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Downloaded from
YTS.MX
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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX
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Okay.
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So I wanna begin
with a... with a simple question:
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you've been
pursuing justice all your life,
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you've been singing
about justice all your life.
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Right.
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So, can
music change the world?
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In 2015, System of a
Down played our first show in
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Armenia.
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We were so excited to
perform for our people.
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But there was something
that was really gnawing at me.
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I knew that Armenia's government
was corrupt to the core and
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needed to change.
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And the country's biggest square
was filling up with people
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waiting to hear
what we had to say.
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Before the show...
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I had this sense of
calmness that is rare.
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And I just looked at the
guys and it almost felt like we
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were... created...
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to play that night.
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We've come a
long way, Armenia.
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But there's still a lot
of fucking work to do.
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I didn't know how long it
would take for the reversal
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of fortunes.
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But I knew that it was coming.
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We are System of a Down,
and it's our responsibility...
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to tell you these things and
to rock you at the same time.
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The Armenian hard rockers
System of a Down are political
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and popular.
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They're a damn good
rock and roll band!
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System of a Down!
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The
Grammy Award-winning band...
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Sold
nearly 20 million CDs.
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Propelled by the powerful band,
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frontman Serj Tankian...
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Serj Tankian
has emerged as a voice of
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justice for the Armenian people.
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My grandfather's a survivor
of the Armenian genocide.
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Calling on the
world to recognize the forgotten
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Armenian genocide of 1915, but
also taking on Armenia's own
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government.
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The people are out there,
tired of a corrupt regime,
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and they want it to change.
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And calling
on his millions of fans...
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to bring down the system.
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Continue your path of peaceful
resistance and don't fall into
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the traps of provocateurs.
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This is our living room,
and, uh, we're surrounded
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by trees and... and
love living amongst them.
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Because of touring, I... I don't
get a lot of time to relax on
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the road, so when I come home,
I like being in a silent place.
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So we've got, uh, a Grammy here.
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"System of a Down...
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B.Y.O.B, Best Hard
Rock Performance."
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They used to be downstairs in my
office but that turned into our
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son's room so...
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now they hang out here.
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All right.
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So that's the closet.
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Music was always
important to me.
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Um, you know, I listened
to music at home as a kid.
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Let's see what's in here.
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But I've been writing poetry
longer than I've been playing
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music.
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So this is '97.
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January 8, '97.
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So this is... this must be the
year we got signed with System.
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Poetry, to me, was very
important because it was a way
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of reaching the truth
without necessarily,
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uh, reasonable prose.
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I had a habit of writing every
night before I went to sleep.
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That's why a lot of it,
I've converted into lyrics.
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Oh, here's... here's a... here's
an early System song that no
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one's ever heard because
we've never released it.
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It's called "Friik."
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F-R-double I-K.
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So it goes, "What's my problem?
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Here's my problem.
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My problem is that I'm
too visual to be blind,
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too audiological to be deaf,
too idealogical to be in peace,
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too compassionate to be in
war, too crazy to be sane,
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too sane to be lazy,
too emotional to be you."
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It's kind of interesting because
when I first started music,
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I had no idea of
where I would end up.
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My own family came
here to Los Angeles,
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migrated in 1975.
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You can see some
of the signs, uh,
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written in Armenian.
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You can see a sign that
says "Little Armenia"...
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here.
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Where?
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I don't see it.
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Um, trust me,
it's Little Armenia.
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Right in the
middle of Hollywood,
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the Armenian
community had a school,
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a church,
different cafes, bakeries,
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restaurants.
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- Hey!
- Hey!
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- How are you, bro?
- Hey, Serj.
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You know, it was... it
was a settlement with Armenians
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from all over the world.
Very good!
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- How's everything?
- Good.
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Good to see you.
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Very good!
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You know, the
different foods...
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the smells that you'd get
walking on Hollywood Boulevard
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or Fountain...
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I mean, look at this.
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It's like heaven.
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Gata.
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Or the yelling on the streets
and... and honking for someone to
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come down.
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All of those are kind of a
really beautiful tapestry in...
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in my mind as a child.
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Mm.
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Wow.
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That's good.
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That looks good, too.
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I'm gonna try the same one.
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When my parents came
here, they had zero money and
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they did not
neglect our education.
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From day one, they put
us in Armenian school.
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And within that community, I
made a lot of great friends.
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After graduating high school,
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I got accepted to Cal
State University Northridge.
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At the time, I didn't really
know what I wanted to do as a
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career, so I
thought I'd do business.
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It's while I was going to
university that I got a small
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Casio keyboard and started
playing it as a way to kind of
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relieve my senses from
my mind always working,
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whether it was on studies or
what was going on with the rest
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of my life at the time.
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I was always very
rational, very studious,
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very... kind of thinking
and the studying mind.
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But once I started doing music,
I realized that the right side
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of my brain can really take off.
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The first band
that I ever played in,
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uh, was called Forever Young.
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I started playing
keyboards with them.
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The one and only show
that we ever played was
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at the Armenian Cultural
Center in Hollywood.
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It was an
interesting start,
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'cause first of all, we were
doing songs in English and in
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Armenian.
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'Cause that really
was our lives as young
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Armenian-Americans
growing up in Los Angeles.
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You know, we were a part of
both cultures simultaneously.
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So while
in Forever Young,
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we... we were sharing a rehearsal
space with another band,
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ano... uh, a bunch
of friends of ours.
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And at one point, they
brought in a new guitarist,
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and that was Daron Malakian.
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The first time we
actually worked together was
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on a song called "Waco Jesus."
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It's a song that we both
co-wrote along with the guys
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from Forever Young.
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And it's the first song
I ever recorded as a vocalist.
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And the reason I sang on it was
our singer wasn't around to sing
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and... and I had written
the lyrics already for it.
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So after working
on the song with Daron,
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we clicked.
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Dave Hakopyan was our
bassist in both bands,
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so he joined us as our bassist.
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- Is it recording?
- Yeah.
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And formed
a band called Soil.
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♪ Why can't you ♪
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♪ Look at me... ♪
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Soil was around
for eight months.
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And it's in Soil that I
started developing my chops.
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I was, like, going for anything.
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Why did you
guys play it so fast,
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man?
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I was playing music
at nights, but still,
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I wouldn't admit to myself
that that was my calling.
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And after university, uh,
started working with my uncle in
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the jewelry
business in downtown LA.
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You know, uh, doing trade
shows and being on the calls,
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taking orders.
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And a few years in, I was...
I was really disgruntled.
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I'm like, "This
is not my vision.
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This is not my path."
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After a long day
of work downtown,
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I drove to Long Beach, uh, to
take these Kaplan classes to,
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uh, learn how to take the
L-SAT, and I realized I had zero
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enthusiasm for the legal field,
even though I thought I could do
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it, you know?
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And I remember going once or
twice and it was horrible.
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I... I... I didn't know
what I was doing there.
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I was fuckin' depressed.
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It was really late at
night, raining like crazy,
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and I had an
epiphany, I just...
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I got overwhelmed.
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My subconscious
literally took over.
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I slammed on
the... on the brakes.
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I started hitting my dashboard
and going "I wanna fucking do
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music.
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00:11:01,975 --> 00:11:03,378
Fuck all this shit."
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And from there, my life changed.
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603, take two,
common mark.
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Ouch.
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I was playing in a band...
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off of Verdugo in Burbank at
Nightingale Studios where Serj
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00:11:23,563 --> 00:11:25,466
was at, so that's
where I met Serj.
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00:11:25,499 --> 00:11:28,002
I kind of saw him as
a keyboard player.
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00:11:28,335 --> 00:11:30,437
He was always, like, the elder
and he had businesses and he was
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00:11:30,471 --> 00:11:31,371
doing other things.
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00:11:31,405 --> 00:11:33,274
He's always done too
many... a lot of things.
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00:11:33,307 --> 00:11:34,008
I said "too many."
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00:11:34,041 --> 00:11:35,576
He's always done
a lot of things.
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00:11:38,479 --> 00:11:41,749
Two weeks later, I get
a call from their bass player,
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00:11:41,782 --> 00:11:43,451
Dave, and he's like, "You know,
I'm not gonna be in the band
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00:11:43,484 --> 00:11:44,619
anymore.
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00:11:44,652 --> 00:11:46,988
I don't know if... I think
they want to play with you."
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00:11:47,654 --> 00:11:49,957
And I'm like, "What do
you mean 'play with me?'"
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00:11:50,291 --> 00:11:52,994
A couple of days... a
couple of weeks passed and...
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00:11:53,027 --> 00:11:55,162
we talked and we said, "We're
gonna do a different band.
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00:11:55,195 --> 00:11:55,796
We're not doing Soil.
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00:11:55,828 --> 00:11:56,496
We're not continuing Soil.
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00:11:56,529 --> 00:11:59,165
Soil is... Soil was what it was.
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00:11:59,198 --> 00:12:00,633
We're gonna go
somewhere else with me.
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00:12:00,667 --> 00:12:02,470
And we'll find a drummer."
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00:12:02,503 --> 00:12:04,205
So, it was on.
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00:12:05,172 --> 00:12:07,341
Daron's always
been a great songwriter.
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00:12:07,374 --> 00:12:09,744
I was bringing in the lyrics,
Shavo would bring in a riff or
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00:12:09,777 --> 00:12:11,079
two.
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00:12:11,111 --> 00:12:14,514
But I can tell you, I remember
the day when John first played
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00:12:14,548 --> 00:12:15,750
with us.
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00:12:15,783 --> 00:12:19,153
System of a Down's
sound went from this...
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00:12:19,186 --> 00:12:20,187
to this.
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00:12:20,220 --> 00:12:21,654
Praise the Lord!
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00:12:21,687 --> 00:12:24,290
Pass the ammunition!
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00:12:24,323 --> 00:12:26,359
God wants you to go to war.
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00:12:44,410 --> 00:12:45,779
Being that
we're all Armenian,
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00:12:45,812 --> 00:12:47,648
it is pretty unique, you know?
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00:12:47,681 --> 00:12:50,551
Um, not too many people
knew what Armenians were,
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00:12:50,583 --> 00:12:52,786
especially in the
United States at that time.
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00:12:52,820 --> 00:12:55,056
Uh, there were no
Kardashians yet.
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00:12:59,359 --> 00:13:02,163
It wasn't just
a band playing music.
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00:13:02,196 --> 00:13:06,533
It was a musical
cause taking the stage.
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00:13:06,567 --> 00:13:10,104
And Serj came with a
chip on his shoulder.
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00:13:15,109 --> 00:13:18,179
Once you're onstage, I've
called it the "truth serum" in a
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00:13:18,211 --> 00:13:20,814
way, because I don't think
about what I'm going to say,
244
00:13:20,847 --> 00:13:22,682
how I'm going to say it.
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00:13:22,716 --> 00:13:25,086
I just open my
mouth and it comes out.
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00:13:35,797 --> 00:13:38,533
But all of it comes
from a personal place.
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00:13:45,239 --> 00:13:47,541
One of the songs that I
remember from my childhood very
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00:13:47,573 --> 00:13:51,111
vividly is a song that my
dad used to always sing.
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00:13:51,412 --> 00:13:53,648
A song called "Bari Aragil."
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00:14:03,423 --> 00:14:05,692
As a kid, I didn't
know what the lyrics meant.
251
00:14:05,725 --> 00:14:10,431
"Bari aragil," uh, literally
translated means "kind stork."
252
00:14:10,464 --> 00:14:14,268
And the stork is known as
the bird that returns home.
253
00:14:14,301 --> 00:14:18,772
And so, um, it's been used as
a symbolism for Armenians that
254
00:14:18,804 --> 00:14:21,774
want to return home because
most Armenians are diasporan
255
00:14:21,807 --> 00:14:22,942
Armenians.
256
00:14:22,975 --> 00:14:26,246
Most Armenians have lived
outside of the homeland.
257
00:14:28,347 --> 00:14:29,916
The reason that the
Armenian community is spread
258
00:14:29,950 --> 00:14:33,521
around the world is
because of the genocide.
259
00:14:33,953 --> 00:14:36,456
During the first World War,
the Ottomans committed their
260
00:14:36,490 --> 00:14:38,325
atrocities, there
was a genocide,
261
00:14:38,357 --> 00:14:40,260
one-and-a-half
million people were killed,
262
00:14:40,293 --> 00:14:41,761
and those that
escaped... you know,
263
00:14:41,794 --> 00:14:44,631
the orphans and whatnot...
made it all the way to the
264
00:14:44,664 --> 00:14:47,634
Middle East and
different parts of the world.
265
00:14:50,703 --> 00:14:52,939
When we were at an age where we
could actually understand and
266
00:14:52,972 --> 00:14:55,909
speak about these things, my
grandparents explained to us
267
00:14:55,942 --> 00:14:59,480
their family story and how
they survived the genocide.
268
00:15:07,821 --> 00:15:10,925
After witnessing the murder of
his father and going blind from
269
00:15:10,957 --> 00:15:13,760
hunger, my grandfather
eventually ended up in an
270
00:15:13,793 --> 00:15:16,329
orphanage in Lebanon.
271
00:15:16,663 --> 00:15:19,399
So I was actually
born in Beirut.
272
00:15:19,666 --> 00:15:24,371
But a civil war in 1975 forced
my family to escape again,
273
00:15:24,403 --> 00:15:26,841
this time, to Los Angeles.
274
00:15:28,042 --> 00:15:31,644
The continued denial of the
genocide by the government of
275
00:15:31,677 --> 00:15:34,715
Turkey has further
fueled this trauma.
