I really wanted them to be more sinister than they appeared on snl. instead, it all seemed too local wierdo, especially the singer who looked like he worked at a magic shop or comic book store(possibly the same one that j mascis looks like he works at). in my head, I had pictured them as a prog rap metal version of constantin sankati. and they weren’t. they’re just not desperate enough.
Some of the songs on the new album are really good. However that single is pretty damn spastic. Lost in Hollywood is pretty damn decent. But I suppose it’s an aquired taste.
“After I heard System of a Down, I thought, I?m actually alive to hear the shittiest band ever. Of all the bands that have gone before and all the bands that?ll be in the future, I was around when the worst was around.”
Noel Gallagher. The man tells it like it is… sometimes. Other times he’s flat out crazy, but always– ALWAYS– entertaining.
I’m going to be honest. I like System of a Down. Why? Because like anone over 25 and under 35 I went through a metal phase. I had Megadeth, Metallica (Kill ‘Em All, the Cliff Burton Alcoholica dayz, yo) Sepultura, Pantera, you fucking name it. And I loved it. I didn’t wear black concert T-shirts or have big hair, or smoked cigarettes in school, I just liked ass kicking music. I still do. I like complex percussion, rhythmically challenging music, and bit of a headbang every once in a while. System of a Down is a political, entertaining, and fucking rock. They may not be pretty-boy rockers, or “ironic” or anything else…and their new single is a tad obvious. But Toxicity is great, and the album before it not too shabby either. Hating on System of a Down is boring, and obvious, especially on a site like this.
I hate the new single, i hated their first album, and I liked a good chunk of the album prior to this. I can see why people like them, but I don’t get the rabid fandom. Plus, the politics make me want to die, but that’s nothing new for me…
Funny, because this weekend I decided that I like System.
Just the concept that this very weird leftist armenian prog metal band is very popular is pretty amazing.
I think it’s awesome for things a bit more out of the ordinary to be popular. Why would we need another Coldplay or Jesse McCartney?
Less vanilla music!
System of a Down is certainly an acquired taste. Just yesterday a friend asked me which of May’s new releases have I enjoyed the most. In addition to Spoon’s GIMME FICTION, I had to say MEZMERIZE by System of a Down. And I usually don’t dig music with “thrash” in the title. This band is so bi-polar, they’re great. Consequently, my friend’s response was something like, “Who would’ve thought YOU would like thrash metal?” Just my point.
armenian genocide has exactly what to do with them being the most fucking godawful frightening migraine inducing noise racket? yeah, i know they’re armenian. and yeah, i know they’re from my area. history does not a good band make!
that SNL performance was cringe-worthy. the first tune was the most disturbing amalgamation of Iron Maiden and Britney Spears I’ve ever heard. rat-faced dude on the guitar was trying really hard to be scary and lead singer guy had on really ‘spensive prop jacket from Pirates of the Caribbean. and hair.
That’s funny, I always wondered why more people hadn’t figured out that there’s nothing all that special about The Arcade Fire.
I like System. I don’t care what their politics are because I don’t look to bands for my politics. Their songs are well-constructed, they’re tight as hell, and they do things with the metal formula that make me optimistic about the genre’s future.
Considering the alternative is a bunch of white kids in ironic t-shirts who can’t quite hit the notes they’re trying to sing, I’ll stick with the crazy Armenians howling about pogo sticks and changing tempos every three seconds whether the song needs it or not.
Uh, I’m over 25 and under 35, and I never went through a metal phase….
Anyway it’s not so much about hating System of a Down, but being fascinated and confused by their inexplicable popularity. For example, if someone tells me they love grape soda, which I can’t stand, I can still grasp the concept that they have different taste.
But if they tell me they love eating dog shit, that’s something else entirely. It’s something that can’t be explained away with the aphorism, “to each his own.” It’s just too hard to conceive of why someone might enjoy something so distasteful.
one of the songs on the new album is titled “Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I’m On This Song” – that has to be one of the GREATEST and most fitting song titles ever…
I guess people just see the fucked up, hard parts of them. I mean, my views of the band changed from when I first heard Chop Suey and from when I heard Aerials. They’re by far the most Bi-Polar band ever. When they go hard it’s sometimes hard for me to listen, but some of their softer stuff is just amazing, lyrically and melody wise.
the worst part has been of the comments page is the critique on FASHION in a band. nobody has discussed anything wrong with them musically.
oh and if you compare a band to liking dog shit (i.e., crude, non-digestable, bad for you) maybe something akin to joan of arc would suffice. system of a down might be black licorice. but that’s semantics.
as soon as they said that system of a down was the musical guest, i imediately thought what the hell? becuse i had no idea that that band was popular with a wide fan base. w/e, i guess they r, but when they started to preform i really couldnt take it, maybe i just dont like that type of music, but it was awful.
when BYOB came on the radio this weekend that was the first time I had heard it and I literally thought “Wtf is this shit? is he speaking english?”
