Daron Malakian
Encyclopedia
Daron Vartan Malakian is an Armenian-American
singer-songwriter
, multi-instrumentalist
, and record producer
. He is best known as the guitarist
, songwriter
, and occasional vocalist of the heavy metal
band System of a Down
and as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and songwriter of the alternative rock band Scars on Broadway
. Like the rest of the Hollywood-based band System of a Down, he is of Armenian
ancestry, but is the only member to actually have been born inside the United States. He is placed 30th in Guitar World's List of The 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists of All Time.
and Iran
respectively. Vartan Malakian is a painter, dancer, and choreographer and Zepur Malakian is a sculptor who used to instruct college-level sculpture. At a very early age, Malakian got into heavy metal music; his distant cousin played him a KISS
record when he was four years old. Malakian started listening to Van Halen
, Iron Maiden
, Judas Priest
, Motörhead and Ozzy Osbourne
among others. He always wanted to play the drums, but his parents got him a guitar instead because “You can’t turn the drums off.” Daron first picked up a guitar at age 11, saying in an interview, "For the first year and a half, I learned how to play by ear, and did alright. After a few years I gained a reputation as being a guitar player in high school. And by 16 or 17 I actually realized it was a good songwriting instrument, and, over anything, that's what I feel like. I don't pretend to be Mr. Guitar Virtuoso." During his teens Malakian listened to heavy metal bands such as Slayer
, Venom
, Metallica
, Pantera
and Sepultura
. Malakian then began listening to The Beatles
and cites John Lennon
as one of his biggest influences on him as a songwriter. He also cites other British Invasion bands such as The Kinks
and The Who
as major influences as well folk-rock such as trio Peter, Paul, and Mary and punk pioneer Iggy Pop
. Daron went to Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School
in the Los Feliz side of Hollywood, which his future bandmates Shavo Odadjian
and Ontronik "Andy" Khachaturian (System of a Down's original drummer) also attended. System of a Down vocalist Serj Tankian
attended the school as well, but he was many years above Malakian and the others. Malakian attended Glendale High School
as a teenager.
Malakian met Serj Tankian in 1993, while they both shared the same rehearsal studio in different bands. Tankian was playing keyboard for a band, and Daron was playing guitar and singing for another band. They formed a jam band called Soil with bassist Dave Hakopyan and drummer Domingo Laraino. Shavo Odadjian then became their manager, and then rhythm guitarist. Soil broke up and Malakian, Tankian, and Odadjian (who switched to bass) formed a new band using the name “System of a Down”, based on a poem that Daron wrote. The poem’s title was “Victims of a Down” but Odadjian thought "system" was a stronger word than "victims." They then recruited drummer Andy Khachaturian, who was replaced by John Dolmayan
in 1997.
Malakian co-produced System of a Down’s albums with Rick Rubin
, as well as albums by The Ambulance and Bad Acid Trip
(a band on fellow member Serj Tankian’s Serjical Strike Records
). In 2003, Malakian started his own label, EatUrMusic, on which Amen
was the first signed band. The label is now inactive and its current status is unknown.
(vocals), and Zach Hill
(drums) recorded a demo tape entitled "Ghetto Blaster Rehearsals
" credited to the name Scars on Broadway. However, in 2007, an official letter appeared on the band's website that stated that these tracks are not in any way affiliated with Malakian's later project Scars on Broadway. Incidentally, these demo sessions produced "B.Y.O.B.", which would be a major hit for System of a Down in 2005.
Following System's hiatus, Malakian announced his latest project — Scars on Broadway — a band which would include System of a Down bassist, Shavo Odadjian, and himself. Ultimately, Odadjian was not involved with the band, and instead System of a Down drummer, John Dolmayan became a member.