276
00:15:42,722 --> 00:15:46,659
And it doesn't help the US
government being a NATO ally for
277
00:15:46,692 --> 00:15:51,331
political expediency or to sell
them more Apache helicopters or
278
00:15:51,365 --> 00:15:52,667
different economic reasons.
279
00:15:52,700 --> 00:15:55,002
Congress has
once again failed to recognize
280
00:15:55,034 --> 00:15:58,572
the Armenian genocide,
presumably fearing repercussions
281
00:15:58,605 --> 00:15:59,572
from Turkey.
282
00:15:59,605 --> 00:16:02,875
A sour note for the
Armenian community.
283
00:16:02,908 --> 00:16:04,711
- Hey, wow.
- How are you?
284
00:16:04,745 --> 00:16:07,548
- Such a long time, how are you?
- I know, good seeing you...
285
00:16:07,581 --> 00:16:09,383
In other words, we're
dealing with a country that has
286
00:16:09,416 --> 00:16:11,986
committed genocide that is not
admitting that they've committed
287
00:16:12,019 --> 00:16:12,887
genocide.
288
00:16:12,919 --> 00:16:15,521
And we're treating
them like a close ally.
289
00:16:15,554 --> 00:16:17,357
And that is wrong
in anybody's book.
290
00:16:17,390 --> 00:16:20,526
You guys are the generation to
come up with new ways and new
291
00:16:20,559 --> 00:16:23,863
interesting, uh,
empathetic ways of,
292
00:16:23,897 --> 00:16:27,868
uh, having people understand not
just the Armenian genocide but,
293
00:16:27,900 --> 00:16:30,370
because of our history
and what we've experienced,
294
00:16:30,403 --> 00:16:33,841
having people understand the
scourge of genocide in general.
295
00:16:38,446 --> 00:16:40,014
We have a surprise for you.
296
00:16:40,047 --> 00:16:42,016
- Okay.
- And we really hope you like it.
297
00:16:42,048 --> 00:16:43,451
Okay.
298
00:16:43,884 --> 00:16:44,851
Oh, wow.
299
00:16:44,884 --> 00:16:46,620
A musical number.
300
00:16:58,597 --> 00:17:01,769
For me, the recognition
of the Armenian genocide has
301
00:17:01,802 --> 00:17:03,937
always been a personal quest.
302
00:17:05,939 --> 00:17:07,474
Amazing, wow.
303
00:17:07,507 --> 00:17:09,576
Before my
grandfather passed away,
304
00:17:09,608 --> 00:17:13,079
I made a promise that I would
do my best to take this issue to
305
00:17:13,113 --> 00:17:16,450
the forefront of
whatever I do in my life.
306
00:17:23,490 --> 00:17:24,791
Wow.
307
00:17:27,961 --> 00:17:29,630
You guys are awesome.
308
00:17:31,664 --> 00:17:33,366
That was beautiful.
309
00:17:33,866 --> 00:17:35,635
That's awesome, thank you.
310
00:17:37,703 --> 00:17:39,673
A lot of the
labels were scared of them.
311
00:17:39,705 --> 00:17:40,873
They didn't get it.
312
00:17:40,906 --> 00:17:43,509
How do you market four Armenian
guys that are not scared to
313
00:17:43,542 --> 00:17:46,112
speak their mind, that can
polarize people by speaking
314
00:17:46,145 --> 00:17:48,481
about the lack of recognition
of Armenian genocide,
315
00:17:48,515 --> 00:17:51,785
about... about
politics, about corruption.
316
00:17:51,817 --> 00:17:53,820
Free-thinkers are dangerous!
317
00:17:56,222 --> 00:17:57,790
And that's one of
the things that people really
318
00:17:57,824 --> 00:17:59,692
latched onto as fans.
319
00:17:59,726 --> 00:18:02,963
And so through time, that
uniqueness became their biggest
320
00:18:02,996 --> 00:18:03,997
power.
321
00:18:04,029 --> 00:18:07,800
♪ Need the ones you love and ♪
322
00:18:07,834 --> 00:18:11,839
♪ Love the ones you bleed... ♪
323
00:18:12,372 --> 00:18:15,976
By the time that we
actually played the Viper Room,
324
00:18:16,009 --> 00:18:18,945
our manager mentioned that he'd
love to have Rick Rubin hear our
325
00:18:18,979 --> 00:18:19,947
band.
326
00:18:19,980 --> 00:18:20,814
And we were like, "What?
327
00:18:20,847 --> 00:18:23,116
Rick Rubin might
come to see us play?
328
00:18:23,150 --> 00:18:23,984
Wow."
329
00:18:24,017 --> 00:18:25,920
Like, we were blown away.
330
00:18:26,753 --> 00:18:31,657
From Def Jam to, you know,
Slayer to everything he had
331
00:18:31,691 --> 00:18:33,826
done, the Chili
Peppers and, you know,
332
00:18:33,859 --> 00:18:36,363
it's... we just thought
it would be perfect.
333
00:18:37,330 --> 00:18:41,501
So we started playing,
and we see Rick Rubin walking in
334
00:18:41,535 --> 00:18:43,704
and sitting right there.
335
00:18:44,203 --> 00:18:48,375
♪ It'll be all right ♪
336
00:19:00,453 --> 00:19:03,022
Hey!
337
00:19:03,056 --> 00:19:04,091
The Viper
Room was packed.
338
00:19:04,124 --> 00:19:06,559
I can remember where I
was sitting in the booth.
339
00:19:06,593 --> 00:19:08,695
Sitting up on the top of the
booth because it was... you
340
00:19:08,728 --> 00:19:11,164
couldn't s... everybody was so
wild that you had to be up high
341
00:19:11,198 --> 00:19:13,167
to be able to see anything.
342
00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:16,036
And I remember watching
the show and just laughing.
343
00:19:16,068 --> 00:19:18,938
And I... it was so...
344
00:19:18,971 --> 00:19:23,543
extreme and different than
anything that I saw before that
345
00:19:23,576 --> 00:19:25,211
the... the only
reaction was to laugh.
346
00:19:25,244 --> 00:19:28,915
What it sounded like to me was
a combination of ancient folk
347
00:19:28,949 --> 00:19:32,885
music mixed with heavy
metal, and I'd never heard that
348
00:19:32,919 --> 00:19:34,054
combination.
349
00:19:34,086 --> 00:19:35,955
And it was thrilling.
350
00:19:51,070 --> 00:19:54,106
This is
Rick's house's studio.
351
00:19:54,140 --> 00:19:57,811
Look, we've got
machinery, we've got animals...
352
00:19:57,844 --> 00:19:58,245
Molly!
353
00:19:58,278 --> 00:19:59,112
Molly!
354
00:20:09,855 --> 00:20:13,093
So when the record was ready,
we went on tour with Slayer.
355
00:20:13,125 --> 00:20:14,961
We are in System of a
Down's dressing room.
356
00:20:14,994 --> 00:20:17,096
Serj, the resident terrorist.
357
00:20:17,130 --> 00:20:21,935
And that was like bootcamp, to
learn how to deal with a Slayer
358
00:20:21,968 --> 00:20:23,202
audience.
359
00:20:23,236 --> 00:20:28,108
There was this one show where we
played the first song and no one
360
00:20:28,141 --> 00:20:30,009
reacted to it.
361
00:20:30,710 --> 00:20:33,779
And I think it was Daron's idea
to just play the song again.
362
00:20:33,813 --> 00:20:35,148
We're System of a Down.
363
00:20:35,181 --> 00:20:37,651
And whether you like
us or you hate us...
364
00:20:37,683 --> 00:20:39,086
They're gonna kill us!
365
00:20:39,118 --> 00:20:41,254
I'm like, "I'm so
glad you loved that song.
366
00:20:41,288 --> 00:20:42,788
We're gonna play
it for you again."
367
00:20:42,821 --> 00:20:45,258
We played it again and
we got their respect.
368
00:20:49,296 --> 00:20:52,132
That experience
basically prepared me
369
00:20:52,164 --> 00:20:53,966
for a touring career.
370
00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:57,971
See, you can play a lampshade
and consider yourself an artist.
371
00:20:58,003 --> 00:21:01,040
If you do it right, it there's
lights going on and off and on
372
00:21:01,074 --> 00:21:02,676
and off and on...
373
00:21:02,709 --> 00:21:05,278
I'm so lucky to be
playing music with three of
374
00:21:05,311 --> 00:21:07,680
my best friends in the world.
375
00:21:07,713 --> 00:21:08,914
That's my life, you know?
376
00:21:08,949 --> 00:21:11,151
I don't have to play... 'cause
if I had a 9-to-5 job at a bank
377
00:21:11,183 --> 00:21:13,319
like I used to or
delivering flowers,
378
00:21:13,353 --> 00:21:16,690
I'd still go home at
night and play my guitar.
379
00:21:16,722 --> 00:21:19,659
Those first two and a
half years of touring is what
380
00:21:19,692 --> 00:21:22,162
solidified System permanently.
381
00:21:23,195 --> 00:21:27,733
Created that one-on-one
interaction with people that
382
00:21:27,767 --> 00:21:29,201
became the early System fans.
383
00:21:29,234 --> 00:21:30,870
System of a Down, man!
384
00:21:30,903 --> 00:21:32,005
Wooh!
385
00:21:32,038 --> 00:21:34,307
They're the ones
that spread the gospel.
386
00:21:34,340 --> 00:21:38,210
We are having our say and we
are having our voice on... on
387
00:21:38,243 --> 00:21:40,313
political issues, but
they're putting it into music,
388
00:21:40,346 --> 00:21:43,215
which is getting out to loads
of people across... across the
389
00:21:43,249 --> 00:21:44,718
world.
390
00:21:44,750 --> 00:21:46,019
♪ Why'd you leave the
keys upon the table? ♪
391
00:21:46,051 --> 00:21:46,719
♪ (You wanted to) ♪
392
00:21:46,752 --> 00:21:48,221
♪ I don't think you trust... ♪
393
00:21:48,253 --> 00:21:50,057
We were writing
our second record,
394
00:21:50,089 --> 00:21:53,693
in the studio
recording the song "Chop Suey."
395
00:21:53,727 --> 00:21:56,196
So we were writing, you
know, the... the lyrics but that
396
00:21:56,229 --> 00:21:59,199
middle, the
breakdown part, I was stuck.
397
00:21:59,231 --> 00:22:01,902
We went to the
library of my house and I said,
398
00:22:01,934 --> 00:22:04,203
"Just pick a book randomly"
and you picked a book randomly,
399
00:22:04,237 --> 00:22:07,106
and I said, "Open it up randomly
and just point to a phrase."
400
00:22:07,140 --> 00:22:10,611
I couldn't believe it when I
put my finger and I read it.
401
00:22:10,810 --> 00:22:13,346
The universe is
conspiring on our behalf all the
402
00:22:13,380 --> 00:22:16,717
time if you're... if you're open.
403
00:22:16,750 --> 00:22:19,885
And that ended up being the
first line of the bridge.
404
00:22:19,919 --> 00:22:21,121
"Father, have you forsaken me?
405
00:22:21,153 --> 00:22:22,189
Father, have you forsaken me?"
406
00:22:22,221 --> 00:22:23,923
♪ Father! (Father!) ♪
407
00:22:23,957 --> 00:22:26,059
♪ Father! (Father!) ♪
408
00:22:26,092 --> 00:22:29,763
♪ Father, into your hands,
I commend my spirit ♪
409
00:22:29,796 --> 00:22:34,802
♪ Father, into your hands,
why have you forsaken me? ♪
410
00:22:35,269 --> 00:22:38,971
♪ In your eyes forsaken me ♪
411
00:22:39,005 --> 00:22:42,776
♪ In your thoughts forsaken me ♪
412
00:22:42,808 --> 00:22:46,245
♪ I cry ♪
413
00:22:46,278 --> 00:22:49,281
♪ When angels deserve to die... ♪
414
00:22:49,315 --> 00:22:52,818
'Toxicity' was
released September of 2001.
415
00:22:52,852 --> 00:22:56,256
And the day before, we were
gonna have a show in Hollywood
416
00:22:56,288 --> 00:22:57,824
to obviously set up the record.
417
00:22:57,856 --> 00:22:59,259
It was a free show.
418
00:22:59,659 --> 00:23:04,098
And I don't think anyone
knew how big the band was.
419
00:23:04,998 --> 00:23:07,801
As were about
to play the show...
420
00:23:08,634 --> 00:23:10,436
we're told that there
are too many people.
421
00:23:10,470 --> 00:23:13,273
This was supposed to be a free
concert by the group System of a
422
00:23:13,306 --> 00:23:16,109
Down, and it did
go downhill fast.
423
00:23:16,142 --> 00:23:17,243
Police on horseback...
424
00:23:17,277 --> 00:23:19,846
The fire marshal won't
let us on the stage to play.
425
00:23:19,878 --> 00:23:21,180
Breaking down barricades,
426
00:23:21,213 --> 00:23:23,416
fans tipped over
speakers onstage,
427
00:23:23,450 --> 00:23:25,786
took off running with
expensive equipment,
428
00:23:25,818 --> 00:23:26,953
and vandalized anything...
429
00:23:26,987 --> 00:23:28,822
They didn't know
who the riot was about,
430
00:23:28,855 --> 00:23:29,789
what was happening.
431
00:23:29,823 --> 00:23:30,424
Like, what?
432
00:23:30,457 --> 00:23:31,658
This is all about a band?
433
00:23:31,692 --> 00:23:34,861
Like wildfire,
through the crowd and then the
434
00:23:34,894 --> 00:23:35,995
streets of Hollywood...
