With 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.
Author Biography
Serj Tankian is the lead singer of the Grammy-winning rock band System Of
A Down. He
is a solo artist, a composer, an activist, a painter, a poet, and a filmmaker.
With System,
he has headlined concerts around the world in front of audiences of up to
100,000 fans.
Between his work with the band and as a solo performer, he's sold more than
42 million
albums worldwide. His songs have been streamed more than 6 billion times. The
video for
System Of A Down's hit single, “Chop Suey,” has been viewed more than
1.1 billion times,
which made it the first metal song ever to reach a billion views. Along with Tom
Morello,
Tankian co-founded the non-profit organization Axis of Justice, which strives to
bring
together musicians, music fans, and grassroots political organizations to fight
for social
justice. Tankian lives with his wife and his son, splitting their time between
Los Angeles
and New Zealand.
