A Quote by Serj Tankian

Touring and putting out records is fun and cool, but I've been doing it for a long time. — © Serj Tankian
Touring and putting out records is fun and cool, but I've been doing it for a long time.
I'm not the cool thing, and I'm not going to be the cool thing for a really long time, and it isn't like I'm not the cool thing and I sell 3,000,000 records every time. I'm not the cool thing, and I barely sell 150,000 records, if that, ever. So I'm obviously working really hard to sustain myself. I'm actually a target to be dropped, because that's just not enough records for a big company.
I've been in a band, so I understand the politics. Sometimes the bass player doesn't like what the guitar player is doing, and you have to sort of even that out. But I've also always loved the technology part of it. I've always loved the studio part. Making albums. Besides writing songs, which has been my primary thing, making records would be second. Obviously, touring would be third. Touring wasn't my favorite thing to do, but the first few tours were pretty fun. Seeing the world and everything.
When you're out on the road touring and touring and then making records, you're just constantly looking forward, constantly working. You don't really stop to look at where you are or where you've been.
I've been putting out records for so long, but I didn't want to tour because I didn't think anybody really cared.
More recently I've come to terms with what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. That's why you start to see me recoiling from 'let's put out radio records, let's get rich and get on out of here.' I have gone towards more speaking to kids and putting out records that I like.
I've been doing instrumental records now for a long time and built up this little fan base, which is worldwide, and it's incredible how big it's gotten. People really enjoy these records.
I was at a slight disadvantage in that I had never played in bands or done any performances before, and that's just as important as writing, recording, and putting records out. It's been a lot of hard work, balanced with a lot of pinch-myself moments of touring in crazy parts of the world.
I wanted to make some music with deeper meaning mixed with the fun and cool stuff I've been doing for so long.
I work in bits and pieces. When I'm touring it's difficult. After touring, when I have space and time, it's a process, something I've been doing since I was 10 or 11 years old. I collect lyrics, melodies, bits and pieces, and finally it all comes together. It's hard to say - I've been trying to figure out how the process works.
Ultimately, I'm not the most prolific person, but I've been doing this for a long time, and I keep on putting out music. The only thing that drives music is the people who are making it.
I'm just going to keep going. For me, the most important thing is that I have fun. I've reached nearly everything already with Accept and U.D.O., so the most important thing is that I have fun touring and making albums. I'm still nervous when a new album comes out. I'm still nervous when we start touring. So as long as I have this feeling, I can't say when I will stop.
When we're putting out records that people are responding to, it's amazing. And it's obviously what we shoot for every time. It's a tricky balancing act. But as long as it's sort of a righteous idea, then you're good to go.
It's really cool to see how many awesome, badass ladies are out there now just doing their thing and putting their foot down, saying, "Nope. You're not going to tell me I'm doing something women shouldn't be doing." It's a scary time but also I think a really important time. I'm happy to see how much girls are responding to a lot of the other powerful big boys swimming out there right now.
I still look good. I'm trippin', but people tell me that all the time. So check it out, I'm 63, and still kicking. I've been putting records out every year.
I started out doing production work on promos, stuff like that. I didn't think it was cool to be working for NPR. I didn't need anything to be cool. I just wanted something to do that would be interesting. It was fun. I didn't think of it as anything else but fun.
Here's what it comes down to: I've been making records and touring for over 10 years now. I'm very successful living it, doing it... I'm with an absolutely beautiful wife that's half my age.
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