Shavo Odadjian - Bassline of a hero.
Shavo Odadjian is well known as the bass player of System
of a Down but, again through intervews, I have learnt he is also an excellent guitarist. I've always seen Shavo as the
more open member of the band. And he seems the most fan focused one of them all.
What I am about to tell you is a very real and sadly true story of a little of my past. I am
now in a place in my life where I am not upset to give this infomation out about myself but I would like people to read it
and maybe realise that this is part of me. It happened. But this is basically how I got into System of a Down.
I lost my mother 3 years ago. Don't worry I am not all 'boo hoo' about it now. Hell yeah I
miss her everyday but I keep going now through music and my daughter. My mother was sick when I was a small child.
She is at peace now. End of.
I lost my best friend that day. I was suddenly very alone ...and very suicidal. I was basically
in a dark place and I didn't think I would ever feel any remotely good emotion again.
I did not feel sad. I felt empty.
One day I remember I was sat in a room and I saw a knife on the table before me. I picked it
up and held it to my left wrist. I won't be graphic here, let's just say i still have the scar! I was about to
slice my wrist when, on a freind's cd player, I heard a pulsing guitar rift that gave me goosebumps. Then a voice dripping
with such emotion that it made something in me stop and take notice.
Then I heard the words that I still believe saved my life. "I cry when angels deserve to die".
And, simple though it sounds, I just laid down the knife and cried. I cried like I had never
cried in my entire life. Why? You may be asking? (I know I still ask it myself). Maybe it was because the song reminded
me of my mother? She used to call me 'Angel' as a child? Maybe it was because, somehow I felt I deserved to die and those
lyrics happened to be heard at the right time?
Coincedence? Fate?
I don't believe in either. I beleive it was because that song - "Chop Suey" by System of a
Down stirred so many feelings and emotions at the same time that it broke down the dam that (I will admit now) I had been
holding against myself since the day my mother died.
Truth is - I can't say. You're the reader - take your own route and come to your own conclusions.
But whatever it was, I was hooked!
So, anyhow - what the fuck has all that got to do with Shavo?!?!
Well, after all that happened I went out and bought all of thier albums. I discovered the joy,
sorrow, pain and love within each and every song. Every song now means something different to me and though you think
it's sad I still say I'm lucky to find a band that can do that to someone!
Anyway, I wrote to S.O.A.D. thanking them for my new found inner strength and told them about my
attempted suicide.
It was Shavo who wrote back. He thanked me for my letter and my honesty and told me that life
will always throw hardships at you. However, to fight them will always help you grow stronger as both a human being
and a person. Words that still make me smile whenever I begin to feel down.
So if you ever read this Shavo - thanks man!!