After Malakian and Dolmayan experimented with different musicians (for a period of nine months in 2007 - 2008) the band took form and forged its sound in intense rehearsals and recording sessions (under Malakian’s direction at his home studio and Sunset Sound) with musicians Danny Shamoun on keyboards, Dominic Cifarelli
on bass, and Franky Perez
on guitar and backing vocals for live performances (in the studio Malakian played nearly all the instruments with the exception of drums which were played by Dolmayan and some overdubs provided by the other members). The group released an eponymous album
in 2008, which featured the hit single "They Say
" (written by Malakian). However, shortly before the tour supporting the album, Malakian cancelled all scheduled concert and TV appearances, blaming a lack of enthusiasm and that his "heart wasn't into touring." This sudden cancellation prompted speculation and rumors that the band had broken up. It was the last that would be heard of Malakian for more than a year.
In August 2009, Scars on Broadway, minus Malakian, traveled to Iraq
for a USO tour across the U.S. army bases. Their setlist consisted of covers as well as a few Scars songs. Guitarist/vocalist Franky Perez stated on his Twitter
that "the Scars tunes sound amazing but they're not the same without D..." He also stated before they left that Malakian had given them his blessing. In 2009 Franky Perez mentioned on his Twitter that he and the D-Man (Malakian) were going into studio to jam, this was the first news people have heard about Malakian's whereabouts for about a year.
On May 2, 2010 Malakian reunited with Scars on Broadway at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. It was the first time he had performed with the band since October 2008. The group played songs from their album as well as new songs. Odadjian performed with the band for two songs, playing guitar.
On November 20, 2009, Malakian played at the Chi Cheng Benefit concert along with Deftones
and also performed with Odadjian and Dolmayan. Malakian, Odadjian, and Dolmayan played "Aerials
" and "Toxicity
."
He appeared on Cypress Hill
's 2010 album Rise Up
, on one song, "Trouble Seeker", which he also produced.
On July 29, 2010, Scars on Broadway released their first new studio recording in exactly two years, a Malakian-penned song called "Fucking."
On August 20, 2010, Malakian played in Hollywood with Scars on Broadway.
On November 29, 2010, it was announced that System of a Down would reunite for a European tour to take place in June 2011. They played at the Download Festival on the 11th of June 2011. Despite playing a number of reunion shows, the band has no plans to record new material.
a number of albums.
Armenian-American
Armenian Americans are citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in Armenia. During the United States 2000 Census, 385,488 respondents indicated either full or partial Armenian ancestry...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
, and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. He is best known as the guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, and occasional vocalist of the heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band System of a Down
System of a Down
System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...
and as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and songwriter of the alternative rock band Scars on Broadway
Scars on Broadway
Scars on Broadway is an American-Armenian rock band, founded by System of a Down members Daron Malakian and John Dolmayan. The band's eponymous debut album was released on July 29, 2008....
. Like the rest of the Hollywood-based band System of a Down, he is of Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
ancestry, but is the only member to actually have been born inside the United States. He is placed 30th in Guitar World's List of The 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists of All Time.
Biography
Daron Vartan Malakian was born on July 18, 1975, in Hollywood, California, the only child to Vartan and Zepur Malakian, immigrants originally from IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
respectively. Vartan Malakian is a painter, dancer, and choreographer and Zepur Malakian is a sculptor who used to instruct college-level sculpture. At a very early age, Malakian got into heavy metal music; his distant cousin played him a KISS
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
record when he was four years old. Malakian started listening to Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
, Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
, Motörhead and Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
among others. He always wanted to play the drums, but his parents got him a guitar instead because “You can’t turn the drums off.” Daron first picked up a guitar at age 11, saying in an interview, "For the first year and a half, I learned how to play by ear, and did alright. After a few years I gained a reputation as being a guitar player in high school. And by 16 or 17 I actually realized it was a good songwriting instrument, and, over anything, that's what I feel like. I don't pretend to be Mr. Guitar Virtuoso." During his teens Malakian listened to heavy metal bands such as Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
, Venom
Venom (band)
Venom are an English heavy metal band that formed in 1979 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Coming to prominence towards the end of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Venom's first two albums—Welcome to Hell and Black Metal —are considered a major influence on thrash metal and extreme metal in general...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Pantera
Pantera
Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
and Sepultura
Sepultura
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...
