Grafwurks

Serj Tankian was born on August 21, 1967, in Beirut, Lebanon. He and his family immigrated to Los Angeles in 1975. In Beirut, Tankian took flute lessons as a young child. He earned a degree in Marketing and Business from California State University, Northridge and started his own software company before beginning his music career. In 1993, he founded his first rock band, Soil (not to be confused with SOiL) with Daron Malakian, Domingo Laranio, Dave Hakopyan, and later, Shavo Odadjian. Two years later, in 1995, after one supposed jam session recording and one live show, Dave and Domingo left. Shavo (who went on to become the bass player) brought in drummer Andy Khachaturian. The four of them then named themselves System of a Down. During System of a Down’s days, he was the vocalist in other bands for certain songs such as Mushroom Cult by Dog Fashion Disco and lent his vocals to the song Mein by Deftones. He produced “Enter the Chicken” by Buckethead, and provided vocals to the Buckethead songs We Are One, Coma, and Waiting Here. With Serjical Strike Records, he endeavours to offer those musicians often ignored by the mainstream a possibility to release their music and be heard. The first release of Tankian’s new label was Serart, a project consisting of Tankian himself, and Arto Tunçboyacıyan, an Armenian friend of Tankian’s.He originally began System of a Down to voice his views on politics, but felt that the band was not getting the message across. However, contrary to popular belief he stated in a recent interview that he did not leave the band and they have not split up, but decided to embark upon a solo career to open upon his own personal view on music to get his word out on his opinion of president Bush’s ignorance for going to war with Iraq. More recently, he sang with Les Rita Mitsouko on the song “Terminal Beauty”. Also, he sang with the band Fair to Midland during a live improvisational version of their song “Walls of Jericho”, from the album Fables from a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times Is True, which was a massive hit with fans. He often collaborates as well with his close friend, director Diran Noubar on various projects, including the voice-over of Noubar’s “Armenia, a Country Under Blockade”. Noubar played some guitar on Tankian’s Elect the Dead album on the track “Saving Us” and directed the music video for “Baby”. Tankian is also very involved politically. Together with Tom Morello, he founded the organization Axis of Justice. Tankian has a secondary vacation cabin in New Zealand. There has been a misconception that he intends to stay in New Zealand until the Iraq War is over, but as stated in an interview, Tankian has no intention of doing so. He often speaks publicly against violence and injustice in the world. Tankian is at work on a second album, due in 2009. It is said to be more of a jazz and orchestral based sound. A new song, “Sounds of War”, has shown up in recent concert setlists, it has a jazz fusion style, it is unknown if it will be on the second record. Tankian told The Pulse of Radio last week that the highlights of his last eight months on the road may soon be documented in a DVD featuring videos, live performances and behind-the-scenes footage. Tankian is currently co-writing a musical with the American playwright Steven Sater. It is based on the Ancient Greek Tragedy Prometheus Bound. He stated that eight songs have been completed and that there will be a record. In a recent interview with Czech TV, Tankian stated that he quit smoking about four or five months ago because it was time to do so. Tankian was recently in Finland and in an interview with a Finnish magazine he stated that he would be interested of representing Armenia in the Eurovision song contest.

Albums (Performing and/or writing)
•1999: Limp Bizkit featuring Serj Tankian – “Don’t Go Off Wondering” (Demo) – Demo for Significant Other
•2000/2006: Hed PE featuring Serj Tankian and Morgan Lander – “Feel Good” – Broke and The Best of Hed Planet Earth
•2000: Tony Iommi featuring Serj Tankian – “Patterns” – Iommi
•2000: Snot featuring Serj Tankian – “Starlit Eyes” – Strait Up [8]
•2001: Dog Fashion Disco featuring Serj Tankian – “Mushroom Cult” – Anarchists of Good Taste
•2003: Serj Tankian – “Bird of Paradise” – Bird Up!: The Charlie Parker Remix Project
•2004: Saul Williams – “Talk to Strangers” – Saul Williams
•2003: Kittens for Christian featuring Serj Tankian – “Had a Plan” – Privilege of Your Company
•2005: Buckethead featuring Serj Tankian – “We Are One” – Enter the Chicken and Masters of Horror Soundtrack
•2005: Buckethead featuring Azam Ali and Serj Tankian – “Coma” – Enter the Chicken
•2005: Buckethead featuring Shana Halligan and Serj Tankian – “Waiting Hare” – Enter the Chicken
•2006: Deftones featuring Serj Tankian – “Mein” – Saturday Night Wrist
•2007: Les Rita Mitsouko featuring Serj Tankian – “Terminal Beauty” – Variéty
•2007: Serj Tankian – “Bug Theme” – Bug Soundtrack
•2007: Serj Tankian and Petra Jolly – “Innermission” – Bug Soundtrack
•2007: Serj Tankian – “The Essenece of Tequila” – Stranglehold
•2007: Serj Tankian – “Chicakong” – Stranglehold
•2007: Wyclef Jean featuring Serj Tankian and Sizzla – “Riot (Trouble Again)” – Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant
•2008: Praxis featuring Serj Tankian – “Sulfur and Cheese” – Profanation (Preparation for a Coming Darkness)
•2008: Serj Tankian – “Beethoven’s C—” – Rock Band
•2008: Bitter:Sweet featuring Serj Tankian – “Drama” (Serj Tankian version) – Drama
•2008: The Nightwatchman featuring Serj Tankian – “Lazarus on Down” – The Fabled City
•2008: Mike Patton and Serj Tankian – (unknown song) – Body of Lies

Live performances
•1999: Fear Factory featuring Serj Tankian – “Cars”
•2000: Incubus featuring Serj Tankian — Live Improvisation
•2000: Metallica featuring Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian – “Mastertarium” (“Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” part)
•2003: Metallica featuring Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian – “Creeping Death” – Reading Festival 2003
•2006: Buckethead featuring Shana Halligan and Serj Tankian – “Waiting Hare”
•2007: Tool featuring Serj Tankian – “Sober” (improvisational version) – Big Day Out 2007 (Auckland only)
•2007: Fair to Midland featuring Serj Tankian – “Walls of Jericho” (improvisational version) – Coachella 2007
•2007: Foo Fighters featuring Serj Tankian – “Holiday in Cambodia” – 2007 MTV Video Music Awards
•2008: The Nightwatchman (acoustic) featuring Serj Tankian – “Lazarus on Down” – Big Day Out 2008 (Auckland only)

Remixes
•2005: M.I.A. – “Galang” (Serj Tankian Remix) – Galang ‘05
•2006: Dredg – “Ode to the Sun” (Serj Tankian Remix) (Unreleased)
•2006: The Notorious B.I.G. – “Who Shot Ya?” (Serj Tankian Remix) – Marc Eckō’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure