Clear Relations, Interview -- Scars on Broadway

I translated an interview with Daron from german to english. He gave it to Metal Hammer magazine. I feel a bit stupid since this was now translated from english to german and back to english. I did my best and think it's a good translation.
Hack was so nice to give me this article. That means, all credits go to him. Thanks for it!

And another thing. This was hard work to translate. Whoever dares to copy this translation and use it without my permission, I gonna ripp off his balls!

Here it goes:



Scars on Broadway
Clear Relations

For months try Serj Tankian and the official System of a Down-Website to suggestive that the solo activities of the four armenians are just symbol of a short and collective creative-break. But the thruth –as we know now- is different: Because guitarrist Daron Malakian shows the truth in the Scars on Broadway-Interview.

The small man with hat and full beard, reminding on Rick Rubin, looks tired. Not because he just landed in Cologne and has a jetleg. No, the 32 years old is just bored and annoyed. “You won’t believe what kinda interviews I have here – what kind of people they send on me. A bunch of idiots who don’t know who I am.” Withal it’s not that hard: Daron is since 1995 guitarist of the maybe most individual and succesful rock-band of the now, recorded five albums, sold some millions od CDs and is for three years part of a “groupdynamical hiatus”, which – like he says- is rather not one. “Some members of the band talk about this. But for me it’s a split” clarifies Daron. “System of a Down don’t exist anymore – that’s why I continue with Scars on Broadway.”
To the question who is lying and why, he starts nattering unembarrassed: “When it was asked, if we want to make a hiatus and everyone could do some other things first I thought it will be okay. I wouldn’t have thought that this would be the end of System of a Down, but that we come together again in one or two years”, tells Daron. “But the opposite happened: We differed more and more. And at the moment we don’t have to tell us anything – not only Serj but also, sadly, Shavo.” Because of this he –who never had any ambitions to go solo(, “because” –Daron- “the album just sounds like shit) now reanimated the short-lived project Sacrs on Broadway of 2003. In that he nearly does everything on his own – except of the drums which are brought in by buddy John Dolmayan.
Whereas the full bearded man distances himself consciously from the past: He’s now betting on 60’s garage rock, 70’s punk and decent electronical influences – also he put back folklore and the fast style and tempo changes. “It has to do with the fact that I don’t wanna repeat myself: I don’t want to make the kind of songs like five years ago”, explains Daron. “I also don’t listen to the same things but clearly more metal, trash and speed. That’s still not nice – but nowadays I prefer the Zombies, Kinks, Grateful Dead and japanese Psychedelic Rock. All that I could’ve brought into System of a Down – if it would still be existent.”
Against this the lyrics don’t differ much from his old formation: It’s still about money, power, war and cruelty – togethe with cynical comments about politicans, military, economy bosses and other parasites. “It’s because 95% of the System of a Down-Songs are written by me”, says Daron. “But the people never sawied it: They always thought I’m just the stupid guitarist.” What now shines with a Jello Blafra-like voice and also his humoristic side marks.
Like in “Stoner Love” with the amusing line: “California is been invaded by hippie psychopaths.” At that Daron takes a pack of weed and a pipe out of his pocket, inhales and laughs. “The hippie psychopaths are my alter ego – means my gang what wasn’t peacefully and friendly but kills and assassinates. A nice phantasy. For normal I’m the most balanced human on earth: I’m smoking weed all day, lie on my couch and make music. And that for 15, 16 years. I’m just a stoner”, says it and whiffs smiling.
Leaves just one thing: The strange band-name what let you suppose an anarchical reckoning with the american showbiz – just faint fissures in the system. But wrong: “I was driving on the Broadway in Glendale and saw some strange gravures on the lampposts what looked like swastika-stars”, explains Daron. “That’s so bizarre that I had to laugh out loud: Swastikas on Broadway- how crazy. But then it came to my mind: What a genius band-name! So I replaced Swastika with Scars to avoid getting put into a political corner and so I had this great name: Scars on Broadway. And I will use it for a long while now.” And if Serj calls to reformate System of a Down? “Then he has to do it on his own.” Clear relations.

I knew it, i knew they would never get back together. This just proves it for all the nonbelievers. Still an awesome interview though, good job Brad on the translation!

I have to say, if Daron is really serious in what he says I wouldn't care that much^^

both, Serj and Scars sound so much System that you wouldn't miss it. And Scars on Broadway just rocks! Album of 2008! So, who cares?

Why is Daron such a lazy dick about everything?

