SYSTEM OF A DOWN HYPNOTIZES AT IN-STORE

With System Of A Down touring in August, vocalist Serj Tankian, told Artisan News while promoting Harakiri his solo album, that they’re more fun and sound be…

System Of A Down made an in-store appearance at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square on Tuesday evening, the night of the release of their new album, Hypnotize. Drummer John Dolmayan, bassist Shavo Odadjian, singer/songwriter Serj Tankian and guitiarst/songwriter Daron Malakian, were all on hand to sign copies of their CD for fans who had waited since early morning. Fans had the opportunity to get one of only 400 wristbands.

System continues their focus on politics with Hypnotize, and in a recent press conference about Hypnotize, singer Tankian said that the band tries to shed light on political topics with a subversive approach.

“You know, so politics is one of the things we do. It’s not the majority of what we do. Some people get it and some people don’t, but I think ultimately the important thing is that music, like all art, should be intuitive. And whether you listen toi a song like B.Y.O.B. or whether you’re anti-war or pro-war or whatever you are, you will get the satire in chorus, intuitively. I think that’s the moving part. I think if you change people’s hearts it’ll get to their minds. By just working on people’s minds we’re going nowhere.”

One of the many fans who were waitng outside in the 30 plus temperatures outside the Virgin Megastore to get their album signed and possibly attend a special MTV 2 performance later that night talked about what she went through to be on line to meet System Of A Down.

“It’s very cold. I think it’s about, what, 30 something degrees? We’ve been waiting here since 5, 5:30, but we waited since 6:45 this morning and we didn’t get the tickets, and then we waited on Saturday at, like, 2:00.”

Another fan was ecstatic after coming out of the store and couldn’t contain his excitement.

System Of A Down’s performance on Tuesday at Webster Hall was taped for an MTV@ special, and will have to be edited. The challenge for producers of the show is to balance the music with the band’s harsh criticism for the War In Iraq and some of the administration’s motives.