Serj Tankian Talks Toxicity and Activism

System of a Down’s classic Rick Rubin-produced album, Toxicity, turns 20 this year. Released in 2001 one week before 9/11, the politically charged and wildly bizarre album provided the perfect soundtrack for a world descending into chaos. Serj Tankian, the lead singer of System, is no stranger to conflict. His family is Armenian and migrated to Los Angeles from Lebanon to escape a civil war when Serj was seven years-old. Today we’ll hear Rick Rubin talk to his good friend Serj about how hearing bombs drop outside his childhood bedroom turned him into a lifelong activist. Serj also explains how a funny line about a tapeworm almost caused System to break up, and why the first time Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine heard System play, he called it music for crazy people.

Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear old and new interviews, often with bonus content: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecord

You can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/

Check out a playlist of our favorite System of a Down songs HERE . And hear a playlist Serj put together of his favorite tracks HERE.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episoder(375)

Amanda Shires For Christmas

Amanda Shires For Christmas

Today we have a special Broken Record Holiday episode with Nashville singer Amanda Shires. Shires’ new holiday album, For Christmas, isn’t meant to make you feel merry and bright. Instead it’s an ackn...

7 Des 202141min

Mary Gauthier: Saved By A Song

Mary Gauthier: Saved By A Song

Mary Gauthier is a folk singer/songwriter whose songs have quite literally saved her life. Writing music did not come easily to Gauthier. She began abusing drugs and alcohol as a young girl growing up...

30 Nov 202149min

Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast

Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast

Michelle Zauner is the lead singer and creative force behind the indie, dream pop band, Japanese Breakfast. This year Zauner released a series of career-defining projects that propelled her band to wi...

23 Nov 202139min

Angelique Kidjo: Africa’s Premier Diva

Angelique Kidjo: Africa’s Premier Diva

According to Time Magazine, singer Angelique Kidjo is “Africa’s premier diva.” Kidjo started out singing traditional music in her native Benin, West Africa when she was a teenager. In 1983, she escape...

9 Nov 202150min

Pastor T.L. Barrett’s Gospel

Pastor T.L. Barrett’s Gospel

Pastor T.L. Barrett has been known on Chicago’s South side as a religious and community leader for 50 years. But it wasn’t until recently that people started to uncover Barrett’s trove of gospel music...

2 Nov 202140min

Singing Secrets of the Stars with Backstage Pass

Singing Secrets of the Stars with Backstage Pass

Today we are sharing an episode of Pushkin’s newest show, Backstage Pass, hosted by Eric Vetro, the voice coach to the stars. From Camila Cabello, to Shawn Mendes, to John Legend, Eric Vetro has guide...

27 Okt 202150min

Diane Warren: Songwriter Extraordinaire

Diane Warren: Songwriter Extraordinaire

If you’ve sung along to a power ballad in the last 30 years, chances are you’re already intimately familiar with Diane Warren’s songs. Some of her biggest hits include Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Tim...

26 Okt 202142min

Amythyst Kiah Sings Her Truth

Amythyst Kiah Sings Her Truth

On her intimate new album Wary + Strange, Amythyst Kiah sings her heart out about losing her mom to suicide, and what it’s like being the only black person in the room at country gigs. She created the...

19 Okt 202146min

Populært innen Underholdning

papaya
enkel-servering
storefri-med-mikkel-og-herman
harm-og-hegseth
tore-og-haralds-podkast
tusvik-tnne
folk-flest-med-linn-og-nils
topp-3-med-wold-og-fladseth
konspirasjonspodden
hovla
ma-pa-behandling-med-morten-ramm
kjendiscrush-med-sofie-karlstad
big-5-med-nils-og-harald-2
nare-venner
vitnemal
gi-meg-alle-detaljene
feedback-med-egon-holstad
christine-dancke
rss-gammal-maiden
rss-riff