Shavo Odadjian Says He Wishes System of a Down Would Release a New Album Every Two Years
Daron Malakian says it’s Serj’s fault. Serj Tankian says it’s Daron Malakian’s fault. The issue with new System of a Down music, it seems, is that three members of the band would be content to simply write “the next System of a Down album” while Serj would like to take the band’s music in a new direction while establishing what he claims would be a more egalitarian structure for creative input and financial splits.
Bassist Shavo Odadjian is firmly in the “it’s Serj’s fault” camp, saying in a new interview with SiriusXM radio personality Jose Mangin that if he had his way System would be a working band that released a new album every two years. He also spoke a bit about what music he’s currently working on, among other topics. Here’s how the conversation went down [transcribed by Ultimate Guitar]:
“If I had it my way, we’d be the working band that released an album every two years, toured for it and, like, did what we set out to do.”
You know what I love about you? You go to shows, I see you’re posting pictures, you’re hanging with the band…
“I was a fan before anything, and I will always be a fan. I’m not going to change this because my job is this or this became a part of my life.”
The cool thing about your music is that look how ageless it is. You guys haven’t put out anything in, I don’t even know how long…
“2005 [when the band’s latest album ‘Hypnotize’ came out], so it’s, like, 13-14 years ago. There were people at the airport coming from LA, a lot of cool people. We’re blessed, and I’m honored that we’re still relevant even after not being present and not releasing anything new.”
I know the guys all kind of have their own thing. What about you?
“Musically, I have a project that I’m working on. I’m making music in a studio, it’s got a hip-hop vibe. I’ve always loved hip-hop. My heart’s in metal always, and then also kind of like all the guys that are involved are also metalheads, so we might twist it and have an actual band that also can do, like, straight hip-hop. Not rap-rock, we’re not doing that. It’s different. It’s just we’re using elements that I play, so I’m doing that, I’ve written a lot of songs just in case we do an album.”
All this comes on the heels of Serj’s proclamation a few days ago that “the status has not changed” with regards to new music. Serj’s and Shavo’s interviews were almost surely conducted without knowledge of one another, but that we’ve got two members of the band both saying “no new music soon” underscores the fact that it definitely ain’t happening. Sorry, everyone!
Meanwhile, System of a Down are plenty content to play live shows, as the band recently announced touring plans for 2020 including festivals in Finland and Germany with more expected to be announced soon. That’ll have to do for now.
