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Beethoven's Cunt Is Censored In Rock Band.
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Three different promo versions of the album have surfaced to the public. The instrumental promotional version, issued by Serjical Strike/Reprise Records and intended for the music and movie industry, contains instrumental versions of the twelve album tracks. Another promotional version, issued by Reprise Records and made only for individual reviewers, features the album in final master form. This promotional CD-R, which was labeled "Smart Talk" as a codename for "Serj Tankian" to prevent leaking by unauthorized persons, also indicates that the album was finalized prior to {{Start date|2007|08|20}}.<ref>[http://aycu34.webshots.com/image/39153/2002058948060913209_rs.jpg Picture of the Elect The Dead promo CD-R]</ref> Before this a similar but undated promo, also under the name 'Smart Talk', was issued featuring the final versions of the songs, albeit not yet mastered{{Citation needed|date=February 2009}}. Whilst the printed track list on this version is identical the released album, tracks ten and eleven are in fact juxtaposed on the promo itself.
Three different promo versions of the album have surfaced to the public. The instrumental promotional version, issued by Serjical Strike/Reprise Records and intended for the music and movie industry, contains instrumental versions of the twelve album tracks. Another promotional version, issued by Reprise Records and made only for individual reviewers, features the album in final master form. This promotional CD-R, which was labeled "Smart Talk" as a codename for "Serj Tankian" to prevent leaking by unauthorized persons, also indicates that the album was finalized prior to {{Start date|2007|08|20}}.<ref>[http://aycu34.webshots.com/image/39153/2002058948060913209_rs.jpg Picture of the Elect The Dead promo CD-R]</ref> Before this a similar but undated promo, also under the name 'Smart Talk', was issued featuring the final versions of the songs, albeit not yet mastered{{Citation needed|date=February 2009}}. Whilst the printed track list on this version is identical the released album, tracks ten and eleven are in fact juxtaposed on the promo itself.


The official tour for ''Elect the Dead'' commenced on October 12, 2007 with a show at Chicago's Vic theater. Roughly one thousand people attended the first concert. Although Tankian had stated he would not be performing any material by his former band, System of a Down, he performed "Charades", a song co-written by Daron Malakian, the guitarist of System of a Down. Although it is originally a song restricted to piano and vocals, Tankian used his backing band, the [[Flying Cunts of Chaos]] (F.C.C.), to provide guitars, drums, and bass.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} The songs "Beethoven's Cunt", [[Empty Walls]], and [[Sky Is Over]] are available as downloadable content for ''[[Rock Band]]'' . A portion of the song "Lie Lie Lie" is currently featured in the opening title sequence of NBC's ''[[Fear Itself (TV series)|Fear Itself]]'', a horror anthology show from the creators of ''[[Masters of Horror]]'', and can be viewed on the show's main website.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}}.
The official tour for ''Elect the Dead'' commenced on October 12, 2007 with a show at Chicago's Vic theater. Roughly one thousand people attended the first concert. Although Tankian had stated he would not be performing any material by his former band, System of a Down, he performed "Charades", a song co-written by Daron Malakian, the guitarist of System of a Down. Although it is originally a song restricted to piano and vocals, Tankian used his backing band, the [[Flying Cunts of Chaos]] (F.C.C.), to provide guitars, drums, and bass.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} The songs "Beethoven's C***", [[Empty Walls]], and [[Sky Is Over]] are available as downloadable content for ''[[Rock Band]]'' . A portion of the song "Lie Lie Lie" is currently featured in the opening title sequence of NBC's ''[[Fear Itself (TV series)|Fear Itself]]'', a horror anthology show from the creators of ''[[Masters of Horror]]'', and can be viewed on the show's main website.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}}.


==Production==
==Production==

Revision as of 11:57, 3 November 2010

Untitled

Elect the Dead is the debut solo album by Serj Tankian. Tankian played a majority of the instruments himself but did receive assistance from System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan and former Primus and Guns N' Roses drummer Bryan "Brain" Mantia, along with Dan Monti on guitar and bass, opera singer Ani Maldjian and some string players, Antonio Pontarelli among them.[3] A live version of Elect the Dead was released on February 23, 2010 in the US. The live album is entitled Elect the Dead Symphony, and it contains two previously unreleased songs.