435
00:23:36,028 --> 00:23:39,965
The newswire circulated
nationwide on the eve of our
436
00:23:39,999 --> 00:23:41,000
record release.
437
00:23:41,300 --> 00:23:44,003
Are System of a
Down fans taking the message of
438
00:23:44,037 --> 00:23:46,673
political rebellion too far?
439
00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:49,710
I mean, who the hell
thought System of a Down,
440
00:23:49,742 --> 00:23:54,047
four Armenian kids, misfits that
came together and made music
441
00:23:54,079 --> 00:23:56,817
that never should
have been popular,
442
00:23:56,849 --> 00:24:00,186
now we're on CNN and
there's a riot because of us?
443
00:24:00,554 --> 00:24:02,155
And that was it, man.
444
00:24:02,188 --> 00:24:04,191
That was the spark.
445
00:24:05,258 --> 00:24:09,863
♪ When angels deserve to die ♪
446
00:24:09,895 --> 00:24:13,067
And then, it was like
two weeks later and.
447
00:24:15,501 --> 00:24:17,203
It
is beautiful outside,
448
00:24:17,237 --> 00:24:19,306
perfect September day
with lots of sunshine.
449
00:24:19,338 --> 00:24:20,373
Oh, would you look at...
450
00:24:20,405 --> 00:24:21,640
This just in.
451
00:24:21,673 --> 00:24:24,310
You are looking at, obviously, a
very disturbing live shot there.
452
00:24:24,344 --> 00:24:26,346
That is the World Trade
Center and we have...
453
00:24:26,378 --> 00:24:27,046
Oh, my God.
454
00:24:27,079 --> 00:24:28,481
Another plane has just hit.
455
00:24:28,515 --> 00:24:29,850
Oh,
another one just hit!
456
00:24:29,883 --> 00:24:31,183
Oh, my God.
457
00:24:31,217 --> 00:24:32,051
It was fucked up.
458
00:24:32,085 --> 00:24:33,119
Like, everything
felt out-of-control.
459
00:24:33,153 --> 00:24:36,021
Everything felt like
there was no one in charge.
460
00:24:36,055 --> 00:24:37,923
I saw smoke coming out and
everybody started running out
461
00:24:37,957 --> 00:24:40,894
and we saw the plane on the
other s... side of the building
462
00:24:40,926 --> 00:24:43,096
and there was smoke everywhere
and people were jumping out the
463
00:24:43,128 --> 00:24:44,330
windows... over there!
464
00:24:44,364 --> 00:24:45,665
They're jumping
out the windows...
465
00:24:45,699 --> 00:24:49,035
I was so depressed by
what was going on that it made
466
00:24:49,067 --> 00:24:51,872
me really look into the causes.
467
00:24:51,904 --> 00:24:54,340
What can cause
something like this?
468
00:24:54,374 --> 00:24:58,879
"Understanding
oil, September 13, 2001."
469
00:24:58,912 --> 00:25:00,146
So I wrote an essay...
470
00:25:00,180 --> 00:25:03,216
"Why did these people
do this horrific act of violence
471
00:25:03,249 --> 00:25:04,284
and destruction?
472
00:25:04,317 --> 00:25:05,418
To be able to
understand the answer to this,
473
00:25:05,451 --> 00:25:08,087
we must first look at
our US Mid-East policy..."
474
00:25:08,121 --> 00:25:13,127
I kind of analyzed what type of
dictators and despots have the
475
00:25:13,326 --> 00:25:16,395
US supported over
the last 50 years.
476
00:25:16,429 --> 00:25:18,064
"What everyone fails
to realize is that the bombings
477
00:25:18,096 --> 00:25:21,433
are a reaction to existing
injustices around the world,
478
00:25:21,467 --> 00:25:23,370
generally unseen to
most Americans...
479
00:25:23,403 --> 00:25:25,806
The wars waged by our government
have landed smack in the middle
480
00:25:25,838 --> 00:25:26,773
of our living room..."
481
00:25:26,807 --> 00:25:29,142
So I posted it to
the band's website.
482
00:25:29,174 --> 00:25:31,478
And I didn't
think anything of it.
483
00:25:34,413 --> 00:25:37,151
And then all hell broke loose.
484
00:25:39,152 --> 00:25:42,122
Serj, without discussing
it with anybody in the band,
485
00:25:42,154 --> 00:25:44,456
put up something
that was really...
486
00:25:44,490 --> 00:25:47,093
It wasn't... it wasn't untrue.
487
00:25:47,125 --> 00:25:48,994
But you don't go to somebody
that just had a death in the
488
00:25:49,028 --> 00:25:52,432
family and talk about how
shitty that person was to them.
489
00:25:52,464 --> 00:25:54,266
And it certainly didn't
represent the way the rest of us
490
00:25:54,299 --> 00:25:54,800
felt.
491
00:25:54,834 --> 00:25:56,570
I was really pissed.
492
00:25:56,603 --> 00:25:58,305
The way it came
off is "Fuck you,
493
00:25:58,337 --> 00:25:59,439
America.
494
00:25:59,472 --> 00:26:01,441
It's your fault that this
happened to your people."
495
00:26:01,473 --> 00:26:03,277
And that was uncool.
496
00:26:04,611 --> 00:26:06,947
We got banned
everywhere, you know?
497
00:26:06,980 --> 00:26:10,016
For the first month
of our record release.
498
00:26:12,218 --> 00:26:15,455
Clear Channel sent out a bunch
of titles of songs that they
499
00:26:15,488 --> 00:26:17,324
wanted removed
from the playlists.
500
00:26:17,356 --> 00:26:19,859
One of them was "Chop Suey."
501
00:26:19,893 --> 00:26:22,194
"Trust in my self-righteous
suicide," the... the main lyric
502
00:26:22,228 --> 00:26:23,395
in the chorus.
503
00:26:23,429 --> 00:26:25,131
The lead
singer of System of a Down
504
00:26:25,163 --> 00:26:27,000
is gonna call in,
Serj, because...
505
00:26:27,032 --> 00:26:28,100
Oh, wonderful.
506
00:26:28,134 --> 00:26:29,402
He
wants to explain himself.
507
00:26:29,435 --> 00:26:31,370
That he's just a man of peace
and love and he's getting...
508
00:26:31,403 --> 00:26:33,339
I remember being
in a hotel room,
509
00:26:33,373 --> 00:26:36,643
having to wake up at 4AM to
get on the Howard Stern Show and
510
00:26:36,675 --> 00:26:39,144
defend my words and...
and... and explain that,
511
00:26:39,178 --> 00:26:41,147
"Look, I'm just trying to
understand what's going on.
512
00:26:41,180 --> 00:26:43,048
Everything I've said is factual.
513
00:26:43,082 --> 00:26:45,485
And... and I'd be
happy to talk about it."
514
00:26:45,518 --> 00:26:47,354
But I also felt scared.
515
00:26:47,386 --> 00:26:49,489
We were getting
personal death threats.
516
00:26:49,521 --> 00:26:52,157
The band pulled me
into a room, sat me down,
517
00:26:52,191 --> 00:26:55,194
and goes, "What the fuck
are you trying to do to us,
518
00:26:55,228 --> 00:26:56,496
get us killed?!"
519
00:26:56,528 --> 00:26:57,998
And I'm like,
"Guys, I'm so sorry,
520
00:26:58,030 --> 00:27:00,532
I'm just... it's...
honestly, it's the truth!"
521
00:27:00,566 --> 00:27:04,371
Like, I was so naive that I
thought that because it was the
522
00:27:04,403 --> 00:27:06,506
truth, that it
was okay to say it.
523
00:27:06,538 --> 00:27:08,407
Did we
deserve to be bombed...?
524
00:27:08,441 --> 00:27:09,742
Oh, absolutely not.
525
00:27:09,776 --> 00:27:10,710
I think people think
that maybe that's what you're
526
00:27:10,743 --> 00:27:11,610
saying, that we
deserved to be bombed.
527
00:27:11,644 --> 00:27:13,813
Oh, no,
man, absolutely...
528
00:27:13,846 --> 00:27:14,913
That
we brought it on ourselves.
529
00:27:14,948 --> 00:27:16,182
- Right.
- No, absolutely not...
530
00:27:16,215 --> 00:27:20,920
When I hung up that phone, I
remember feeling like shit.
531
00:27:20,953 --> 00:27:23,690
I was playing a line
where I was defending myself,
532
00:27:23,722 --> 00:27:27,059
but I couldn't really get
into the main issues and kind of
533
00:27:27,093 --> 00:27:29,028
really fight for my words.
534
00:27:29,061 --> 00:27:31,030
And that made me
feel really bad.
535
00:27:31,064 --> 00:27:32,532
I f... I felt constrained.
536
00:27:32,565 --> 00:27:33,732
I felt...
537
00:27:33,766 --> 00:27:36,469
I felt like I couldn't say
what I wanted in a well-known
538
00:27:36,501 --> 00:27:37,569
democracy.
539
00:27:37,603 --> 00:27:38,037
I
don't know what Serj said.
540
00:27:38,069 --> 00:27:39,237
Believe me...
541
00:27:39,271 --> 00:27:40,505
He
wasn't gonna say what he said.
542
00:27:40,539 --> 00:27:42,942
Yeah, I don't know...
I don't know what kind of
543
00:27:42,976 --> 00:27:44,177
guy Serj is so, you know, I gave
Serj the opportunity to speak
544
00:27:44,211 --> 00:27:47,047
and... and what the hell, you
make your own conclusions.
545
00:27:47,079 --> 00:27:49,515
That's the true
artist's role in society.
546
00:27:49,548 --> 00:27:51,918
That's why we're here.
547
00:27:52,752 --> 00:27:55,554
The things you're talking about
are reflecting what's really
548
00:27:55,587 --> 00:27:56,623
going on.
549
00:27:56,655 --> 00:27:59,091
A lot of people just
don't want to talk about it.
550
00:27:59,291 --> 00:28:02,261
Not talking about it
doesn't make it go away.
551
00:28:02,528 --> 00:28:06,732
So it is... it is our
responsibility to push back.
552
00:28:10,103 --> 00:28:11,270
Despite controversy,
553
00:28:11,304 --> 00:28:15,408
'Toxicity' has hit number
one on the Billboard 200.
554
00:28:15,441 --> 00:28:17,477
System of a Down has arrived.
555
00:28:17,509 --> 00:28:19,546
System of a Down officially
announced that they're going to
556
00:28:19,578 --> 00:28:21,714
release 'Steal This
Album, ' a collection of
557
00:28:21,748 --> 00:28:22,982
previously-recorded...
558
00:28:23,016 --> 00:28:25,719
So at the time there was the
whole build up to the Iraq War
559
00:28:25,751 --> 00:28:26,586
movement.
560
00:28:26,619 --> 00:28:29,421
Simply stated,
there is no doubt...
561
00:28:29,454 --> 00:28:32,591
that Saddam Hussein now has
weapons of mass destruction.
562
00:28:32,625 --> 00:28:35,595
Alliances with terrorists could
allow the Iraqi regime to attack
563
00:28:35,627 --> 00:28:37,364
America...
564
00:28:37,696 --> 00:28:40,466
without leaving
any fingerprints.
565
00:28:40,500 --> 00:28:42,268
I remember having a
meeting with the band and
566
00:28:42,300 --> 00:28:43,636
management.
567
00:28:43,936 --> 00:28:46,105
And they were like, "Okay, well,
we're gonna release this other
568
00:28:46,138 --> 00:28:46,939
record.
569
00:28:46,972 --> 00:28:49,108
You know, we
should pick a single."
570
00:28:49,142 --> 00:28:52,479
And I'm just holding...
holding my breath going,
571
00:28:52,511 --> 00:28:54,480
"I know everyone's
gonna hate what I say now,"
572
00:28:54,513 --> 00:28:55,180
you know?
573
00:28:55,213 --> 00:28:56,315
Kind of thing.
574
00:28:56,348 --> 00:29:00,119
And I said, "I think we
should make a video for the song
575
00:29:00,153 --> 00:29:04,190
'Boom' which talks about
bombing people and the adverse
576
00:29:04,222 --> 00:29:09,229
effects of war, uh, and I think
Michael Moore should direct it.
577
00:29:09,862 --> 00:29:11,498
Let's just make a statement."
578
00:29:12,699 --> 00:29:15,201
As a Vietnam vet, I do not
believe that war should be
579
00:29:15,233 --> 00:29:16,668
fought in America's name.
580
00:29:16,701 --> 00:29:17,903
It's the most
ridiculous thing...
581
00:29:17,936 --> 00:29:20,773
I'm here because my brother is
in the Navy and we want him to
582
00:29:20,807 --> 00:29:21,807
come home alive.
583
00:29:24,242 --> 00:29:27,547
I don't understand why dropping
bombs on children is the best
584
00:29:27,579 --> 00:29:30,182
way to achieve peace.
585
00:29:30,750 --> 00:29:35,555
♪ Why must we ♪
586
00:29:36,388 --> 00:29:41,394
♪ Kill our own kind? ♪
587
00:29:43,563 --> 00:29:47,034
♪ Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! ♪
588
00:29:48,601 --> 00:29:49,803
I went to...
589
00:29:49,836 --> 00:29:52,105
I... I think it was an Ozzfest.
590
00:29:52,371 --> 00:29:55,408
I was outraged that there were a
l... it was in San Bernardino and
591
00:29:55,441 --> 00:29:58,644
there were a lot of, like, Nazi
and white power tattoos in the
592
00:29:58,678 --> 00:29:59,813
audience.
593
00:29:59,846 --> 00:30:03,348
And onstage, almost every
band had at least one non-white
594
00:30:03,382 --> 00:30:04,549
member in it.
