♪ (ragtime music) ♪
♪ (mellow guitar music) ♪
- I hope it's Bruno Mars.
♪ (more instruments join in) ♪
- System of a Down?
- System of a Down! Oh, I like them.
- Shirtless look. I've always wanted to play the drums.
- They look pretty freaky right off the bat.
♪ (segues to metal) ♪
- Oh, these are like headbangers.
- ♪ Wake up ♪ - I've never seen them before.
- ♪ Hide the scars to fade away the shake-up ♪
- They're scary looking.
- ♪ Here you go, create another fable ♪
♪ You wanted to ♪
- I don't get how they don't get a concussion
banging their head around like that.
- ♪ Why'd you leave your keys upon the table? ♪
♪ You wanted to ♪
♪ I don't think you trust ♪
- What? I guess it's music, right? (laughing)
- ♪ ...self-righteous suicide ♪
- Oh god, they're not attractive at all.
- ♪ ...cry when angels deserve to die ♪
- What in the world?
- ♪ Deserve to... ♪ - I actually like the music.
- ♪ (screaming note) ♪
- Oh my goodness.
- ♪ (screaming) ♪
- You want me to spend money to see these people?
I wouldn't give 'em a penny.
- ♪ Father! ♪ - ♪ Father! ♪
- ♪ Father! ♪ - Sure being there
would be too loud for me.
- I hope their voice boxes are okay.
- It's too raw. There's no melody.
- ♪ ...forsaken me ♪
- Of course, the kids are loving it.
- We used to sit when we went to concerts.
What's this business with all the standing?
- ♪ Trust in my self-righteous... ♪
- Obnoxious stuff. (chuckles)
- ♪ I cry when angels deserve to die ♪
- (chuckling) This is way beyond me.
- ♪ ...self-righteous suicide ♪
- "Self-righteous suicide." That's so delightful.
- ♪ ...when angels deserve to die ♪
- (softly) So much angst.
♪ (song concludes) ♪ - (exhales deeply)
I wasn't sure what he was yelling about.
- (chuckling) That was a little scary, I got to admit.
- There was singing with a lot of feeling.
There were a lot of messages in this.
I would like to read the lyrics.
- That's good. I like that.
I'm always happy when I get to see rock and roll.
- (FBE) So what did you think of what you just heard?
- Noise.
- They were an angry-looking group.
- There's no flow to it. There's no beauty in it.
- I like them.
Hard rock, thrash rock, heavy metal beyond extreme heavy metal.
They're keeping it going.
- I like the way they're singing then.
And I like their visuals.
It's kinda bebop. Although I guess if you're with this group,
you'd have to jump.
- (FBE) So what we just showed you
is one of the most popular songs
from a band called System of a Down.
Have you heard of them? - No.
- Never, no.
- None of my friends are saying,
"Hey, you heard this latest thing from System of a Down?"
Can you imagine all of us old ladies going, "Suicide!"
- The last one I heard of that I didn't know of was "Slingknot."
And you should've heard my commentary on that.
- (FBE) Before we dive into questions,
we're gonna show you another video of their single from 1999,
a song called "Sugar."
- Oh, "Sugar." So is it gonna be sweet?
♪ (metal music) ♪
- ♪ The kombucha mushroom people ♪ - (chuckling)
High on sugar.
- Okay, very Nazi-like marching going on here.
- ♪ ...mother pray ♪
- Okay, I cannot understand a word he's saying.
- Maybe a reminder, a little Pink Floyd.
- Oh, it's just noise.
- ♪ Some people, some people, some people ♪
♪ Call it insane ♪
♪ Yeah, they call it insane ♪
- It's mandatory that in these videos
there be a scantily clad pretty woman.
- ♪ You know that every time I try to go ♪
- I wouldn't put this guy's voice [inaudible].
- ♪ 'Cause I'm already there ♪
♪ The kombucha mushroom people ♪
♪ Sitting around all day ♪
- This is more for mature people, I think, to listen to.
- It's almost like a release of frustration.
- ♪ Sugar ♪
♪ I got a gun the other day ♪ - Oh.
- ♪ From Sako ♪ - Oh, poor grandma.
- This grandmother has a gun.
- ♪ Where all they really want to do ♪
♪ Is suck out my mother[bleep] brains ♪
- Oi.
- (screaming) ♪ Sugar! ♪
- During my time, there was no music like this.