As of September 2010, the album has sold 319,000 copies in the US alone.[4]

Marketing

The first singles from Elect the Dead are "The Unthinking Majority" and "Empty Walls". The music video "Feed Us" was released on the Swedish[5] and UK[6] MTV. Tankian appeared on MTV's You Rock The Deuce to promote Elect the Dead.[citation needed] A music video was directed and filmed for every song on the record, each by unique directors. Tankian explained, "I asked each of the directors for their visual interpretation of my work. They were asked not to write treatments and that they could make whatever they liked. The results have been overwhelmingly amazing!" [7]. Some music videos were initially released exclusively to those who purchased the limited edition of Elect the Dead, while all of the music videos, except "Money", have since been publicly released on Tankian's website and YouTube channel. Some videos have alternative versions which were originally released as well, but later altered.[citation needed]

Three different promo versions of the album have surfaced to the public. The instrumental promotional version, issued by Serjical Strike/Reprise Records and intended for the music and movie industry, contains instrumental versions of the twelve album tracks. Another promotional version, issued by Reprise Records and made only for individual reviewers, features the album in final master form. This promotional CD-R, which was labeled "Smart Talk" as a codename for "Serj Tankian" to prevent leaking by unauthorized persons, also indicates that the album was finalized prior to August 20, 2007 (2007-08-20).[8] Before this a similar but undated promo, also under the name 'Smart Talk', was issued featuring the final versions of the songs, albeit not yet mastered[citation needed]. Whilst the printed track list on this version is identical the released album, tracks ten and eleven are in fact juxtaposed on the promo itself.

The official tour for Elect the Dead commenced on October 12, 2007 with a show at Chicago's Vic theater. Roughly one thousand people attended the first concert. Although Tankian had stated he would not be performing any material by his former band, System of a Down, he performed "Charades", a song co-written by Daron Malakian, the guitarist of System of a Down. Although it is originally a song restricted to piano and vocals, Tankian used his backing band, the Flying Cunts of Chaos (F.C.C.), to provide guitars, drums, and bass.[citation needed] The songs "Beethoven's C***", Empty Walls, and Sky Is Over are available as downloadable content for Rock Band . A portion of the song "Lie Lie Lie" is currently featured in the opening title sequence of NBC's Fear Itself, a horror anthology show from the creators of Masters of Horror, and can be viewed on the show's main website.[citation needed].

Production

Serj Tankian has stated that while some of the songs are new, a lot of them have been with him for a while. The song "Blue", which appears on the special edition bonus CD, is a reworking of the System of a Down demo song "Blue" that appeared on the Columbia promo tape which was given away before the release of the band's debut album.

It's very wide sounding — lots of different sounding instruments. The excitement I had making this record was the same excitement I had making the first System record.

— Serj Tankian

Track listing

All tracks are written by Serj Tankian

No.TitleLength
1."Empty Walls"3:49
2."The Unthinking Majority"3:46
3."Money"3:53
4."Feed Us"4:31
5."Saving Us"4:41
6."Sky Is Over"2:57
7."Baby"3:31
8."Honking Antelope"3:50
9."Lie Lie Lie"3:33
10."Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition"4:23
11."Beethoven's Cunt"3:13
12."Elect the Dead"2:54
Total length:45:03
iTunes and Japanese version bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."The Reverend King"2:49
Limited edition bonus disc
No.TitleLength
1."Blue"2:45
2."Empty Walls" (Acoustic)3:46
3."Feed Us" (Acoustic)4:21
4."Falling Stars"3:05

Personnel

  • A&R Craig Aaronson & George Tonikian
  • Original Artwork Provided by Sako Shahinian
  • Album Packaging Design by Sako Shahinian
  • Digipack Album Packaging Design by Keith Aazami
  • Photography by Greg Watermann
  • Worldwide Management Dave Holmes and Darin Harmon
  • Booking (US) Don Muller at CAA
  • Booking (Europe) Emma Banks at CAA
  • Legal Don Passman and Gene Salomon at Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown, Inc.
  • Business Management David Weise at DW & Associates

Chart positions

Year Chart Peak
2007 Top Canadian Albums
3
The Billboard 200
4
Austrian Albums Top 75
5
German Albums Top 75
10
Swiss Albums Top 100
11
Finland Albums Top 40
12
New Zealand Albums Chart
14
ARIA Top 50 (Australia)
19
France Albums Top 150
23
UK Albums Chart
26

References

  1. ^ http://music.ign.com/articles/829/829188p1.html
  2. ^ SERJ TANKIAN Paints Grim Picture With 'Sky Is Over' - Jan. 16, 2008
  3. ^ Serj Tankian biography on SOADFans fansite
  4. ^ http://www.hitsdailydouble.com/sales/sales_ur.cgi?092110
  5. ^ Swedish MTV
  6. ^ UK MTV
  7. ^ System of a Down Frontman To Post Videos For Each Track On Forthcoming Solo Album
  8. ^ Picture of the Elect The Dead promo CD-R
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