595
00:30:04,583 --> 00:30:06,553
And I just thought, "That's like
a... that's just... that's not
596
00:30:06,586 --> 00:30:07,520
right.
597
00:30:07,554 --> 00:30:08,755
And somebody needs to do
something about that."
598
00:30:08,788 --> 00:30:10,824
And I had the idea to form an
organization called Axis of
599
00:30:10,856 --> 00:30:12,024
Justice.
600
00:30:12,057 --> 00:30:13,359
They preach out to a
community and to an audience...
601
00:30:13,393 --> 00:30:16,863
Tom said, "Look, would
you be interested in... in... in
602
00:30:16,895 --> 00:30:17,663
talking about this?"
603
00:30:17,696 --> 00:30:19,598
And I said, "Fuck yeah."
604
00:30:19,632 --> 00:30:22,869
I think the very first
time we met was at an action.
605
00:30:22,902 --> 00:30:28,107
Santa Monica had outlawed
people feeding homeless people,
606
00:30:28,740 --> 00:30:29,908
and we were... in
defiance of this ordinance,
607
00:30:29,942 --> 00:30:33,278
we were going to feed all
the homeless people in sight.
608
00:30:33,311 --> 00:30:34,680
Stewart Copeland goes
over to Travis Barker,
609
00:30:34,713 --> 00:30:36,715
taps him on the
shoulder and goes...
610
00:30:36,749 --> 00:30:38,282
Oh, no way!
611
00:30:38,284 --> 00:30:38,718
No way!
612
00:30:38,750 --> 00:30:39,885
That's awesome!
613
00:30:39,919 --> 00:30:43,123
I had only known Serj as
like sort of the painted sort of
614
00:30:43,155 --> 00:30:46,459
hysterical shaman
of... of Armenian,
615
00:30:46,491 --> 00:30:47,693
you know, death metal.
616
00:30:47,727 --> 00:30:50,596
Uh, and he was the
gentlest soul...
617
00:30:50,930 --> 00:30:52,632
maybe in the history
of rock and roll music.
618
00:30:52,664 --> 00:30:54,701
This is the Axis of Justice...
619
00:30:54,733 --> 00:30:55,768
Radio Network.
620
00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:56,635
I'm Tom Morello.
621
00:30:56,669 --> 00:30:57,870
I'm Serj Tankian.
622
00:30:57,903 --> 00:31:00,306
And for the next hour, we are
going to be spinning rebel jams
623
00:31:00,338 --> 00:31:03,475
of various genres and
revealing dangerous truths.
624
00:31:03,509 --> 00:31:04,610
Very dangerous.
625
00:31:04,644 --> 00:31:05,912
And that's how we
very much saw ourselves,
626
00:31:05,944 --> 00:31:08,881
as... as being social justice
warriors and really moving the
627
00:31:08,914 --> 00:31:13,286
goalposts for what ideas could
be discussed in popular music.
628
00:31:15,288 --> 00:31:18,758
Press gravitated toward
us earlier on because of our
629
00:31:18,790 --> 00:31:22,162
political message, and that's
fine and that's totally cool.
630
00:31:22,194 --> 00:31:23,896
But one of the
reactions that I always got,
631
00:31:23,930 --> 00:31:25,932
especially from
the other guys is,
632
00:31:25,964 --> 00:31:27,766
"They're only
talking about, you know,
633
00:31:27,799 --> 00:31:30,169
our two, three
songs out of the 12."
634
00:31:30,202 --> 00:31:32,805
It takes people like System
of a Down to get the word out.
635
00:31:32,837 --> 00:31:34,005
And I think they do
a good job of it.
636
00:31:34,038 --> 00:31:37,309
Without them, there would be
nobody out there that does that.
637
00:31:37,643 --> 00:31:41,280
We didn't want to, uh,
pigeonhole ourselves as purely a
638
00:31:41,314 --> 00:31:42,515
political band.
639
00:31:42,548 --> 00:31:45,184
And we also didn't want the
politics to be more important
640
00:31:45,218 --> 00:31:47,220
than the music.
641
00:31:48,487 --> 00:31:50,957
Yeah, we had to have some
talks about that and just say,
642
00:31:50,990 --> 00:31:55,327
"Look, let's not alienate
half our audience every night.
643
00:31:55,361 --> 00:31:56,462
We've got
Axis of Justice,
644
00:31:56,496 --> 00:31:59,465
we've got Amnesty International,
Darfur Action Committee,
645
00:31:59,498 --> 00:32:01,366
uh, each with their
own booths to pass out,
646
00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:04,504
uh, information about causes
that people wouldn't necessarily
647
00:32:04,537 --> 00:32:05,638
see at a rock event.
648
00:32:05,672 --> 00:32:07,807
But if you know
Serj, he's a... a little bit of a
649
00:32:07,839 --> 00:32:09,474
stubborn guy.
650
00:32:09,508 --> 00:32:12,711
If he thinks he's right, if
the entire world thinks the
651
00:32:12,744 --> 00:32:16,348
opposite, he's still right
in his head and that's that.
652
00:32:18,416 --> 00:32:20,953
One thing our band
always did agree upon is,
653
00:32:20,987 --> 00:32:23,990
you know, pursuing recognition
for the Armenian genocide
654
00:32:24,022 --> 00:32:27,526
because all our grandparents
are survivors of the genocide.
655
00:32:27,559 --> 00:32:30,395
Tonight is not just the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian
656
00:32:30,429 --> 00:32:31,663
genocide.
657
00:32:33,365 --> 00:32:35,667
It's also time to break
down all the walls of
658
00:32:35,701 --> 00:32:39,672
hypocrisy around the world
with all genocides known and
659
00:32:39,704 --> 00:32:41,340
unknown...
660
00:32:41,374 --> 00:32:43,809
accepted or not accepted...
661
00:32:43,843 --> 00:32:46,846
It's time to make the
Turkish government...
662
00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:50,849
pay for their fucking crime!
663
00:32:55,855 --> 00:32:57,257
♪ Ignition ♪
664
00:32:58,723 --> 00:32:59,891
♪ Ignition ♪
665
00:32:59,924 --> 00:33:03,596
I was making a documentary,
um, for British television,
666
00:33:03,628 --> 00:33:05,897
and I had a colleague
at the time who said,
667
00:33:05,931 --> 00:33:09,535
"Hey, do you know
about this Armenian band,
668
00:33:09,567 --> 00:33:11,371
System of a Down?"
669
00:33:11,403 --> 00:33:13,605
And I said, "Well,
sure, but, you know,
670
00:33:13,638 --> 00:33:16,842
I'm working on human
rights, political documentaries.
671
00:33:16,875 --> 00:33:18,411
Why would I be
interested in that?"
672
00:33:18,443 --> 00:33:20,913
♪ A whole race, genocide ♪
673
00:33:20,945 --> 00:33:23,715
♪ Taking away all of our pride ♪
674
00:33:23,749 --> 00:33:26,919
♪ A whole race, genocide ♪
675
00:33:26,951 --> 00:33:30,056
♪ Taken away
(Watch it all fall down) ♪
676
00:33:30,088 --> 00:33:34,894
In 2004, you had a
movement in Congress to get the
677
00:33:34,926 --> 00:33:36,428
genocide recognized.
678
00:33:36,461 --> 00:33:38,865
- All in favor, say "Aye."
- Aye.
679
00:33:38,897 --> 00:33:40,799
- Opposed, "nay."
- Nay.
680
00:33:40,833 --> 00:33:42,769
The ayes have it.
681
00:33:42,801 --> 00:33:44,469
We're
over a very difficult,
682
00:33:44,502 --> 00:33:45,703
important hurdle.
683
00:33:45,738 --> 00:33:47,807
We haven't had a, uh, victory
in this committee for half a
684
00:33:47,839 --> 00:33:48,875
decade.
685
00:33:48,907 --> 00:33:51,777
But now we're up, uh,
against just as difficult,
686
00:33:51,810 --> 00:33:55,881
uh, opposition in getting it
scheduled for the House floor.
687
00:33:55,914 --> 00:33:57,783
Uh, this committee
received, last night,
688
00:33:57,817 --> 00:33:59,885
a letter from the State
Department opposing these
689
00:33:59,919 --> 00:34:01,421
resolutions.
690
00:34:01,453 --> 00:34:03,789
So we're gonna have to
fight to get this done.
691
00:34:04,623 --> 00:34:05,724
Hello?
692
00:34:05,758 --> 00:34:08,760
At one point, I remember
being in Chicago for a show and,
693
00:34:08,794 --> 00:34:13,099
uh, we realized that it's the
hometown of Dennis Hastert,
694
00:34:13,132 --> 00:34:14,900
who at the time was
Speaker of the House.
695
00:34:14,934 --> 00:34:17,804
We found out that it's back
to Dennis Hastert's hands,
696
00:34:17,836 --> 00:34:19,972
the Speaker of the
House, to... you know,
697
00:34:20,005 --> 00:34:22,775
it's... it's under his power to...
whether he's gonna allow it to
698
00:34:22,807 --> 00:34:23,976
go to a full house vote or not.
699
00:34:24,009 --> 00:34:27,813
And there's all these claims
about him taking hush money from
700
00:34:27,847 --> 00:34:29,515
different Turkish sources.
701
00:34:29,547 --> 00:34:32,451
Yeah, we just decided
to ramp up the process.
702
00:34:33,985 --> 00:34:35,621
Hey, way to keep
it medium-level,
703
00:34:35,653 --> 00:34:36,489
Serj.
704
00:34:36,521 --> 00:34:38,824
You can't deny the truth!
705
00:34:38,858 --> 00:34:40,693
You
can't deny the truth!
706
00:34:40,726 --> 00:34:42,662
Recognize it now!
707
00:34:42,695 --> 00:34:44,530
Recognize it now!
708
00:34:44,563 --> 00:34:46,932
It just so happens that people
gravitate more towards the
709
00:34:46,965 --> 00:34:48,800
political aspect of the band.
710
00:34:48,833 --> 00:34:49,935
And when it
concerns this, this is,
711
00:34:49,969 --> 00:34:51,871
for us, a personal issue.
712
00:34:51,903 --> 00:34:53,106
- How are you?
- I'm fine, nice to see you.
713
00:34:53,139 --> 00:34:54,673
- I'm Serj, how are you?
- Good.
714
00:34:54,706 --> 00:34:56,675
I'm... I'm from the
band System of a Down.
715
00:34:56,708 --> 00:34:58,710
- From where?
- From the band System of a Down.
716
00:34:58,744 --> 00:34:59,679
- Oh, yeah, right.
- Yeah.
717
00:34:59,711 --> 00:35:00,679
Yeah, great, very good.
718
00:35:00,713 --> 00:35:02,115
We came to your office
to give you to a letter.
719
00:35:02,148 --> 00:35:03,015
Oh, excellent.
720
00:35:03,047 --> 00:35:04,116
Yeah.
721
00:35:04,150 --> 00:35:05,385
Did you happen to get it?
722
00:35:05,418 --> 00:35:06,719
Not... I haven't
looked at it yet,
723
00:35:06,751 --> 00:35:07,920
'cause I've been...
724
00:35:07,952 --> 00:35:09,021
- I'm sure you're very busy.
- One of those days, yeah, right.
725
00:35:09,054 --> 00:35:10,255
I'll look at it... I do
that usually in the evening.
726
00:35:10,289 --> 00:35:12,725
Well, we've been here meeting
members of Congress and some
727
00:35:12,757 --> 00:35:15,827
senators, talking about the
Armenian genocide resolution...
728
00:35:15,860 --> 00:35:16,795
Okay.
729
00:35:16,829 --> 00:35:17,963
And the importance
to pass it, you know,
730
00:35:17,996 --> 00:35:21,867
regarding our history and
the Armenian community and,
731
00:35:21,900 --> 00:35:24,870
you know, how important it is to
all of us to face a historical
732
00:35:24,903 --> 00:35:28,907
reality and help get
over this with with Turkey.
733
00:35:29,108 --> 00:35:31,010
And everyone's been
very receptive and...
734
00:35:31,043 --> 00:35:31,876
That's good.
735
00:35:31,911 --> 00:35:32,945
It's been going
great and, you know,
736
00:35:32,978 --> 00:35:35,514
we know that it's in
your hands and.
737
00:35:35,547 --> 00:35:36,915
I'll take a look
at your letter.
738
00:35:36,949 --> 00:35:37,750
Okay.
739
00:35:37,782 --> 00:35:39,418
- Thank you very much.
- Thank you.
740
00:35:41,052 --> 00:35:44,056
Before System of a
Down came onto the scene,
741
00:35:44,088 --> 00:35:48,894
we had artists who happened to
be Armenian but who did not wear
742
00:35:49,695 --> 00:35:51,998
their Armenian
identity on their sleeves,
743
00:35:52,030 --> 00:35:54,433
like Cher, for example.
744
00:35:55,134 --> 00:35:56,936
And suddenly, you
see these guys,
745
00:35:56,969 --> 00:36:01,074
who are heavy metal rockers,
who are having a huge impact.
746
00:36:01,773 --> 00:36:06,980
I think Armenians in the
diaspora craved somebody to have
747
00:36:07,914 --> 00:36:12,919
the power of celebrity to
get real political change.
748
00:36:26,965 --> 00:36:28,467
- Brains!
- Brains!
749
00:36:28,501 --> 00:36:29,235
Brains!
750
00:36:29,268 --> 00:36:30,635
Touring was always fun.
751
00:36:32,237 --> 00:36:36,107
Going from city to city
and meeting different people...
