Serj Tankian was almost replaced in System of a Down: “I was taken aback”
Serj Tankian, the frontman of System of a Down, has revealed that the band sought a replacement for him. The metal group began auditioning prospective singers after Tankian offered to resign from the role in 2018.
The Lebanese-Armenian singer-songwriter and musician published his new autobiography on May 14th. Titled Down With the System: A Memoir (Of Sorts), the new book explores Tankian’s emphasic rise to stardom with System of a Down and his ongoing grapple with fame and political activism.
In an extract provided to Rolling Stone, Tankian revealed that his distaste for touring has grown more intense in recent years. Thus, he nearly retired from his role in System of a Down in 2018, leaving the position open for another singer and lyricist.
He first aired his concerns at a meeting towards the end of 2017 at band manager Beno’s office. “When I arrived, I told everyone that I had an item I wanted to add to the agenda,” Tankian recalled. “We went through the rigamarole of regular business discussions, and then it came time for my item.”
Tankian brought up his proposal in a comically casual manner. “‘So, who’s going to throw me a going-away party?’ I asked the group. ‘Do one of you guys want to be the master of ceremonies?’ I laughed a little, but I was serious,” he wrote. “‘Look guys, I’ve been very clear that I’m no longer interested in touring both due to my back and because it’s just no longer something within my vision.'”
The singer revealed that his decision was as much about allowing his bandmates the freedom to thrive in his stead as it was about pursuing his external passions. “This is your dream,” he told them. “This is what you’ve worked for your whole life. You deserve to have this.’ I looked at Daron, Shavo, and John, knowing what I said next would hit hard. ‘I think you guys should find a new singer.'”
Subsequently, Tankian’s bandmates resisted the plan before a brief cooling-off period. When, at last, they regrouped, the band informed Tankian that they had begun auditioning new singers. “I sort of thought they’d forgotten about the whole idea of hiring a new singer, but a year or so later, John, Shavo, and I were at a fundraiser in Glendale, and this singer I knew got up and sang this beautiful Armenian song,” he continued. “Shavo was sitting next to me at the table. He leaned over and tapped me on the shoulder.”
“I was taken aback,” Tankian recalled of his reaction. “Not that they had been auditioning replacements, but that they’d kept it a secret.”
It appears that Tankian is on the fence and revealed that he even pitched a close friend as a potential replacement more recently. However, for now, it appears that Tankian is staying put, even if they are less active than previously. System of a Down performed just one live show in 2023 and have only played one so far in 2024.
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