John Dolmayan Explained

John Dolmayan
Birth Date:15 July 1972
Birth Place:Beirut, Lebanon
Origin:Glendale, California, U.S.
Occupations:Drummer
Years Active:1997–present

John Dolmayan (born July 15, 1972) is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American musician, best known as the drummer of System of a Down. He is also the drummer for the band Indicator and former drummer for Scars on Broadway. Dolmayan ranked number 33 on Loudwires list of Top 200 Hard Rock + Metal Drummers of All Time.[1]

Early life

John Dolmayan was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to Armenian parents.[2] During the Lebanese Civil War, his family moved to California.[3]

Dolmayan first became interested in drums at the age of two. His father was a saxophone player and when his mother would take him to watch his father play, he would mimic his father's drummer.[4] He learned to play the drums by putting on records and practicing for hours a day, and continued said practice for years. Dolmayan describes his musical style as one influenced by whatever he could get his hands on, including the jazz albums belonging to his father and the rock albums he shared with his friends.[5]

Dolmayan is a fan of the Who and cites Who drummer Keith Moon as his biggest influence. Other drummers that he cites as major influences include Led Zeppelin's John Bonham, Stewart Copeland from the Police, and Rush's Neil Peart.

System of a Down

See main article: System of a Down. Dolmayan joined System of a Down in 1997 after their original drummer, Ontronik "Andy" Khachaturian, left the band due to a hand injury.[6]

Dolmayan recorded five albums with System of a Down: System of a Down (1998), Toxicity (2001), Steal This Album! (2002), Mezmerize (2005) and Hypnotize (2005).[7]

Dolmayan won DRUM! Magazines 2006 Drummer of the year and was the feature story in their March edition.[8] The band went on hiatus in 2006, but reunited in 2010 to occasionally tour.

Scars on Broadway

See main article: Scars on Broadway. After System of a Down went on hiatus in 2006, Dolmayan teamed up with Daron Malakian (System of a Down's guitarist/vocalist) to form a new band called Scars on Broadway, which recorded their eponymous debut album in 2007 and 2008.[9] The album was released in the summer of 2008 and Dolmayan, Malakian, guitarist Franky Perez, bassist Dominic Cifarelli, and keyboardist Danny Shamoun performed concerts and prepared to embark on a tour in support of the album before Malakian suddenly cancelled the tour in October 2008.[10]

In August 2009, Dolmayan, Perez, Shamoun, and Cifarelli as Scars on Broadway traveled to Iraq for a USO tour across the U.S. army bases. Their setlist consisted of covers as well as a few Scars on Broadway songs.[11] [12]

Scars on Broadway reunited with Malakian on May 2, 2010,[13] and released a new single later that year.[14] However, the project went dormant and Dolmayan was no longer involved when Malakian reformed the group in 2018.[15]

Other projects

Dolmayan recorded drums for Killing Joke's 2003 self-titled album,[16] (although the band ended up going with Dave Grohl's tracks[17]) as well as Scum of the Earth's debut album, Blah...Blah...Blah...Love Songs for the New Millennium. He also played drums on the Axis of Justice concert tour with various artists and on the Serj Tankian solo debut, Elect the Dead.[18]

In June 2009, Dolmayan formed a new rock band called Indicator with three friends from Southern California, members of the recently disbanded punk rock band If All Else Fails: Tom Capossela, Ryan Huber, and Ryan Murphy.[19] The band played their first show at The Bitter End in San Diego on July 22, 2009, with Dolmayan's fellow Scars on Broadway member Franky Perez joining the band for a few songs. Their second and final show took place at a strip club in Las Vegas. The band wrote 10-12 songs from 2009 to 2010; live and acoustic demos exist of them all. The four remain in contact although it is uncertain whether the songs will ever be properly recorded.

Dolmayan performed with System of a Down bandmates Daron Malakian and bassist Shavo Odadjian and Scars on Broadway guitarist Franky Perez for Odadjian's Halloween show.[20] Dolmayan, Malakian, and Odadjian performed together again in November 2009 during a charity show for Deftones bassist Chi Cheng.[21]

Dolmayan has devoted much of his life to the comic book retail industry, including launching Torpedo Comics out of Nevada.[22] Torpedo Comics has two brick and mortar stores in addition to a significant online presence.[23]

In 2009, John auditioned for the Smashing Pumpkins, in the absence of Jimmy Chamberlin.[24]

In 2014, Dolmayan started a Kickstarter to fund cover project, These Grey Men, releasing their first single, a cover of Radiohead's "Street Spirit (Fade Out)", in January 2020.[25] Avenged Sevenfold singer M. Shadows contributed vocals to the track; Tom Morello contributed the guitar solo at the song's close. The second single features System of a Down bandmate Serj Tankian in a cover of David Bowie's "Starman".[26]