752
00:36:36,141 --> 00:36:38,911
System of
a Down is filling stadiums,
753
00:36:38,943 --> 00:36:39,911
sweeping awards...
754
00:36:39,945 --> 00:36:40,412
System of a Down!
755
00:36:40,445 --> 00:36:41,746
System of a Down!
756
00:36:41,780 --> 00:36:43,115
System of a Down!
757
00:36:44,148 --> 00:36:45,349
And
changing the world.
758
00:36:45,384 --> 00:36:48,086
Talk to me a little
bit about your grandfather.
759
00:36:48,119 --> 00:36:53,125
Your grandfather miraculously
somehow survived this holocaust
760
00:36:53,326 --> 00:36:54,226
in...
761
00:36:54,260 --> 00:36:55,461
Just this year, Canada,
762
00:36:55,494 --> 00:37:00,799
Russia, Argentina, and a dozen
other countries have recognized
763
00:37:00,833 --> 00:37:01,934
the Armenian genocide.
764
00:37:01,967 --> 00:37:04,603
The Armenian genocide is
recognized by a number of
765
00:37:04,637 --> 00:37:06,939
nations in the world
already, and eventually,
766
00:37:06,972 --> 00:37:09,275
the US will have
to do it as well.
767
00:37:12,010 --> 00:37:13,980
Whe... when you do it
for a long period of time,
768
00:37:14,012 --> 00:37:16,882
it... it wears on you, you know?
769
00:37:22,153 --> 00:37:23,655
"Claustrophobia.
770
00:37:27,025 --> 00:37:30,128
Losing sight of the eternal
garden could be devastating at
771
00:37:30,161 --> 00:37:31,429
best.
772
00:37:31,463 --> 00:37:35,034
What drives me insane are the
catastrophic perplexities of
773
00:37:35,067 --> 00:37:38,170
those close souls with whom
I have drunk from the pure
774
00:37:38,202 --> 00:37:40,105
fountain of harmony.
775
00:37:40,139 --> 00:37:42,041
As long as there is a way..."
776
00:37:42,974 --> 00:37:46,811
The whole concept behind
bands staying together and,
777
00:37:46,844 --> 00:37:49,881
uh, continuing a long
tradition of something is,
778
00:37:49,914 --> 00:37:53,552
uh, I think it's
commercially motivated.
779
00:37:53,585 --> 00:37:57,155
And I don't think anything,
uh, in life and especially art
780
00:37:57,188 --> 00:38:01,159
should be, uh, put in
that much of a format,
781
00:38:01,193 --> 00:38:02,361
you know?
782
00:38:02,393 --> 00:38:04,029
So I personally don't think
bands should exist forever,
783
00:38:04,063 --> 00:38:05,664
to be honest with you.
784
00:38:05,697 --> 00:38:08,067
I'm gonna quit the
band after this interview.
785
00:38:10,268 --> 00:38:13,004
The way I think Daron
always saw this band and... and
786
00:38:13,038 --> 00:38:15,206
maybe even the other
guys, I gotta say,
787
00:38:15,239 --> 00:38:17,742
is that we each had a
role, like a sports team,
788
00:38:17,775 --> 00:38:20,078
is... is how it's
been described before.
789
00:38:20,112 --> 00:38:23,349
And that we should each kind
of excel at that role and then
790
00:38:23,382 --> 00:38:27,219
bring the unit
together as a team to score.
791
00:38:27,251 --> 00:38:29,154
Like, if you want
to use sporting,
792
00:38:29,188 --> 00:38:31,190
uh, terminology.
793
00:38:32,724 --> 00:38:34,893
And that's fine if you
think of it that way.
794
00:38:34,927 --> 00:38:37,195
And there's some truth to that.
795
00:38:37,228 --> 00:38:39,230
But I've always thought
as an artist as more than
796
00:38:39,264 --> 00:38:42,702
just... playing a
guitar or, you know,
797
00:38:42,735 --> 00:38:44,704
I'm only supposed to
write lyrics or... you know,
798
00:38:44,737 --> 00:38:48,106
as you grow as an
artist, you have more to give.
799
00:38:48,639 --> 00:38:50,076
And for me, that's what it was.
800
00:38:50,108 --> 00:38:52,177
I felt artistically stifled.
801
00:38:52,210 --> 00:38:55,246
"The enigmatic loss of vision
and its accompanying diverse
802
00:38:55,280 --> 00:38:59,752
avenues of existence
caused this lockdown hysteria."
803
00:39:01,253 --> 00:39:03,623
I told the guys that, "Look,
after the next record,"
804
00:39:03,655 --> 00:39:05,358
which turned out to be two
records, 'Mesmerize'/
805
00:39:05,391 --> 00:39:08,260
'Hypnotize, ' "I want to do
my own thing, take a hiatus."
806
00:39:08,293 --> 00:39:10,229
The
announcement has sent shockwaves
807
00:39:10,262 --> 00:39:12,198
around the rock world.
808
00:39:12,231 --> 00:39:15,935
With two number one albums
and a Grammy just this year,
809
00:39:15,967 --> 00:39:20,072
System of a Down is
stepping off the stage.
810
00:39:31,983 --> 00:39:36,087
From the
rainmaker sound to, uh,
811
00:39:36,121 --> 00:39:38,391
a baby Chinese
accordion...
812
00:39:40,858 --> 00:39:43,429
Working on my first solo record,
'Elect the Dead, ' was a lot of
813
00:39:43,461 --> 00:39:45,431
fun, 'cause it was a
whole different process.
814
00:39:45,463 --> 00:39:47,766
Okay, uh, kalimba.
815
00:39:49,300 --> 00:39:52,137
I'm making a rock
record without a rock band.
816
00:39:55,340 --> 00:39:57,175
So it... it doesn't sound
great without really being
817
00:39:57,208 --> 00:39:58,443
hooked up.
818
00:39:58,476 --> 00:40:00,413
You throw a little delay pedal
on there and... and some phaser
819
00:40:00,445 --> 00:40:02,414
and stuff and it
sounds phenomenal.
820
00:40:02,447 --> 00:40:04,016
It's great for
composing, really...
821
00:40:04,048 --> 00:40:05,250
Now, I'm writing
every aspect of it.
822
00:40:05,284 --> 00:40:07,952
I'm writing, you know, the
rhythmical patterns for the
823
00:40:07,985 --> 00:40:09,254
drums, the bass lines...
824
00:40:09,288 --> 00:40:11,023
That's the pianos.
825
00:40:11,990 --> 00:40:15,027
So I started with that,
with just the pianos.
826
00:40:18,329 --> 00:40:20,132
And... and most of the
songs are written either on
827
00:40:20,164 --> 00:40:22,701
acoustic guitar or
piano with vocals,
828
00:40:22,735 --> 00:40:24,170
uh, to start with.
829
00:40:24,202 --> 00:40:26,172
And then just building up.
830
00:40:26,871 --> 00:40:28,973
And then brought in the vocals.
831
00:40:29,007 --> 00:40:31,811
♪ Pretentious attention ♪
832
00:40:31,844 --> 00:40:34,346
♪ Dismissive apprehension ♪
833
00:40:34,378 --> 00:40:39,184
♪ Don't waste your
time on coffins today... ♪
834
00:40:39,217 --> 00:40:41,152
And just, you know,
tracking the whole thing and
835
00:40:41,186 --> 00:40:43,889
then bringing live musicians to
replace some of the stuff that
836
00:40:43,922 --> 00:40:45,391
I've performed on.
837
00:40:46,458 --> 00:40:51,497
♪ Don't waste your
time on coffins today... ♪
838
00:40:51,530 --> 00:40:53,332
It's... it's...
it's invigorating.
839
00:40:53,364 --> 00:40:55,067
It's emancipating.
840
00:40:55,099 --> 00:40:56,367
♪ Desolate and full of yearning ♪
841
00:40:56,400 --> 00:40:58,036
♪ Dying of anticipation ♪
842
00:40:58,070 --> 00:40:59,472
♪ Choking from intoxication ♪
843
00:40:59,505 --> 00:41:01,240
♪ Don't you see
their bodies burning?... ♪
844
00:41:01,273 --> 00:41:04,309
I remember that there was
this one point in the recording
845
00:41:04,342 --> 00:41:08,379
studio by myself, listening
back to some of the tracks.
846
00:41:08,413 --> 00:41:10,048
I was, like,
running around and, like,
847
00:41:10,081 --> 00:41:13,018
really amped into it by myself,
which probably would look
848
00:41:13,050 --> 00:41:14,853
ridiculous if you saw
someone doing that.
849
00:41:14,887 --> 00:41:16,122
Insane.
850
00:41:16,155 --> 00:41:19,358
But that's when I really knew
that the music would connect.
851
00:41:19,391 --> 00:41:23,394
And rock is a unique delivery
mechanism for rebellion.
852
00:41:23,427 --> 00:41:25,063
♪ Don't you see
their bodies burning? ♪
853
00:41:25,097 --> 00:41:26,365
♪ Desolate and full of yearning ♪
854
00:41:26,398 --> 00:41:28,033
♪ Dying of anticipation ♪
855
00:41:28,065 --> 00:41:29,400
♪ Choking from intoxication ♪
856
00:41:29,434 --> 00:41:31,036
♪ Don't you see
their bodies burning? ♪
857
00:41:31,068 --> 00:41:32,771
♪ Desolate and
full of yearning... ♪
858
00:41:32,804 --> 00:41:34,539
"Empty Walls"
actually, you know,
859
00:41:34,572 --> 00:41:38,777
had a lot of radio play and
we made this incredible video.
860
00:41:38,811 --> 00:41:43,215
There was a reenactment of 9/11
with kids and the Abu Ghraib
861
00:41:43,248 --> 00:41:44,383
situation.
862
00:41:44,416 --> 00:41:48,554
♪ Taunt you to see from
behind those empty walls ♪
863
00:41:48,586 --> 00:41:52,791
♪ I want you to
be left behind... ♪
864
00:41:52,824 --> 00:41:54,527
And then, I got an
offer to do something with an
865
00:41:54,559 --> 00:41:57,262
orchestra and I... I
was bewildered by that.
866
00:41:57,295 --> 00:41:59,831
I was like, "Wow, that
could be really interesting."
867
00:42:00,798 --> 00:42:05,538
So, uh, I was able to rearrange
my music from 'Elect the Dead'
868
00:42:05,570 --> 00:42:07,972
and create a
symphonic version of it.
869
00:42:08,005 --> 00:42:10,141
And it turned into
'Elect the Dead' symphony.
870
00:42:10,175 --> 00:42:15,181
♪ I want you to be left
behind those empty walls ♪
871
00:42:17,583 --> 00:42:21,420
♪ Taunt you to see ♪
872
00:42:21,452 --> 00:42:24,255
♪ Left behind those empty walls ♪
873
00:42:24,289 --> 00:42:27,593
♪ Taunt you to see ♪
874
00:42:27,626 --> 00:42:31,096
♪ From behind those empty walls ♪
875
00:42:31,128 --> 00:42:34,165
♪ From behind
those fucking walls ♪
876
00:42:34,199 --> 00:42:35,835
♪ From behind those... ♪
877
00:42:35,867 --> 00:42:38,269
System of a
Down's frontman Serj Tankian and
878
00:42:38,302 --> 00:42:41,406
his Serjical Strike Records have
hit a little smooth sailing.
879
00:42:41,440 --> 00:42:44,844
So next year, Serj and his label
will release several projects,
880
00:42:44,876 --> 00:42:47,579
including Kittens for Christian
and avant-garde goth art punk
881
00:42:47,612 --> 00:42:48,813
band...
882
00:42:48,847 --> 00:42:50,114
We had signed this
amazing band called Fair to
883
00:42:50,148 --> 00:42:51,383
Midland out of Texas.
884
00:42:51,416 --> 00:42:53,452
Serj says he'll put out five
albums a year and continue to
885
00:42:53,485 --> 00:42:55,287
sign bands that inspire him.
886
00:42:56,521 --> 00:42:58,958
And there were a number of
record companies interested,
887
00:42:58,990 --> 00:43:02,327
and through Atlantic, uh, the
head of Atlantic Records at the
888
00:43:02,360 --> 00:43:05,597
time, I got a, you know,
unexpected visit with,
889
00:43:05,630 --> 00:43:08,634
uh, the old, uh,
co-chair, you know,
890
00:43:08,666 --> 00:43:12,371
the old CEO, Ahmet
Ertegun, who was Turkish.
891
00:43:14,373 --> 00:43:17,208
So we sat down and had a great
conversation about music and...
892
00:43:17,242 --> 00:43:20,144
and how much I appreciated the
bands that he had signed like
893
00:43:20,177 --> 00:43:21,614
Zeppelin and...
and Ray and, like,
894
00:43:21,646 --> 00:43:22,815
all this stuff.
895
00:43:22,847 --> 00:43:25,351
And then, on my way home, I
just... something... there was an
896
00:43:25,384 --> 00:43:29,487
inkling feeling inside of me
that I needed to kind of ex...
897
00:43:29,521 --> 00:43:32,625
uh, figure out what it
was and I typed his name,
898
00:43:32,657 --> 00:43:35,627
Ahmet Ertegun, and I put the
world "genocide" behind it and
899
00:43:35,661 --> 00:43:40,164
Googled it, and I realized that
he had paid for a lot of foreign
900
00:43:40,197 --> 00:43:45,270
policy think tanks and trusts
that were encouraging Congress
901
00:43:45,304 --> 00:43:48,039
not to recognize the
Armenian genocide.
902
00:43:48,773 --> 00:43:53,344
He had also paid for chairs at
universities that had encouraged
903
00:43:53,378 --> 00:43:55,681
scholars, uh,
so-called scholars,
904
00:43:55,713 --> 00:43:57,682
uh, that would deny
the Armenian genocide.