I agree Armenian Genocide=not good, then again, I think most people would agree with this. Do we need to hear SOAD soil our ears to be properly informed? Most certainly not.
Truly one of the most unique bands playing right now; and on a major label no less.
My guess is that people who hate them here just don’t like the style of music, or the volume; because for the genres they touch on they have taken things in really creative and inspired directions.
All research and successful drug policy show that treatment should be increased and law enforcement decreased while abolishing mandatory minimun sentences
All research and successful drug policy show that treatment should be increased and law enforcement decreased while abolishing mandatory minimum sentences
I don’t love them or hate them. I listen to wimpy music for the most part, but I don’t see how people can hate System. “Hating on System of a Down is boring, and obvious, especially on a site like this.”
“System of a Down has fans”. Oh real clever. I expect more intelligent posts on a site like this. Maybe you should throw out another ‘Ben Gibbard sneezes and God has blessed us all’ post. It is possible for bands not on the O.C. and that don’t play Coachella to be meaningful and intelligent. Give System credit for cracking onto mainstream radio (prior to the “indie rock” resurgence) when bands like Limp Bizkit and Creed ruled the airwaves. Or maybe they should just hook up with Jimmy Tamborello and then you can respect them.
boo-fucking-hoo. the same statement could made of the countless much-trumpeted awful “clever” “indie” bands I’ve heard in the past 5 years, to which promptly disappeared off the face of the earth.
boo-fucking-hoo. politics make me cringe! i can’t handle reality and bash anyone who brings it up! thats one of the reasons 98% of music released these days is bubblegum garbage that means ABSOLUTELY nothing. thanks for that, folks. the steady decline in music completely devoid of meaning or thought is on your hands.
Yeah, I have to be honest, I never expected to see hating on System on this site. Then again, sometimes I forget how afraid indie scene types are of metal. First of all, five bucks says half the negative comments think SOAD is nu-metal, which is fucking ridiculous. Secondly, I’d be willing to bet most of them don’t listen to metal, either. SOAD are, without a doubt, the most revolutionary heavy band since Tool. I’ve liked them since I first heard “Sugar” about 7 years ago, I can never understand the hatred for them, and I never will.
and while we’re on the subject of ‘nu-metal’ et al, let’s talk about the only one of those bands that really matters – DEFTONES.
has anyone heard chino’s side band TEAM SLEEP? it’s cool enough to be on the cover of urb magazine – i guess rob from pinback and mary timony are both on the album…
let’s blame it on loretta: her age aside, i can understand why jack white would prefer a husky, skeletal southern belle who had made decent records over a husky, skeletal southern belle who was in ‘white oleander’.
Wow.
I’m holding my tongue. Everyone has different taste (and God knows I don’t share some of yours — El Kabong hit it on the head with that Arcade Fire comment) but you’re just getting downright surly and scurrilous.
First Rivers, now System of a Down? What is wrong with you? I’m beginning to question your judgement.
I almost quit coming to this blog on account of your Rivers comment. Honestly. What does a band have to do to earn your respect, anyway?
they certainly aren’t the worst of their “genre”.
granted they are not my cup of tea either. at the very least they seem to have a lot of intelligent things to say. i used to like tool a lot in my early twenties.
I’m not a metal fan at all, but I like System of a Down pretty well. They have a fair degree of musicianship, they are pretty intentive, they have some of that good old METAL INTENSITY but they aren’t afraid to work in the occasional tune and some nice harmonies. I don’t own their CDs or anything but I have pretty good feelings about the band. I really don’t see what would possess one to sincerely dislike the band with such intensity.
Although, I’m not surprised that this is the sort of band that hipsters would choose to dump on. As others have pointed out, they aren’t working the sort of self-conscious irony angle that hipsters usually feel safe in embracing. On the other hand, they are not cheeseball-commercial enough for Hipsters to get Common Man points for pretending to like them. So they are in the middle, too sincere to enjoy ironically; weird, but too accessible to latch onto due to the sheer weirdness factor.
They came out, they played, and I damn near choked on my sandwich I laughed so hard. That was, without a doubt, the most comically bad performance I’ve ever seen on SNL. Dream Theater meets Anthrax meets The Darkness meets … hell, I dunno. But wherever they all meet, they drink too much and convince themselves they’re good.
I thought the lead singer looked like Eugene Levy on SNL. Also, the guitar player has scary bug eyes. I’ll be honest and say the music is too heavy for my tastes, so I don’t listen to System of a Down. But allow me to reiterate: scary bug eyes. That dude freaks me out. My brother likes SOAD, but he likes harder rock than I do. To each his own.
How come nobody is talking about how the network censors forgot to cut out one of the “Fuck Off’s” during one of their songs? It slipped right through into the public collective unconscious…
I loved their first two albums, but I kinda lost interest over the last couple of years, and after seeing the utter crap that was their “SNL” performance (at least the first song), I don’t plan on getting back into them anytime soon.
