Few in government seems to care about the Turkish denial of the Armenian genocide (although the House International Relations Committee did approve a resolution recognizing that genocide), but the rock band System of a Down does. "A Band's Armenian Roots," from the New York Times (scroll down), with thanks to the Constantinopolitan Irredentist:
The rock band System of a Down plans to visit the Batavia, Ill., office of Rep. J. Dennis Hastert, Republican of Illinois and speaker of the House, at noon tomorrow to urge him to bring a resolution recognizing the Turkish genocide of Armenians between 1915 and 1923 to a full House vote. A rally is scheduled for tomorrow from noon to 2 p.m. The band joins the Armenian National Committee of America, Axis of Justice and the Armenian Youth Federation in this campaign. System of a Down's four members - Serj Tankian, Daron Malakian, Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan - are of Armenian descent and have worked to raise awareness of the issue of genocide against Armenians and others. On Sept. 15, the House International Relations Committee approved the resolution.
System of a Down? What the heck does that mean? These kids today and their music. But seriously, I applaud Serj Tankian, Daron Malakian, Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan for their courage, and wish them all success.
Kids and adults.....This band is as political as Hell. "Toxicity", "Suga", and "Spiders".....It's nice to see them using their influence for something worth a damn.
Rock on.....
good stuff - about time cher and andre agassi stepped in as well to nail their colours to the mast
I have just watched the first half of Arena - the Martin Scorsese film of Bob Dylan. Where are the bands now to protest and inspire I asked?
Thankfully that attitude is not dead.
http://www.systemofadown.com/
From just a quick listen they remind me of my wellspent youth listening to Iron Maiden. It's too late here to really get into their lyrics tonight.
Good. Whatever it takes.
If it takes a rock-band to raise awareness and to counter the general amnesia in the administration, so be it!
Yeah, these kids and their music!
Good. Whatever it takes.
If it takes a rock-band to raise awareness and to counter the general amnesia in the administration, so be it!
Yeah, these kids and their music!
System of a Down rocks!!!
They play a kind of cabaretesque hard core, very loud, very energetic and surprisingly musical (especially considering other hard core bands). Not the kind of music you instantly like, but if you listen to a song a couple of times it'll definitely grow on you.
And they've a very outspoken and principled look out. I don't necessarily agree with them on everything, but given the quality of their music *AND* the fact they are trying to stand for something a little more worthwhile then owning the biggest, blingest set of wheels that's a minor niggle.
Vahakh Dadrian's shorter writings, pamphlet rather than book-length, on the Armenian massacres and on the treatment of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire can be ordered from the Armenian Studies Institute (I think that is its name, but I may be slightly off) in Belmont, Massachusetts.
Granny:
They are around, but they have been "Palestinianized" and tend to be on the same page as the left-wing peanut gallery that attended Christopher Hitchens's recent debate with George Galloway -- inclined to cheer anything that's "anti-capitalist/imperialist/US" no matter how vile and contemptable.
They are a bit too heavy for my taste. I have been aware of them for a bout 3 years now and I believe they are from Glendale (where else ? :) ). They have certainly not been shy to raise the Armenian genocide and their website has many links about it. ROCK ON !!