905
00:43:57,715 --> 00:44:00,251
Now, this became a
big problem, uh,
906
00:44:00,284 --> 00:44:03,922
for me personally, uh, and
for the band ultimately.
907
00:44:05,056 --> 00:44:07,392
And then, you
know, at that time,
908
00:44:07,425 --> 00:44:11,496
I got news from a very reliable
source that there possibly could
909
00:44:11,530 --> 00:44:16,502
be Turkish intelligence sources
looking at me to assassinate me,
910
00:44:16,534 --> 00:44:19,938
uh, because of my
activism against Dennis Hastert.
911
00:44:19,972 --> 00:44:23,676
Art can be very dangerous,
um, which is why tyrants and
912
00:44:23,708 --> 00:44:27,413
tyrannical states love
to clamp down on artists.
913
00:44:27,445 --> 00:44:29,514
Um, in February...
914
00:44:29,547 --> 00:44:33,051
There are many situations in
life where you don't expect,
915
00:44:33,085 --> 00:44:37,056
you know, something that... that
is political or that is social
916
00:44:37,088 --> 00:44:39,525
to interact with the business
that you do or with the other
917
00:44:39,557 --> 00:44:40,759
work that you do.
918
00:44:40,793 --> 00:44:44,563
And somehow, it pops up and it
challenges your kind of... the...
919
00:44:44,596 --> 00:44:47,432
the narrative of
your moral compass.
920
00:44:48,699 --> 00:44:52,270
In the end, we ended up not
working with Ahmet Ertegun.
921
00:44:53,371 --> 00:44:57,076
I wanted to talk to you about
the latest in terms of genocide
922
00:44:57,108 --> 00:44:58,576
recognition in the US.
923
00:44:58,610 --> 00:45:02,581
Both the Senate and the House
introduced new legislation.
924
00:45:02,614 --> 00:45:05,583
It's not just US
recognition of the genocide,
925
00:45:05,617 --> 00:45:07,553
it's also a matter
of prevention of...
926
00:45:07,585 --> 00:45:11,255
- Right.
- Of just genocides in general.
927
00:45:11,289 --> 00:45:15,461
I want us all to put up
our right arms in protest,
928
00:45:15,494 --> 00:45:17,262
and I want us all to say...
929
00:45:17,295 --> 00:45:22,101
As President, I will
recognize the Armenian genocide!
930
00:45:22,134 --> 00:45:23,769
As President, I
will recognize...
931
00:45:23,802 --> 00:45:26,105
Barack
Obama has joined a long line of
932
00:45:26,137 --> 00:45:29,107
Presidents who broke their
campaign promise to recognize
933
00:45:29,141 --> 00:45:31,143
the Armenian genocide.
934
00:45:38,483 --> 00:45:42,121
Social media has given
unadulterated access for
935
00:45:42,153 --> 00:45:44,188
artists, uh,
directly to their fanbase,
936
00:45:44,222 --> 00:45:45,758
which didn't exist before.
937
00:45:45,791 --> 00:45:48,394
That's one of the positive
aspects for me about it.
938
00:45:48,659 --> 00:45:50,461
But it also allowed
me, as an activist,
939
00:45:50,494 --> 00:45:52,364
to express myself.
940
00:45:52,396 --> 00:45:54,365
"We have a lot to
learn from the Chilean students
941
00:45:54,398 --> 00:45:55,666
protesting here in Santiago..."
942
00:45:55,701 --> 00:45:59,304
"I hope the Occupy Wall Street
movement truly turns into a
943
00:45:59,336 --> 00:46:00,505
political force..."
944
00:46:00,538 --> 00:46:01,673
"I support the Global Zero
movement to eliminate all
945
00:46:01,706 --> 00:46:02,907
nuclear weapons by 2030..."
946
00:46:02,940 --> 00:46:06,644
I was thrilled to see the impact
I was making on so many issues
947
00:46:06,677 --> 00:46:07,846
across the world.
948
00:46:07,878 --> 00:46:09,047
"I'm appalled by
Obama's closeness to this
949
00:46:09,081 --> 00:46:11,517
hypocrite named Erdogan,
Turkey's Prime Minister..."
950
00:46:11,550 --> 00:46:12,785
Of course, there was
the other side of this,
951
00:46:12,818 --> 00:46:13,819
too.
952
00:46:15,719 --> 00:46:17,789
As time went by and
System of a Down didn't make a
953
00:46:17,822 --> 00:46:21,692
record, there was a, uh,
growing disgruntlement,
954
00:46:21,726 --> 00:46:25,197
uh, among fans to get
a new System record.
955
00:46:36,708 --> 00:46:38,811
I love the fact the
he represents the entire metal
956
00:46:38,844 --> 00:46:40,579
community, or she.
957
00:46:50,387 --> 00:46:52,723
I don't want to come
across that I know everything
958
00:46:52,757 --> 00:46:55,094
and... and... and
whatnot, but, you know,
959
00:46:55,126 --> 00:46:58,262
whatever statement I make is
based on an injustice occurring
960
00:46:58,295 --> 00:47:00,832
somewhere that I
want to rectify.
961
00:47:00,865 --> 00:47:03,534
And whether I'm right or wrong
to do it is... is... is another
962
00:47:03,568 --> 00:47:04,536
factor.
963
00:47:04,568 --> 00:47:05,536
But I need to do it.
964
00:47:05,570 --> 00:47:07,206
It's... it's... it's the truth.
965
00:47:07,239 --> 00:47:08,373
Like, it's gotta come out.
966
00:47:08,405 --> 00:47:09,407
And same with justice.
967
00:47:09,440 --> 00:47:12,877
I feel like the
environmental balance that is,
968
00:47:12,911 --> 00:47:17,215
you know, that we're seeing
in... in... in climate change is,
969
00:47:17,248 --> 00:47:21,752
uh, also indicative of the human
imbalance that is existing due
970
00:47:21,786 --> 00:47:25,257
to wars, profits over
people, and all of this stuff.
971
00:47:25,289 --> 00:47:28,860
We have to change our ways in
every way for us to survive.
972
00:47:29,862 --> 00:47:31,730
Uh, both in the
spiritual world and in the
973
00:47:31,762 --> 00:47:32,563
physical world.
974
00:47:32,597 --> 00:47:34,733
They're all
mirrors of each other.
975
00:47:36,001 --> 00:47:37,102
We are at war
with the most dangerous enemy
976
00:47:37,135 --> 00:47:39,403
that has ever faced
mankind in his long climb...
977
00:47:39,436 --> 00:47:41,405
With 'Harakiri, ' I
took on a whole new set of
978
00:47:41,438 --> 00:47:42,339
political issues.
979
00:47:42,373 --> 00:47:43,474
There's
no place to escape to.
980
00:47:43,507 --> 00:47:45,710
This is the last stand on Earth.
981
00:47:45,744 --> 00:47:48,747
From corporate
greed to climate change.
982
00:47:48,780 --> 00:47:52,251
♪ We're the day birds ♪
983
00:47:52,284 --> 00:47:55,653
♪ Deciding to fly
against the sky ♪
984
00:47:55,686 --> 00:47:56,889
♪ Within our dreams... ♪
985
00:47:56,922 --> 00:48:00,592
But a voice for
justice always needs to evolve.
986
00:48:00,625 --> 00:48:03,461
So, I began to experiment.
987
00:48:04,329 --> 00:48:07,333
I did 'Orca, ' which
was my first symphony.
988
00:48:10,302 --> 00:48:12,271
I did 'Jazz is
Christ, ' a jazz record,
989
00:48:12,304 --> 00:48:14,606
with a bunch of
really amazing musicians.
990
00:48:17,641 --> 00:48:20,512
I did a musical called
'Prometheus Bound.'
991
00:48:21,447 --> 00:48:24,717
And I also started
painting for the first time.
992
00:48:25,583 --> 00:48:27,786
All of my paintings
are musically scored,
993
00:48:27,818 --> 00:48:28,786
like a film.
994
00:48:28,820 --> 00:48:30,622
For example, the first
piece that I ever did,
995
00:48:30,655 --> 00:48:32,524
you can actually read the
music of the first measure.
996
00:48:32,556 --> 00:48:33,457
And it's a piano piece.
997
00:48:33,492 --> 00:48:34,960
It's a beautiful,
haunting piano piece.
998
00:48:34,992 --> 00:48:36,761
And I've always
thought, like films,
999
00:48:36,795 --> 00:48:39,364
how would one score a
series of paintings?
1000
00:48:39,396 --> 00:48:42,634
So I started
inserting speakers and MP3
1001
00:48:42,666 --> 00:48:44,936
players within the
actual, uh, painting.
1002
00:48:44,969 --> 00:48:47,538
So you've got two
speakers on the sides,
1003
00:48:47,572 --> 00:48:48,773
stereo speakers...
1004
00:48:48,806 --> 00:48:51,842
And I got lost in that world and
it became another new artistic
1005
00:48:51,876 --> 00:48:53,245
expression.
1006
00:48:54,246 --> 00:48:56,548
Doing all this stuff and
coming into my own and feeling
1007
00:48:56,581 --> 00:48:59,351
confident of
myself as a songwriter,
1008
00:48:59,384 --> 00:49:00,952
uh, as a composer...
1009
00:49:00,985 --> 00:49:02,788
That sounds much better.
1010
00:49:02,820 --> 00:49:05,824
Uh, it really kind of changed
the way that I looked at System
1011
00:49:05,856 --> 00:49:09,961
again, to a point where, when
there was that opening for us to
1012
00:49:09,994 --> 00:49:13,965
discuss touring together again,
I was way more open to it and...
1013
00:49:13,998 --> 00:49:16,534
and be like "Okay, well, I've
done all these things and I'm
1014
00:49:16,568 --> 00:49:18,370
gonna continue
doing all these things,
1015
00:49:18,402 --> 00:49:20,238
but if you guys wanna
play some music together,
1016
00:49:20,271 --> 00:49:21,739
I think that
might be really fun."
1017
00:49:21,773 --> 00:49:22,841
Hello.
1018
00:49:22,873 --> 00:49:23,674
Just want to say hi.
1019
00:49:23,708 --> 00:49:24,643
Hi.
1020
00:49:24,675 --> 00:49:26,510
- Serj.
- Michael, nice to meet you.
1021
00:49:33,885 --> 00:49:35,721
We are!
1022
00:49:35,753 --> 00:49:36,887
We're System of a Down!
1023
00:49:39,757 --> 00:49:41,359
So I shot everything.
1024
00:49:41,393 --> 00:49:41,994
Whoa.
1025
00:49:42,027 --> 00:49:43,528
Yo, watch out!
1026
00:49:44,929 --> 00:49:46,831
I strapped a
camera on my head...
1027
00:49:46,864 --> 00:49:48,899
I just blinded you with science.
1028
00:49:48,932 --> 00:49:51,737
♪ She blinded
me with science ♪
1029
00:49:52,237 --> 00:49:53,905
I had spy glasses...
1030
00:49:54,206 --> 00:49:55,874
These are skinny mirrors.
1031
00:49:55,907 --> 00:49:58,410
If you are skinny,
you will be skinnier.
1032
00:49:58,443 --> 00:49:59,044
How are you, man?
1033
00:49:59,077 --> 00:50:00,112
How are you?
1034
00:50:00,144 --> 00:50:01,679
- Everything cool?
- Good to see you again.
1035
00:50:01,713 --> 00:50:02,948
- Sounds good in the house.
- Great, thank you. Thanks for everything.
1036
00:50:02,981 --> 00:50:07,253
I... I think the reason that I
wanted to shoot all of that...
1037
00:50:07,452 --> 00:50:11,623
was because, irrespective of
feeling confident coming back to
1038
00:50:11,655 --> 00:50:15,893
the System camp, there was still
some lingering insecurities
1039
00:50:15,927 --> 00:50:17,062
and... and fears.
1040
00:50:17,094 --> 00:50:18,429
You fuckin' fuck.
1041
00:50:19,130 --> 00:50:20,331
over your head.
1042
00:50:20,364 --> 00:50:24,402
So I think by having a
camera in the middle to be able
1043
00:50:24,436 --> 00:50:28,640
to look through kind of gave me
the perspective that I needed to
1044
00:50:28,672 --> 00:50:32,310
more comfortably and
unemotionally reconnect with my
1045
00:50:32,344 --> 00:50:33,912
past and with my band.
1046
00:50:38,949 --> 00:50:40,652
That was a such a great show.
1047
00:50:40,684 --> 00:50:42,887
That felt like a
badass fucking show.
1048
00:50:42,920 --> 00:50:43,855
Woo!
1049
00:50:43,889 --> 00:50:45,757
My girlfriend Ang
was on tour with me.
1050
00:50:45,789 --> 00:50:47,358
Hold on, hold on, hold on.
1051
00:50:48,793 --> 00:50:49,461
Okay, got it.
1052
00:50:49,494 --> 00:50:51,596
And George, my manager.
1053
00:50:51,628 --> 00:50:52,963
I tried to come
here two hours late.
1054
00:50:52,996 --> 00:50:54,965
I only got here an
hour late.
1055
00:50:54,998 --> 00:50:55,699
I'm so disappointed.
1056
00:50:55,733 --> 00:50:57,501
You know, it was just like...
1057
00:50:57,534 --> 00:50:59,637
w... we just... we were
having so much fun.
1058
00:51:07,112 --> 00:51:09,014
Look at that view of Jordan.
1059
00:51:09,514 --> 00:51:13,018
And I also filmed my family
as we went back to Lebanon.
