SERJ TANKIAN, EDDIE VEDDER Speak Out On 'War' Soundtrack

February 25, 2008

The Pulse of Radio reports: SYSTEM OF A DOWN vocalist Serj Tankian and PEARL JAM frontman Eddie Vedder have both contributed songs to the soundtrack of "Body of War", a new documentary about a soldier named Tomas Young who was shot and paralyzed from the waist down during his first week of duty in Iraq.

Tankian, who contributed both his own solo song "Empty Walls" and SYSTEM's "B.Y.O.B.", told Spinner.com that he was moved to participate by a letter from Young himself. He explained, "He told his story very simply, yet very powerfully, and I was extremely moved reading his letter. I was also inspired by his courage in taking a stand and speaking out. I knew right away that I wanted to get involved and help get out his message in any way I could, and what better way than through music?"

Vedder's song, "No More", was written exclusively for the film and recorded last year at the Lollapalooza festival. He told The Pulse of Radio that PEARL JAM has heard from numbers of Iraq veterans and/or their families. "We've gotten letters, I've talked to different people that have lost kids to this war," he said. "A lot of them are between the ages of 19 and 24. I'd said the majority are 19 and 25, or 26, 27. What were the reasons we went, how do we get out, when do we get out, who's profiting from this, and will we let this happen again...those are the questions that it raises for us."

The "Body of War" soundtrack also features contributions from RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello, Neil Young and others. The two-CD set arrives on March 18, but can be pre-ordered at bodyofwarmusic.com. The movie will also premiere sometime next month.

Serj Tankian is currently opening for FOO FIGHTERS as he tours in support of his first solo album, "Elect The Dead". Eddie Vedder will embark on his first-ever solo tour in April, in support of the soundtrack CD for the film "Into the Wild", for which Vedder wrote and recorded nine new songs. He'll begin the trek on April 2 in Vancouver.

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