- Looks like a lot of salt and vinegar as compared to sugar.
- ♪ (holding note) ♪ - Is he praying?
- ♪ I sit in my desolate room ♪
♪ No lights ♪
- Good performers.
I think I would actually like to see a concert.
- ♪ [Bleep] you, it all goes away ♪
♪ How do I feel? What do I say? ♪
♪ In the end, it all goes away ♪ - God, I'm exhausted.
- ♪ What do I say? ♪
♪ In the end, it all goes away ♪
- Wow. Crescendo is deafening.
- ♪ In the end, it all goes away ♪
♪ In the end, it all goes away ♪
(boom)
- Oh, and an atomic bomb. What a lovely ending.
- I never heard this on my radio before.
- There's a message there.
Like antiestablishment.
- I will probably listen more to 'em.
Maybe I'll put 'em on my Pandora to see what comes up.
- All those images are so depressing!
Oh, good grief.
(movie reel clicks)
- (FBE) So what do you think about System of a Down
after hearing just a small taste of their music?
- I won't be running out there and buy their songs,
that's for sure.
- If my rock station puts that on,
I'm pushing the button real quick.
- They seem to be a typical heavy metal type of band.
- They're entertaining in the way they do things.
But is this music? No.
- Maybe it's the culture that I grew up in.
I guess you'd call it something, the days of the waltz.
This is just the other end of the spectrum.
And to me, I just can't fit in it.
- I like 'em. I love rock and roll.
It just gives me energy. I know this sound--
but it gets me moving, and I kinda like that.
- (FBE) The band often gets classified inside of the metal genre,
but some people feel that they're more unique than that.
From what you've heard, would you say they are different
than the melody you've listened to? - I think so.
But actually, honestly, I don't know a metal band is.
- I can't comment on it.
I'm really not interested in it.
- Why, no. I cannot tell the difference.
- No, I don't see any differences.
- It's a little softer than metal.
- I could listen to them
more than I could some traditional metal bands.
At least with this group,
you could hear a word or two here and there.
- (FBE) So the band has gotten
praised over time for their lyrics.
- Well, good. I'm glad someone can understand them.
- (FBE) Their songs have been about social issues,
like the police, drug crimes being over-enforced,
and even writing songs about their discontent towards war.
- I could see that.
- Music has always been that way.
In the '60s, a lot of it is talking about the anti-war.
- It's extremely important if that's their message.
It could be given to you in a more beautiful tone.
- I have no issues with those.
They're not letting you know about it
in a passive or normal way.
They're yelling at you about it!
Whoa, okay, I hear you.
But tone it down a little is what I'm saying.
- (FBE) The band is of Armenian descent,
and there has also been songs they've written
to bring awareness of the Armenian genocide
that happened in 1915.
What do you think when you hear that there's this loud metal band
that uses their music to spread that kind of message around?
- I see nothing wrong with it.
Any way to get a discussion going
or bring attention to a negative issue is a good thing.
- Whatever it takes to get the first genocide of the 20th century
recognized is not a bad thing.
- I'm the son of a Holocaust survivor,
so I do get the Armenian genocide and the importance of it.
But there's another way.
It doesn't have to be pounded into your head
with the rhythm it gives you.
That just sends you for Tylenol.
- I have experience in my own family.
My grandparents died in the Holocaust.
So yes, I do relate to that.
That's a message that should be taken around.
- (FBE) Finally, even though the band
has not officially broken up,
it's been over 10 years since their last album.
Hearing their music and about what System of a Down stand for,
do you have different thoughts of the band now
compared to when we first played you their music
at the beginning of the episode? - No.
(chuckling) I didn't like the music.
- No.
I'm stuck with rock and roll.
I'm an oldies but goody type guy.
- They're apparently talented musicians and artists.
But the vehicle they use to express it is just
very off-putting to me.
- Now that I know, I really appreciate them.
- If there is a message to be gotten from that,
I think it's okay.
- Music is one of the universal way to send a message.
It's very good for them to present themselves
through their own way without any limit.
- Thanks for watching this episode of Elders React.
- Like what you saw? Hit the Subscribe button.
- Let us know in the comments what band we should react to next.
- Thanks for watching. Sugar!
- Hey, guys. I'm Kyle.
I'm one of the associate producers here.
I just wanted to say thank you so much for watching
this episode of Elders React.
We love you guys so much. We appreciate you watching.
♪ (ragtime music) ♪