. Malakian then began listening to The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and cites John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
as one of his biggest influences on him as a songwriter. He also cites other British Invasion bands such as The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
and The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
as major influences as well folk-rock such as trio Peter, Paul, and Mary and punk pioneer Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
. Daron went to Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School
Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School
Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian SchoolEstablished1969School type privatePrincipalDr. Alina DorianLocation Los Angeles, USAEnrollment1002 students...
in the Los Feliz side of Hollywood, which his future bandmates Shavo Odadjian
Shavo Odadjian
Shavarsh "Shavo" Odadjian is an Armenian American songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music video director/editor, music producer, and artist/painter. He is best known as the bassist, backing vocalist and occasional songwriter of the Grammy Award-winning rock band System of a Down...
and Ontronik "Andy" Khachaturian (System of a Down's original drummer) also attended. System of a Down vocalist Serj Tankian
Serj Tankian
Serj Tankian is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American singer–songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, playwright, record producer, poet, and political activist...
attended the school as well, but he was many years above Malakian and the others. Malakian attended Glendale High School
Glendale High School (Glendale, California)
Glendale High School is a high school located at 1440 Broadway Avenue East in Glendale, California. The school is the Flagship School of the Glendale Unified School District.-History:...
as a teenager.
Malakian met Serj Tankian in 1993, while they both shared the same rehearsal studio in different bands. Tankian was playing keyboard for a band, and Daron was playing guitar and singing for another band. They formed a jam band called Soil with bassist Dave Hakopyan and drummer Domingo Laraino. Shavo Odadjian then became their manager, and then rhythm guitarist. Soil broke up and Malakian, Tankian, and Odadjian (who switched to bass) formed a new band using the name “System of a Down”, based on a poem that Daron wrote. The poem’s title was “Victims of a Down” but Odadjian thought "system" was a stronger word than "victims." They then recruited drummer Andy Khachaturian, who was replaced by John Dolmayan
John Dolmayan
John William Dolmayan is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American songwriter and drummer. He is best known as the drummer of System of a Down. Dolmayan is also the drummer for the band Scars on Broadway and Indicator....
in 1997.
Malakian co-produced System of a Down’s albums with Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin
Frederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
, as well as albums by The Ambulance and Bad Acid Trip
Bad Acid Trip
Bad Acid Trip is an American metal band, currently signed to System of a Down lead singer Serj Tankian's record label, Serjical Strike Records. Their 2004 album, Lynch the Weirdo, was produced by Daron Malakian, another System of a Down member. In 2006 they performed on the second stage at the...
(a band on fellow member Serj Tankian’s Serjical Strike Records
Serjical Strike Records
Serjical Strike Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates under Universal Republic Records.-Background:...
). In 2003, Malakian started his own label, EatUrMusic, on which Amen
Amen (band)
Amen is a hardcore punk-influenced band formed in 1994.The band has an almost constantly rotating lineup, with founder Casey Chaos remaining as the only constant member throughout...
was the first signed band. The label is now inactive and its current status is unknown.
Scars on Broadway
In 2003, Daron Malakian (lead guitar and vocals), Greg Kelso (rhythm guitar), Casey ChaosCasey Chaos
Casey Chaos is the frontman and guitarist of punk rock band Amen. After numerous line-up changes he is the only remaining founding member of the band. He is known for his energetic stage performance...
(vocals), and Zach Hill
Zach Hill
Zach Hill is a musician residing in Sacramento, California. Primarily known for his drumming, he performs/has performed in numerous Pacific Coast based groups, including his primary group, Hella, as well as Holy Smokes, Nervous Cop, and a diverse range of others including El Grupo Nuevo de Omar...
(drums) recorded a demo tape entitled "Ghetto Blaster Rehearsals
Ghetto Blaster Rehearsals
Ghetto Blaster Rehearsals is a Demo, recorded in 2003 by Scars on Broadway.Ghetto Blaster Rehearsals is a demo album recorded by Scars On Broadway in 2003 with Casey Chaos of Amen, Daron Malakian and Shavo Odadjian of System Of A Down, Greg Kelso and Zach Hill...
" credited to the name Scars on Broadway. However, in 2007, an official letter appeared on the band's website that stated that these tracks are not in any way affiliated with Malakian's later project Scars on Broadway. Incidentally, these demo sessions produced "B.Y.O.B.", which would be a major hit for System of a Down in 2005.
