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Show MAR25 - 1999 RED -- Lis --2 fM Yd 1 - R7 1 flattered when he approached us and told us that he liked the music. I mean here's a guy who has worked on some great records such as the Beastie Boys License to III, the album that basically was the crossover of rap and rock music," said Malakian who recalls growing classics such as "Girls" and "Brass up listening to Go-G- al years ago. After joining a major label last year things were on as the first tour with Slayer helped the the band gain some unbelievable exposure and a chance for the guys to play with a band that they listened to while growing up in Los Angeles. But even though System of a Down had hometown success, they still needed to convince Slayer fanatics they could handle tour. such a large-scal- e "At first it was a little weird because Slayer fans are hardcore people and when the band's on the club cird show up to see their favorite cuit, only the said band," Dolmayan about System's first major tour of the United States. "If people started to yell 'Slayer' while we were playing, we'd just yell it louder into our mics because we're fans as well. Overall that tour went really well and I think people are starting to figure out who we are and what the band sounds like." Monkey." "For us we have a lot of different sounds in our music and he's understanding with what we're trypering to do. Rick is by no means a son." Rage against the Turkish Government much aggression and hardcore in System of a Down's music, it makes sense that a lot of the contain lyrics political overtones, primarily regarding the band's feelings about the Turkish government who committed the first major genocide of the 20th centu- With die-har- so ry. According to Malakian, the basis for songs such as (Politically Lying, Unholy, Cowardly Killers)" comes from the group's consensus and need for recognition of the social injustice committed by the Turks. "The Turkish government in 1915 massacred 1.5 million Armenian people and it's not even acknowledged by this country or a lot of other countries for that matter. It's something that France just recently recognized," said Malakian who receives letters from fans in effects Turkey who sympathize and see the first-han- d of the government's actions. "It's kind of like the holocaust and the difference is that one is recognized while the other is not. The whole Armenian culture is a little pissed off and there needs to be retribution for our peo"P.LU.C.K Millennium IVletalheads sign with the best: L2ak COVER A album, has been an enjoyable surprise considering the size of venues in LA. such as The Roxy and where the band started out severWhiskey A- - I M - ong before bands like Anthrax and Public Enemy joined forces to combine the freshest of rap with cutting-edg- e heavy metal, the who collaborated 1980s had groups like with Aerosmith for classic songs like "Walk This Way." With a little help from the founders of Def Jam records, Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin, bands that mixed several genres such as the Beastie Boys had an outlet where they could get widespread distribution without sacrificing musical integrity or the bands Run-DM- C innovative style. Unfortunately, the Def Jam forefathers would pursue different projects in the years to come as Simmons continued with the hip-ho- p aspect, while Rubin on the other hand went on to produce some of the greatest rock albums of the decade for legendary artists such as Johnny Cash and Tom Petty to the ple." ground breaking funk album Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Nowadays, despite the some of the mediocre rap albums supported by Simmons, Rubin has developed a reputation as probably the most sought after producer in Hollywood who can recognize young talent and help those bands reach a wider audience. Just like he did in the 1980s, Rubin didn't limit his influences or types of bands which would appear on his label. Last year Rubin decided it was time to sign another revolutionary outfit to his label, American Recordings, home to other rock artists such as The Black Crowes and Slayer, so he picked a band willing to redefine the traditional methods of making heavy metal, a group that could mix jazz with hardcore and still make room for vocals, it could only be the new breed of Armenian rockers, System of A Down. According to Malakian, working with a producer like Rick Rubin helped the band feel more comfortable But the political messages in System's music don't necessarily interfere with the band's ability to put on killer shows night after night. It's not like Rage Against the Machine who spend a little too much time preaching when they should be rocking out. If System's vocalist Serj Tankian has something to tell the crowd , he'll come right out and say it without making the crowd suffer through a political lecture. Tankian's vocal-styl- e mixes growling choruses with verses on songs like "Peephole" and then squealing as as some Shakespearean jargon on far in goes mixing tracks like "Ddevil." His range reaches both end of the spectrum and his charismatic stage presence keeps the energy flowing from one song to the next. For the young vocalist, who looks a little like a cross between Ben Harper and Zack De La Rocha, System of a Down's songs are anthems alerting people of what's going to happen as the world approaches the millennium "Right now there are major revolutions going on around the world. For example, Turkey just arrested Abdullah Ocalan last week and if you watch the news people are burning themselves like they did back in Vietnam," said Tankian about the rapid social change the band sings about in songs such as "War?" and "Suggestions." "When a lot of the this stuff spreads to America, which it eventually will, people shouldn't be during the recording process. surprised." punk-influenc- "We were absolutely. a; V? I , , VN Jr ILL Vfh 1 Hs (vJ M - A |