Serj Tankian has responded to the concerns that SOAD would continue with a new singer.
In a new interview with Guitar World, the rocker clarified whether or not there have been dicsussions about continuing with a new frontman. “I don’t think you could have System without any of us. I’ve always said I don’t want to be in that band with other people, because there’s this uniqueness to what we do. Okay, if someone can’t make a show and we get a sub in, then maybe… but that’s a unique circumstance,” Tankian explained.
“I wouldn’t want to be in a band with anyone else other than Daron, Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan. There’s a specialness about what happens when we play together – it can only come from the four of us. System would never be the same with anyone else,” he continued. “That being said, I didn’t want to constrain the others and their ability to make a livelihood doing what they love. So I opened the door to the possibility of them being able to work without me, and that’s always been on the table.”
“They might want to tour a lot and I might not, or they might want to make a record that I don’t want to make. I don’t want to stand in their way. But I do hope that one day we can all see eye-to-eye and just do something for the f*ck of it. Whether it gets released or not is secondary,” the singer concluded.
The interview came after the frontman talked about the future of the band in another interview. Tankian revealed whether or not the band is done for good.
“Not at this time, but it doesn’t mean that we won’t have one in the coming year or two years. It’s something that we would love to do,” the frontman told The Sun when asked about a possible tour.
He also mentioned that he stopped full tours for both artistic and health reasons. However, he enjoys doing single shows as events and finds them rewarding. “We’re really enjoying it and each other in the process and it’s becoming special. I don’t foresee it. I definitely think we will be doing something. I just don’t know when,” he added.
This year, the band has only played two live shows in the United States and last performed in the UK seven years ago at the Download Festival during their final world tour.
In late 2017, Tankian told his bandmates that he no longer wanted to tour. He mentioned the repetitive nature of touring and its toll on his body. Since then, Tankian has had back surgery and says he is now in much better physical condition.