1060
00:51:16,721 --> 00:51:19,123
We visited the orphanage that
took in my grandfather after the
1061
00:51:19,157 --> 00:51:20,726
genocide.
1062
00:51:21,893 --> 00:51:24,096
We went back to the home we
lived in before moving to Los
1063
00:51:24,128 --> 00:51:25,496
Angeles.
1064
00:51:33,670 --> 00:51:36,807
And I even got to have a concert
there with my dad and sing the
1065
00:51:36,840 --> 00:51:39,344
song he taught me so long ago.
1066
00:52:14,711 --> 00:52:17,047
The Armenian homeland was
destroyed by the genocide in
1067
00:52:17,081 --> 00:52:18,849
1915.
1068
00:52:18,882 --> 00:52:21,919
But a small part of
Armenia actually did survive.
1069
00:52:21,952 --> 00:52:24,889
After two years of independence,
it became part of the Soviet
1070
00:52:24,922 --> 00:52:29,927
Union, until finally regaining
its independence in 1991.
1071
00:52:30,862 --> 00:52:35,700
I had been to Armenia in
2005, and at that time,
1072
00:52:35,733 --> 00:52:38,437
I was starting to get
more interested politically.
1073
00:52:42,206 --> 00:52:43,509
The more I
visited Armenia,
1074
00:52:43,541 --> 00:52:46,076
the more I started to see some
of the injustices occurring in
1075
00:52:46,110 --> 00:52:49,181
Armenia, mostly having to
do with the ruling elite,
1076
00:52:49,213 --> 00:52:52,918
a very corrupt ruling elite,
post-Soviet oligarchic ruling
1077
00:52:52,951 --> 00:52:56,554
elite, that felt that they
could do whatever they like,
1078
00:52:56,588 --> 00:52:58,423
uh, with impunity.
1079
00:52:59,257 --> 00:53:00,958
There was a
depopulation occurring,
1080
00:53:00,992 --> 00:53:03,028
people were leaving the country,
they were voting with their
1081
00:53:03,061 --> 00:53:04,930
feet, as it's called.
1082
00:53:05,262 --> 00:53:06,730
Because they couldn't find jobs.
1083
00:53:06,764 --> 00:53:09,768
They didn't have, uh,
justice in the courts.
1084
00:53:09,800 --> 00:53:13,737
They weren't able to provide a
great comfort and security and...
1085
00:53:13,771 --> 00:53:16,108
and... and lifestyle
for their children.
1086
00:53:18,076 --> 00:53:19,945
Now, this was taboo in the
Armenian community in the
1087
00:53:19,978 --> 00:53:22,581
diaspora because
diasporan Armenians,
1088
00:53:22,614 --> 00:53:25,650
they didn't really want to talk
about the injustices in Armenia.
1089
00:53:25,682 --> 00:53:28,920
When you're going to Congress
asking for the recognition of
1090
00:53:28,952 --> 00:53:32,791
the genocide, it's not cool
for you to mention that there's
1091
00:53:32,824 --> 00:53:34,992
corruption in Armenia, there's
some bad shit happening in
1092
00:53:35,025 --> 00:53:37,596
Armenia that need to
be resolved as well.
1093
00:53:44,635 --> 00:53:49,641
March 1, 2008 is, uh, kind of
indelibly sketched into modern
1094
00:53:50,474 --> 00:53:55,547
Armenian history because there
were 10 deaths at a protest
1095
00:53:55,579 --> 00:53:59,985
protesting the election of
Serzh Sargsyan as President.
1096
00:54:00,018 --> 00:54:03,255
In Armenia, at least nine
people now have died in clashes
1097
00:54:03,288 --> 00:54:06,123
between police and
opposition protesters.
1098
00:54:06,157 --> 00:54:09,961
Outgoing President Robert
Kocharyan has imposed a...
1099
00:54:09,994 --> 00:54:13,698
People were dying,
uh, making their voices heard.
1100
00:54:13,731 --> 00:54:16,167
The protesters
accuse the government of rigging
1101
00:54:16,199 --> 00:54:18,703
last month's
presidential election.
1102
00:54:21,706 --> 00:54:24,976
And I was really, really
heartbroken that... that Armenia
1103
00:54:25,009 --> 00:54:27,646
is going through this
injustice and that,
1104
00:54:27,679 --> 00:54:31,048
you know, this...
this hold on, you know,
1105
00:54:31,081 --> 00:54:34,552
uh, the populace and their
destiny was happening by a
1106
00:54:34,585 --> 00:54:37,054
handful of el...
elitists, corrupt elitists.
1107
00:54:37,088 --> 00:54:39,224
And so I wrote a public letter.
1108
00:54:54,172 --> 00:54:56,574
So after writing that
public letter to the President,
1109
00:54:56,608 --> 00:54:59,744
I... I didn't expect a
response, a... actually,
1110
00:54:59,777 --> 00:55:01,846
uh, but he did
respond, in public,
1111
00:55:01,878 --> 00:55:03,047
with his own letter.
1112
00:55:23,735 --> 00:55:26,771
2015 was the centennial
of the Armenian genocide.
1113
00:55:26,804 --> 00:55:28,206
Thursday's
vote in the German parliament
1114
00:55:28,239 --> 00:55:31,108
recognizing a genocide of
1.5 million Armenians...
1115
00:55:31,141 --> 00:55:33,043
Germany officially
recognized the genocide,
1116
00:55:33,077 --> 00:55:36,048
the... the Vatican officially
recognized the genocide.
1117
00:55:43,788 --> 00:55:45,190
It was the first time
System of a Down ever played
1118
00:55:45,222 --> 00:55:46,958
in Armenia, as well.
1119
00:55:53,231 --> 00:55:55,066
Here I was, dealing
with a government that
1120
00:55:55,099 --> 00:55:56,267
was unjust...
1121
00:56:00,438 --> 00:56:02,273
that I was really
rallying against,
1122
00:56:02,306 --> 00:56:04,376
yet I was also...
1123
00:56:04,409 --> 00:56:07,077
spent my whole life fighting
for recognition of the Armenian
1124
00:56:07,110 --> 00:56:09,213
genocide, an external injustice.
1125
00:56:20,324 --> 00:56:22,760
You know, I... I stayed up for
two nights thinking about how
1126
00:56:22,793 --> 00:56:24,996
I'm... how am I
gonna deal with this?
1127
00:56:26,030 --> 00:56:28,833
At the time, it just came to
me in the middle of the night,
1128
00:56:28,865 --> 00:56:30,802
and I just said, "You know what?
1129
00:56:30,835 --> 00:56:32,771
I'm a fucking
musician, I'm an artist.
1130
00:56:32,804 --> 00:56:35,173
I'm gonna say everything I
need to say from my stage,
1131
00:56:35,206 --> 00:56:36,675
from our stage.
1132
00:56:36,708 --> 00:56:39,110
And the rest can
fall where it may."
1133
00:56:42,146 --> 00:56:45,250
Before the show, we
got together with the guys from
1134
00:56:45,282 --> 00:56:48,185
System in the lobby of the
hotel we were at before we got
1135
00:56:48,219 --> 00:56:49,019
onstage.
1136
00:56:49,052 --> 00:56:50,154
I'm honored to
be with you guys.
1137
00:56:50,188 --> 00:56:51,123
Me too.
1138
00:56:51,155 --> 00:56:53,791
This... this, like,
even more this time...
1139
00:56:53,824 --> 00:56:55,292
And we
hugged each other.
1140
00:56:57,161 --> 00:57:00,164
I had this sense of
calmness that is rare.
1141
00:57:00,364 --> 00:57:03,434
And I just looked at the
guys and it almost felt like we
1142
00:57:03,467 --> 00:57:06,270
were... created...
1143
00:57:06,304 --> 00:57:08,206
to play that night.
1144
00:57:08,672 --> 00:57:09,973
Now, let's go wait
for 20 more minutes.
1145
00:57:10,007 --> 00:57:11,309
Where are they?
1146
00:57:11,342 --> 00:57:12,977
From day one, we had
songs about being Armenian and
1147
00:57:13,010 --> 00:57:14,345
the whole cause, you know?
1148
00:57:14,378 --> 00:57:16,280
And it was like
one head, two head,
1149
00:57:16,313 --> 00:57:17,347
three head, four head.
1150
00:57:18,215 --> 00:57:19,417
And a whole
nation got... heard us.
1151
00:57:19,449 --> 00:57:22,152
They're like, "Fuck, they're...
they're... those young boys are...
1152
00:57:22,186 --> 00:57:24,155
are... are fucking soldiers."
1153
00:57:24,188 --> 00:57:27,826
We were soldiers with a
fucking... with a voice to say
1154
00:57:27,858 --> 00:57:28,726
something.
1155
00:57:29,927 --> 00:57:33,030
It was as poignant
moment because all the drama of
1156
00:57:33,063 --> 00:57:35,232
the last 20 years,
it just went away.
1157
00:57:35,599 --> 00:57:39,336
And it was just four guys going
onstage and playing for their
1158
00:57:39,369 --> 00:57:40,471
people.
1159
00:57:47,378 --> 00:57:49,748
We played
an amazing show.
1160
00:57:50,114 --> 00:57:52,750
It was raining, it
was really dramatic.
1161
00:57:53,050 --> 00:57:55,420
And the audience
was going crazy.
1162
00:57:56,887 --> 00:57:58,355
And I started talking.
1163
00:57:58,389 --> 00:58:00,224
The truth serum kicked in.
1164
00:58:04,228 --> 00:58:06,364
For the last few days...
1165
00:58:07,197 --> 00:58:09,967
I haven't been
able to sleep well.
1166
00:58:10,768 --> 00:58:13,739
All I can think about
is my grandparents.
1167
00:58:14,405 --> 00:58:16,274
My grandfather...
1168
00:58:17,307 --> 00:58:20,043
My grandfather was five years
old when he saw his own father
1169
00:58:20,077 --> 00:58:21,379
die.
1170
00:58:23,146 --> 00:58:25,382
He lost his sight from hunger.
1171
00:58:26,282 --> 00:58:31,288
And I spoke about the
hypocrisy of Obama talking about
1172
00:58:31,621 --> 00:58:34,358
recognition of the genocide
as a senator before he became
1173
00:58:34,391 --> 00:58:37,895
President and not using the word
"genocide" because of Turkish
1174
00:58:37,929 --> 00:58:38,762
pressure.
1175
00:58:38,797 --> 00:58:41,132
So the fact that
the US government...
1176
00:58:41,599 --> 00:58:44,434
picks the wrong word to
recognize what we know is
1177
00:58:44,467 --> 00:58:48,138
genocide is not
only appalling to us,
1178
00:58:48,172 --> 00:58:50,442
it's appalling to Americans.
1179
00:58:50,809 --> 00:58:52,544
And then I talked about
the Armenian government.
1180
00:58:52,577 --> 00:58:54,813
We've come a long way, Armenia.
1181
00:58:55,012 --> 00:58:57,382
But there's still a lot
of fucking work to do.
1182
00:59:00,585 --> 00:59:02,287
It is the responsibility
of the government
1183
00:59:02,320 --> 00:59:05,123
of the Republic of Armenia...
1184
00:59:05,155 --> 00:59:09,427
to bring in the principles
of egalitarian civic society.
1185
00:59:14,965 --> 00:59:18,135
Getting rid of the institutional
injustice abound...
1186
00:59:22,974 --> 00:59:26,477
and stopping the
depopulation that is occurring.
1187
00:59:28,880 --> 00:59:31,282
I didn't know long
it would take for the
1188
00:59:31,315 --> 00:59:35,954
reversal of fortunes, but
I knew that it was coming.
1189
00:59:45,161 --> 00:59:48,198
In 2017, there were
parliamentary elections.
1190
00:59:48,231 --> 00:59:52,202
I saw that as the last hope for
Armenia to be able to come back
1191
00:59:52,235 --> 00:59:56,607
into progressive democracy
from this oligarchic decline.
1192
00:59:56,641 --> 00:59:57,474
Calm down, man.
1193
00:59:57,507 --> 00:59:58,208
Calm down.
1194
00:59:58,242 --> 00:59:58,743
It's gonna be
okay.
1195
00:59:58,775 --> 01:00:00,010
It's gonna be okay.
1196
01:00:00,043 --> 01:00:00,644
You're gonna be fine.
1197
01:00:00,677 --> 01:00:01,746
You're gonna be just fine.
1198
01:00:01,778 --> 01:00:03,614
Just... as long as you
vote, you're gonna be fine.
1199
01:00:03,648 --> 01:00:05,350
As long as you vote,
you're gonna be fine.
1200
01:00:05,382 --> 01:00:06,516
As long as you vote.
1201
01:00:06,550 --> 01:00:07,818
Myself and
a number of, uh,
1202
01:00:07,851 --> 01:00:11,489
artist friends, we went under
the coalition called Justice
1203
01:00:11,521 --> 01:00:12,990
Within Armenia.
1204
01:00:13,023 --> 01:00:14,192
Young people, please vote.
1205
01:00:14,224 --> 01:00:17,394
Don't block these elections,
because this is your only chance
1206
01:00:17,427 --> 01:00:18,528
to make your voice heard.
1207
01:00:18,563 --> 01:00:21,231
Irrespective of corruption,
irrespective of all the
1208
01:00:21,264 --> 01:00:22,400
limitations...
1209
01:00:22,432 --> 01:00:24,501
Some people in... in the
government accused us of being
1210
01:00:24,534 --> 01:00:28,505
foreign spies, and to be
called a foreign spy in my own,
1211
01:00:28,539 --> 01:00:32,076
you know, cultural
homeland, you know?