I should note that I too noticed when Daron shouted “Fuck yeah!” around the end of the song, and I was surprised that they didn’t cut to commercial right then and there. Ah well, I guess it’s better than an impromptu hoedown….
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that most bands who play on SNL sound sucky. Not the bands they pick to play suck, but when they play live on the show they sound bad.
As for System, I like the songs that I’ve heard from them. When I first heard BYOB on the radio, I was kinda like “hmmm?”, but after I listened to it a couple more times I decided I really liked the chorus and how much it contrasted with the rest of the song (Not to get all analysis-y on everyone)
It’s funny how people argue about music. Most people can’t get past Serj’s voice. Some people don’t like the way they look. It’s all taste. But I can’t believe all the names flying about while there is much worse in the world.
System is a good band, especially their cover/duet of Wu Tang’s “Shame on a Nigga.” Try downloading it if you can find it.
I like metal and I wouldn’t consider them to be a “hard” band. Although I don’t like most American metal bands because they suck. Especially Pantera. Although I’m sure I’ll get death threats for that one.
scott, i expected more from you. while you may not like their music (which i do), they are non-complacent artists who try to rebel against the status quo. and that, in itself, has value that does not merit your post.
Personally I think SOAD’s music is vomit. But a lot of people feel that way about Radiohead,Tom Waits, Wilco or God forbid- the Napoleon Dynamite fronted Arcade Fire.
They should have had Ted Nugent on instead, at least he would have uttered some rightwing racial slur and created something more buzz worthy than some band that wasn’t ready for prime time,
i have to admit that i don’t like system of a down, they try a little too hard for my taste, but the fact that they are even remotely popular gives me hope for the future of music, and restores (at least for the moment) the last shred of faith i had in popular culture.
I like the scattered arrangements, spastic vocals, and megaton heavy riffs. Its an acquired taste, but if variety is the spice of life, these guys are tumeric.
oh, and the political awareness they embody is much needed in the world of music. image is not everything.
A quote from the singer of SOAD, “It doesn?t belong to people, it belongs to the universe. It comes FROM the universe. It comes THROUGH us. When I write something, I think I know what I?m saying, but I never pretend to know the full meaning of the words.” Even HE doesn’t know what he’s singing about.
Within Current Metal: Great.
Within the history of metal: Good.
Within the history of Modern Rock: OK.
Within the history of all rock: so-so.
Within the history of 20th century music: Bad.
Within the history of all music: Absolute shit.
I think it’s funny that some of the comments from SOAD fans allege that people don’t like SOAD because:
1) They totally have politics! You’re afraid of music that MEANS something!
2) They’re totally intense and you don’t like them because they don’t have hipster irony!
3) You’re judging them based on their unattractive appearance!
4) They totally BLOW YOUR MINDS and you can’t handle it! They are totally more exciting and intense than other bands!
5) You’re totally not understanding how the ARMENIAN GENOCIDE plays into it, dood!!!
… as if any of it had to do with the fact that they just, uh, *sound bad*. Being intense, exciting, ugly, politically inclined, sincere, etc. doesn’t have anything to do with how the music *sounds*. And with SOAD, that sound is: awful. I can’t stand metal though, so it may be genre-related.
P.S. as to the Arcade Fire — if you don’t get them, give them some more listens. I didn’t think they were that interesting either, during the first few spins, but the CD really grew on me after repeated listens.
Why do you guys expect anything from Scott? He’s a guy who has his own likes and dislikes, and happens to have a website. He’s not a promoter for your favorite band. Besides, your favorite band sucks ? everyone knows it.
Scott, please make this a regular feature so we can tear down everyone’s favorite band.
i can’t believe i want to argue with you fools about SOAD. but i will.
first, metal comes in different flavors. SOAD likes the hardcore/speedmetal elements more than most, which makes their tunes very inaccessible to the wimpy-eared. SOAD also isn’t as danceable, as say KORN, further eroding their possible fan base.
Is screaming no longer a lauded attribute in a singer? Straight forward narrative isn’t the only way to convey a message.
They aren’t my favorite, but if you can’t see the creativity, emotion, skill, and artistry of SOAD, i pity you. you’re missing out.
I just wish that all of you that listen to the Arcade Fire, Bright Eyes & Death Cab just admit that you fantasize about getting fucked up the ass by your girlfriend wearing a strap on. You listen to wimp music because you can’t admit that you crave cock but are not man enough to make the switch to the real thing. Bunch of fucking posers, judging a band by the way they look. All singers can’t look like that connor obrist pillowbiter. In summary: wimpy indie rock fans are men who desire an anal pounding but will never admit their latent homo ways.
I think the “dood you’re all totally homos!!” guy totally summed up everything I could ever say about System of a Down and metal in general.
