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Daron Malakian
Sob3
MEMBER OF

SYSTEM OF A DOWN

General Info
Primary Role in SOAD Guitar, Vocals
Secondary Role in SOAD Synthesizers
Other Projects EatUrMusic, Screamers, Scars on Broadway
Biographical Info
Nationality American
Ancestry Armenian, Iraqi
Birth Date July 18, 1975
Birth Place Hollywood, California, US
Current Residence Glendale, California, US
Education Unknown
Former Occupation(s) High School Student
Physical Description
Height 5'7.5 feet (171 cm)
Hair Color Brown
Eye Color Brown

Daron Vartan Malakian (Armenian: Տարոն Վարդանի Մալաքյան) (born July 18, 1975, in Hollywood, California, US) is the Armenian American lead guitarist for System of a Down, as well as a songwriter, vocalist, and occasional synthesizer player for the band during live performances.

In 2003, Daron formed the band, Scars on Broadway, which formerly included System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan. Daron is also the founder of a record label called EatUrMusic. (Daronzilla)

Early Life[]

"As a child, I had a lot of dark, dark moments."
―Daron Malakian

Daron Malakian is the only member of System of a Down born in the US and though being of Armenian-Iraqi descent (with both parents being artists that moved to Hollywood from Armenia only a year before his birth), Daron has expressed, more than any other member of System of a Down, being influenced and corrupted by American society.

Daronchild

Daron in elementary school

Daron, an only child, was first brought up in a one-bedroom apartment in Hollywood where the family's funds often ran thin. Daron claimed to have had a

very lonely childhood, surrounded by crime and poverty. When Daron was eleven, the Malakian's had saved enough money to buy a house in Glendale, California, where Daron attended Roosevelt Middle School, then the Rose & Alex Pilibos School (the Armenian American school where System of a Down members Serj Tankian and Shavo Odadjian also attended).

Daron was extremely unmotivated in school, and by the time that his studies had suffered enough for him to be removed from private school and placed into public Glendale High School, he had very little concern with completing courses in school and was becoming far more actively interested in "creative" activities such as playing the drums and the guitar. He says that his music was first inspired by his father Vartan Malakian's career in painting and choreography.

Daron's academic negligence was soon accompanied by violent tendencies in and out of school. He found himself being involved in neighborhood gangs and becoming even less concerned with advancing in school or anything else besides his music.

Snowblind and Soil (1991-1994)[]

In 1991 Daron Malakian, Jack Hakopyan, Dave Hakopyan, and Andy Khachaturian formed Snowblind. And after an unknown concert which Daron Fell off stage, the band broke up.

Fast forward to 1993 where Daron, Dave Hakopyan, and Domingo Laranio formed Soil. They shared recording studios with another all-Armenian Band called Forever Young, which features Serj Tankian. Serj became quickly acquainted and friendly with the members of Soil and being that the two bands were often spending time with each other in the same practice space, members of Soil often caught strong scents of Serj's talents. They were exposed to not only his ability on keyboards, but his exotic flair for singing, and the sounds of Armenian folk music that clearly influenced his creativity. Soil soon sought out Serj to complete their ensemble.

And indeed, Serj left Forever young and became vocalist for Soil. After some time, they got Shavo Odadjian as their manager, soon after, they got to perform at Café Club Fais Do-Do. But unfortunately, Creative Tensions broke out that had both Dave Hakopyan and Domingo Laranio leave the band.

SOAD (1995-2006)[]

In 1995, Daron Malakian and Serj Tankian got their manager, Shavo Odadjian, to join the band as a bassist. then they eventually got Andy Khachaturian as their drummer and changed the name into System of a Down after a poem made by Daron that was titled "Victims of a Down" they began making demo tapes (Untitled Demo Tape and Demo Tape 1) and performing at many live concerts that turn into sucess.

after a while making content demo tapes (Demo Tape 2, and Demo Tape 3) Andy Khachaturian had some family problems that lead to his hand getting injured, leaving him to quit the band. After some time finding a new drummer, John Dolmayan became the new drummer. the band eventually made their Self Tilted, then Toxicity, to Steal This Album!, then Mezmerize and Hypnotize.

On February 22, 2002, System was playing at Grand Rapids at the DeltaPlex Arena and Conference Center when just several months before, Shavo had been attacked by some security guards. So, Daron Protested by putting his back against the audience and once in a while leaving the stage.

On August 13th, 2006, during a performance at West Palm Beach Florida, Daron Malakian said something along like this. "This is Gonna be our last concert for a while! Were just 4 guys who formed a band in California". The audience started to Boo, so Daron said: "While we would be splitting up for a while, we still will be System. We'll be back... I just don't know when.... Thank you very much for sharing this night with us!"

Scars on Broadway and the return of SOAD/Modern Day (2003, 2006-2022)[]

In 2003 (or late 2002, depending on the sources) Daron, as well as 2 other bandmates did some rehearsals that where leaked onto the internet called, The Ghetto Blaster rehearsals. The only thing that had impact on the next events for Daron was the song BYOB (a scars on Broadway demo that would later become Soad's B.Y.O.B.) it is unclear how the band broke up/disbanded.

Soon after systema broke up, Daron Malakian and John Dolmayan recruited Franky Perez, Danny Shamoun, and Shavo Odadjian for the new Scars on Broadway band, Unfortunately, Shavo left. after some time, Scars released their debut album on July 28th, 2008. later in late 2008, Scars on Broadway cancelled the North American "Scars on Broadway" tour because in a statement Daron said saying "My heart doesn't feel like touring" Between 2009-2010, Both Daron Malakian and Serj Tankian were sued by Casy Chaos because he claimed that he wrote the lyrics for the Scars on Broadway's BYOB and unilaterally sold 50% of the rights to it. This ended in a lawsuit settled in favor of Daron and Serj in 2010.

speaking of the 2010's. System of a down had reunited and played many tours around the world. and in 2015, performing at their ancestral homelands of Armenia. in 2018, Scars on Broadway had finally released their second album, Dictator. and Daron wrote some songs that were to be Scars songs but eventually became system songs. those being Protect the Land and Genocidal Humanoidz, both released in November 2020.

Personal Life[]

Malakian is currently dating lawyer Gayane Khechoomian, the two began dating in late 2016, after being spotted together at a WWE event. He often goes to Disneyland and Soccer Games when he has time.

Songs/Albums Daron Malakian had worked on (Non-SOAD and SOB)[]

  • Rebellion by Linkin Park (Song) - Guitar
  • Trouble Seeker (Song) by Cypress Hill - Producer, Drums
  • Death Before Musick (Album) by Aman - Executive-Producer, A&R
  • Lynch the Weirdo (Album) by Bad Acid Trip - Producer
  • Talk To Your Kids About Gangs (Album) by Holy Smokes - Executive Producer

References:[]

External Links[]

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