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SYSTEM OF A DOWN Drummer Explains Impact Of Playing In Armenia

April 3, 2015

According to The Pulse Of Radio, SYSTEM OF A DOWN drummer John Dolmayan said in a conference call earlier this week that the band's upcoming concert in Armenia — the first time SYSTEM will ever perform in the ancestral country of its members — means more to the group than making a new album. Dolmayan explained why this was so. "This one, especially since it's culminating in Armenia, it's even more impactful for me as an Armenian and as a musician," he said. "This is more something that transcends music. This is more important than a next SYSTEM OF A DOWN album. This is something that is even bigger than the Armenian genocide itself. You know, this is a world issue and we want to help prevent what happened to the Armenians happening to other people."

The Armenian show will conclude a series of live dates around the world called the "Wake Up The Souls" tour.

SYSTEM is doing the tour to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, during which 1.5 million Armenians lost their lives at the hands of the Turkish government between 1915 and 1918. Turkey has officially denied that the atrocity took place ever since.

The tour begins on April 6 in Inglewood, California, and includes 14 dates in Europe and North and South America, culminating in Armenia in April 23, the day before the annual worldwide observation of the genocide.

SYSTEM went on hiatus in late 2006 but began touring intermittently again in 2011. As for the possibility of a new album, Dolmayan said, "We do want to get together after the tour to talk about writing, but who knows. Maybe things will happen on this tour that will inspire songs."

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