Apologies to all the metal/SOAD fans who are not rednecks/homophobic/etc. etc. and have above a high-school education. I know y’all exist. That was not directed at you and I’m sure you would never post such a silly comment.
gatrios: yeah, but people who like good music like arcade fire as opposed to shit like system of a down can usually formulate opinions with intelligence and don’t resort to bizarre personal attacks. it’s all subjective. just say you think arcade fire are shit. while you argue (using sweeping generalizations of easy target bands) that people who listen to bright eyes and death cab (i don’t like bright eyes and i’m not the biggest death cab fan) are closet homosexuals, in the end, your arguement is just stupid and angry, with no weight at all, except for the possible personal issues obscuring your thoughts.
To clear things up: I am a gay man who is sick of all of the closeted bottoms that listen to Vagina Rock, but wont let real gay men pound their rectum until it bleeds.
um… don’t you think that is exactly what the new system single is, “ironic”? listen to all the lyrics. they’re not the killers or franz, but they’re the best at what they do. period.
Gone in a few years? I guess the seven years they’ve been out and their multiplatinum albums have nothing to do with staying power, huh? Just some crazy fad!
“Apologies to all the metal/SOAD fans who are not rednecks/homophobic/etc. etc. and have above a high-school education. I know y’all exist. That was not directed at you and I’m sure you would never post such a silly comment.”
What a condescending, cunty remark. Apology not accepted, hipster cuntflap bitch.
“Gone in a few years? I guess the seven years they’ve been out and their multiplatinum albums have nothing to do with staying power, huh? Just some crazy fad!”
Yeah, Here’s a bad that’s not doing anything like anyone else is doing in the Music business – At least give them for credit for that – As well as being hugely political and actually having the guts to bash Bush moreso than Conor Oberst or any other person of his likes. I like their music…Someone said it was an Acquired taste and Yeah I guess I like Hard Rocking music; It seems more powerful than a double tracked Acoustic Guitar (don’t get me wrong I love stuff like that) I guess I just need Drop C Raging guitars from time to time.
I don’t get it, but I can accept some people do. When I fired up my DVR on Sunday and saw they were on I was just frustrated that SNL was actually showing something a little out there, and it wasn’t a flavor of “out there” which I have any appreciation for (I’m more of a DFA79 type when it comes to metal-ish stuff, but I realize they’re not as big as SoaD).
Plus I remember Toxicity had a lot of buzz but I hadn’t even heard they were coming out with a new album, so SNL seemed to have missed the boat by a couple years. Whatever, that’s why they have fast-forward.
i couldn’t even make it through the first song on snl. i was really trying to give it a shot, but damn it hurts!
I really wanted them to be more sinister than they appeared on snl. instead, it all seemed too local wierdo, especially the singer who looked like he worked at a magic shop or comic book store(possibly the same one that j mascis looks like he works at). in my head, I had pictured them as a prog rap metal version of constantin sankati. and they weren’t. they’re just not desperate enough.
Some of the songs on the new album are really good. However that single is pretty damn spastic. Lost in Hollywood is pretty damn decent. But I suppose it’s an aquired taste.
“After I heard System of a Down, I thought, I?m actually alive to hear the shittiest band ever. Of all the bands that have gone before and all the bands that?ll be in the future, I was around when the worst was around.”
Noel Gallagher. The man tells it like it is… sometimes. Other times he’s flat out crazy, but always– ALWAYS– entertaining.
I’m going to be honest. I like System of a Down. Why? Because like anone over 25 and under 35 I went through a metal phase. I had Megadeth, Metallica (Kill ‘Em All, the Cliff Burton Alcoholica dayz, yo) Sepultura, Pantera, you fucking name it. And I loved it. I didn’t wear black concert T-shirts or have big hair, or smoked cigarettes in school, I just liked ass kicking music. I still do. I like complex percussion, rhythmically challenging music, and bit of a headbang every once in a while. System of a Down is a political, entertaining, and fucking rock. They may not be pretty-boy rockers, or “ironic” or anything else…and their new single is a tad obvious. But Toxicity is great, and the album before it not too shabby either. Hating on System of a Down is boring, and obvious, especially on a site like this.
you either love them or hate them.
the single BYOB is amazing.
I hate the new single, i hated their first album, and I liked a good chunk of the album prior to this. I can see why people like them, but I don’t get the rabid fandom. Plus, the politics make me want to die, but that’s nothing new for me…
Funny, because this weekend I decided that I like System.
Just the concept that this very weird leftist armenian prog metal band is very popular is pretty amazing.
I think it’s awesome for things a bit more out of the ordinary to be popular. Why would we need another Coldplay or Jesse McCartney?
Less vanilla music!
Armenian Genocide. Never Forget. Maybe you fools need a history lesson.
