System of A Down faced Fight or Flight

System of a Down went on hiatus four years ago because the band would have split for good if they hadn't, says bassist Shavo Odadjian.
Speculation occasionally surfaces that the Armenian-American alt-metallers will reform. It doesn't look likely right now, but at least some of the band are optimistic there's some kind of a future for them.
Back in 2006 that future didn't look bright, and Odadjian says taking a break was the only way of ensuring there would be anything to look forward to.

 

AceShowbiz.com reports him saying: "We were making a lot of loot – then some people within the group of four brothers started seeing things differently. Their actions made the reactions of other pretty unbrotherly.
"Ten years ago we were getting paid nothing while travelling in a ten-seat RV for seven months. Then we were making so much money – we were being flown around, catered to and being treated like royalty.
"All of a sudden band members were having problems financially, then fighting about, 'I want my style of music to be this and that.'
"I love them – they're my brothers. But I couldn't watch my brothers digging into each others' pockets and killing each others' creativity.
"So we said, 'Let's take a break when we're at the highest point. We'll come back when it's time, when we have the hunger and fire in our eyes that we had when we started System."

Meanwhile, singer Serj Tankian is proud of the fact he's established himself as an artist outside SOAD, and doesn't feel the need to cut short his solo career.
Speaking ahead of the release of his second album, Imperfect Harmonies, he tells Billboard.com: "It's been very emancipating and confidence-building.

"When I die, I'm not going to care whether I sold a number of records more or less. I'm going to care about whether I made the right expressions – whether I put something new on this planet."

Source: RockRadio