The work will be called “Down with the System” and will be published in May 2024.
Serj Tankian will release his memoir, “Down with the System,” on May 14, 2024. Hachette Books, the System of a Down singer’s publisher, promotes the book by saying on its website that it is “more than just a rock ‘n’ roll fable.”
“Down with the System” = the awakening of an activist
On his Instagram page writes the musician, activist and author: “Boom! I have written a new book. I had a blast working on this serendipitous philosophical memoir, as it gave me the unique opportunity to delve deep into my family history, my own motivations growing up, and lessons I didn’t know I had learned had”.
The book will be “the story of an immigrant, the awakening of an activist and a spiritual journey from darkness to light,” said Tankian. “Down with the System” can now pre-ordered become. In addition to the hardcover version, it will also be available digitally and as an audio book.
Tankian confronts Imagine Dragons
In August 2023, the 56-year-old caused a stir when he called on the band Imagine Dragons to cancel their concert in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. He pointed to the devastating conditions in Nagorno-Karabakh and explained that Azerbaijan’s petro-oligarchic dictatorial regime would starve 120,000 people there.
Serj Tankian explained that he would make his statement public because he had already confronted the band personally but had received no response. He wrote in a post on Instagram: “As the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh worsens and famine is already occurring, I feel compelled to make this letter and their disregard for this humanitarian disaster public. Maybe they felt legally obligated to do the show, maybe they just don’t care.”
He called on the company to sign a campaign aimed at getting Imagine Dragons to cancel the concert. Although the band still went through with their show, Tankian described his campaign as a plus point in his own right: “The band played there tonight – nevertheless, this campaign was a great success because it brought a lot of attention to the illegal blockade and the arming of the Armenians Artsakh steered through Azerbaijan, warned others considering a performance or event in Azerbaijan to think twice as there will be a price to pay, and helped raise awareness of the terrible human rights situation in that country.”