System of a Down is certainly an acquired taste. Just yesterday a friend asked me which of May’s new releases have I enjoyed the most. In addition to Spoon’s GIMME FICTION, I had to say MEZMERIZE by System of a Down. And I usually don’t dig music with “thrash” in the title. This band is so bi-polar, they’re great. Consequently, my friend’s response was something like, “Who would’ve thought YOU would like thrash metal?” Just my point.
armenian genocide has exactly what to do with them being the most fucking godawful frightening migraine inducing noise racket? yeah, i know they’re armenian. and yeah, i know they’re from my area. history does not a good band make!
that SNL performance was cringe-worthy. the first tune was the most disturbing amalgamation of Iron Maiden and Britney Spears I’ve ever heard. rat-faced dude on the guitar was trying really hard to be scary and lead singer guy had on really ‘spensive prop jacket from Pirates of the Caribbean. and hair.
That’s funny, I always wondered why more people hadn’t figured out that there’s nothing all that special about The Arcade Fire.
I like System. I don’t care what their politics are because I don’t look to bands for my politics. Their songs are well-constructed, they’re tight as hell, and they do things with the metal formula that make me optimistic about the genre’s future.
Considering the alternative is a bunch of white kids in ironic t-shirts who can’t quite hit the notes they’re trying to sing, I’ll stick with the crazy Armenians howling about pogo sticks and changing tempos every three seconds whether the song needs it or not.
Uh, I’m over 25 and under 35, and I never went through a metal phase….
Anyway it’s not so much about hating System of a Down, but being fascinated and confused by their inexplicable popularity. For example, if someone tells me they love grape soda, which I can’t stand, I can still grasp the concept that they have different taste.
But if they tell me they love eating dog shit, that’s something else entirely. It’s something that can’t be explained away with the aphorism, “to each his own.” It’s just too hard to conceive of why someone might enjoy something so distasteful.
It looked like Gabe Kaplin and Ron Pallilo on that stage.
one of the songs on the new album is titled “Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I’m On This Song” – that has to be one of the GREATEST and most fitting song titles ever…
i don’t get it either, amen.
I guess people just see the fucked up, hard parts of them. I mean, my views of the band changed from when I first heard Chop Suey and from when I heard Aerials. They’re by far the most Bi-Polar band ever. When they go hard it’s sometimes hard for me to listen, but some of their softer stuff is just amazing, lyrically and melody wise.
the worst part has been of the comments page is the critique on FASHION in a band. nobody has discussed anything wrong with them musically.
oh and if you compare a band to liking dog shit (i.e., crude, non-digestable, bad for you) maybe something akin to joan of arc would suffice. system of a down might be black licorice. but that’s semantics.
as soon as they said that system of a down was the musical guest, i imediately thought what the hell? becuse i had no idea that that band was popular with a wide fan base. w/e, i guess they r, but when they started to preform i really couldnt take it, maybe i just dont like that type of music, but it was awful.
Why does the lead singer look like Ronnie James Dio now???
But yeah…horrible!!!
love system of the down. Love love love.
reason for their success? It’s like metal mixed with musical theatre music.
when BYOB came on the radio this weekend that was the first time I had heard it and I literally thought “Wtf is this shit? is he speaking english?”
I agree Armenian Genocide=not good, then again, I think most people would agree with this. Do we need to hear SOAD soil our ears to be properly informed? Most certainly not.
Truly one of the most unique bands playing right now; and on a major label no less.
My guess is that people who hate them here just don’t like the style of music, or the volume; because for the genres they touch on they have taken things in really creative and inspired directions.
All research and successful drug policy show that treatment should be increased and law enforcement decreased while abolishing mandatory minimun sentences
All research and successful drug policy show that treatment should be increased and law enforcement decreased while abolishing mandatory minimum sentences
I don’t love them or hate them. I listen to wimpy music for the most part, but I don’t see how people can hate System. “Hating on System of a Down is boring, and obvious, especially on a site like this.”
have you forgotten that System Of A Down had the #1 CD in America on 9/11?
this band’s popularity has had some legs…
you either like them, hate them, or think they ok.
i think they ok.
/\ Best comment ever!
System of a Down are still way more exciting/ interesting than Death Cab.
Heavy metal sea shanties. Fucking garbage.
david brent, you also like des ree. your comment is invalid.
“Toxicity” is a cool song. Disorder, disorder, dis-ORRRRRAHRRRR-DUUUUHRRRRRRR!
Syndrome of a Down
That’s what I thought when I first saw Radiohead perform on SNL… these guys have fans?
Hah. I like System of a Down. Or at least I LIKED a lot of Toxicity. But I tried listening to it the other day and couldn’t.
Then again, I like a lot of crappy, unpopular-with-hipsters music. Haha.
i agree with the previous poster. “toxicity” was great for approximately 14 months, and then somehow managed to become dated and horrible.
“System of a Down has fans”. Oh real clever. I expect more intelligent posts on a site like this. Maybe you should throw out another ‘Ben Gibbard sneezes and God has blessed us all’ post. It is possible for bands not on the O.C. and that don’t play Coachella to be meaningful and intelligent. Give System credit for cracking onto mainstream radio (prior to the “indie rock” resurgence) when bands like Limp Bizkit and Creed ruled the airwaves. Or maybe they should just hook up with Jimmy Tamborello and then you can respect them.