1212
01:00:32,108 --> 01:00:34,511
And... that really
pissed us all off.
1213
01:00:34,545 --> 01:00:36,213
♪ I don't
give a fuck about the FBI ♪
1214
01:00:36,246 --> 01:00:38,515
♪ I don't give a
fuck about the CIA ♪
1215
01:00:38,548 --> 01:00:40,518
♪ I don't give a
fuck about the KGB ♪
1216
01:00:40,550 --> 01:00:43,186
♪ I don't give a
fuck about the FSB ♪
1217
01:00:43,219 --> 01:00:45,188
Okay, so,...
1218
01:00:47,425 --> 01:00:49,560
We wrote all these statements
encouraging monitors to come to
1219
01:00:49,592 --> 01:00:53,464
Armenia and be eyewitnesses
to what's going on.
1220
01:01:06,443 --> 01:01:09,047
I went to at least 12
polling stations around the
1221
01:01:09,079 --> 01:01:10,414
country.
1222
01:01:10,447 --> 01:01:13,083
Some guy's
writing stuff on a car.
1223
01:01:13,416 --> 01:01:16,554
But we realized quickly that the
votes were already bought and
1224
01:01:16,586 --> 01:01:17,755
paid for ahead of time.
1225
01:01:17,788 --> 01:01:21,224
We had a guy who basically
was keeping tabs on the voters,
1226
01:01:21,257 --> 01:01:23,694
sitting right
behind the ballot box.
1227
01:01:23,728 --> 01:01:26,530
Right in front
of the eyes of the OSC,
1228
01:01:26,563 --> 01:01:30,134
right in front of the eyes of
the European Council of Nations.
1229
01:01:33,737 --> 01:01:37,274
Right in front of
the eyes of all us monitors.
1230
01:01:46,117 --> 01:01:49,287
I was so disappointed, I
couldn't even bring myself to go
1231
01:01:49,320 --> 01:01:52,090
speak at the
post-election press conference.
1232
01:01:56,126 --> 01:01:59,163
President
Serzh Sargsyan's ruling party is
1233
01:01:59,195 --> 01:02:02,266
well ahead in Armenia's
landmark election.
1234
01:02:02,298 --> 01:02:05,335
This is the first ballot to
usher in a new parliamentary
1235
01:02:05,369 --> 01:02:08,106
system of government, yet
critics see the change as an
1236
01:02:08,139 --> 01:02:10,641
effort to prolong
his political life.
1237
01:02:10,673 --> 01:02:13,510
And with claims of
voting fraud multiplying...
1238
01:02:13,543 --> 01:02:18,016
The Republican Party
of Armenia won a huge majority,
1239
01:02:18,048 --> 01:02:22,019
and so it seemed like Armenia's
progressive democratic future
1240
01:02:22,052 --> 01:02:23,286
was doomed.
1241
01:02:26,489 --> 01:02:29,393
And I was fucking depressed.
1242
01:02:55,385 --> 01:02:58,523
Power is always afraid
of... of means that can
1243
01:02:58,556 --> 01:03:01,659
break out of it: music,
dancing, you know,
1244
01:03:01,692 --> 01:03:04,628
anything that can
move a soul, you know?
1245
01:03:04,661 --> 01:03:07,197
And stir the soul.
1246
01:03:09,266 --> 01:03:13,070
So... can
music change the world?
1247
01:03:15,706 --> 01:03:18,242
Music changes our
intuitive hearts.
1248
01:03:18,275 --> 01:03:20,677
Like, our... our... our... music
changes the way we feel about
1249
01:03:20,710 --> 01:03:22,246
things.
1250
01:03:22,547 --> 01:03:25,516
How we feel about things
can overwhelm our logic.
1251
01:03:25,548 --> 01:03:26,784
Four Armenian kids.
1252
01:03:26,817 --> 01:03:29,853
And now, we're on CNN and
there's a riot because of us?
1253
01:03:29,887 --> 01:03:32,557
And our logic being a
part of the process can change
1254
01:03:32,590 --> 01:03:33,791
the world.
1255
01:03:33,824 --> 01:03:35,725
We were
soldiers with a voice to say
1256
01:03:35,759 --> 01:03:37,027
something.
1257
01:03:37,061 --> 01:03:39,564
That's the
true artist's role in society.
1258
01:03:39,597 --> 01:03:42,834
It is our
responsibility to push back.
1259
01:03:42,867 --> 01:03:45,870
But it requires people
realizing that they have the
1260
01:03:45,902 --> 01:03:47,471
power.
1261
01:03:48,371 --> 01:03:51,208
Open your
eyes, open your mouths,
1262
01:03:51,242 --> 01:03:53,544
close your hand and make a fist.
1263
01:03:56,246 --> 01:03:58,282
Down with the system.
1264
01:04:15,599 --> 01:04:18,269
So it's the end
of March and Ang goes,
1265
01:04:18,302 --> 01:04:20,438
"Hey, did you check out
what's going on in Armenia?"
1266
01:04:20,471 --> 01:04:21,806
And she was looking at Facebook.
1267
01:04:36,487 --> 01:04:37,755
Nikol
Pashinyan, who was,
1268
01:04:37,788 --> 01:04:40,490
uh, an opposition
member of parliament,
1269
01:04:40,523 --> 01:04:43,460
started a protest walk.
1270
01:04:48,632 --> 01:04:51,135
And this little
movement was starting.
1271
01:05:21,498 --> 01:05:24,302
What was really unique
about this movement were the
1272
01:05:24,335 --> 01:05:29,340
ethos.
1273
01:05:29,739 --> 01:05:32,376
They said that we want
a completely peaceful movement.
1274
01:06:07,878 --> 01:06:10,381
The only way to describe
it is decentralized civil
1275
01:06:10,414 --> 01:06:11,582
disobedience.
1276
01:06:16,887 --> 01:06:17,988
Police would come
and go, "All right,
1277
01:06:18,021 --> 01:06:19,222
you gotta unblock this
intersection," and they would
1278
01:06:19,255 --> 01:06:21,826
just go on the sidewalk and
the police would walk away and
1279
01:06:21,858 --> 01:06:23,795
they'd jump, the
police would come back...
1280
01:06:25,628 --> 01:06:27,030
I mean, it
was like Tom and Jerry!
1281
01:06:27,063 --> 01:06:28,699
It was almost funny.
1282
01:06:34,038 --> 01:06:38,376
This was an ingenious
way to show the people that they
1283
01:06:38,409 --> 01:06:39,911
owned the country.
1284
01:06:48,318 --> 01:06:50,887
I want to
congratulate you for, so far,
1285
01:06:50,920 --> 01:06:53,290
holding one of the most
successful civil disobendience
1286
01:06:53,324 --> 01:06:56,027
campaigns in all of
Armenian history.
1287
01:06:56,059 --> 01:06:58,762
You've realized this cultural
awakening and decision to pursue
1288
01:06:58,795 --> 01:07:01,398
justice is a basic human right.
1289
01:07:01,431 --> 01:07:05,068
I can see the love in your eyes
and in your hearts like I did
1290
01:07:05,101 --> 01:07:08,905
when we played in 2015 with
System of a Down from the stage.
1291
01:07:12,943 --> 01:07:15,413
Finally, the government
of Armenia realizes that there
1292
01:07:15,445 --> 01:07:17,748
is no way around these protests.
1293
01:07:32,929 --> 01:07:34,964
Serzh Sargsyan,
the President, says,
1294
01:07:34,998 --> 01:07:38,601
"Let's talk about what...
what your demands are."
1295
01:07:38,635 --> 01:07:41,472
And Nikol says, "We
only have one demand..."
1296
01:08:03,994 --> 01:08:06,931
So at this point, I've
got this horrendous flu from
1297
01:08:06,963 --> 01:08:07,864
hell.
1298
01:08:07,898 --> 01:08:09,366
There's, like, shit
running out of my nose,
1299
01:08:09,400 --> 01:08:10,367
I've got fever.
1300
01:08:10,400 --> 01:08:14,538
But I'm, like, obsessed
just watching this 24/7.
1301
01:08:15,172 --> 01:08:16,740
And then suddenly...
1302
01:08:28,185 --> 01:08:31,122
"Serj Tankian, it's time that
you come and join your people."
1303
01:08:31,154 --> 01:08:32,856
And I'm like...
1304
01:08:33,689 --> 01:08:35,359
"Oh, my God."
1305
01:09:07,090 --> 01:09:09,760
Next thing you
know, you see priests,
1306
01:09:09,792 --> 01:09:13,029
you see soldiers on the
street with the people,
1307
01:09:13,063 --> 01:09:14,597
walking arm-to-arm.
1308
01:09:27,944 --> 01:09:30,613
And the announcement comes that
the Prime Minister of Armenia
1309
01:09:30,646 --> 01:09:31,314
has resigned.
1310
01:09:31,347 --> 01:09:33,016
"Serzh Sargsyan has resigned."
1311
01:09:38,121 --> 01:09:40,925
An eruption
on the streets of Yerevan as
1312
01:09:40,957 --> 01:09:44,894
tens of thousands of citizens
flood the capital to celebrate
1313
01:09:44,927 --> 01:09:48,765
the miraculous
resignation of Serzh Sargsyan.
1314
01:09:49,132 --> 01:09:51,601
It was a
David versus Goliath battle,
1315
01:09:51,635 --> 01:09:53,938
as peaceful protests
brought down the most powerful
1316
01:09:53,970 --> 01:09:57,941
government in the history
of this post-Soviet nation.
1317
01:11:18,188 --> 01:11:21,190
There were so many
people on the street greeting us
1318
01:11:21,224 --> 01:11:23,027
that we couldn't drive.
1319
01:11:27,029 --> 01:11:30,033
I saw thousands
of people on the street...
1320
01:11:30,667 --> 01:11:34,305
with the most joy in their eyes
that I've ever seen in my life.
1321
01:11:42,712 --> 01:11:44,847
And they
were honoring him,
1322
01:11:44,881 --> 01:11:49,887
and me, with traditional
Armenian gata and cognac and
1323
01:11:50,119 --> 01:11:51,922
stuff like that,
you know?
1324
01:11:54,123 --> 01:11:56,159
It's just so surreal, man.
1325
01:11:56,193 --> 01:11:58,596
It's so surreal.
1326
01:12:15,244 --> 01:12:19,782
We, uh, went to have
some tea and... and some dessert.
1327
01:12:19,815 --> 01:12:23,886
He... he's... he's executed
the perfect revolution,
1328
01:12:23,920 --> 01:12:26,724
and I'm asking, "So, wh... how many
of you were there in the beginning?
1329
01:12:26,756 --> 01:12:27,290
And how was it?
1330
01:12:27,323 --> 01:12:28,058
How did you plan this?
1331
01:12:28,091 --> 01:12:29,159
Was that planned?
Was that..."
1332
01:12:29,193 --> 01:12:31,762
Like, he's just, like,
answering them and laughing.
1333
01:12:42,104 --> 01:12:45,141
And at one point, he says,
"Do you realize something?"
1334
01:12:45,175 --> 01:12:50,181
He goes, "You realize
that Anna and I, my wife and I,
1335
01:12:50,780 --> 01:12:54,251
were in the audience in 2015
watching you in System of a
1336
01:12:54,283 --> 01:12:55,152
Down."
1337
01:12:57,287 --> 01:12:58,655
Oh, yeah?
1338
01:13:01,824 --> 01:13:06,229
He goes, "I figured, if you
guys can bring 50,000 people,
1339
01:13:06,262 --> 01:13:09,298
we should be able to bring 50...
more... more than 50,000 people
1340
01:13:09,332 --> 01:13:10,500
and do a revolution."
1341
01:13:10,533 --> 01:13:12,403
He goes, "That made me feel
like this is all possible."
1342
01:13:12,435 --> 01:13:14,170
And I was like...
1343
01:14:17,234 --> 01:14:20,871
I'm so proud that I
come from a nation...
1344
01:14:43,894 --> 01:14:45,095
All right.
1345
01:14:45,128 --> 01:14:48,332
I'm so proud that I come from a
nation that created a peaceful
1346
01:14:48,364 --> 01:14:53,369
revolution that... that was able
to hand people their destiny.
1347
01:14:55,238 --> 01:14:58,876
And it's a lesson to the world
that positive change can occur
1348
01:14:58,908 --> 01:15:01,112
in today's era of division.
1349
01:15:01,412 --> 01:15:05,215
And, uh, all this right-wing
extremism and all this fucking
1350
01:15:05,247 --> 01:15:07,784
shit going on in the
world, there is hope.
1351
01:15:23,166 --> 01:15:26,270
The House voted overwhelmingly
to recognize the century-old
1352
01:15:26,302 --> 01:15:28,271
- mass killings...
- Mass killings of Armenians
1353
01:15:28,305 --> 01:15:30,106
by Ottoman Turks as genocide.
1354
01:15:30,140 --> 01:15:32,409
As international
observers wrote at the time,
1355
01:15:32,442 --> 01:15:35,813
"It was a campaign of
race extermination."
1356
01:15:35,845 --> 01:15:38,414
One that we, as members of
Congress and as freedom-loving
1357
01:15:38,448 --> 01:15:42,252
people, have a moral
obligation to never forget.
1358
01:15:42,284 --> 01:15:44,387
A moment when the House of
Representatives refused to be
1359
01:15:44,421 --> 01:15:47,825
enlisted in the cause
of genocide denial.
1360
01:15:47,858 --> 01:15:50,961
The non-binding
resolution passed 405 to 11.
1361
01:15:50,993 --> 01:15:52,395
The resolution is adopted.