Personal life

John Dolmayan is married to Diana Dolmayan (née Madatyan), who is the sister of Tankian's wife Angela, making them brothers-in-law.[27] [28]

On his social media accounts, Dolmayan is very politically active like his bandmates; unlike most members of System of a Down, particularly Tankian, Dolmayan supported Donald Trump's presidency.[29] Tankian has stated that it is "frustrating" to be politically opposite with his bandmate and brother-in-law.[30] In October 2023, Dolmayan claimed he had lost friends as well as “hundreds of thousands of fans” on Instagram due to his controversial opinions about Trump, his beliefs that Black Lives Matter “never had legitimacy” and was a “propaganda tool” for the Democratic Party, and his arguments that the COVID-19 pandemic “has always been about money”.[31]

A long time comic book fan, Dolmayan owns a comic book shop, Torpedo Comics, in Las Vegas.[32]

Discography

See also: System of a Down discography and Serj Tankian discography.

System of a Down
Serj Tankian
Scars on Broadway
Axis of Justice
Scum of the Earth
These Grey Men

Equipment

Dolmayan uses Tama drums and hardware, Paiste cymbals, Evans Drumheads, LP percussion and his signature Vater drumsticks.

In the early 2000s, Dolmayan, an avid comic book collector and vendor since childhood, commissioned a group of notable comics artists to create artwork for the drum kit he used. He had Arthur Adams illustrate a scene of giant women fighting robots and Godzilla; Simon Bisley illustrated the Hulk and Thing; Kevin Eastman provided illustration of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; and Tim Vigil depicted a sexually explicit scene of demons engaged in a sex act.[36]