Renee Zelwegger married Kenny Chesney!?
boo-fucking-hoo. the same statement could made of the countless much-trumpeted awful “clever” “indie” bands I’ve heard in the past 5 years, to which promptly disappeared off the face of the earth.
boo-fucking-hoo. politics make me cringe! i can’t handle reality and bash anyone who brings it up! thats one of the reasons 98% of music released these days is bubblegum garbage that means ABSOLUTELY nothing. thanks for that, folks. the steady decline in music completely devoid of meaning or thought is on your hands.
but i guess it’s your blog to stir this shit up.
Interesting to note that the band has one celebrity fan too:
Avril Lavigne said that System of a down was one of her all-time favorite bands, right next to Green Day and Sum 41.
Yeah, I have to be honest, I never expected to see hating on System on this site. Then again, sometimes I forget how afraid indie scene types are of metal. First of all, five bucks says half the negative comments think SOAD is nu-metal, which is fucking ridiculous. Secondly, I’d be willing to bet most of them don’t listen to metal, either. SOAD are, without a doubt, the most revolutionary heavy band since Tool. I’ve liked them since I first heard “Sugar” about 7 years ago, I can never understand the hatred for them, and I never will.
this has been indie vs. mainstream: perpetual culture clash in the comments, volume 37, issue #17.
if ashlee simpson has fans, everyone can be idolized.
“reason for their success? It’s like metal mixed with musical theatre music.”
Perfect description.I myself am neither fan nor hater. Go figure.
Ahahahahahahaha! That made me laugh way harder and longer than it should have…
STOP THE PRESSES!
renee zellweger has just married kenny chesney.
please discuss, especially how jack white and loretta lynn fit into it all…
and while we’re on the subject of ‘nu-metal’ et al, let’s talk about the only one of those bands that really matters – DEFTONES.
has anyone heard chino’s side band TEAM SLEEP? it’s cool enough to be on the cover of urb magazine – i guess rob from pinback and mary timony are both on the album…
question, who is kenny chesney? (i’m australian)
let’s blame it on loretta: her age aside, i can understand why jack white would prefer a husky, skeletal southern belle who had made decent records over a husky, skeletal southern belle who was in ‘white oleander’.
Wow.
I’m holding my tongue. Everyone has different taste (and God knows I don’t share some of yours — El Kabong hit it on the head with that Arcade Fire comment) but you’re just getting downright surly and scurrilous.
First Rivers, now System of a Down? What is wrong with you? I’m beginning to question your judgement.
I almost quit coming to this blog on account of your Rivers comment. Honestly. What does a band have to do to earn your respect, anyway?
they certainly aren’t the worst of their “genre”.
granted they are not my cup of tea either. at the very least they seem to have a lot of intelligent things to say. i used to like tool a lot in my early twenties.
I’m not a metal fan at all, but I like System of a Down pretty well. They have a fair degree of musicianship, they are pretty intentive, they have some of that good old METAL INTENSITY but they aren’t afraid to work in the occasional tune and some nice harmonies. I don’t own their CDs or anything but I have pretty good feelings about the band. I really don’t see what would possess one to sincerely dislike the band with such intensity.
Although, I’m not surprised that this is the sort of band that hipsters would choose to dump on. As others have pointed out, they aren’t working the sort of self-conscious irony angle that hipsters usually feel safe in embracing. On the other hand, they are not cheeseball-commercial enough for Hipsters to get Common Man points for pretending to like them. So they are in the middle, too sincere to enjoy ironically; weird, but too accessible to latch onto due to the sheer weirdness factor.
They came out, they played, and I damn near choked on my sandwich I laughed so hard. That was, without a doubt, the most comically bad performance I’ve ever seen on SNL. Dream Theater meets Anthrax meets The Darkness meets … hell, I dunno. But wherever they all meet, they drink too much and convince themselves they’re good.
I thought the lead singer looked like Eugene Levy on SNL. Also, the guitar player has scary bug eyes. I’ll be honest and say the music is too heavy for my tastes, so I don’t listen to System of a Down. But allow me to reiterate: scary bug eyes. That dude freaks me out. My brother likes SOAD, but he likes harder rock than I do. To each his own.
How come nobody is talking about how the network censors forgot to cut out one of the “Fuck Off’s” during one of their songs? It slipped right through into the public collective unconscious…
I loved their first two albums, but I kinda lost interest over the last couple of years, and after seeing the utter crap that was their “SNL” performance (at least the first song), I don’t plan on getting back into them anytime soon.
I should note that I too noticed when Daron shouted “Fuck yeah!” around the end of the song, and I was surprised that they didn’t cut to commercial right then and there. Ah well, I guess it’s better than an impromptu hoedown….
hey kelly
you’re retarded.
love, jed
I was wondering if I was out of touch, or who polished Lorne Michael’s knob to make that tragedy happen.
