While speaking with Rolling Stone recently, System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian talked about where the band is at with a new album and unveiled some of his upcoming guest appearances with the likes of Mindless Self Indulgence frontman Jimmy Urine and SOAD drummer John Dolmayan’s These Grey Men. You can read the full interview itself by CLICKING HERE.
Here are a few key quotes:
“We have. We’ve discussed it and we’ve played each other songs, but we still haven’t come eye to eye on how things should be done for us to be able to move forward with it. And that’s where it’s been.
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That’s the funny thing. When people don’t see a record, they assume the worst about your internal relationship. But the truth is we’re actually better friends – at least I’m better friends with everyone than I’ve ever been. John‘s my brother-in-law; he’s in my family. We have a great time together touring.
But sometimes putting together a record, and that creative output and how things should be done, is different in four people’s heads and it doesn’t always come together. Fortunate or unfortunate, however you want to call it, that’s the truth. But touring is easy, because you’ve done all these songs. You have fun, you go out and tour, and that’s it.
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(Clearing up recent controversy of the Serj Tankian “screw vocals” story – read on Rolling Stone for more context)
Don’t take an interview that was translated from Russian from five months ago on the set of a film without checking. Everyone’s picking it up and going, “Oh, my God, that means he’s not doing System again?” It’s kind of funny. You want to negate all these things, but then you’re like, “Well, I didn’t start it in the first place.” Why do I have to put out fires every two weeks? I’ve got shit to do. I’m working on music… I’m actually even doing vocals, funny enough.
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I have a bunch of rock songs I’ve been sitting on. I’m still trying to decide what to do with them [laughs]. Maybe I’ll put out an EP or something. Having a young family, I really enjoy being home with my kid. When you put out a proper record with a band, you’re doing videos and press and touring, and you’re dedicating a few years to marketing your record. I’m at a point where that’s not what I want to do.
I’m happy to sit down have a few chats about a film score that I’m doing, because that’s easy, but dedicating two years to one project like that is difficult. That’s why I’m afraid of putting out my own record – not afraid, but don’t want to make that time dedication right now. So I might just put it out as an EP on iTunes and Spotify and do a few interviews and just let it be.”
Once again, you can read the full interview itself by CLICKING HERE.
In other recent news, Serj released an oddball of a demo track for free download this week. You can give it a listen by CLICKING HERE.
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