Serj Tankian revealed why System of a Down have yet to make a new album since reuniting in 2011 in a new Rolling Stone interview.
“We’ve discussed it and we’ve played each other songs, but we still haven’t come eye to eye on how things should be done for us to be able to move forward with it,” he said. “And that’s where it’s been.”
Despite their disagreement on how to proceed, Tankian clarifies that the four members of System of a Down are getting along better than ever.
“That’s the funny thing. When people don’t see a record, they assume the worst about your internal relationship,” he said. “But the truth is we’re actually better friends — at least I’m better friends with everyone than I’ve ever been. John’s [Dolmayan, System of a Down drummer] my brother-in-law; he’s in my family. We have a great time together touring. But sometimes putting together a record, and that creative output and how things should be done, is different in four people’s heads and it doesn’t always come together. Fortunate or unfortunate, however you want to call it, that’s the truth. But touring is easy, because you’ve done all these songs. You have fun, you go out and tour, and that’s it.”
He also discussed a recent misunderstanding in the media regarding System of a Down.
“Everyone’s looking for headlines,” he said. “I hate that. I hate when they take something and they just go with it. If you’re going to print that, at least send us an email asking, ‘Hey, did you say this?’ And I’d say, ‘I probably did, but it was in this context.’ At least check with me. Don’t take an interview that was translated from Russian from five months ago on the set of a film without checking. Everyone’s picking it up and going, ‘Oh, my God, that means he’s not doing System again?’ It’s kind of funny. You want to negate all these things, but then you’re like, ‘Well, I didn’t start it in the first place.’ Why do I have to put out fires every two weeks? I’ve got shit to do. I’m working on music. [Laughs]”