Thanks for making me feel I am not alone, and Lorne probably got something good out of the deal.
hating on arcade fire..
BLASPHEMY!!
IM SO GLAD SOMEONE POSTED WHAT MY BOYFRIEND AND I WERE THINKING WHILST WINCING THROUGH SNL PERFORMANCE!!! UGH. what idiot signed them?
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that most bands who play on SNL sound sucky. Not the bands they pick to play suck, but when they play live on the show they sound bad.
As for System, I like the songs that I’ve heard from them. When I first heard BYOB on the radio, I was kinda like “hmmm?”, but after I listened to it a couple more times I decided I really liked the chorus and how much it contrasted with the rest of the song (Not to get all analysis-y on everyone)
Gum, you’re way off on this one — they rock, and they rock hard. Their Armenian twist on hard rock is music to my ears…
Play anything loud enough, and someone’s bound to call it the second coming, no matter how pretentious or unmusical.
System Of A Down are simply the new Uriah Heep.
Black Sabbath=metal.
Motorhead=metal.
System Of A Down? Fecal corn.
You don’t have to be a “hater” or a “hipster” or “indie type” to know excremement when you hear it.
Seriously.
It’s funny how people argue about music. Most people can’t get past Serj’s voice. Some people don’t like the way they look. It’s all taste. But I can’t believe all the names flying about while there is much worse in the world.
System is a good band, especially their cover/duet of Wu Tang’s “Shame on a Nigga.” Try downloading it if you can find it.
I like metal and I wouldn’t consider them to be a “hard” band. Although I don’t like most American metal bands because they suck. Especially Pantera. Although I’m sure I’ll get death threats for that one.
Didn’t scott do a post a while ago seriously asking the people out there what they thought of Maroon 5?
I feel like these posts should be switched, like scott asking everyone what they think of System and then posting “Maroon 5 has fans?”
Ummm I dunno bout you guys, but I’ll take Symptom of Downs anyday over Maroon 5
I don´t get it either…
scott, i expected more from you. while you may not like their music (which i do), they are non-complacent artists who try to rebel against the status quo. and that, in itself, has value that does not merit your post.
Personally I think SOAD’s music is vomit. But a lot of people feel that way about Radiohead,Tom Waits, Wilco or God forbid- the Napoleon Dynamite fronted Arcade Fire.
Don’t worry, in a few years they’ll be gone.
You’re telling me! Their vocals are horrible and I don’t care WHAT message they’re delivering…they need a new deliveryman!
scott is obvs. not a fan of metal. i think he also fell for maynard keenan’s april fools joke as well.
They should have had Ted Nugent on instead, at least he would have uttered some rightwing racial slur and created something more buzz worthy than some band that wasn’t ready for prime time,
maybe it was a joke and nobody got it?
i have to admit that i don’t like system of a down, they try a little too hard for my taste, but the fact that they are even remotely popular gives me hope for the future of music, and restores (at least for the moment) the last shred of faith i had in popular culture.
“best hard rock band out”
Atlantic Records Marketing Exec.
I like the scattered arrangements, spastic vocals, and megaton heavy riffs. Its an acquired taste, but if variety is the spice of life, these guys are tumeric.
oh, and the political awareness they embody is much needed in the world of music. image is not everything.
buzzworthy
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/05/10/tv.snl.expletive.ap/index.html
It sounds like Sesame Street songs buried under the most cliched metal guitar riffs.
Take away the cheesy metal production and its basically cartoon music with a Gwen Stefani-esque choruses.
You would have to have a comically narrow view of music to see any value in it.
Its like being the smartest kid on the short bus.
Armenian is the new black.
A quote from the singer of SOAD, “It doesn?t belong to people, it belongs to the universe. It comes FROM the universe. It comes THROUGH us. When I write something, I think I know what I?m saying, but I never pretend to know the full meaning of the words.” Even HE doesn’t know what he’s singing about.
I think its a matter of context:
Within Current Metal: Great.
Within the history of metal: Good.
Within the history of Modern Rock: OK.
Within the history of all rock: so-so.
Within the history of 20th century music: Bad.
Within the history of all music: Absolute shit.
I think it’s funny that some of the comments from SOAD fans allege that people don’t like SOAD because:
1) They totally have politics! You’re afraid of music that MEANS something!
2) They’re totally intense and you don’t like them because they don’t have hipster irony!
3) You’re judging them based on their unattractive appearance!
4) They totally BLOW YOUR MINDS and you can’t handle it! They are totally more exciting and intense than other bands!
5) You’re totally not understanding how the ARMENIAN GENOCIDE plays into it, dood!!!
… as if any of it had to do with the fact that they just, uh, *sound bad*. Being intense, exciting, ugly, politically inclined, sincere, etc. doesn’t have anything to do with how the music *sounds*. And with SOAD, that sound is: awful. I can’t stand metal though, so it may be genre-related.