Awards

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Top 200 Hard Rock + Metal Drummers of All Time. . December 24, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161127111438/http://loudwire.com/top-hard-rock-metal-drummers-of-all-time/. November 27, 2016. live.
  2. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p357160|pure_url=yes}} allmusic (((John Dolmayan> Feedback)))]. allmusic . July 26, 2010.
  3. Web site: System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan snares a home in Glendale. Jack. Flemming. Los Angeles Times. June 19, 2018. June 8, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20181009175653/http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/hot-property/la-fi-hotprop-john-dolmayan-20180619-story.html. October 9, 2018. live.
  4. Web site: John Dolmayan: 'I Never Wanted Us to Take a Break in the First Place'. www.ultimate-guitar.com.
  5. Web site: Interview with John Dolmayan. September 15, 2006. Tama. July 26, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110720233832/http://www.tamadrum.co.jp/artist/tama_interview.php?interview_id=8. July 20, 2011. dead.
  6. Web site: OnTroniK: System of a Down Information . July 18, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100220180824/http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=512654515&blogId=526325472 . February 20, 2010 .
  7. Web site: John Dolmayan – Credits. AllMusic.
  8. Drum! March 2006 John Dolmayan . . 117.
  9. Web site: SYSTEM OF A DOWN Members Recording 18 Songs For SCARS ON BROADWAY Debut. September 29, 2007. Blabbermouth.net. April 24, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180622140102/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/system-of-a-down-members-recording-18-songs-for-scars-on-broadway-debut/. June 22, 2018. live.
  10. Web site: Scars On Broadway cancel US tour – NME. October 10, 2008. Nme.com. April 24, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180621043205/http://www.nme.com/news/music/scars-on-broadway-3-1331205. June 21, 2018. live.
  11. Web site: SCARS ON BROADWAY ON HIATUS OR BROKEN UP. January 18, 2010. Artisannews.com. April 24, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180425114827/http://www.artisannews.com/scars-on-broadway-on-hiatus-or-broken-up/. April 25, 2018. dead.
  12. Web site: SCARS ON BROADWAY Members Touring Army Bases In Iraq. August 24, 2009. Blabbermouth.net. April 24, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180622032741/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/scars-on-broadway-members-touring-army-bases-in-iraq/. June 22, 2018. live.
  13. Web site: SCARS ON BROADWAY Announces Comeback Show. April 13, 2010. Blabbermouth.net. April 24, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20131013031033/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/scars-on-broadway-announces-comeback-show/. October 13, 2013. live.
  14. Web site: SCARS ON BROADWAY: New Song Available For Free Download. July 29, 2010. Blabbermouth.net. April 24, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181018004602/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/scars-on-broadway-new-song-available-for-free-download. October 18, 2018. live.
  15. Web site: Daron Malakian Says SCARS ON BROADWAY's New Album Could Have Been New SYSTEM OF A DOWN Music. April 24, 2018. Metalinjection.net. April 24, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180817055523/http://www.metalinjection.net/latest-news/bummer-alert/daron-malakian-says-scars-on-broadways-new-album-could-have-been-new-system-of-a-down-music. August 17, 2018. live.
  16. Nirvana Pay Back Killing Joke. Rolling Stone. June 8, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170608162836/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/nirvana-pay-back-killing-joke-20030410. June 8, 2017. live.
  17. http://www.anirrationaldomain.net/articles/current/drummedia04112003.html TENSION MAKES THE JOKE WORK
  18. Web site: John Dolmayan of System Of A Down. June 20, 2008. June 8, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190129104646/https://www.moderndrummer.com/2008/06/john-dolmayan-2/. January 29, 2019. live.
  19. Web site: Indicator | Gratis muziek, tourneedata, foto's, video's . Myspace.com . October 11, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140204055750/https://myspace.com/weareindicator . February 4, 2014 . live .
  20. Web site: System of a Down Reunite for Quick Halloween Gig … Sort Of. Chris. Harris. Noisecreep. November 3, 2009 . June 8, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190413153746/https://noisecreep.com/system-of-a-down-reunite/. April 13, 2019. live.
  21. Web site: DEFTONES Benefit Shows for 'CHI LING CHENG SPECIAL NEEDS TRUST' a Tremendous Success. December 21, 2009. www.businesswire.com.
  22. News: How System of a Down's Drummer Went From Rock God to Comic-Book Hero – Vegas Seven. December 7, 2016. Vegas Seven. February 21, 2018. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20180221222505/http://vegasseven.com/2016/12/07/how-system-of-a-downs-drummer-went-from-rock-god-to-comic-book-hero/. February 21, 2018. dead.
  23. Web site: Torpedo Comics . Torpedo Comics. January 25, 2020.
  24. Web site: John Dolmayan Auditions For Smashing Pumpkins. Carter. April 21, 2009. December 24, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160423232334/http://www.drummertalk.org/2009/04/20/john-dolmayan-auditions-for-smashing-pumpkins/. April 23, 2016. live.
  25. Web site: THESE GREY MEN. THESE GREY MEN. en-US. January 25, 2020.
  26. https://meaww.com/john-dolmayan-serj-tankian-james-hazley-david-bowie-starman-album-these-grey-men-system-of-a-down starman
  27. "SERJ TANKIAN Says SYSTEM OF A DOWN Members Don't See 'Eye To Eye' On How To Proceed With New Album" December 20, 2017.Blabbermouth. https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/serj-tankian-says-system-of-a-down-members-dont-see-eye-to-eye-on-how-to-proceed-with-new-album/
  28. Gary Graff. "John Dolmayan's Frustration With System of a Down Led to His New Solo Album" February 27, 2020.Billboard.https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/9324365/system-of-a-down-john-dolmayan-these-grey-men-interview-premiere
  29. Web site: System Of A Down's John Dolmayan: "Donald Trump is the greatest friend to minorities" . June 4, 2020 . NME .
  30. Web site: Trapp . Philip . Serj Tankian: It's 'Frustrating' Having a Bandmate Who's My Political Opposite . LoudWire . October 20, 2020 . October 21, 2020.
  31. Web site: Wilkes . Emma . System Of A Down’s John Dolmayan claims he lost "hundreds of thousands of fans" who "couldn’t handle" his opinions . NME . 28 November 2023.
  32. Web site: May 22, 2017. John Dolmayan opens comic book shop in Las Vegas. September 15, 2020. KTNV. en.
  33. Web site: John Dolmayan's drum setup on the Tama USA website . ja . Tamadrum.co.jp . October 11, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110929160745/http://www.tamadrum.co.jp/artist/tama_artist.php?artist_id=132 . September 29, 2011 . dead .
  34. Web site: John Dolmayan's cymbal setup on the Paiste website . Paiste.com . February 8, 2007 . October 11, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110927132347/http://www.paiste.com/e/endorser_det.php?page=setup&endorserid=394 . September 27, 2011 . live .
  35. Web site: Artists – Vic Firth. December 24, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161225080420/http://vicfirth.com/artists/dolmayan.php/. December 25, 2016. dead.
  36. Web site: System of a Down's drummer on his art-covered kit. Entertainment Weekly. Collis, Clark. en-US. live. August 8, 2006. May 12, 2023. November 20, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151120165340/https://ew.com/article/2006/08/08/system-downs-drummer-his-art-covered-kit/.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "John Dolmayan".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.