Even the largest bands on the earth can pinpoint sure experiences that occurred within the early years that helped form them in the long term. Serj Tankian, specifically, recalled a tour with a sure artist that he thinks “molded” System of a Down early of their profession.
Simply after System of a Down’s eponymous debut album got here out in 1998, the fledgling band launched into a tour with thrash giants Slayer, who set out in assist of their eighth document Diabolus in Musica. As Alice In Chains did earlier than them — who opened on the large Conflict of the Titans tour a number of years prior — System of a Down felt extra strain to show themselves to the ruthless audiences that have been there to have their faces melted off.
“We have been fucking scared, bro, onstage,” Tankian admitted throughout a dialog with Knotfest, noting that it was additionally a particular time as a result of it was System’s very first tour. “It was bootcamp, simply surviving, studying how you can work an viewers. As a result of Slayer audiences will hate everybody else, clearly.”
“And Daron [Malakian] was all glammed out. I had, like, bizarre shit on my face. And they might have a look at us, like, ‘Who the fuck are these fucking idiots?’ And we needed to impress from, like, not simply base zero level, however adverse level. We needed to stand up there and rating factors. And that, my pal, was unimaginable bootcamp as touring artists. That basically, actually type of made us, it molded us.”
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Try the total interview under.
Just a few years in the past, System drummer John Dolmayan provided his tackle how they have been handled by Slayer throughout that tour throughout an look on Let There Be Speak [via Ultimate Guitar].
“They have been very accepting of us, very supportive, and the individuals have been tremendous good to us, and they might really hear,” he mentioned. “Slayer audiences will be brutal. Tom Araya got here as much as us and mentioned, ‘Let me know in case you have issues,’ and they might watch us each evening. They have been so good to us and supportive and good individuals, and I miss them dearly.”
System of a Down have slowed their touring down fairly a bit in recent times, having solely performed one present in 2023 at Las Vegas’ Sick New World Pageant. Their solely confirmed efficiency for subsequent 12 months might be on the similar competition in late April, and whereas Tankian’s not completely positive that it is the solely present they’re going to play, he lately mentioned it is probably that it is going to be.
