were nominated for a Grammy Award in Best Hard Rock Performance for their song "Lonely Day".
[edit] VideographySong 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
[edit] References^ a b c d e Serj Tankian, MTV ^ Stereo Subversion - Meaningful Music Exists ^ Serj Tankian Co-Writing a Musical, Spinner, Last accessed May 22, 2008. ^ [1] ^ SERJ TANKIAN Paints Grim Picture With 'Sky Is Over' ^ Two Hard Rockin' Compilation CDs Set for Release This Fall. NY Rock. Last accessed November 04, 2007. ^ Serj To Appear On New Praxis Album, by "pwned", SOADFans.com, 8 March, 2007 ^ Diddy Joins Ecko in Getting Up. IGN. Last accessed November 09, 2007.