Good interview, makes me dislike Daron a little.. More. >_>

Daron is still pissed off that most of the System of a Down fans thought that the lyrics have been written by Serj. In my opinion he is a jealous carpet

Quote :

Good interview, makes me dislike Daron a little.. More. >_>

same here

btw: great translation, Brad ;-)

I don't see why it makes you people hate Daron more. He just trying to get recognition for what he has done. If you made a new album and released it and had interviews on it and all they asked you about was your previous project instead of the new album woulnd't you get pissed off?



Well opinions are opinions.

he is just fat, self loving pig, nothing more for me. he is so changed, so egoistical. no wonder that he is forced to fuck himself. wish his band never comes on top.
"they are just idiots. they dont see me as great. i am god" fuck you whore.

vitamiin wrote:

he is just fat, self loving pig, nothing more for me. he is so changed, so egoistical. no wonder that he is forced to fuck himself. wish his band never comes on top.
"they are just idiots. they dont see me as great. i am god" fuck you whore.

No need to be so harsh, he's not exactly boasting he is great or anything, he just wants to receive credit for his accomplishments and he doesn't want other people to take his credit.

and i just want to say what i think about him. or should i say it in "Daron thread" ?

It's still no reason to get that harsh. I accept any criticism here, but that was just flaming rant. If you want to rant, do it in the rant thread, otherwise write your comment more objective.

guess it was pretty objective.

It was.

Back on topic, or I'll ban you. You just get some warning the last days.

Kody wrote:

I don't see why it makes you people hate Daron more. He just trying to get recognition for what he has done. If you made a new album and released it and had interviews on it and all they asked you about was your previous project instead of the new album woulnd't you get pissed off?



Well opinions are opinions.

I know where Daron's coming from with this, but us Daron.. Dislikers.. Tend to ignore that fact because of how much we don't like Scars as a whole and continue to call him an asshole for what he says in the interviews.

The end.

C`mon now...I didn´t want to butt in anywhere...
but when someone says what he /she thinks ( and much of it I was thinking myself then and when ) ,
I don´t think it is a reason for a warning .
I have seen harsher comments about Daron btw .
NO..I won´t gonna go search it .It is an eternity ago

So Daron declared "System of a Down doesn´t exist anymore" .
And he says he thought "hiatus " would last 1 or 2 years at first , but everything turned out different and he doesn´t talk with Serj and Shavo anymore .
And he calls someone´s album shitty sounding . But nobody seems to find out which album he means .
Any ideas , fellow germans or people who can read and understand the article ???

I was also a bit puzzled when I read it. Since the sentence is after the quote of Daron, the article talk again about Daron. So I guess that Daron meant his album, his album sounded like shit. I guess he meant the first attempt back in 2003.

Yeah..seems like .
I couldn´t imagine he was meaning Serj or Shavo .

I'm starting to think this interview is a little dubious.

-First of all, the interview has been changed from english to german to english again. Many things are lost in translation.

-Second, why would Daron make the earth shattering revelation to the world that the multi platinum selling band system of a down is over through a little known german magazine in a 1 page interview?

Seems a bit fishy to me, and I was the one who asked brad to translate it in the first place.

Please do not blow it out of proportion people

You asked me to translate it and I translated it. It was originally written by the Metal Hammer guys and therefore I can state (as a reader of the magazine) these things:
1. They can translate
2. They don't come up with rumors so much (although this article is really trying to do it)
3. They don't "correct" what someone said so it fits beter in their view of the world
4. I know from their other interviews that they always supported System (after they become a bit bigger)
5. They are able to interview people in a way they talk with them. I know from several other interviews that Daron likes to speak with Metal Hammer

So, this is reality, he really said that.

No, this is from ROCKHARD MAGAZINE. Not metalhammer.

O.O

But you said it's from Metal Hammer!

No...when did I say that? Well whatever I said, I meant Rockhard, metalhammer was a completely different interview.

And I edited your original post...

So yeah.
I don't think very reliable.

Oh, then. You told me so on AIM, never mind. If you have the Metal Hammer one please send it to me

You edited my post? Wow....

Oh noes, I think it might actually be from MetalHammer.
Whoops, my bad. Well, I'm not sure what it's from. Looks like it really was metalhammer after all. Sigh, time to go edit your post again

It's monday, I go to the store today and check how they end their articles (I could even buy oe...) so we will know.

Okay, you should buy both metal hammer and rock hard, and we will see! woo!