Following System's hiatus, Malakian announced his latest project — Scars on Broadway — a band which would include System of a Down bassist, Shavo Odadjian, and himself. Ultimately, Odadjian was not involved with the band, and instead System of a Down drummer, John Dolmayan became a member.
After Malakian and Dolmayan experimented with different musicians (for a period of nine months in 2007 - 2008) the band took form and forged its sound in intense rehearsals and recording sessions (under Malakian’s direction at his home studio and Sunset Sound) with musicians Danny Shamoun on keyboards, Dominic Cifarelli
Dominic Cifarelli
Dominic Cifarelli was a founding member and guitarist for the Montreal-based band Pulse Ultra and is the bassist for Scars on Broadway.- References :...
on bass, and Franky Perez
Franky Perez
Franky Perez is an American musician best known as the guitarist for Scars on Broadway as well as being a solo artist. He has released two solo albums, Poor Man's Son and My 4th of July, and performed with Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash in his live band before Slash has assembled the tour band...
on guitar and backing vocals for live performances (in the studio Malakian played nearly all the instruments with the exception of drums which were played by Dolmayan and some overdubs provided by the other members). The group released an eponymous album
Scars on Broadway (album)
-Charts:-Personnel:Scars on Broadway is:* Daron Malakian — vocals, guitars, bass guitars, keyboards/organs/mellotrons* John Dolmayan — drums* Produced by: Daron Malakian* Engineered by: Dave Schiffman...
in 2008, which featured the hit single "They Say
They Say
-Vinyl:-Music video:On June 20, 2008, Scars on Broadway released a music video teaser for "They Say" on a MySpace bulletin and blog.In the teaser, the video is said to premiere soon. The official music video premiered on the Yahoo! Music page on June 27....
" (written by Malakian). However, shortly before the tour supporting the album, Malakian cancelled all scheduled concert and TV appearances, blaming a lack of enthusiasm and that his "heart wasn't into touring." This sudden cancellation prompted speculation and rumors that the band had broken up. It was the last that would be heard of Malakian for more than a year.
In August 2009, Scars on Broadway, minus Malakian, traveled to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
for a USO tour across the U.S. army bases. Their setlist consisted of covers as well as a few Scars songs. Guitarist/vocalist Franky Perez stated on his Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
that "the Scars tunes sound amazing but they're not the same without D..." He also stated before they left that Malakian had given them his blessing. In 2009 Franky Perez mentioned on his Twitter that he and the D-Man (Malakian) were going into studio to jam, this was the first news people have heard about Malakian's whereabouts for about a year.
On May 2, 2010 Malakian reunited with Scars on Broadway at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. It was the first time he had performed with the band since October 2008. The group played songs from their album as well as new songs. Odadjian performed with the band for two songs, playing guitar.
Recent activity
Malakian stayed out of the public eye following his cancellation of the tour in support of Scars on Broadway's debut album in October 2008. In 2009 Malakian made a surprise appearance (his first in a year) at Shavo Odadjian's Halloween Party and played "Suite-Pee," "They Say," and an unknown song with Odadjian, Dolmayan and Scars on Broadway's Franky Perez on guitar. It was the first time that the band members (minus Tankian, who was working on his second solo album) performed together in more than three years.On November 20, 2009, Malakian played at the Chi Cheng Benefit concert along with Deftones
Deftones
Deftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, founded in 1988. The band consists of Chino Moreno , Stephen Carpenter , Chi Cheng , Frank Delgado , and Abe Cunningham . Currently Sergio Vega is standing in on bass while Cheng recovers from a car accident...
and also performed with Odadjian and Dolmayan. Malakian, Odadjian, and Dolmayan played "Aerials
Aerials (song)
"Aerials" is a single by the Alternative band System of a Down. It was released in 2002 from the album Toxicity, which earned the band its second Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2003...
" and "Toxicity
Toxicity (song)
"Toxicity" is a single by System of a Down, released in 2002. It was originally released on the album of the same name.The writing credit for the song is Malakian/Odadjian/Tankian....
."
He appeared on Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from South Gate, California. Cypress Hill was the first Latino hip-hop group to have platinum and multi-platinum albums, selling over 18 million albums worldwide...
