Shavo Odadjian facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shavo Odadjian
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Odadjian live in concert (Pinkpop 2002)
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Shavarsh Odadjian |
| Also known as | DJ Tactic DJ DecompozeR |
| Born | April 22, 1974 Yerevan, Armenian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Occupation(s) |
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| Instruments | Bass |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Associated acts |
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Shavarsh "Shavo" Odadjian (born April 22, 1974) is an Armenian-American musician. He is best known as the bassist for the heavy metal band System of a Down. Shavo also plays bass in a trap music group called North Kingsley. He is also part of the metal band Seven Hours After Violet.
When System of a Down took a break from 2006 to 2010, Shavo worked with Wu-Tang Clan founder RZA. They created a project called AcHoZeN. Some of their songs were used in the movie Babylon A.D.. A collection of their songs was released in 2015. Shavo also helped create the music for the film.
Contents
Early Life and Music
Shavo Odadjian was born in Yerevan, which was then part of the Soviet Union. When he was five, he moved to Los Angeles, California. He went to the Alex Pilibos Elementary School, an Armenian school. Future bandmates Daron Malakian and Serj Tankian also went there. They didn't know each other at the time because they were different ages.
Shavo has said that when he was young, he loved skateboarding. He also listened to a lot of punk rock and heavy metal music. He has named bands like Dead Kennedys, Slayer, Black Sabbath, and Metallica as his favorites. These bands greatly influenced his own music.
Shavo's Music Career
System of a Down
While in college, Shavo studied Psychology and Art. He also worked at a bank. In 1993, he started managing a band called Soil. This band included Daron Malakian and Serj Tankian. Shavo met them at a recording studio. They asked him for help, and he became their manager.
In 1995, Shavo became the band's full-time bassist. They changed their name to System of a Down. The name came from a poem by Daron Malakian called "Victims of a Down." Shavo thought "System" sounded better and would reach more people. The band also wanted their CDs to be next to their favorite band, Slayer, in stores. Their first song released was "Sugar." Later, drummer Andy Khachaturian joined. In 1997, he was replaced by John Dolmayan due to a hand injury.
Shavo plays bass and sings backing vocals for System of a Down. He usually plays with a pick, but sometimes uses his fingers. He has helped write many System of a Down songs. These include "Toxicity", "Sugar", "Jet Pilot", and "Bounce." He has also directed most of the band's music videos. He is in charge of the stage design and lighting for their live shows.
On October 21, 2001, at a show in Grand Rapids, Michigan, an incident happened. Shavo was trying to go backstage when security guards stopped him.
Shavo is known for his unique braided beard and spiked arm bracelet. His beard quickly became a part of his signature look.
System of a Down is known for its strong, socially aware lyrics. However, Shavo has said in interviews that he doesn't see System of a Down as a "political band."
The band took a break from 2006 to 2010. During this time, the members worked on other projects. On November 23, 2010, System of a Down announced they would play European festivals in 2011. They also played shows in North America.
Reuniting for Shows
On October 31, 2009, Shavo hosted an event called "Halloween" at The Roxy. He, Daron Malakian, and John Dolmayan played together. They performed songs like System of a Down's "Suite-Pee." The three also played together on November 20, 2009. This was a benefit show for Chi Cheng of Deftones. Chino Moreno from Deftones sang lead vocals.
AcHoZeN
In May 2006, Shavo started a side project called AcHoZeN. This group includes Shavo, Wu-Tang Clan founder RZA, Kinetic 9, and Reverend William Burke.
The group believes their sound is spiritual and a new type of "heavy hip hop." It's not "rap-metal." The album doesn't have heavy guitars, but it mixes different music styles. Shavo recorded most of the AcHoZeN album at his studios. He also produced it. Shavo created most of the beats and played instruments like bass and sitar. RZA, Kinetic 9, and Reverend William Burke sing most of the songs. Shavo has said their words are "innovative, poetic and righteous." You can also hear Shavo's vocals on songs like "Deuces" and "Salute/Sacrifice."
AcHoZeN's first album features many guest artists. These include George Clinton, Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante, and GZA.
Shavo has called AcHoZeN "a musical revolution." He says it's "not just a band, it's a way of thinking." RZA and Shavo plan to tour in the future. AcHoZeN's song "Deuces" is also heard at the start of the movie Babylon A.D.. AcHoZeN's first live show was on December 1, 2006, in Los Angeles.
On November 13, 2009, the song "Salute/Sacrifice" was released for free. It was available on Shavo's website, urSESSION.com. The AcHoZeN album was expected in mid-2010. However, it was delayed because Shavo was busy with System of a Down.
In 2015, an album with 8 songs was released digitally. More songs might be released later.
North Kingsley
Shavo joined Ray Hawthorne and Saro Paparian's music project in 2019 as an executive producer. After a few months, he became a member of the band. They then renamed the group North Kingsley.
Shavo told Wall of Sound that the band's name comes from the first street he lived on in Los Angeles. This was when he moved from Armenia in 1979. The band members are Shavo Odadjian, Ray Hawthorne, and Saro Paparian.
In 2020, Shavo launched his new band, North Kingsley. They released their first song, "Like That," on August 6. On December 4, 2020, the band released their second EP (a short album) called Vol.2.