P.S. as to the Arcade Fire — if you don’t get them, give them some more listens. I didn’t think they were that interesting either, during the first few spins, but the CD really grew on me after repeated listens.
what’s with all the flaming and discussion in the comment section lately?
laaaaaaaaaaaame
“scott, i expected more from you.”
Why do you guys expect anything from Scott? He’s a guy who has his own likes and dislikes, and happens to have a website. He’s not a promoter for your favorite band. Besides, your favorite band sucks ? everyone knows it.
Scott, please make this a regular feature so we can tear down everyone’s favorite band.
http://subscribe.theonion.com/product_info.php?cPath=5_14&products_id=115
i can’t believe i want to argue with you fools about SOAD. but i will.
first, metal comes in different flavors. SOAD likes the hardcore/speedmetal elements more than most, which makes their tunes very inaccessible to the wimpy-eared. SOAD also isn’t as danceable, as say KORN, further eroding their possible fan base.
Is screaming no longer a lauded attribute in a singer? Straight forward narrative isn’t the only way to convey a message.
They aren’t my favorite, but if you can’t see the creativity, emotion, skill, and artistry of SOAD, i pity you. you’re missing out.
I just wish that all of you that listen to the Arcade Fire, Bright Eyes & Death Cab just admit that you fantasize about getting fucked up the ass by your girlfriend wearing a strap on. You listen to wimp music because you can’t admit that you crave cock but are not man enough to make the switch to the real thing. Bunch of fucking posers, judging a band by the way they look. All singers can’t look like that connor obrist pillowbiter. In summary: wimpy indie rock fans are men who desire an anal pounding but will never admit their latent homo ways.
I think the “dood you’re all totally homos!!” guy totally summed up everything I could ever say about System of a Down and metal in general.
Apologies to all the metal/SOAD fans who are not rednecks/homophobic/etc. etc. and have above a high-school education. I know y’all exist. That was not directed at you and I’m sure you would never post such a silly comment.
gatrios: yeah, but people who like good music like arcade fire as opposed to shit like system of a down can usually formulate opinions with intelligence and don’t resort to bizarre personal attacks. it’s all subjective. just say you think arcade fire are shit. while you argue (using sweeping generalizations of easy target bands) that people who listen to bright eyes and death cab (i don’t like bright eyes and i’m not the biggest death cab fan) are closet homosexuals, in the end, your arguement is just stupid and angry, with no weight at all, except for the possible personal issues obscuring your thoughts.
To clear things up: I am a gay man who is sick of all of the closeted bottoms that listen to Vagina Rock, but wont let real gay men pound their rectum until it bleeds.
um… don’t you think that is exactly what the new system single is, “ironic”? listen to all the lyrics. they’re not the killers or franz, but they’re the best at what they do. period.
Gone in a few years? I guess the seven years they’ve been out and their multiplatinum albums have nothing to do with staying power, huh? Just some crazy fad!
“Apologies to all the metal/SOAD fans who are not rednecks/homophobic/etc. etc. and have above a high-school education. I know y’all exist. That was not directed at you and I’m sure you would never post such a silly comment.”
What a condescending, cunty remark. Apology not accepted, hipster cuntflap bitch.
“Gone in a few years? I guess the seven years they’ve been out and their multiplatinum albums have nothing to do with staying power, huh? Just some crazy fad!”
Yeah, Here’s a bad that’s not doing anything like anyone else is doing in the Music business – At least give them for credit for that – As well as being hugely political and actually having the guts to bash Bush moreso than Conor Oberst or any other person of his likes. I like their music…Someone said it was an Acquired taste and Yeah I guess I like Hard Rocking music; It seems more powerful than a double tracked Acoustic Guitar (don’t get me wrong I love stuff like that) I guess I just need Drop C Raging guitars from time to time.
I don’t get it, but I can accept some people do. When I fired up my DVR on Sunday and saw they were on I was just frustrated that SNL was actually showing something a little out there, and it wasn’t a flavor of “out there” which I have any appreciation for (I’m more of a DFA79 type when it comes to metal-ish stuff, but I realize they’re not as big as SoaD).
Plus I remember Toxicity had a lot of buzz but I hadn’t even heard they were coming out with a new album, so SNL seemed to have missed the boat by a couple years. Whatever, that’s why they have fast-forward.
P.S. If my post above turned you on, check out my personal ad: http://www.craigslist.org/pen/m4m/72637091.html
BTW, I am not into asian. Just pasty faced indie rock fans who crave a dominating top and who need to be educated about music.
system of a down is horrible, just be thankful the creeps that listen to them aren’t going to your dfa1979 shows.
Uh, is this Datalounge or Sterogum???
SOAD =
S
C
A
R
Y
DFA1979 also sucks.
“BTW, I am not into asian. Just pasty face indie rock fans who crave a dominating top and who need to be educated about music.”
Want to spoon and listen to the new NIN? ;-*
i love that we are all so passionate about our music. too bad there’s still people out there who listen to whatever clear channel tells them to…