's 2010 album Rise Up
Rise Up (Cypress Hill album)
Rise Up is the eighth studio album by Cypress Hill, which was released on April 20, 2010. It is their first album of new material in six years, following 2004's Till Death Do Us Part, and their first to be released on EMI's Priority Records, their first venture away from Columbia, who handled all...
, on one song, "Trouble Seeker", which he also produced.
On July 29, 2010, Scars on Broadway released their first new studio recording in exactly two years, a Malakian-penned song called "Fucking."
On August 20, 2010, Malakian played in Hollywood with Scars on Broadway.
On November 29, 2010, it was announced that System of a Down would reunite for a European tour to take place in June 2011. They played at the Download Festival on the 11th of June 2011. Despite playing a number of reunion shows, the band has no plans to record new material.
Personal life
Malakian now lives in Glendale, California. He has relatives in Iraq and Iran, where his parents were born, and has visited both countries.Equipment
He has used multiple guitars and amplifiers in the studio and live.Guitars
All guitars either have Seymour Duncan SH-6 Distortion pickups and/or Gibson pickups.- Multiple Ibanez IcemansIbanez IcemanThe Iceman is an electric guitar model produced by Ibanez. -History:The Iceman is an Ibanez guitar produced by Hoshino Gakki. Hoshino Gakki exported copies of American electric and acoustic guitars in the 1950s, and by the mid 1970s the Ibanez guitars had reached a level of quality comparable to...
(all in Drop C tuning) - Used during the Early/Mid years of System of a down, each one with different custom finishes and artwork done by his father, Vartan Malakian. His father also did custom graphics on the 1978 Iceman, as well as making the horned bridge replacing the stopbar. The known models Daron Malakian used are two IC-200s, five IC-300s, and an ICX-120. He has also recently used an Iceman for the Scars on Broadway reunion concert at the Troubadour on May 2, 2010. - Multiple Gibson SGsGibson SGAt the launch of the SG in 1961, Gibson offered four variants of the SG; the SG Junior , the SG Special, the SG Standard, and the top-of-the-line SG Custom. However, Gibson's current core variants as of 2010 are the SG Standard and the SG Special...
- Used during the Mezmerize/Hypnotize Era and reunion of System of a Down (2005–2006, 2011), along with the 3rd incarnation of Scars on Broadway (2007–2009). Malakian alternated between playing SGs with cherry finish (Drop C tuning) and SGs with white finish (Drop C# tuning). In Scars on Broadway he used a black Gibson SG in Drop C# tuning, which is seen in the video for "They Say". He now uses this SG in Drop C tuning since the System of a Down reunion. - Fender StratocasterFender StratocasterThe Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
(Drop C tuning) - Used in the earlier years of System of a Down and the recording of the self-titled album. It was originally black with a white pickguard and 3 single coil pickups. The white pickguard was later replaced with a red pearloid pickguard, 2 white humbucking pickups were installed and the middle singlecoil was removed. Serj TankianSerj TankianSerj Tankian is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American singer–songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, playwright, record producer, poet, and political activist...
used it to play the rhythm guitar in "Aerials" and "Mr. Jack" during live performances, but he no longer uses due to his endorsement with First ActFirst ActFirst Act is a musical instrument manufacturer, which producers guitars, bass guitars, guitar and bass accessories, drum sets, percussion instruments, amplifiers as well as student-line clarinets, saxophones, and trumpets...
. - Gibson ES-335Gibson ES-335The Gibson ES-335 is the world's first commercial thinline arched-top semi-acoustic electric guitar. Released by the Gibson Guitar Corporation as part of its ES series in 1958, it is neither hollow nor solid; instead, a solid wood block runs through the center of its body...
- Only used once. Was used for the Chi Cheng Benefit concert on November 20, 2009. - Jackson RR5 RhoadsJackson Randy RhoadsThe Jackson Randy Rhoads is an iconic model of electric guitar, originally commissioned by guitarist Randy Rhoads and produced by Jackson Guitars....
