This cleverly titled memoir from the System of a Down frontman is an extremely well-articulated read, heavy on the politics (as expected) and lighter on the music content (perhaps not expected). The majority of the book is about the Armenian genocide and Serj’s activism around this. Very informative and important to read about, although in perhaps more depth than some readers would want to know. It’s the key to understanding Serj and his work; besides, it’s his memoir so he can write what he wants, so he uses it as a platform to bring these issues to our attention, just as he would do with any art form. Serj is a strong character and he would rather provoke a reaction of any sort, than be neutral. He does not care for popular opinions and says what he believes is right.

There is really a lot packed into this book and I was very impressed with it. He discusses his family history, his childhood in Beirut, the experience of moving to America, activism in the Armenian community there, the effect of 9/11 on attitudes towards immigrants, and how he worked for family businesses before finally realising he wanted a career in music. We also learn about the turbulent dynamics between the band members, particularly himself and Daron, and then his other projects, including solo albums, collaborations and film composing. There are some interesting bits of information here and there, such as almost signing Muse to his label in the US, deciding not to play in Turkey due to its denial of the genocide (years later, they decided to play there, but were prevented), and how the song ‘Aerials’ resulted from Serj getting into transcendental meditation. It may not have everything you might want to know, but after all it’s described as a memoir ‘of sorts’.

Published by Headline, 2024.