Down with the System: A Memoir (of Sorts)

An exhilarating, thoughtful, and beautifully written debut memoir by musician, songwriter, and lead singerlyricist of Grammy awardwinning metal band, System Of A Down, Serj TankianSerj Tankian will be the first to admit that his band, System Of A Down, was unlikely a charttopper as had ever existed in modern music history: a band of ArmenianAmericans playing a practically unclassifiable clash of wildly aggressive metal riffs, unconventional tempotwisting rhythms, and Armenian folk melodies, with me alternately growling, screaming, and crooning lyrics that could pivot from avantgarde silliness to raging sociopolitical rants in the space of a single line. After all, as Serj concedes, its not easy listening.Even so, theres no doubt that Systems music had struck a chord with millions of listeners across the globe ever since they burst on the scene in the mid1990s. With nearly 40 million album sales, three albums topping the Billboard charts, and a devoted legion of fans, the band dominated the altrock and metal scenes just as the world hurtled into a new millennium, redefining the very idea of what rockstars could and couldnt talk about, could and couldnt do, could and couldnt represent.In DOWN WITH THE SYSTEM, Serj presents readers with a memoir that is far more than just a rock n roll fable. Its an immigrants tale, its an activists awakening, and its a spiritual journey from darkness toward light. And all of this comes down to the fact that Serj himself has had the chance to live an extraordinary lifethanks to a combination of luck, circumstance, struggle, talent, and spiritual awakening. Born to Armenian parents in Beirut, Serj grows up hearing bombs drop outside his childhood home during the countrys civil war, before moving to Los Angeles at the age of seven. As a young man, he is immersed in the SoCal community of Little Armenia, learning more and more about the brutal genocide faced by his ancestors while helping his parents adapt to the constraints and contradictions of the American Dream. Then, during a pivotal drive home from an LSAT class, Serj decides to turn away from a promising future in business and law to make music insteada decision that leads him to touring five continents as the lead singer of a hugely popular rock band, hitting number #1 on the Billboard album charts the morning of 9/11, and then having the hit single from the same album banned from radio two days later. In the years that follow, his uniquely singular story continues, as he evades glass bottles hurled at a cancelled show by angry Slayer fans, teams up with Tom Morello to push social justice causes on unsuspecting metalheads, argues with LAPD officers over the best way to quell rioting fans, and defines new sounds and singing tactics with Rick Rubin.Braiding together Serjs thoughtprovoking insight with heartfelt and poetic prose, DOWN WITH THE SYSTEM retraces Serjs remarkable and unlikely journey, and explores what its taught himabout music, about art, about activism, and about himself. Its an unforgettable ride that will leave you breathlessand an absolute delight for new fans and old ones alike.