Serge Tankian: biography and creativity

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Serj Tankian is an Armenian American musician, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and political activist. Widely known as the founder and leader of the rock band System of a Down. He is recognized as one of the greatest vocalists in the history of alternative music.

Early years

Serge Tankian was born on August 21, 1967 in an Armenian family. The birthplace of the musician is the capital of Lebanon - Beirut. When the future singer was seven years old, the Tankian family moved to Los Angeles, where Serge began attending an Armenian music school. She was also visited by Daron Malakyan and Shavo Odadjyan - future stage colleagues. However, due to their age difference, they did not cross paths. Rockers will meet only after seventeen years in one record company in Los Angeles, and so far little Tankian has only learned to play the guitar and piano. Later, he entered the University of California and worked for some time as the director of a software company, but throughout his teenage years, the young poet wrote poetry and his first songs. Young Serj Tankian is pictured below.

System of a Down

The rock band was founded in 1992. Initially, the group was called Soil and consisted of five people, including Serge, Daron and Shavo. But in the end, they remained the three of them due to the departure of two musicians due to slow creative development. That's because in a few years Soil gave only a couple of concerts and recorded a few unsuccessful demos. The decision was made to take a fourth person on drums and change the name to System of a Down, derived from the title of a poem by the band's guitarist Daron Malakian, Victims of a Down.

In 1998, the debut self- titled album of the metalworkers was released. The record climbed to the top of the American charts in a few days, and the two title tracks Sugar and Spiders became favorites on radio stations. The tour in support of the album lasted more than two years and ended with work on a new collection.

In 2001, Serj Tankian's band released their second record - Toxicity. This material was positively received by critics, and the songs of Chop Suey! and Toxicity are recognized as the best creation of System of a Down. All songs of American rockers touch upon political, social and universal problems. For example, the content of some compositions and the cover of the debut album symbolize the possibility of citizens' struggle against the totalitarian regime.

System of a Down have absorbed the music of many different groups: from The Beatles and Kiss to Rage Against the Machine and Korn, thereby creating their own unique style, combining ingeniousvocals by Serj Tankian and virtuoso guitar playing by Daron Malakian. After recording five successful and influential albums in seven years, the band members decided to take a sabbatical for a while. Since then, the band has often pleased fans with periodic reunions, playing at major festivals around the world.

Solo work

Elect The Dead is the debut solo album by Serj Tankian, released in 2007. Many fans of the musician spoke of his new project as a new step in the creative mastery of the maestro. However, Serge himself spoke of his personal brainchild as material that simply did not fit in the collections of the former System of a Down band. In 2009, Tankian performed Elect The Dead and several new compositions with the Auckland Philharmonic.

The live recording was warmly received by the world audience. On this, the musician did not leave his solo career. In 2010 he released his second album Imperfect Harmonies. Serge called the style of the project orchestral jazz. Very quickly, the record reached third place on the world weekly rock album chart, however, it did not last long. In 2012, Tankian released his third solo album, Harakiri. And if the previous one was symphonic, then the new one had a completely different sound with notes of punk rock. The fourth and last solo album, Orca Symphony No.1 in 2013, again had an orchestral character. This is a full symphony, consisting of four acts. Many music reviewers have commented on the distinctly national approach. This observation is confirmed by the use in the compositions of suchArmenian folk musical instrument like duduk.

Tankian in Russia

Serge Tankian's songs in solo projects and the work of the System of a Down group were also enjoyed by Russian lovers of alternative music. As part of the European tour in 2011, after almost 20 years since its founding, the rock band still visited Russia with a concert. Later, in 2013, at the major Russian rock festival Kubana, the group performed as the main guest musicians. Also, two years later, System of a Down played a program dedicated to the centenary of the Armenian Genocide in Moscow.

In 2017, the Russian historical film "The Legend of Kolovrat" was released on cinema screens. Serj Tankian wrote the music for this picture. The musician often listens to the great Russian composer Dmitry Shostakovich and is a big fan of Vladimir Vysotsky.

Political and social activities

Serge Tankian has said many times that, despite his long residence away from Armenia, he feels a strong connection with his homeland. Having become famous all over the world, the musician began to actively promote the culture and customs of his native people. Serge repeatedly demanded that the American authorities recognize the bloodthirsty events of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire as the Armenian genocide. Tankian sent letters to the administration, asked concerned fans to take an active stance on this tragic issue, and made loud statements on radio stations. As a result, the musician achieved justice and was awarded a medal of honor in Armenia for this. Serj Tankianis a vegetarian and regularly speaks to the media about the protection and protection of animals.

Private life

On June 9, 2012, Tankian married his longtime Armenian girlfriend Angela Madatyan. In 2014, the young family announced that they had their first child, a son named Rumi. Serge's family lives in New Zealand in the small town of Warkworth.