Seven Hours After Violet
In 2024, Shavo Odadjian started a new band called Seven Hours After Violet. Shavo plays bass in the band. Other members include guitarist Michael Montoya (Morgoth Beatz) and drummer Josh Johnson. Alejandro Aranda is the guitarist-vocalist, and Taylor Barber is the lead vocalist. The band first performed live on October 7, 2024, for SiriusXM. Their first festival show was at the 2024 Mayhem Festival in San Bernardino, California. Their self-titled album was released on October 11, 2024.
DJing and Other Projects
Shavo is also a popular DJ in the Los Angeles area. He has played at events like the "Rock/DJ Explosion" in Hollywood. He also worked with System of a Down bandmate Serj Tankian on Serart. This was a collaboration album with Armenian musician Arto Tunçboyacıyan. Shavo uses the name DJ Tactics when he DJs. He plays many types of music, including hip-hop, tech-house, classic rock, and metal.
Shavo has also played with George Clinton (from Parliament/Funkadelic). In September 2008, he played guitar (not bass) with Clinton on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Shavo also appears on Clinton's 2008 album, George Clinton and His Gangsters of Love. This album features many guest musicians, including RZA, John Frusciante, and Carlos Santana.
Shavo was an executive producer for Abloom. This was a side project with members from bands like Onesidezero and Soulfly. Shavo is currently helping the band Chameleon Conductor record their first album. Shavo's younger brother, Dave Odadjian, plays bass in that band. His cousin, Harry Markarian, plays guitar.
Other Creative Work
Directing and Editing
Shavo says he is a "very visual person." He has directed and edited many music videos for System of a Down. These include "Aerials" and "Toxicity". The idea for the "Question!" video came from one of his dreams.
Shavo's directing style uses dream-like themes and new ways of filming. He is inspired by Rod Serling, who created The Twilight Zone. Shavo's style can be seen in System of a Down videos like "Aerials" and "Question." He also directed Taproot's video, "Mine." In 2007, it was announced that Shavo would direct the first video for Bad Brains' album Build a Nation. Shavo appears at the end of that concert video with the band's singer, H.R. Shavo also directed the TV ad and launch trailer for the 2015 video game Mortal Kombat X. This trailer featured his band's song "Chop Suey!".
Scoring Films
In 2007–2008, Shavo and Rza worked with Hans Zimmer. They created music for the big movie Babylon A.D., starring Vin Diesel. Besides the song "Deuces," Shavo is credited with writing other songs for the film's music. These include "A Single Moment," "Foreshadow," and "Digital Slaps."
Acting
Shavo started getting involved in the arts when he was young. He appeared in the 1993 "Big Gun" video by AC/DC. He stood next to Arnold Schwarzenegger in the crowd. Shavo has said that being featured so clearly next to Schwarzenegger was not planned. He also had a small role in the movie Zoolander.
In 2006, Shavo was in the film "Screamers." This was a documentary by director Carla Garapedian. The film followed Shavo and System of a Down as they toured. It highlighted the terrible events of modern genocide, from Armenia in 1915 to Darfur today.
Painting and Artwork
Outside of music, Shavo is a passionate painter. His artwork has been shown in many System of a Down music videos and live shows. An abstract painting of his was featured in the "Hypnotize" video. Shavo's paintings are abstract. They use bright colors that blend into each other. At Ozzfest in 2006, Shavo created 27 abstract paintings. These were used as the stage backdrop for System of a Down's performance. Shavo also designs the stages for System of a Down shows.
Shavo personally chose each painting for the 2006 Ozzfest show. He said he wanted to match the feeling of each song with the mood of his paintings.
Helping Others
Shavo is an activist who cares deeply about human rights. He speaks out against terrible events happening to people around the world. This includes working for the recognition and prevention of genocide. He also helps mentor young people. He often attends charity events that raise money for research into childhood cancer. On February 27, 2009, Shavo received the AGBU GenNEXT "Community Hero Award." This award honored his work as a role model for young Armenian-Americans. Young people in the community nominated him for the award.
Personal Life
Shavo Odadjian is married to Sonia Odadjian. They have three children together.
Discography
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- Other appearances
| Year | Artist | Song | Release | ||||||||
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| Albums and soundtracks | |||||||||||
| 2003 | Serart | "Narina" | Serart | ||||||||
| 2007 | Wu-Tang Clan | "Unpredictable" | 8 Diagrams | ||||||||
| "Starter" | |||||||||||
| 2009 | Sunz of Man & Shavo Odadjian | "Dead Birds" | The RZA Presents: Afro Samurai Resurrection OST | ||||||||
| Brooklyn Zu | "If I had a Gun" | Chamber#9, Verse 32 | |||||||||
| Raekwon | "Gihad" | Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II | |||||||||
| "Penitentiary" | |||||||||||
| 2024 | Ice Nine Kills | "A Work of Art" | Terrifier 3 Soundtrack | ||||||||
Awards
- In 2002, System of a Down was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for their song Chop Suey!
- In 2003, System of a Down was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance for Aerials
- In 2005, System of a Down won Best Alternative Act at the Europe Music Awards
- In 2006, System of a Down won their first Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance for BYOB
- 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 for Best Hard Rock Performance for their song Lonely Day
See also
In Spanish: Shavo Odadjian para niños
