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Down with the System

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Down with the System

By: Serj Tankian
Narrated by: Serj Tankian
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About this listen

The incredible first memoir by System Of A Down frontman Serj Tankian

With nearly 40 million record sales, three albums topping the Billboard charts, a Grammy win and a legion of fans, System Of A Down are one of the biggest metal bands on the planet. At their core has always been Serj Tankian, whose journey from the streets of Beirut to rock superstardom is as remarkable and unlikely as you'll get.

By dint of luck, circumstance, struggle, and more than a little talent, Serj has had the chance to live an extraordinary life. In Down With the System, he retraces this remarkable and unlikely journey, and explores what it's taught him - about music, about art, about activism, and about himself. From teaming up with Tom Morello to push social justice causes on unsuspecting metalheads, arguing with LAPD officers over the best way to quell his rioting fans, and traveling with Anthony Bourdain through Armenia one meal at a time, Down With the System is an immigrant's tale, an activist's awakening, and rock memoir unlike any other.

©2024 Serj Tankian (P)2024 Headline Publishing Group Ltd Entertainment & Celebrities Music Heartfelt Thought-Provoking

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All stars
Most relevant
I'm not usually into biographies or memoirs but this was absolutely amazing! as a big SOAD fan I had high hopes about this book and Serj certainly provided the goods. from his family experience to his time in SOAD everything just hits the spot. having Serj himself read the book made it all the more special. thank you serj x

absolutely brilliant

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I've only recently become a fan of System of a Down and didn't know a lot about the band members so took a chance on this book.

Serj is a natural storyteller with an incredible speaking voice. He welcomes you in to his story like you're sitting beside him.

Highly recommended.

Life is a waterfall...

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It's a good book, it's got some insights. I didn't come with the expectation that it would be a book all about the band and exciting stories and so on. An autobiography doesn't have to be that. Especially one "of sorts". But the entire book had so many instances of Serj trying to justify various decisions and as much as I get where it's coming from - from feeling like it's an injustice to have people think you were at fault for something when you were actually set up or they just don't know the details - it's not what people want to read. At least not when it's present every other chapter.
Although he seems like a good guy and his activism is well appreciated, it's like pettiness and victimhood is present a lot.
There's a lot of finger pointing even toward his own band members which just feels off and he could have expressed things differently.
As for the performance it also seems a bit extra here and there.

Good.

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Having waited and constantly filled family and friend's conversations with expectations about this book, it might sound like another SOAD fanatic. Well, yes but not until recently. Having listened to SOAD's five albums while growing up, I don't recall having particularly hung up on a song (not more than the usual back then). Well, I was a teenager born and raised in what seems like a far away land (that's Baghdad, Iraq), and yet I devoured all the Grunge and NuMetal era could produce. It wasn't until knowing more about the band's history and living in the UK's Arab diaspora, I gained better understanding of Serj's journey. I somehow started feeling a much stronger connection and empathy to his interpretations of life events. I was hooked on listening to every line of Serj's memoir, and almost at every turn I wait with a youngster’s anticipation to hear his next line. His family's struggle surviving the Armenian Genocide to later himself being questioned about his patriotism or threatened for advocating for the Armenians' ongoing suffering is a testament to this gentleman's emotional resilience and dedication to the cause. In anticipation to this memoir's launch, Me and my 9 years old son (no forward planning) started to listen again to all SOAD and Serj's tracks on repeat. Though we never stopped getting the endorphin rush from ruining our vocal boxes trying to imitate Serj's vocals, we were more touched by the depth and relevance of their lyrics. This memoir sheds much needed light into Serj as a person in and out the sphere of System Of A Down. Listening to Serj's softly explaining the band's dynamics and always providing opposite views or perceptions to his is a testament to this man's humility and constant pursuit of understanding the world. A while ago, I listened to Chris Cornell's Total F*cking Godhead, Anthony Bourdian's Kitchen Confidental and Mark Laneghan's Sing Backwards and Weep. I must say this came in a perfect timing to understand more about this group of creative individuals. Today's world tragedies are better dealt with knowing you're here to help facing them, Serj! Having myself lived through three brutal wars, being repeatedly displaced, I could see myself re-listening to this memoir and yet experience different yet hopefully again optimistic views. I personally find this memoir much needed to navigate our lives in the Arabic diaspora (or any of sorts) which is becoming increasingly challenging. A side note, my son believes that he won’t experience the same musical connection and joy listening to Serj and SOAD as he grows up.

A much waited and needed insight into Serj's world

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Serj is one of life’s natural storytellers! I’ve loved System for so many years but never looked into individual members. I felt like I was listening to an old friend - I laughed, cried and got angry along with him. I found Serj’s life and family history so interesting, I now want to know more about Armenian history, food and folk music. I loved the honesty and openness throughout the whole book and despite the many sad and often frustrating life experiences talked about in it, it’s left me feeling positive and wanting to share positivity. Serj seems like a genuinely beautiful, faulty and humble human and I’m so pleased I got to hear him speak his own words. I’m now off to fall down a rabbit hole of Serj’s solo art!

Heartbreaking, personal and uplifting.

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