- Used in the studio while recording Toxicity and Mezmerize/Hypnotize. This guitar had Gibson Burstbucker pickups on the bridge at this time. It may have also been used live as a backup, since there have been a few photos with him using it on stage. - Gibson Flying V (1980's Korina Flying V or 50th Anniversary Korina V)Gibson Flying V-External links:*, , , , and , from the Gibson website*, a June 2001 article from Guitar Collector magazine*, a tribute site that lists all models and re-issues and most notable players**...
Used on stage for his show with Scars on Broadway at the Avalon.
Amplifiers and effects
- Marshall AmplifiersMarshall AmplificationMarshall Amplification is a British company, founded by drummer Jim Marshall, that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, brands personal headphones/earphones , and, after acquiring Natal Drums, drums and bongos. Marshall amplifiers, and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among the most...
- He has multiple models. Some known are the ModeFour heads, JTM45 Bluesbreakers, JMP Heads, JTM heads, and 1987XL Plexi heads. He used the ModeFour heads live before Mesmerize and still uses them as a backup, 1987XL heads for Scars on Broadway, the JMP and JTM heads in the studio, and the JTM45 Bluesbreakers live for the Mesmerize/Hypnotize tour and in the studio. - Mesa Boogie Dual and Triple Rectifiers - Used live and in the studio during System of a down, Toxicity and And Steal This Album albums.
- His only known effects pedals are a Fulltone Clyde Wah Pedal, a Line 6 DL-4 Delay Modeler/Looper, a MXR Phase 90, a BossBoss CorporationBoss is a manufacturer of effects pedals for electric guitar and bass guitar. It is a division of the Roland Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer that specializes in musical equipment and accessories...
MT-2 Metal Zone and a BossBoss CorporationBoss is a manufacturer of effects pedals for electric guitar and bass guitar. It is a division of the Roland Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer that specializes in musical equipment and accessories...
DD-3 Digital Delay.
Other appearances
| Year | Artist | Song | Release and/or explanation | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live performances | |||||||||||
| 2000 | Metallica Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ... feat. Jonathan Davis Jonathan Davis Jonathan Houseman Davis is the lead vocalist and frontman for the nu metal band Korn. Davis was ranked 16th on Hit Parader 's list of "Heavy Metal's All-Time Top 100 Vocalists".-Early life:... and Daron Malakian |
"One One (Metallica song) "One" is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the third and final single from their fourth album ...And Justice for All. "One" was also the band's first Top 40 hit single, reaching number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100... " |
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| Metallica feat. Serj Tankian Serj Tankian Serj Tankian is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American singer–songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, playwright, record producer, poet, and political activist... and Daron Malakian |
"Mastertarium" | ||||||||||
| 2003 | "Creeping Death" | Reading Festival 2003 | |||||||||
| The Ambulance feat. Daron Malakian | "Stop" | ||||||||||
| 2010 | Cypress Hill feat. Daron Malakian | "Trouble Seeker" | |||||||||
Production credits
Malakian has also producedRecord producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
a number of albums.
