Daron Vartan Malakian is an Armenian–American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist,
and record producer.
He is best known as the guitarist, songwriter, and second vocalist of the rock band System
of a Down and as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and songwriter of the alternative metal 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.
Biography Daron Vartan Malakian was born on July 18,
1975, in Hollywood, the only child to Vartan and Zepur Malakian, immigrants originally
from Iraq 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 thrash 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 as 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 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.
He is a lifelong fan of the Edmonton Oilers and has a large collection of Oilers-related
memorabilia.
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 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.
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.
Scars on Broadway
In 2003, Daron Malakian, Greg Kelso, Casey Chaos, and Zach Hill 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 the band took form and
forged its sound in intense rehearsals and recording sessions with musicians Danny Shamoun
on keyboards, Dominic Cifarelli on bass, and Franky Perez on guitar and backing vocals
for live performances.
The group released an eponymous album in 2008, which featured the hit single "They Say".
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 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 February 24, 2012, System of a Down announced that the Scars on Broadway website
is back online featuring a preview of a new song called "Guns Are Loaded".
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 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 performed together in more than three years.
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 June 11, 2011.
Despite playing a number of reunion shows, the band had no plans to record new material.
In October 2011, John Dolmayan expressed his interest in writing new material but cited
that band members are all busy with their other projects.
In 2014, he appeared on Linkin Park's sixth studio album The Hunting Party, which he provided
additional guitars for the promotional single "Rebellion".
The promotional single was self-produced by Mike Shinoda and Brad Delson.
Discography Solo
Featured in System of a Down
Scars on Broadway Scars on Broadway
Other appearances Production credits
Malakian has also produced a number of albums.
Awards In 2002, System of a Down was nominated for
a Grammy Award in Best Metal Performance for their song "Chop Suey!" but lost to "Schism"
by Tool.
In 2003, System of a Down was nominated for a Grammy Award in Best Hard Rock Performance
for "Aerials" but lost to "All My Life" by Foo Fighters.
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!"
In 2006, System of a Down's song "Toxicity" 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 Day", but lost to "Woman" by Wolfmother.
See also History of the Armenian Americans in Los Angeles
References
External links System of a Down official site
Scars on Broadway official website