>>PREVIEW
SYSTEM OF A DOWN
Monday, June 26
Saddledome
Keep the posters secured to the wall. Ensure that Pledge of Allegiance tour T-shirt remains ironed and at the ready. You’ll need them later.
Last month’s announcement that the band was planning a 10-year hiatus ignited rumours of infighting and creative differences amongst System of A Down, but they assure their fans they will be coming back.
"After 12 years it feels like a job and I don’t want it to feel that way," says Shavo Odadjian, bassist for the popular metal band. "Everyone will be able to do what they want without feeling like this is a job."
A statement like that is usually followed by a sigh. Even with "Grammy- winning" and "Billboard Chart-topping" affixed to their name, System of a Down remain unfazed by their fame and fortune. They haven’t forgotten their days as unknowns in the L.A. music scene and their first tour opening for Slayer. Coming full circle, the band rides out on the back of this year’s Ozzfest.
"As we were talking about the hiatus, the Ozzfest came around," says Odadjian. "It seemed a good way to chill things out. We’re the first band to finish Ozzfest without Ozzy. It’s going to be interesting to see how the crowd reacts. If you can open for Slayer when nobody knows you, get shit thrown at you and booed, but still go up there and play, you can do anything."
From raising awareness about the Armenian genocide to lambasting the Bush administration on their foreign policy, System of a Down uses their success as a platform for their politics. Despite that, the band isn’t comfortable with the political band label. Instead, they proclaim themselves to be the thinking man’s metal.
"To be called just a political band is so one-dimensional," he says. "Say if Rage Against the Machine sang a love song, you’d be like, ‘what the fuck’s going on?’ I don’t want to be that. I love Rage and they’re my boys, but I want to be able to sing a song like ‘Lonely Day’ or goof around with a song like ‘Terra Cotta Pie.’
"Our politics are cool and I’m glad we’re making a difference, but I focus on our music. People always ask us these political questions. At some point I’m like, ‘dude, you’re not interviewing the next candidate for governor.’ We’re a band that listens to Slayer and the Beatles – ask us a musical question."
The hiatus, at least, replaces questions of politics with those about the band’s future. Odadjian plans on pursuing his other passion – film. After learning his chops on various videos and EPKs (electronic press kit) for System of a Down, he stretches his creative muscles on his first film, a horror film he’ll not only direct, but co-write and score.
Before the Ozzfest kicks off, Odadjian is looking forward to spending time with his new best friend, RZA, jamming in the studio or talking music. Yes, that RZA. The two met when producer Rick Rubin put together System of a Down and the Wu-Tang Clan for a new version of "Shame" and kept in close touch afterwards.
"We’ve become tight like brothers," says Odadjian of their relationship. "The new Bobby Digital record he’s working on, he’s got all these Armenian melodies in it. (On the album) he’s talking about the genocide, telling the Turks, ‘you might have won the battle, but because my boy Shavo exists, you lost the war.’ That’s some strong shit." |
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