| Year | Album | Artist | Credit(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | System of a Down System of a Down (album) System of a Down is the debut album by American heavy metal band System of a Down, first released in 1998. The album was certified gold by the RIAA on February 2, 2000. Two years later, after the success of Toxicity, it was certified platinum... |
System of a Down System of a Down System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan... |
Producer, credited as System of a Down |
| 2001 | Toxicity Toxicity (album) Toxicity is the second album by American heavy metal band System of a Down. Produced by Rick Rubin, Toxicity was released on September 4, 2001 by American Recordings, debuting at #1 on both the United States, with 220,000 copies, and #1 on the Canadian charts... |
Producer | |
| 2002 | Steal This Album! Steal This Album! Steal This Album! is the third studio album by American heavy metal band System of a Down, released on November 26, 2002, on American Recordings... |
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| 2004 | Death Before Musick Death Before Musick Death Before Musick by Amen was released on EatUrMusic/Columbia/Sony on 18 May 2004. The album, like the band's previous records, belongs to the hardcore and punk genres and draws on heavy metal as influence.-Track listing:All tracks by Casey Chaos... |
Amen Amen (band) Amen is a hardcore punk-influenced band formed in 1994.The band has an almost constantly rotating lineup, with founder Casey Chaos remaining as the only constant member throughout... |
Executive producer and A&R A&R Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :... |
| Lynch the Weirdo Lynch the Weirdo Lynch The Weirdo is the title of the second full length album by the metal band Bad Acid Trip, released on April 20, 2004. It was produced by System of a Down member Daron Malakian.-Track listing:-Personnel:Bad Acid Trip* Dirk Rogers — vocals... |
Bad Acid Trip Bad Acid Trip Bad Acid Trip is an American metal band, currently signed to System of a Down lead singer Serj Tankian's record label, Serjical Strike Records. Their 2004 album, Lynch the Weirdo, was produced by Daron Malakian, another System of a Down member. In 2006 they performed on the second stage at the... |
Producer | |
| 2005 | Mezmerize | System of a Down | |
| Hypnotize Hypnotize (album) The album was initially going to start with a Middle Eastern style instrumental track entitled "Hezze", which Malakian stated was one of his favorite songs on the record prior its release. It was dropped at the last minute because the group wanted to open the album with a heavy song and because the... |
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| 2008 | Scars on Broadway Scars on Broadway (album) -Charts:-Personnel:Scars on Broadway is:* Daron Malakian — vocals, guitars, bass guitars, keyboards/organs/mellotrons* John Dolmayan — drums* Produced by: Daron Malakian* Engineered by: Dave Schiffman... |
Scars on Broadway Scars on Broadway Scars on Broadway is an American-Armenian rock band, founded by System of a Down members Daron Malakian and John Dolmayan. The band's eponymous debut album was released on July 29, 2008.... |
Awards
- In 2002, System of a DownSystem of a DownSystem of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...
was nominated for a Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
in Best Metal Performance for their song Chop Suey!Chop Suey!"Chop Suey!" is the first single from System of a Down's second album Toxicity. The single was released in September 2001 and earned the band its first Grammy nomination. The song's working title was "Suicide"; the band members claim the change was not caused by pressure from their record company...
but lost to SchismSchism (song)"Schism" is a song by American rock band Tool. It was the first single and music video from their third full-length album, Lateralus. In 2002, Tool won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for the song....
by ToolTool (band)Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour... - In 2003, System of a Down was nominated for a Grammy Award in Best Hard Rock Performance for "AerialsAerials (song)"Aerials" is a single by the Alternative band System of a Down. It was released in 2002 from the album Toxicity, which earned the band its second Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2003...
" but lost to All My LifeAll My Life (Foo Fighters song)"All My Life" is a song by the American alternative rock band Foo Fighters, released as the first single from their fourth album, One by One...
by Foo FightersFoo FightersFoo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War... - In 2005, System of a Down won for Best Alternative Act in the Europe Music Awards
- In 2006, System of a Down won their first Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance for B.Y.O.B.
- In 2006, System of a Down won the "MTV Good Woodie Award" for their song Question!Question!"Question!" is a song by the band System of a Down. It is the second single of their fourth album Mezmerize, which focuses on life after death...
- In 2006, System of a Down's song ToxicityToxicity (song)"Toxicity" is a single by System of a Down, released in 2002. It was originally released on the album of the same name.The writing credit for the song is Malakian/Odadjian/Tankian....
was #14 on the VH1 Top 40 Metal Songs list - In 2007, System of a Down was nominated for a Grammy Award in Best Hard Rock Performance for their song Lonely DayLonely Day"Lonely Day" is the second single from the 2005 album Hypnotize by the band System of a Down. It was written by guitarist Daron Malakian, who also provides lead vocals on the track. The song received a nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards."Lonely Day" features...
but lost to WomanWoman (Wolfmother song)"Woman" is a song by Australian hard rock band Wolfmother, featured on their 2005 debut studio album Wolfmother. It was released as the band's fourth single in Australia on 17 June 2006, and later in the United Kingdom on 17 July...
by WolfmotherWolfmotherWolfmother is an Australian rock band from Erskineville, Sydney. Formed in 2000, the group was originally a trio composed of vocalist and guitarist Andrew Stockdale, bassist and keyboardist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett. Wolfmother released their self-titled debut album in October 2005,...