Music Worst System of a Down, according to Serj Tankian

Since the beginning of its trajectory, the system of a Down It was characterized by the critical and progressive position in relation to socio-political themes. In one of the moments when the vocalist SERJ TANKIAN Made use of this prerogative, however, the band found themselves in what Frontman himself considers “the craziest and most stressful period” in the history of SOAD.

This is the episode in which Tankian published an open letter shortly after the album release Toxicity (2001) and the terrorist attacks of September 11, in New York. In the text, he sought to explain that the Middle East was also the target of bombing and pointing out that the solution to the conflict should be diplomacy.

However, amid the success of their second studio album, the band was also criticized by conservatives who accused Serj of defending terrorist acts.

In an interview with the podcast of Christina Rowatt (via Tmdqa), SOAD’s frontman recalled:

“That was probably the craziest and most stressful period of our lives as a band. There were people calling me traitor because of my positions. I published that text as a way of understanding the terrorist attack and the 50-year contribution of US foreign policy, because we were all discredited and scared. All we were on tour, so it was … you know, it was interesting. [Risos]”

Toxicitythat would become the most successful album of the System of a Down, had just left. THE Clear Channela company that managed more than 100 radios in the United States, asked more than 150 songs to be taken down by any type of references to aircraft, accidents and the like. And Tankian’s group joined the list with the song “Chop Suey!”.

Not even that was enough to curb the group’s success. Today, Toxicity It accounts for more than 6 million copies sold in the United States alone, where it would reach the top of the stop.

The SERJ Tankian letter that put the System of a Down in trouble

The title of the open letter was “Understanding Oil” (“Understanding Oil”, in Portuguese. In it, Serj Tankian ponders the position of United States in the world order and how the country has often also contributed to the climb of violence on the planet.

Read an excerpt from the text:

” Serbia, Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan and Afghanistan They see bombs falling on military targets. They also see the death of innocent civilians, as yesterday in New York. The assumed wars waged by our government landed right in the middle of our living room. “

At the time, the artist appealed for the US not to opt for the path of war and political revanchism, but seek dialogue:

“Starting a peace process, we would already shake the structures of the support bases to Bin Ladenand/or all those who sponsor activities like the ones we saw yesterday, breaking the fortress of extremists in the world of Islam. On the other hand, if we carry pumps to Afghanistan or anywhere else to quench the public’s (blood) thirst, and certainly quench innocent civilians on the way, we will be creating various martyrs against death in retaliation against retaliation. As seen in these recent events, you can’t stop a person who is ready to die. “

The request, as we know, was not accepted. In the same year, 2001, the United States started a new Afghanistan War in order to destroy the Al-qaeda and your main leader, OSAMA BIN LADENkilled by American troops in 2011.

Serj Tankian, who was born in the Lebanon and has Armenian descent, continued to address geopolitical topics in future work of the system of a Downlike the albums Mezmerizeand Hypnotizeboth released in 2005.

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